{{Short description|Village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England}} {{Use British English|date=November 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox UK place | official_name = Cropton | country = England | unitary_england = North Yorkshire | lieutenancy_england = North Yorkshire| region = Yorkshire and the Humber | static_image_name = Cropton Brewery behind the New Inn.jpg | static_image_alt = | static_image_caption = Cropton Brewery in 2002 | population = 321 | population_ref = (2011 Census)<ref name="NOMIS">{{NOMIS2011|id=E04007567|title=Cropton Parish|accessdate=30 September 2021}}</ref> | os_grid_reference = SE757891 | map_alt = Relief map of North Yorkshire | coordinates = {{coord|54|17|32|N|0|50|18|W|display=inline, title}} | label_position = | post_town = PICKERING | postcode_area = YO | postcode_district = YO18 | dial_code = | constituency_westminster = Thirsk and Malton | civil_parish = | hide_services =}} '''Cropton''' is a village and civil parish in the county of North Yorkshire, England. It is on the border of the North York Moors National Park, {{convert|5|km|0|order=flip}} north-west of Pickering.<ref>{{cite map|title =North York Moors - Eastern area |map =OL27 |year =2016 |scale =1:25,000 |series =Explorer |publisher =Ordnance Survey |isbn =9780319242667 }}</ref>
==History== The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as having three ploughlands, but it does not list any inhabitants.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cropton |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SE7589/cropton/ |website=opendomesday.org |access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref> The name of the village derives from Old English (''cropp tūn''), which means a swelling, mound or hill with a farmstead, settlement or village.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ekwall |first1=Eilert |author-link=Eilert Ekwall |title=The concise Oxford dictionary of English place-names |date=1960 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |oclc=1228215388 |page=132 |edition=4}}</ref> At the 2001 census, the parish (including Aislaby) had a population of 354,<ref>{{NOMIS2001|id=36UF027|title=Cropton/Pickering (minor part of 2) Parish|accessdate=30 September 2021}}</ref> decreasing to 321 (including Stape) at the 2011 Census.<ref name="NOMIS"/>
The Great Yorkshire Brewery, a microbrewery, is located to the rear of the New Inn on the edge of the village.<ref>{{cite news|title=VIP trips to brewery for £50,000|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/11689091.VIP_trips_to_brewery_for___50_000/|accessdate=29 November 2017|work=York Press|date=26 December 2014}}</ref> The owners of the pub started brewing their own beer in 1984, though beer had been brewed in the village as far back as 1613.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Peter |title=Yorkshire's historic pubs |date=2005 |publisher=Sutton Publishing |location=Stroud |isbn=0750939834 |page=37}}</ref> To the rear of the brewery is the site of a Motte-and-bailey castle, known as the Round Hill, which is a scheduled ancient monument.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1011624|desc=Cropton Hall Garth: a motte and bailey castle including later medieval manor house, a medieval trackway and a pond|grade=<!-- not applicable to this entry-->|accessdate=29 November 2017}}</ref>
Just outside the village and to the north, is the site of a set of Roman practice marching camps at Cawthorne, excavated by universities in recent years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cawthorn Roman Camps: North York Moors National Park|url=http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/visiting/enjoy-outdoors/walking/our-walks/walking-routes/cawthorn-roman-camps|website=northyorkmoors.org.uk|accessdate=29 November 2017}}</ref> The camps are thought to be there as the village was on the route of a Roman Road between York and Dunsley Bay (Sandsend), on the Yorkshire Coast near to Whitby.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Frank |first1=George |title=Ryedale and North Yorkshire antiquities |date=1888 |publisher=E Stock |location=London |page=223|oclc=4986493}}</ref> These have been registered as ancient monuments.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1007988|desc=Cawthorn Roman forts and camp including a section of medieval trackway known as the Portergate|grade=<!--not applicable to this entry-->|accessdate=29 November 2017}}</ref> To the north of the village lies Cropton Forest, a {{convert|9,050|acre|adj=on}} woodland that has a caravan park within it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cropton Forest |url=https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/cropton-forest/ |website=woodlandtrust.org.uk |access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref> The forest is also noted for a programme to reintroduce beavers, which was successful in producing kits (baby beavers) in 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Perrin |first1=Louise |title=Cropton Forest beaver trial welcomes two new additions to the family |url=https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/environment/video-cropton-forest-beaver-trial-welcomes-two-new-additions-to-the-family-3299996 |access-date=30 September 2021 |work=The Scarborough News |date=7 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Alexandra |title=Forestry England confirms that Cropton Forest beavers have had fourth baby |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/forestry-england-confirms-cropton-forest-beavers-have-had-fourth-baby-3080936 |access-date=30 September 2021 |work=The Yorkshire Post |date=2 January 2021}}</ref>
St Gregory's Church, Cropton is a grade II listed structure, and whilst there is no accurate record of its building date, it was rebuilt in 1844.<ref>{{cite web |title=St Gregory |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/8016/about-us/ |website=www.achurchnearyou.com |access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|desc=Church of St Gregory|num=1281522|grade=II|access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref> In the churchyard is the base of a medieval cross. There is a poem and tradition associated with taking a drink and leaving money at the cross.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mead |first1=Harry |title=Inside the North York Moors |date=1978 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0715376993 |page=27}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|desc=Stump of Churchyard Cross Approximately 20 Metres South of Church of St Gregory|num=1213520|grade=II|access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref>
==Governance== An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward stretches south to Normanby, with a total population taken at the 2011 Census of 1,542.<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E05006299|title=Cropton Ward (as of 2011)|accessdate=30 September 2021}}</ref>
From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the district of Ryedale. It is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.
==Notable people== *William Scoresby, Arctic whaler and navigator who sailed out of Whitby<ref>{{Cite ODNB|first=J. K.|last=Laughton|title=Scoresby, William, senior|id=24853}}</ref>
==See also== *Listed buildings in Cropton
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Cropton}} *[http://colinday.co.uk/maps/RyedaleMaps/Cropton.pdf Map of the village]
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Category:Villages in North Yorkshire Category:Civil parishes in North Yorkshire