More information : NZ 484 025. The lost vilage of Whorlton is mentioned in Domesday Book, and the Lay Subsidy Accounts for 1301, 1327 and 1334. Fewer than ten householders are recorded in 1428. (1)
There are no intelligible remains of this village. Visual evidence of its probable site, however, occurs in the form of a small area of hummocky ground centred at NZ 4838 0226, and flanked on the S and W sides by pronounced ridge and furrow ploughing. Alleged remains of buried paving have also been encountered by Mr J Nelson, a local farmer, at NZ 4848 0239, adjacent to the conjectural site of the market cross (see OS 25" 1928). A village, centred at NZ 4844 0230, would thus utilise, as the main thoroughfare, a disused, but well defined track existing between Whorlton and Swainby. This leaves Cross Bank (NZ 48510238) as a sunken green lane, now overgrown and virtually impassable.
It continues across the adjoining fields as a slight terraced way, before descending to Swainby by means of a hollow way. A slight baulk between (NZ 4836 0219 and NZ 4843 0226 (published as Earthwork (NR) on OS 6" 1960) appears to be part of a probable demarcation baulk between the site of the village and the area of rig and furrow. (2)
NZ 482 025. A small exploratory excavation was made on the site of Whorlton Medieval village in 1976 due to proposals to extend the present graveyard to the edge of the castle (NZ 40 SE 6). This showed that the modern road ocupied the line of a hollow way formerly linking the castle with the village, which had fallen into disuse in the late middle ages, perhaps the 14th century. It was apparently replaced by a cobbled trackway linking the castle to the church (NZ 40 SE 8) and lying S of the former hollow way. The change was possibly due to the construction of the great dam and fishpond between the church and castle and perhaps indicated that it was crossed by a bridge or causeway. There was no evidence of any structures between the castle and the church. (3)
(NZ 4850 0238) Supposed Site of (NAT) Market Cross (NR). (4)
Whorlton Castle and earthworks, deserted medieval village and remains of church. Scheduled No NY/1199. (5)
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