{{Short description|Village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use British English|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | static_image_name = Ancient field systems and lynchets at Austwick.jpg | static_image_caption = Ancient field systems and [[lynchet]]s west of Austwick | coordinates = {{coord|54.112|-2.357|display=inline,title}} | official_name = Austwick | type = Village and parish | population = 463 | population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]])<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=1170216721|title=Austwick Parish |access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref> | civil_parish = Austwick | unitary_england = [[North Yorkshire (district)|North Yorkshire]] | lieutenancy_england = [[North Yorkshire]] | region = Yorkshire and the Humber | constituency_westminster = [[Skipton and Ripon]] | post_town = LANCASTER | postcode_district = LA2 | postcode_area = LA | dial_code = | os_grid_reference = SD767685 }}
'''Austwick''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in [[North Yorkshire]], England, about {{convert|5|mi|km|0}} north-west of [[Settle, North Yorkshire|Settle]] and on the edge of the [[Yorkshire Dales]] National Park.
Before local government reorganisation in 1974 Austwick parish was within [[Settle Rural District]], in the West Riding of Yorkshire. From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the [[Craven District]] and is now administered by the unitary [[North Yorkshire Council]].
According to the Austwick & Lawkland Tithe Map of 21 October 1851 the parish has an area of {{convert|8201|acre|km2}}, of which around a quarter is uncut moorland. The highest point is Lord's Seat on Simon Fell at {{convert|2079|ft|m}}.<ref>Austwick & Lawkland Tithe Map, West Yorkshire Archives, Sheepscar, Leeds</ref>
==Toponymy== Austwick comes from [[Old Norse]] (austr, meaning east) and [[Old English]] (wīc, meaning settlement/dwelling).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitsettle.co.uk/austwick.html|title=Austwick|website=Visit Settle|access-date=15 February 2025}}</ref>
==History== The area around Austwick has been inhabited by humans for more than 4,000 years. Dudderhouse Hill long cairn ({{coord|54.1424|-2.3605|display=inline}}) to the north of the village is [[Long barrow|long cairn burial mound]] from the [[Neolithic period]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Luke |first1=Yvonne |title=Neolithic Long Mounds of the Yorkshire Dales and allied structures. First Interim Report: towards a resource assessment|url=https://www.academia.edu/11783158/Neolithic_Long_Mounds_of_the_Yorkshire_Dales_and_allied_structures_First_Interim_Report_towards_a_resource_assessment |page=21|access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> It is a [[Scheduled monument|scheduled ancient monument]].<ref>{{NHLE |desc=Dudderhouse Hill Neolithic long cairn, 213m SSE of Long Scar, Austwick |num=1489528 |access-date=24 July 2025}}</ref> Archaeological finds in and around the village include prehistoric burial places, a large [[Bronze Age]] settlement, and an [[Iron Age]] settlement.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Simmons |first1=I. G. |author1-link=Ian Simmons |title=Yorkshire Dales |date=1971 |publisher=[[H.M.S.O.]] |location=London |isbn=9780117004962 |page=26}}</ref> The area surrounding Austwick has many ancient remains, including extensive walls and structures of slate, limestone and sandstone.
At one time Austwick, Clapham, Lawkland and Newby were independent manors with their own lord and together formed the larger parish of Clapham. In ''[[Domesday Book]]'', a survey of England conducted in 1086, Austwick was the head of 12 manors spread along a northern route.<ref>{{cite web |title=Austwick {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SD7668/austwick/ |website=opendomesday.org |access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref>{{sfn|Speight|1892|p=162}} Austwick still has a [[lord of the manor]], the most recent holder of the position being Dr John Farrer, who died in 2014. The Farrer family has held the position of lord of the manor since 1782.<ref>{{cite web|author=Austwick Community Broadband |author-link=Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |title=About Austwick |url=http://www.austwick.org/about.htm |publisher=Austwick Community Broadband |location=Austwick |access-date=24 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721052132/http://www.austwick.org/about.htm |archive-date=21 July 2009 }}</ref> Austwick Hall, a [[grade II listed]] building, is said to have originally been part of a [[pele tower]].<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Austwick Hall|num=1317100|grade=II|access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{PastScape |num=44748 |desc=Austwick Hall |access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref> The building was renovated in the 17th and 19th centuries, though evidence of its purchase by the Ingilby family points to the year 1573.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scholes |first1=Ron |title=Yorkshire Dales |year=2011 |publisher=Horizon Press |location=Ashbourne |isbn=978-1-84306-508-1 |page=56}}</ref>
A local folktale tells of an Austwick man who fell into a deep pool. As bubbles broke on the surface of the water his companions thought they could hear the words "T' b-best's at t' b-bottom", so they jumped into the pool as well and were not seen again.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ash |first=Russell |date=1973 |title=Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain |publisher=Reader's Digest Association Limited |page=336 |isbn=978-0-340-16597-3 }}</ref>
The Anglican church in the village was originally a lecture hall but was later converted into the [[Church of the Epiphany, Austwick|Church of the Epiphany]]. The grade-II-listed structure was consecrated in 1841.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Church of the Epiphany|num=1131643|grade=II|access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref>
The village was originally in the [[Wapentake]] of [[Ewecross]], later being part of the Settle Rural District in the county of the West Riding of Yorkshire.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=45731 |date=21 July 1972 |page=8801 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Genuki: In 1822 the following places were in the Parish of Clapham:, Yorkshire (West Riding) |url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Clapham/more |website=www.genuki.org.uk |access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref> It became part of North Yorkshire in 1974.<ref>{{cite web |title=Boundary Map of Settle RD |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10166883/boundary |website=visionofbritain.org.uk/ |access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=No, Settle, you can't have your civic chain back, says district council |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/5000298.no-settle-you-cant-have-your-civic-chain-back-says-district-council/ |access-date=1 February 2021 |work=Craven Herald |date=12 February 2010}}</ref> Austwick was originally in the Parish of Settle but became a parish in its own right in May 1879.{{sfn|Speight|1892|p=164}}
Austwick was on the original turnpike road between [[Keighley and Kendal Turnpike|Keighley and Kendal]], which north-west of Settle became the A65. The village was bypassed progressively in the 1980s and early 1990s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Freethy |first1=Ron |title=Discovering the Yorkshire Dales |year=1991 |publisher=Donald |location=Edinburgh |isbn=0-85976-327-7 |page=19}}</ref>
==Demographics==
According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 476 with an average age of 45.4 years (neighbouring parishes: Clapham parish 39.9 years, Lawkland parish 39.4 years, England: 38.6 years). There are 231 dwellings and 212 households. 36% are pensioner households, 33% of households have an occupant with a long-term illness and 25% of households have children.<ref>{{NOMIS2001|id=36UB004|title=Austwick Parish|access-date=1 February 2021}}</ref> The parish includes the village of Austwick and the hamlet of [[Wharfe, North Yorkshire|Wharfe]].
In 2014 the boundaries of Austwick parish were changed. The part of the parish south of the A65 road was passed to Lawkland parish and the part of Lawkland parish north of the A65 (including the hamlet of Feizor) was passed to Austwick parish. Austwick Common and Austwick Moss are now no longer in the parish of Austwick. The boundaries of Austwick and Lawkland parishes had been in existence since at least 1851 at the time of the drawing up of the Tithe map.
==See also== *[[Listed buildings in Austwick]]
==References== {{reflist}}
===Sources=== *{{cite book |last1=Speight |first1=Harry |title=The Craven and north-west Yorkshire highlands. Being a complete account of the history, scenery, and antiquities of that romantic district|date=1892 |publisher=E Stock |location=London|oclc=7219082}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Austwick}} * [http://www.austwick.org Community Website] * [http://www.austwick.n-yorks.sch.uk Austwick CE VA Primary School's website] * {{OpenDomesday|SD7668|austwick|Austwick}}
{{Portal bar|Yorkshire|England|United Kingdom}} {{North Yorkshire|state=collapsed}}
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[[Category:Villages in North Yorkshire]] [[Category:Civil parishes in North Yorkshire]] [[Category:Craven, Yorkshire]]