Thornton-le-Dale

The area has been inhabited since at least the Neolithic era. A burial cart discovered nearby, at Pexton Moor, is estimated to have been made in 300 BC. The name of the village is thought to have been given by the Angles who settled here circa AD 500–540, after conquering the locals. An etymology report suggests that the name Thornton derives from the Old English lemmas þorn and tūn, "town of thorn bushes". Prior to the Norman Conquest, the area was under the rule of Saxon lords. In the Domesday Book of 1086, the settlement, with a population of 30, appears in three entries; it was then known as Torentune. Other nearby small settlements included Roxby, Farmanby, Thornton, Ellerburn and…

The tourist era in this area was underway by the early 1900s and in 1907, Thornton-le-Dale was named Yorkshire's Prettiest Village in a newspaper poll; it remains popular with tourists. Such visitors fuel the economy, with many visiting the very quaint village with the ancient Thornton-le-Dale Market Cross, stocks on the small village green and small beck (stream). There are several cafes and pubs, as well as a seasonal tea room and many shops. Nearby, Dalby Forest offers paths for walking, cycling and nature-watching. The Information Point can provide visitors with a pamphlet providing specifics as to other walks from the village, including one to the tiny hamlet of Ellerburn. The village…