Helperthorpe Parish information from Bulmers' 1892.

HELPERTHORPE:
Geographical and Historical information from the year 1892.

Wapentake and Petty Sessional Division of Buckrose - County Council Electoral Division of Sledmere - Poor Law Union and County Court District of Driffield - Rural Deanery of Buckrose - Archdeaconry of the East Riding - Diocese of York.

Helperthorpe is a parish and township comprising 2,620 acres of land, and valued for rating purposes at £1,994. The inhabitants in 1891 numbered 189, and are chiefly engaged in agricultural pursuits. The soil is light and the subsoil chalk; the chief crops are oats, barley, turnips, and seeds. Sir Tatton Sykes, Bart., D.L., of Sledmere, who is lord of the manor, and Harry Walter Cholmley, Esq., J.P., C.C., of Howsham Hall, are the principal landowners. The vicars of Luttons Ambo and Weaverthorpe have some glebe land here, and the vicar of the parish has also about two acres.

The village is one of the Dale Towns, and stands on the York and Bridlington Road, about one mile south-west of Weaverthorpe, and about 11 miles east of Malton. The houses are all well built and of very recent date. The Gypsey, or Vipsey, Race flows through the place and here feeds a large pond. Further on, near Boythorpe, the stream loses itself and re-appears between Foxholes and Wold Newton.

The church of St. Peter is a handsome Gothic structure rebuilt in 1874-5, on the site of a plain 16th century edifice, at a cost of about £7,000, defrayed by Sir Tatton Sykes. It was built from the designs of Mr. Street, and is all of cut freestone from Aislaby quarries, near Whitby. It consists of chancel, nave, south porch, and a western tower, with spire, containing three bells. The chancel is divided from the nave by a pointed arch and a very fine wrought-iron screen, beautifully painted in gold and colour. The floor is raised above that of the nave and is laid with tesselated pavement. Three steps lead to the communion table, behind which is a handsome reredos of carved stone. The communion plate, consisting of a flagon, chalice, and two patens, is of solid silver, and was presented by the late Lady Sykes. In the south wall are a double sedilia and a piscina, and from the beautifully decorated roof hangs a sanctuary lamp. The east window is a very handsome one of five lights, filled with stained glass, representing Our Lord in Majesty, surrounded by saints and angels. The other windows of the church are also pictorial, and were executed by Messrs. Clayton & Bell, of London. The chancel is furnished with oak stalls. The roof is also oak, panelled, and gorgeously decorated with paintings, in colour and gold; that of the nave is waggon-shaped and richly embellished. The nave is furnished with oak seats to accommodate about 80 person. The lower chamber of the tower forms the baptistery. On the outside, in a niche, is the figure of St. Peter, the patron saint of the church. The churchyard is surrounded by a wall, and entered through a pointed arch surmounted by a cross. In the centre stands a very large stone cross. The old church did not possess the privilege of burial; the dead were interred at Weaverthorpe, to which church Helperthorpe paid one-fourth of the church rates. The register dates from 1736. The living, formerly consolidated with Weaverthorpe, is a vicarage in the gift of Sir Tatton Sykes, Bart. (who gave to the Dean and Chapter of York the living of Bishop Wilton in exchange), and held by the Rev. Henry Wolsey Thompson. Its net yearly value is £200, which is derived from the endowment given by Sir Tatton Sykes, and invested with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

The Vicarage House is a building of red brick, with stone dressings, erected by the patron in 1876. It stands in about two acres of ground, in close proximity to the church.

The Wesleyans have a chapel in the village, built in 1852. It is a small structure of brick, furnished with narrow pews to seat 50 persons. The children of the parish attend the school at Weaverthorpe.

[Description(s) from Bulmer's History and Directory of East Yorkshire (1892)]

Directories

• Transcript of the entry for the Post Office, professions and trades in Bulmer's Directory of 1892.

Scan, OCR and html by Colin Hinson. Checking and correction by Peter Nelson.