Overton

The Ancient Parish of OVERTON

[Transcribed information mainly from the early 1820s]

"OVERTON, a parish in the wapentake of Bulmer; 5 miles NW. of York. This was, in the Confessor's time, the Lordship of Morcar, Earl of Northumberland, who having been instrumental in subduing Earl Tasti, was, by King Edward, rewarded with many of the estates of that Earl but afterwards rebelling against the Conqueror, and these against William Rufus, he was slain by some of his own retinue, to secure themselves from the king's displeasure. The church is dedicated to St. Cuthbert; the living is a vicarage, in the patronage of Mr. Johnson and Mrs. M. Thompson, of which the Rev. J. F. Allen, is the incumbent. Pop. 59.

At Overton, the abbots of York had their chief country residence. The old house, says Drake was standing here of late years, in the parlour of which, in 1661, Dr. Hutton read the following inscription on the wood work, post tenebras, lucem, &c. The house called Hall, continued in the crown till the 5th of Elizabeth, when, it was sold to one John Herbert. But the site of the house, with the park at Beningbrough, &c. is now part of the possessions of John Bouchier, esq. -Drake."

---

"SHIPTON, (and Shipton Smithy) in the parish of Overton, wapentake of Bulmer, a part in the liberty of St. Peter's; 2 miles N. of Overton, 6 miles NW. of York. Here are a Methodist chapel, and a chapel of Calvinistic dissenters. Pop. 377.

A school was here endowed, by Mrs Ann Middleton, of York, with 40L. for education of the children of the freeholders only. -Her Will bears date, August 24, 1655."

---

"SHIPTON SMITHY, a hamlet in the township of Overton-with-Shipton, and parish of Overton, wapentake of Bulmer; 6 miles from York."

---

"SKELTON SMITHY, a single house in the township of Skelton and parish of Overton; 4 miles from York."