This week Howard Campion, a trustee at the Malton and Norton Heritage Centre, looks back at Norton’s St Nicholas hospital and the area surrounding it.
The name 'St Nicholas' crops up in Norton both as St Nicholas Street and in the dedication title of the old church in Church Street (long demolished). Apart from this, the remains of the St Nicholas Hospital are not at all evident.
It was said to be on the central river island but it probably was only a minor part of it because sculptured stone has been found in Church Street (Malton Museum).
The physical appearance of the area around here has changed dramatically since those early years.
There is certainly a change regarding increased flooding, and there are two factors at play here when comparing the present-day situation to the twelfth century:
- The river was considerably wider then than it is now
- There were likely to be many more natural flood plains between the coast and Norton - unusually, the river actually flows away from the coast.
The various early maps show the river occupying a small variety of locations around County Bridge.
It sees that the Mill Beck (now largely culverted) was always the western limit of this watery area.
Part of Its non-culverted state (outlined in blue) is shown in a 1700s John Settrington portrait, which has been enhanced by Nick Hatton.
It looks to be quite a prominent waterway. The land rises on the eastern and southern sides, and it is likely that there are more stone remains underneath these limits on the Norton side of the river.
The central island used to have an orchard and a shop/house which may have once been occupied by a toll collector because it was on the boundary of the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire.
Talking of tolls, it is said that the house's last tenant, Mrs Goodwill (known as 'Tilly on the island'), was compromised by her location when rates were due (council tax) because she was in neither the North nor the East Riding.
Read more from Howard Campion:
- From courtship to cross country – a look back at a popular Malton path
- Looking back at Malton’s Railway Street
- Norton was once home to three manor houses – but what happened to them?
The photos of the island show possible outcrops of rock, one even resembling an archway and it is said that there are rockeries in local gardens that are furnished by materials from here.
Seventy years ago, it was possible to climb over the wall in Norton Road and walk along the grass verge to go under the arches of County Bridge for fishing purposes.
Nowadays that would not be feasible, and the island area is also no longer easily accessible.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here