Spofforth
OS grid reference:- SE 364 510
The pretty village of Spofforth stands on the River Crimple, a tributary of the River Nidd. It is situated about 3 miles to the north west of Wetherby and 5 miles south of Harrogate.
Historic Spofforth Castle, the seat of the powerful and influential Percy family was built in the thirteenth century. The original Spofforth Manor house was built around 1350. It was badly damaged after the battle of Marston Moor in 1644 and was subsequently rebuilt. The Angel House dates back to around 1590.
There are two pubs in Spofforth, the Castle Inn and the Railway. The Castle Inn, which dates from the middle of the 18th Century, is the larger and has a single open plan room. The Railway Inn on Park Terrace is a small pub owned by Samuel Smith's Old Brewery, both pubs serve good food. Eighteenth century Knaresborough road builder Blind Jack Metcalf (1717-1810), spent the latter years of his life in Spofforth and is buried in the church yard.
Stockeld Park, a Palladian villa, stands south of the village near Sicklinghall, it was designed for William Middleton, a prominent local Catholic gentleman, by architect James Paine. The building was completed in 1763. The magical Enchanted Forest is a unique interactive adventure through the ancient woodland of Stockeld Park complete with imaginative, original adventure playground areas.
The village church of All Saints' is not mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086, the date of its foundation is not known. In 1893 a portion of an Anglo-Saxon cross was discovered built into the stairs of the tower. It is likely that an earlier church existed and was rebuilt between 1175 and 1200, with the doorway in the south porch dating from around this time. The first rector was Henry de Evesham inducted in 1280. Another was William de Melon (1310-1317) Treasurer of England and keeper of the great seal. The church tower was built in 1450. The church tower was built in 1450.