Copmanthorpe Parish information from Bulmers' 1890.

COPMANTHORPE:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1890.

Wapentake of the Ainsty of York - Poor Law Union and County Court District of York - Rural Deanery of Bishopthorpe - Archdeaconry of York or West Riding - Diocese of York.

Copmanthorpe, formerly a chapelry under St. Mary, Bishophill Junior, York, was, by an Order in Council, constituted a separate parish in 1866, the district allotted embracing the township of Copmanthorpe. It covers an area of 1,610 acres, and is rated to the poor at £5,765. The population in 1881 was 311. The landowners are the exors. of the late Captain Albert C. Wood, Hollin Hall, near Ripon, lords of the manor; H. N. Belchier, Esq., 74, Cornhill, London, E.C.; the Rev. Yarburgh Gream, Sewerby House, near Hull; the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who have 99 acres here; Allanby's Trust (about 200 acres); and George Allan, Esq., Ivy House, Copmanthorpe. The North Eastern Railway Co. own 25½ acres, and have a station here a short distance from the village.

The village is situated about four miles S.S.W. of York. A short distance from the hamlet is a field bearing the name of Temple Field, where the Knight's Templars had a Preceptory, but nothing is known of its history. Not a portion of the building now remains, but the mounds, which may still be seen in the field, probably mark the site of the foundations. Scattered about the houses and gardens of the village are numerous sculptured stones, representing figure heads of men, arches, windows, columns, &c., evidently once belonging to the Temple. Near this is another field called Temple Garth, which was probably the burial place of the knights.

The parish church, dedicated to St. Giles, is a low oblong building, comprising a chancel and nave, with a small turret containing two bells. The outside walls are cased with cement. The church was restored in 1889 at a cost of £500, under the direction of Mr. Hodgson Fowler, architect, Durham, The gallery was taken down, a new chancel end built, and an organ chamber and vestry added. During the progress of the work a small Norman window, which had been built up, was discovered in the south wall. This has been opened out and filled with stained glass. The church will seat 120. The living is a new vicarage, worth £250, in the gift of the vicar of St. Mary's, Bishophill Junior, and held by the Rev. Albert Willan, M.A.

The vicarage house is a commodious residence built by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners about 20 years ago at a cost of £1,400.

The great tithes, payable to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, were commuted for £430, and the small tithes, belonging to the vicar of St. Mary, Bishophill Junior, for £68.

A new school was built by subscription in 1869 at a cost of £300. It is attended by about 50 children.

The Wesleyan chapel, built about 60 years ago, was restored and enlarged in 1883 at a cost of £100. The Methodist Free Church, built in 1860, was purchased by the Wesleyan body in 1879 for £97, and converted into a Sunday school. It will accommodate about 100.

[Description(s) from Bulmer's History and Directory of North Yorkshire (1890)]

Directories

• Transcript of the entry for the Post Office, professions and trades in Bulmer's Directory of 1890.

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