Hang East


Hang East was a Wapentake, which is an administrative division, in the historic county of the North Riding of Yorkshire. It was one of the smaller wapentakes by area and consisted of nine parishes and two towns; Bedale and Masham.

History

Its name derives from its meeting place of Hang Bank which was halfway between Hutton Hang and the village of Finghall. Hang is believed to derive from the Old English word Hangar which meant a wooded slope. The place is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Hotun. Both Hang East and Hang West, were originally one wapentake until they were divided in the 13th century; this is why Hang East wapentake derives its name from a hill which was no longer in its area. Hang East was divided up into nine parishes; Bedale, Catterick, Hornby, Kirkby Fleetham, Masham, Patrick Brompton, Scruton, Thornton Watlass and Well.
It was bordered to the south by Claro Wapentake and to the east by Hallikeld and Gilling East Wapentakes. To the north lay Richmond and Gilling West Wapentake with Hang West on its western edge.
In 1831, the Wapentake was measured as covering and was across at its widest and was from north to south. It was chiefly agricultural in nature and possessed two market towns; Bedale and Masham. Its land was described as being more fertile and low-lying than Hang West wapentake which contained steeper valleys and higher peaks. In modern times, the area that the Wapentake covered is divided between the Hambleton and Richmondshire districts of North Yorkshire.

Settlements

The table below lists the settlements within the Hang East Wapentake. These are as listed in Bulmer's North Riding and White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory, of the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire.
NameParishNameParishNameParish
Ainderby Myers with HoltbyHPGreat CrakehallBPPatrick BromptonPBP
AiskewBPHackforthHPRand GrangeBP
ArrathornePBPHealey-with-SuttonMPRookwithTWP
BedaleBPHigh EllingtonMPSt MartinCP
BroughCPHipswellCPScottonCP
Burrell-cum-CowlingBPHornbyHPScrutonSP
Burton-upon-UreMPIlton-cum-PottMPSnapeWP
CatterickCPKillerbyCPSwinton-with-WatermarskMP
Clifton-upon-UreTWPKirkby FleethamKFPThirnTWP
ColbournCPLangthorneBPThornton WatlassTWP
East AppletonCPLittle CrakehallBPTunstallCP
EllingstringMPLow EllingtonMPWellWP
FearbyMPMashamMPWest AppletonCP
FirbyBPNewton-le-WillowsPBP

Exelby with Leeming and Newton used to be in Hallikeld Wapentake, but was transferred to Hang East in the early 19th century, hence the sign on the road with Hang East instead of Hallikeld. The HD on the sign stands for Highway District and the Highways District maintained the roads in the former Wapentake area.