North Riding of Yorkshire

Encyclopedia : N : NO : NOR : North Riding of Yorkshire

The North Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three traditional subdivisions of Yorkshire, United Kingdom. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, North Riding, was based closely on the historic boundaries.

Contents

1 Ancient divisions
2 Modern history
3 Proposed resurrections
4 References

Ancient divisions

Unlike most English counties which were divided into hundreds, Yorkshire was divided first into three ridings and then into wapentakes. The wapentakes of the North Riding were Allertonshire, Birdforth, Bulmer, Gilling East Gilling West, Halikeld, Hang East, Hang West, Langbaurgh East, Langbaurgh West, Pickering Lythe, Ryedale and Whitby Strand.

Modern history

The County of York, North Riding administrative county was formed in 1889. In 1894 it was divided into municipal boroughs, urban districts and rural districts. Middlesbrough had already been incorporated as a municipal borough in 1853 and formed a county borough, exempt from county council control, from 1889. Richmond and Scarborough had been incorporated as municipal boroughs in 1835, with Thornaby-on-Tees in 1892.

The urban districts in 1894 were Eston, Guisborough, Hinderwell, Kirkleatham, Kirklington cum Upsland, Loftus, Malton, Masham, Northallerton, Ormesby, Pickering, Redcar, Saltburn and Marske by the Sea, Scalby, Skelton and Brotton, South Bank in Normanby and Whitby. In 1922 Redcar was incorporated as a borough.

The rural districts in 1894 were Aysgarth, Bedale, Croft, Easingwold, Flaxton, Guisborough, Helmsley, Kirkby Moorside, Leyburn, Malton, Masham, Middlesborough, Northallerton, Pickering, Reeth, Richmond, Scarborough, Startforth, Stokesley, Thursk, Wath and Whitby.

County Review Orders reduced the number of urban and rural districts in the county:The North Riding of York (Northern Areas) Order 1932, The North Riding of York Review Order 1934

Hinderwell urban district was absorbed by Whitby rural district in 1932
A new Saltburn and Marske by the Sea urban district was formed from from Saltburn by the Sea urban district and part of Guisborough rural district. the remainder of Guisborough RD passed to Loftus urban district and Whitby rural district in 1932
Kirklington cum Upsland urban district was absorbed by Bedale rural district in 1934
Masham urban district was redesignated as Masham rural district in 1934

In 1968 a new county borough of Teesside was created, taking in Middlesbrough and parts of the administrative counties of Durham and York, North Riding. From the North Riding came the boroughs of Redcar and Thornaby-on-Tees, the urban district of Eston, and part of Stokesley rural district (although the remainder of the rural district continued as part of the county).

In 1974 the County of York, North Riding administrative county was abolished and the majority of its former area became part of the new non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire, which also includes much of the northern rural part of the West Riding as well as the city of York and the northern and western fringes of the traditional East Riding. Middlesbrough and Redcar became part of Cleveland and are now in independent unitary authorities which remain part of North Yorkshire for ceremonial purposes. South Teesdale was transferred to County Durham.

The North Riding is now represented in the districts of Hambleton, Richmondshire, Harrogate, Ryedale, and Scarborough in North Yorkshire, with parts in Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees (south of the River Tees), Teesdale, and Redcar and Cleveland. The principal towns are Middlesbrough, Redcar, Whitby, Scarborough and Northallerton.F. R. Youngs, Local Administrative Units of England, Vol.II, Northern England, London, 1991

Proposed resurrections

On three occasions a re-use of the North Riding for local government purposes has been considered. During the 1990s UK local government reform, the Banham Commission suggested uniting Richmondshire, Hambleton, Ryedale and Scarborough districts in a new unitary authority called North Riding of Yorkshire. Later, the government proposed renaming the county of North Yorkshire the North Riding of Yorkshire. This was deemed inappropriate and rejected.

During a further local government review in the 2000s as part of the preparations for the regional assembly referendums, a North Riding of Yorkshire unitary authority consisting of Richmondshire, Hambleton, Ryedale and Scarborough was again suggested. However, the Commission withdrew this in favour or two unitary authorities, one for Hambleton and Richmondshire, the other for Ryedale and Scarborough.

References

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