Malham

{{Short description|Village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England}} {{for-multi|the village in Azerbaijan|Məlhəm|the villages in Iran|Malham, Iran (disambiguation){{!}}Malham, Iran}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use British English|date=April 2018}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | static_image = | static_image_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|54.061|-2.153|display=inline,title}} | official_name = Malham | population = 238 | population_ref = (2011 census)<ref name="2011 census"/> | unitary_england = North Yorkshire | lieutenancy_england = North Yorkshire | civil_parish = | region = Yorkshire and the Humber | constituency_westminster = Skipton and Ripon | post_town = SKIPTON | postcode_district = BD23 | postcode_area = BD | dial_code = 01729 | os_grid_reference = SD900629 }} '''Malham''' is a village and civil parish in the county of North Yorkshire, England. In the ''Domesday Book'', the name is given as Malgun, meaning "settlement by the gravelly places".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Malham|title=Surname Database: Malham Last Name Origin|website=The Internet Surname Database|accessdate=1 October 2020}}</ref>

Until 1974 it was part of the Settle Rural District, in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Malham, in Craven and West Riding |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/13351 |access-date=15 April 2025 |website=A Vision of Britain}}</ref> From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the Craven District, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.

In 2001 the parish had a population of approximately 150.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=797630&c=Malham&d=16&e=15&g=475326&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1253868839535&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 |title=2001 census|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|accessdate=}}</ref> Malham parish increased in size geographically (to include Malham Moor) and so at the 2011 Census had a population of 238.<ref name="2011 census">{{NOMIS2011|id=1170216772|title=Malham Parish|accessdate=10 April 2018}}</ref>

Malham lies at the upper end of the valley of the River Aire, known above Airton as '''Malhamdale''', in the Yorkshire Dales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/outandabout/dalesandtowns/malhamdale|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517013230/http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/outandabout/dalesandtowns/malhamdale|url-status=dead|title=Yorkshire Dales National Park: Malhamdale|archivedate=17 May 2013|accessdate=1 October 2020}}</ref> The surrounding countryside is well known for its limestone pavements and other examples of limestone scenery. Tourist attractions include Malham Tarn, Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Janet's Foss and the Dry Valley.

In the 1950s the village gave its name to a Ham class minesweeper, HMS Malham.

==Governance== Malham has a joint parish council, Kirkby Malhamdale Parish Council, with the parishes of Malham Moor, Kirkby Malham and Hanlith.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kirkby Malhamdale Parish Council|url=http://www.malhamdale.com/kmpc.htm|website=malhamdale.com|accessdate=4 February 2016}}</ref>

==Tourism== Malham is a popular walkers' destination. The rise in tourism over Malham's history has led to some deterioration of the area's surrounding paths as tourists wander off the paths and cause pockets of erosion, a process often called "footpath erosion". The footpaths in the area are maintained by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

In the village there is a National Park Information Centre and a large car park. The Pennine Way long-distance path passes through the village. Nearby natural landmarks include Malham Cove, Malham Tarn, Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss. The Malham Show Fell Race course runs over the nearby {{convert|301|m|ft|adj=on}} Cawden.

In May 2006, it was reported that a covert listening device was discovered hidden in the local parish hall, leaving the villagers baffled. The electronic transmitter was found in a wall socket during a safety inspection at Malham village hall.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/5023408.stm|title=Mystery surrounds parish hall bug|date=27 May 2006|work=BBC News|access-date=8 November 2008}}</ref>

Part of ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1'' was filmed around the Malham Cove limestone pavement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.malhamdale.com/cove.htm|title=Malham Cove Tourist Website|date=12 June 2011|publisher=Malham Tourism|accessdate=7 February 2011}}</ref>

''All Creatures Great and Small'' TV series was largely filmed within the Dales, including some scenes shot in and around Malham Lings and at Janet's Foss waterfall on the ''Malham Landscape Trail''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/all-creatures-great-and-small-s1-an-insiders-guide-to-the-yorkshire-dales/ |title=Insider's Guide to the Yorkshire Dales Filming Locations |date=24 January 2021 |work=PBS Masterpiece |access-date=27 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/new-creatures-great-small-brings-18988628 |title=New All Creatures Great and Small brings a huge increase in Yorkshire tourism |date=24 September 2020 |work=Examiner |access-date=27 February 2021 |quote=}}</ref>

Beck Hall in the village is England's first vegan hotel, after making over its menu and room amenities to be free of animal products in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |date=24 October 2023 |title=Yorkshire Hotel To Become England's First Fully Vegan Hotel |url=https://the-yorkshireman.com/beck-hall-vegan-hotel-malham/ |access-date=24 October 2023 |website=The Yorkshireman }}</ref> The Lister Arms inn also lies in the village.<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1301333|desc= Lister Arms Hotel, Malham|access-date= 4 May 2025}}</ref>

==Climate== Malham has an Oceanic climate, but is generally colder and wetter than most settlements in Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages|title=UK climate averages|website=Met Office|accessdate=1 October 2020}}</ref> It has a relatively low altitude of around 200 metres, but is partly surrounded by fells. This exposed position{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} means the temperature range is limited, due to little pooling of cold air. Extremes of temperature (since 1960) range from {{convert|28.2|C|F}} during August 1990,<ref>{{cite web | publisher = KNMI | url= http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=14&year=1990&indexid=TXx&stationid=1846 | title = 1990 temperature}}</ref> down to {{convert|-13.5|C|F}} during March 2001.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = KNMI | url= http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=9&year=2001&indexid=TNn&stationid=1846 | title = 2001 temperature}}</ref>

==Village events== The village hosts an annual agricultural and horticultural show on the Saturday before the August Bank Holiday. Known as the Malham Show, it has competitions for everything from Lego models to fell running. Another major annual event is the Malham Safari,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://malhamdale.com/safari.htm|title=Malham Safari website|publisher=malhamdale.com|accessdate=9 November 2018}}</ref> when the villagers and particularly the local school build sculptures around the village. This event attracts many tourists and stalls are put up on the green.

==Places of worship== Malham Methodist Church is located in Chapel Gate and is part of the Skipton and Grassington Circuit of the Methodist Church.<ref>{{cite web|work=Skipton and Grassington Circuit|url= https://www.skiptonandgrassingtonmethodist.org.uk/index.php |title=Skipton & Grassington Methodist Circuit| accessdate= 1 October 2020}}</ref> St Helen's Chapel was an ancient religious foundation mentioned in monastic charters from the twelfth century. It was demolished during the reformation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://malhamchapeldig.wordpress.com/st-helens-chapel-malham/ |title=St Helen's Chapel, Malham|date=14 December 2016 | accessdate= 1 October 2020}}</ref> Archaeological digs at the site have been supported by the Ingleborough Archaeology Group.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kingsbury|first= H. |url=https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/excavations-at-st-helens-chapel-malham/ |title=Excavations at St Helen's Chapel, Malham|date= 3 August 2017 |accessdate= 1 October 2020}}</ref>

==Picture gallery== <gallery> Image:Malham countryside.jpg|Malham is surrounded by stone-walled pastures Image:Ford in Malham.JPG|Ford Image:Malham Beck small bridge.JPG|Small bridge Image:Malham store.JPG|Sweet shop and Post Office Image:Malham Beck bridge.JPG|Malham Beck </gallery>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Malham}} {{Wikivoyage}} *[http://www.malhamdale.com/ Village and area web site] *[http://kirkbymalham.info/KMI/malham.html Malham and district information/history pages] *[https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk Malham National Park Visitor Centre]

Category:Malham Category:Villages in North Yorkshire Category:Civil parishes in North Yorkshire Category:Craven, Yorkshire