Appleton-le-Street (From Gazette & Herald)

Appleton-le-Street

Nestling in the heart of Ryedale is the quiet village of Appleton-le-Street. At its centre is a church with a Anglo-Saxon tower, and the all-important hub of community life -- the village pub. Reporter CAROLINE MOONEY went along to meet some of the village's residents.

APPLETON-LE-STREET is a quiet village on the main road out of Malton towards Helmsley.

The only public amenity is a pub, The Cresswell Arms, with village life for many revolving around the church.

The Parish Church of All Saints peeks out from over the tops of houses as you drive through the village from Malton and has a secluded driveway before it opens out into the graveyard. The church was built around 1030 and has a Anglo-Saxon tower.

Long-time resident Ron Ellis said: "I was born in the village, in a house with a tin roof. I've lived here all my life except in 1939 when I moved to Amotherby and got married."

Despite the years rolling past, Ron says the village hasn't changed much, if at all.

"It hasn't been developed too much. There are some holiday chalets coming, and The Cresswell Arms is a nice pub, and has only had three tenants that I can recall. The people in there at the moment have done it up really nicely.

"It is a residential village, and is nice and quiet. Everybody keeps themselves to themselves but if there's a problem we all help each other.

"There is no parish council, but we do call meetings. I think we hold about two a year."

A funny moment Ron recalls of life in the village is a memory from his childhood.

"I must have been six or seven-years-old, and there were three of us that had climbed up to sit on a ledge in the church tower when we weren't supposed to. While we were there, a funeral came up and we got stuck up there for an hour and a half."

A quirky facet of Appleton-le-Street is that it has what is known as a Gale Field, or a gated field.

Historically, it was a piece of free land that people in certain houses in the village could put livestock on.

The right remains with the house, rather than the person who owned it, and still stands today.

Reverend Beryl Bowes has watched over the parish, and its neighbours, for just over a year now. She took up the post after it was vacant for a few years, and has found life in the area to be fascinating.

She said: "Appleton is one of seven parishes for me. The church is lovely as a building, and it's a special place.

"I like visiting people. It is interesting talking to people like Ron who have been here for a long time. It's getting to know a different way of life."

Judith Thompson, who has lived in the village for four years, is secretary of the Appleton-le-Street Volunteers Group.

The group got a grant from Ryedale District Council - a Small Grants Fund for Ryedale Regeneration. They received £2,000 and did some dry-stone walling around the church.

"We've cleared the churchyard, and have moved gravestones and replaced them. The improvements have been amazing," she said.

"We got involved because we had the time and we were able to do it. It's important to integrate. It's a lovely village, and we like it."

There is no village shop or post office, which Ron says shut 10 years ago.

However, The Cresswell Arms pub stands on the main road. Landlady Liz Gibson has only taken the business on in the last few years.

"A friend bought it and did it up. It was very run down when we got it, and we suffered at first when we opened because of foot and mouth.

"We gutted the whole place and took out the plumbing and electrics.

"We get regular trade, and have a good relationship with the local bed and breakfasts.

"We give them our menus at the start of the season and they send people along. And if anybody is looking for a bed and breakfast, we always recommend them."

Updated: 13:37 Wednesday, June 22, 2005