The Historic Village Of Riccall

Riccall is a village of character and history. It lies south of York above the flood plain east of the River Ouse. The settlement was well-established when it saw the landing of Vikings in 1066, prior to their battles at Gate Fulford and Stamford Bridge. The sense of history in Riccall is marked by many buildings in the village.

The principle ones are St Mary's Church and the Prebendal Manor House. Its main attraction, however, is the large number of farmhouses and cottages of 17th, 18th and 19th century origin with their wide range of brickwork and roofing materials.

Due to the late inclosure of fields from 1883/84, Riccall still looks like a village built on medieval street and footway patterns. The early growth of the village took shape in a rough square surrounding the Church and along the main roads to York, Selby and Cawood. Development in the 20th century confined the village to the west of the railway.

With the advent of the Selby Coalfield, the railway line was closed because of potential subsidence and its route past the village became a bypass. Thus Main Street and York Road were released from their functions as arterial roads and have again become an integral part of the village pattern of thoroughfares.