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About the Parish  

The name Huby, is Scandinavian, probably of Danish origin, which means 'Village on a small hill', and has been written as Hobi, Hebi, Hobey and Hubi.
In 1086 William I held two carucates of land at Huby( early English law-rights of jurisdiction, generally one of feudal right of Lordship ) together with four in the Soke of Easingwold.

There were six villeins ( Feudal Serf who held legal status as Freeman ) in the village with one plough, although there was sufficient land to provide work for two ploughs.
The value of the township had decreased from 4/- (four shillings) in Edward the confessors time (1042) to 3/- (three shillings) in 1086.

Huby was within the the Forest of Galtres from the creation of that forest, probably in the 12th Century, until 1630, except for a short period of time from 1230 when it was let to 'Henry de Helyon', a crown sergeant, free of the jurisdiction of the forest.

From at least the 12th century Huby had been part of the Manor of Easingwold and Huby, first as a Crown Manor : but from the 17th century part of the 'Newburgh' Estate. (Lord Fauconberg)

Part of the Huby land, valued at 'forty shillings', was granted by Henry II (1154-1189) to the Cannons and Nuns at Marton Priory. Then in 1167, it was decided that the Monks and the Nuns should separate, and the Nuns accordingly moved to Moxby.

In 1177 the Huby land was still held by the Monks at Marton, although some years later, the reign of King John I (1167-1216 but King from 1199) who set his seal on the 'Magna Carta' (1215 a cornerstone of English Liberty.) there was a formal apportionment of the original joint property, and the land at Huby went to the Moxby Nunnery.

1625-26 When that terrible scourge, the plague, which came to England, its desolating influences swept the township almost of all its inhabitants - except Gracious Street, so called because of the plague not entering that street.
In every house with this exception, the cry of lamentation was heard, and the plague entered. So fatal was the plague, that the rest of the village was deserted, and the inhabitants took up abode in tents pitched upon the common, known by the name of 'cabin lands'.

It is recorded that the Quakers had a Meeting House (still in use in 1823) at the north end of the main Street on the west side, a little back from the road. There is a tablet on the wall which states that the Quaker Meeting House was founded in 1712.

1713 The Justices ordered a gratuity of £20.00 towards the cost of making a 'cawsey' way through the forest from Clifton to Hewby, this was probably a pack-horse track along the side of the main road from York to Easingwold. Turning off to Huby at Cross Lanes ? the description is rather vague.

1720 William Wakefield purchased a house and land at Huby from William Radcliffe, Thomas Marshall and others. This seems to have been Huby Hall at the west end of Gracious Street. It is described as having gardens and fish ponds ( the Ist edition of the 6' Ordnance Survey map 1851-52 shows three ponds ) Part of the house has survived in the shape of an old brick building with an ornamental gable ( which has now been restored and is a delightful residence) the fish ponds are still in evidence, and are in the garden of a house opposite Huby Hall, the name of the house - 'Fish Ponds'. Wakefield resided in Huby until his death in 1730 ( Wakefield is described as the architect in 1713 of Duncombe Park and Gilling Castle).

1800 Wesleyan Chapel erected, the trustees included Thomas Farmery (Tailor) Mathew Bettersby, John Anderson, William Hill (Joiner) Ralph Snowden Junior and Robert Grangby ( Groinsby) Yeomen all of Huby. The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel had 70 members at Huby, and a Primitive Methodist Chapel was in existence in 1823 on the north side of Gracious Street ( their number having decreased to 26 by 1872).

1835 Huby had one day school attended by some 40-50 children of both sexes, it had an endowment of £1-0-0 per year.

1840 Huby had three public houses 'The New Inn' ( John Cartwright ) 'The Star' (William Chapman) 'The Cup' (William Hudson). By 1857 The Cup had changed its name to 'The Tankard', in 1857 'The Star' was held by Elizabeth Chapman. The Tankard acquired the name of 'Queen of Trumps' in June 1863, it is named after a race horse which was bred in Huby by Thomas Mills, and which won the 'St Ledger in 1835. By 1890 'The Star' was held by John Chapman.

1841 An act for the enclosure of the open and arable field and common lands of Huby was passed.

The Commissioner James Bulmar of York and Thomas Scott of Oulston made their award without delay and it was enrolled at Northallerton on 7th April1842.
The plan attached to the award, surveyed by Francis Carr of York, shows 517 acres and 10 perch (also called a pole or rod = five and a half yards or sixteen and a half feet) of land to be allotted . This was divided into 'West Field' to the north east, 'Diana Field' lying across Stillington Road and Ox Close Lane and the 'Hurn Field' east of the lane which continues from Gracious Street

It is interesting that this plan shows a gate on the Easingwold Road known as 'Sand Gate' (Huby Sand Gate is referred to in a survey of the Manor from James I reign (1603-1625)

The First Edition of the 6' Ordnance Map surveyed in 1851-52 in addition to the Friends Meeting House and its grave yard, shows 'The Star Inn' at the south end of the Main Street. On the north side of the road to Tollerton (Baston Lane) at its junction with Main Street, was the Pinfold (pound for stray animals which is shown on one of the old photographs of Huby) and on a small green at the south end of the Main Street a Maypole . . . Described in 1923 as a Sixty foot partly coloured pole, which was used for a feast on the third Sunday in June , but disappeared about the time of the second world war.

This Feast was perhaps that advertised in the 'Easingwold Times' as 'The Annual Huby Races' to take place at The Queen of Trumps ( then held by G Hodgson) on 22nd June 1863 with a donkey race, cricket match and four races on the following day.
(The Yorkshire Gazette 1st January 1881 reports the 'Huby Hunt Ball on Tuesday last' at which 70 couples had started up in a barn behind the 'Queen of Trumps') the item suggests that at this period , there may have been a small hunt of that name. Population of the Township seems to have risen and then declined, though not spectacularly. In 1821 it was 497, in 1835 (presumably based on the 1831 census) it was 526, while in 1871 it was down to 512.

In 1861 a school was built by subscription on a site presented by Sir George Darby Wombwell, Lord of The Manor. In 1890 it had about 70 scholars and was licensed for Church Services.
The house known as Huby Burn or Burn Hall ( which is actually in Easingwold Township) was built in 1888 by County Alderman William. B. Richardson JP.

Now in 2004, in the Main Street is a Methodist Chapel, The Village Shop, which in it's day has been a Reading Room, then a Tailor's ( which served fish and chips from a hut in the garden ) We now have a modern Fish and Chip shop, and what was the local Blacksmith's is now a thriving Garage, also in Main Street is a Post Office.
The school built 143 years ago has long since gone. There is now a new C of E School, which is for mixed infants and juniors.

Huby is a friendly, vibrant community with many activities for all age groups.

Researched by Donald Hannah of Huby,from the records of Thomas Gill (1852) and G. C. Cowling MA