Sheriff Hutton: A Journey Through The Past – Part 1

Us, rear left and 2nd left at a Gold Wing Treffen in Holland in May 1982 with Steve and Dennis and some lass in the background scratching her ass whilst waiting to enter the toilet cabin.

September 14 2022 – 40 year anniversary visit to the Rose & Crown, Smalley. Same location as our first date in 1981. All together now – Aaaaaaaaaah! (Who said Errrrrrrrrrrggh?)

View from our Pitch – Sheriff Hutton – October 2022

Sheriff Hutton – 4 October 2022 to 18 October 2022

View from the roadside in Stittenham – just outside the village of Sheriff Hutton

New House Farm, Stittenham – the home and racing stables of Mick Easterby and his son, David. Mick has trained horses here for both racing codes since the 1960’s with winners too numerous to mention. Mick’s brother, Peter, also had a racing yard in the area (now run by Peter’s nephew, Tim). The Easterby brothers own over 7,000 acres in the area and were born in 1931 and 1929.

Sheriff Hutton Castle – once owned by Richard lll – his son is believed to have died here at the approximate age of 11 – The local church in Sheriff Hutton contains the only tomb to a member of the royal family that is in an English parish church.

Previous owners of the castle include Richard Neville, known as “Warwick the Kingmaker”, as well as Richard III and Henry VIII who used it to house his illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy. The castle is now in private ownership having last ‘changed hands’ in 2018/19.

Now in ruins, privately owned and not open to the public – but it is possible to follow a footpath that encircles the castle – as we did.

Part of the footpath encircling Sheriff Hutton Castle.

We also came across King Fungi as we walked around the castle. The Wars of The Roses meant nothing to him – he was more of a Fun Guy (groans).

What follows is from my visit into the parish church – The church of St Helen & the Holy Cross – it has to be said that I was ‘blown away’ on entering this building – I haven’t been in any church for more than 50 years; the ethereal beauty and history contained within immediately provided a calming and welcomed ambience rarely experienced – OK, combine Roger Waters lyrics with David Gilmours guitar and voice and you’re right up there as well.

I was fortunate to meet with, and be guided by, Neil Hodges, warden to the church, author of the book ‘Sheriff Hutton War Memorial’ and he appeared to be the font of all knowledge about both the church and historical facts relating to Sheriff Hutton.

Aside from what I have depicted herewith, there are many other artefacts worth perusing and researching based on what this parish church contains – Vice-Admiral Henry Jack Egerton, Sir Edmund Thweng and more. Not your average parish church I presume!

My paternal family originates from Sheriff Hutton and Neil gave me some guidelines on the family history going back some 250 years, there is more information in his book.

Part 2 of this blog will centre on the parts that I have managed to glean, by no means exhaustive but possibly of some interest to siblings and sprogs – it may prove boring for some, hence the reason that I have split it off from this blog.

Meanwhile, here are the pics from our visit to the parish church –