Thirsk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thirsk
Town
Thirsk market place, 2024
Thirsk
Population	(2011 census)
• Civil parish	4,998
• Built-up area	9,953
OS grid reference	SE429820
• London	227 miles (365 km)
Civil parish	Thirsk
Unitary authority	North Yorkshire
Ceremonial county	North Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	THIRSK
Postcode district	YO7
Dialling code	01845
Police	North Yorkshire
Fire	North Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
EU Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	Thirsk and Malton
List of places UK England Yorkshire 54°13′58″N 1°20′31″W / 54.232731°N 1.342050°W / 54.232731; -1.342050

Thirsk is a lively market town in North Yorkshire, England. It's famous for its exciting horse racing track and for being the real-life inspiration for 'Darrowby', a fictional town in the books by author James Herriot.

Discovering Thirsk's Past

St Mary's Church, Thirsk (August 2005)

People have lived in Thirsk for a very long time. Archeologists have found signs of a settlement from around 500–600 BC. The town's name comes from an old Norse word, þresk, which means "fen" or "lake".

Thirsk is mentioned twice in the important 1086 Domesday Book. It was called Tresche back then. At the time of the Norman invasion, the land was shared by two local Anglo-Saxon owners. Later, it was divided between a person named Hugh and the King.

The Mowbray Family and Thirsk Castle

Most of Thirsk was given to a man named Robert from Montbray. His family, the House of Mowbray, gave their name to the area, which is now called the Vale of Mowbray.

By 1145, the part of town known as Old Thirsk got a special permission called a Market charter. This meant it could hold markets and was officially a town.

The Mowbray family built a castle on the north side of Castlegate. We don't know the exact year it was built. However, it was completely destroyed in 1176 after a rebellion against King Henry II.

Later, William de Mowbray, a leader from Thirsk, was one of the 25 people who signed the Magna Carta in 1215. This was a very important document that limited the King's power. The Mowbrays built a manor house on the old castle site. Sadly, it was destroyed by Scottish invaders in 1322. The Mowbray family owned the manor until 1476.

Changes in Ownership and New Beginnings

After a period of wars called the War of the Roses, King Henry VII raised taxes. This caused protests in the north. During these protests, Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland, was killed while trying to collect taxes.

The manor of Thirsk then passed to the Berkeley family. Later, it was held by the Stanley family, the Earls of Derby, until 1723.

In 1723, James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby, sold the manor to Ralph Bell. The Bell family continued to own it for many years, even into the 20th century.

Thirsk Hall is a large, beautiful house in Kirkgate. It was built in 1720 and made even bigger in 1770 by a famous architect named John Carr.

Thirsk's Industrial Growth and Challenges

In 1767, a plan was made to build a waterway from the River Swale to Thirsk. This would have helped transport goods. However, the project ran out of money and was never finished. You can still see parts of the old wharf and a lock near Lock Bridge.

In the past, Thirsk had a "poorhouse" built in 1737. It was a place for people in the parish who needed help. Later, in 1837, a larger "workhouse" was built on Sutton Road. This building was used for military purposes during World War II. Before becoming homes, it was also used to raise chickens and as a factory.

Thirsk has experienced some serious train accidents. In 1892, an express train crashed into a goods train in fog, killing 10 people. Another accident happened in 1967 when an express train hit a derailed freight train, killing seven people.

How Thirsk is Governed

Thirsk and Sowerby Town Hall

Thirsk is part of the Thirsk and Malton area for the UK Parliament. Kevin Hollinrake has been the MP for this area since 2015.

Thirsk used to have its own representatives in Parliament from 1547 to 1885. For most of that time, it had two members.

The local government for Thirsk is the Town Council. It was officially named a Town Council in 1894. The head of the council is called the Mayor. The council has eleven members and they meet at the Thirsk and Sowerby Town Hall.

Thirsk's Location and Surroundings

Cod Beck Weir, Thirsk

Thirsk is located in the beautiful Vale of Mowbray. The Cod Beck river flows through the town. To the north-west is Norby, and Old Thirsk is to the north-east. The nearby village of Sowerby is right next to Thirsk to the south.

Many nearby villages have names that come from the Danish word by, which means "village" or "farmstead". Examples include Thirlby, Boltby, and Borrowby.

Thirsk's Population and People

In 1881, the population of Thirsk was 3,337 people. By 2001, it had grown to 4,703.

The 2011 UK Census showed that Thirsk's population was 4,998. This was a 33% increase over 120 years! The population is almost evenly split between males (48.9%) and females (51.1%). Most residents (94.3%) are White British. The main religion in Thirsk is Christianity (71.7%).

Thirsk's Economy and Businesses

Thirsk has many facilities for tourists

Thirsk's historic medieval market place is still a busy spot today. An open-air market is held there every Monday and Saturday. This market has been running since 1145!

Tourism and hospitality are very important to Thirsk's economy. Many visitors come to enjoy the town.

Large companies like Severfield plc and VetUK are major employers in the area. There is also a livestock auction market where farm animals are bought and sold.

In the past, Thirsk was known for making leather goods and saddles. But by the 1800s, it became more famous for making tools for farming.

Culture and Entertainment in Thirsk

The Herriot Museum, June 2018

Thirsk Museum is run by volunteers in the house where Thomas Lord was born. It's also home to a famous old chair called Busby's stoop chair.

Thirsk Museum

The town's old courthouse, located in Sowerby, has been an arts center since 1992.

The World of James Herriot is a popular place to visit. It's the former home and veterinary office of the famous author James Herriot. Parts of the TV show based on his books, All Creatures Great and Small, were filmed in Thirsk.

Thirsk has also been a filming location for other projects. In 2018, the TV series The Heist was filmed in and around Thirsk. The same year, the movie The Runaways was also filmed there.

The Thirsk Hall Sculpture Park opened in 2021. It's located in the grounds of Thirsk Hall and features artworks by various sculptors.

Local Media and News

You can watch local news and TV shows from BBC Yorkshire and ITV Yorkshire.

Thirsk has several local radio stations, including BBC Radio York, Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire, and YO1 Radio.

The town is also served by local newspapers like The Thirsk Weekly News, Darlington & Stockton Times, and The Northern Echo.

Getting Around Thirsk

Thirsk Station

Thirsk railway station is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the town center. It's on the main train line that connects many places, including York.

Bus services are available from Thirsk market place. You can catch buses to nearby towns like York, Ripon, and Northallerton, as well as local villages.

The A61 road goes through Thirsk market place. Since 1972, the A19 road has bypassed the town, making travel easier.

Education in Thirsk

Thirsk has one primary school, Thirsk Community Primary. There are also two other primary schools in the nearby village of Sowerby. For older students, Thirsk School and Sixth Form College provides secondary education.

Thirsk Community Primary School opened in 1979 and was expanded in 1991. It teaches children aged 3 to 11.

Places of Worship in Thirsk

Chapel on St James Green in Thirsk

St Mary's Church is a beautiful church built in the 1400s. You can still see marks on the stone where people used to sharpen their arrows and knives!

The Friends Meeting House on Kirkgate has been a place of worship for Quakers since at least 1799.

A Wesleyan Chapel was built on St James' Green in 1861. A Roman Catholic church, called All Saints, was added in 1867 on Castlegate.

Sports and Activities in Thirsk

Horse Racing Fun

Thirsk Racecourse is a popular place for horse racing. The current track opened in 1923. Horse races are held here during the spring and summer months.

Local Sports Clubs

• Tennis: The Thirsk Amateur Tennis Championship was held in Thirsk from 1882 to 1908.
• Cricket: Thirsk Cricket Club started in 1851. They play their games in the middle of Thirsk Racecourse.
• Hockey: Thirsk Hockey Club has been part of the Yorkshire Hockey Association since 1923. They share facilities with the Cricket Club.
• Football: Thirsk Falcons FC is a local football team that plays in the Teesside Football League.
• Rugby: Thirsk RUFC is a Rugby Union Club that competes in the Yorkshire Division 4 North West league.

Cycling Events

Thirsk was part of the route for the Tour de Yorkshire cycling race in both 2016 and 2018.

Famous People from Thirsk

• John Bell (1809–1851), a local landowner.
• Charles Camidge (1837-1911), a church leader who later became a Bishop.
• Tasha Ghouri (born 1998), a television personality and dancer.
• James Herriot, the pen name of James Alfred Wight (1916–1995), a veterinary surgeon and famous author.
• Jay Jopling (born 1963), an art dealer who helped make the "Young British Artists" famous.
• Thomas Lord (1755–1832), who founded Lord's Cricket Ground, a very famous cricket venue.
• Roger de Mowbray (c. 1120–1188), who lived at Thirsk Castle.
• Keith Robinson (born 1933), a cricketer.
• Georgia Steel (born 1998), a television personality.

Images for kids

• 

  Thirsk market place, 2024

See also

In Spanish: Thirsk para niños