An illustrated history trail and signage board for Newton Upton Derwent

We are thrilled to have been included in an article written in the Yorkshire Evening Press earlier this month. We created a detailed history trail which showcases 40 interesting sites within the Yorkshire village of Newton upon Derwent, near York. 

We would like to wish the village every success with their new pop-up café located in the Methodist Church, and we hope the activity packs we created will prove popular with children visiting the village.

Newton upon Derwent celebrates village with new activities

Article By James O'Reilly, York Evening Press

A VILLAGE is celebrating their history with some exciting plans to bring it back to life.

Throughout lockdown the village of Newton upon Derwent have been busy researching their past and now hope to share their work with the wider world through a multitude of newly implemented activities, one of which being a new, pop-up cafe that will open next month.

Speaking about the cafe, resident Margaret Horsley said: “It’s a place for folk to meet and talk after a lonely time, with a focus on memories and reminiscing’’.

The work they have done has been made possible through financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the creative direction of Colour Heroes who are based in Easingwold.

The new Heritage pop up cafe which will be open from 10am until 12pm on Saturday, March 5. It will be at the Methodist Church which is also the Community Centre.

Margaret said: “Because of the Heritage Lottery Grant, we have been able to purchase the entire collection of the 1892 Ordinance Survey maps for the Parish and have the complete 1921 census for Newton upon Derwent which will help anyone researching their family history, or the history of their house’’.

The idea of a cafe came to fruition after residents and members wanted to share their archives that they had developed from hours of research.

Members of the local history group at the village have created an information board with details of the area’s history.

There are leaflets available next to the board which will take intrigued visitors on a village trail leading to the Mask and the River Derwent.

At the end of the trail will be another board, this one detailed with information gathered through the support of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

The next project that the village aims to complete is the digitalising of the village archives.

The history group has set up a website for their project which can be accessed here.

The website has details of many different aspects of history for Newton upon Derwent for people to read.