Masham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Masham |
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 The Marketplace at Masham |
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 Masham
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| Population | 1,205 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SE225808 |
| • London | 195 mi (314 km) SSE |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | RIPON |
| Postcode district | HG4 |
| Dialling code | 01765 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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Masham (pronounced MASS-um) is a lovely market town in North Yorkshire, England. It's a place where people have traded goods for centuries. In 2011, about 1,205 people lived there.
Contents
All About Masham
What's in a Name?
Masham is located in Wensleydale, right by the River Ure. Its name comes from old Anglo-Saxon words. It means "Mæssa's Ham," which was a homestead or village belonging to someone named Mæssa.
A Look Back in Time
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People have lived in the Masham area for a very long time. The Romans were here, but the first people to settle permanently were the Anglo-Saxons. Around 900 AD, Vikings invaded the area. They burned the local church but also brought sheep farming, which Masham is still famous for today.
Masham was once a very large area called a "parish" in the North Riding of Yorkshire. This parish included Masham town and several smaller villages. In 1866, these villages became their own separate parishes.
The area around Masham was known as Mashamshire from the 1100s. This shows how important Masham was in the region.
St Mary's Church History
The St Mary's Church was probably built in the 600s. It might have been near where the town hall is now. During an excavation, 36 old burials were found there. The church you see today has some very old Anglo-Saxon stone parts. It also has a piece of an eighth-century prayer cross. Most of the church was built in the Norman style, with additions made in the 1400s.
Masham's Market and Sheep
During the Middle Ages, Masham grew into a small town. People worked in milling, mining, making cloth, and tanning leather. The town got its first special permission to hold a market in 1251. Masham became very important for selling sheep. This is why it has such a large market square and many old Georgian houses. The market did well because it was close to Jervaulx and Fountains Abbeys, which had huge flocks of sheep.
Railways and Famous People
From 1875, Masham had a train station across the River Ure. Passenger trains stopped running in 1930, and goods trains stopped in 1963.
A famous naturalist named Charles Hedley (1862–1926) was born in Masham. He studied nature and animals.
In 2014, the famous Tour de France bicycle race passed through Masham. It was a big event for the town!
How Masham is Governed
Masham is part of an area called Mashamshire for local elections. This area stretches west to Colsterdale. In 2011, about 2,350 people lived in this ward.
Masham shares a local council, called Masham Parish Council, with some nearby villages. This council helps manage local services and issues.
Masham's Community Life
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Masham has market days every Wednesday, Saturday, and on Bank Holiday Mondays. There's also a Farmers' Market on the first Sunday of each month from April to September. A special annual Sheep Fair is held every September. The market square is the biggest in the area. It is surrounded by two and three-story buildings. St. Mary's Church is also nearby.
Even though Masham is a small town, it has two working breweries: Black Sheep Brewery and Theakstons. They are only a few hundred yards apart! The Black Sheep Brewery also supports annual folk music festivals.
The Masham Steam Engine & Fair Organ Rally happens every year. It started in 1965 to raise money for Masham Town Hall. The town also hosts an arts festival every two years, celebrating creativity.
Local Media
For local news and TV, people in Masham watch BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees. These signals come from the Bilsdale TV transmitter.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio York, Greatest Hits Radio Harrogate & the Yorkshire Dales, and Dales Radio. The local newspaper for the town is the Harrogate Advertiser.
Getting Around Masham
The closest train stations are Thirsk and Northallerton. Both are on the main East Coast Main Line route. Masham used to have its own train station, but it closed down. Buses run from Ripon to Masham. The town is also on the A6108 road, which connects Ripon, Leyburn, Richmond, and Scotch Corner. The main A1(M) motorway is a few miles to the west.
See also
In Spanish: Masham para niños
