Although now largely a commuter village for Northallerton, Darlington and Teesside, Appleton Wiske still remains an agricultural village with many farms within its parish boundaries.
In the Doomsday book, “Manerium in Apeltuna” consisted of six geldable caruates. A carucate, which refers to land which at the time of the conquest was under Danelaw, was the area of farmland that could be cultivated by a single plough. The manor had been held by someone called Orm whilst Edward the Confessor was on the throne.
200 years ago linen production was the main industry in the village. Both spinning and weaving were undertaken, with the weaving usually done by the men in separate sheds and spinning being undertaken by women at home – some houses retain the ‘spinning windows’ which concentrated the light on the wheel.
Many of the linen weavers were non-conformists and there were three chapels, Wesleyan, Primitive Methodists and Congregationalists. Only the former remains as a place of worship today. The decline in the linen industry resulted in the creation of the Mechanics Institute whose aim was to bring education to the working classes and boasted a library of 700 volumes in 1871. It continued to serve the village until the early 1970’s when it was sold and the proceeds went towards the new Village Hall.
Appleton Wiske Historical Gallery:
Browse the image gallery below for photos from Jubilee Celebrations, Coronation Celebrations and other historical photos from village life.