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.

Gazette & Herald: Bridge HouseBridge House (Image: Malton and Norton Heritage Centre)

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:

  1. The river was considerably wider then than it is now
  2. There were likely to be many more natural flood plains between the coast and Norton - unusually, the river actually flows away from the coast.

Gazette & Herald: The island area map 1850The island area map 1850 (Image: Malton and Norton Heritage Centre)

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.

Gazette & Herald: Mill Beck today behind Welham RoadMill Beck today behind Welham Road (Image: Malton and Norton Heritage Centre)

Part of Its non-culverted state (outlined in blue) is shown in a 1700s John Settrington portrait, which has been enhanced by Nick Hatton.

Gazette & Herald: Early (around 1728) painting of the bridge and island, Mill Beck in blueEarly (around 1728) painting of the bridge and island, Mill Beck in blue (Image: Malton and Norton Heritage Centre)

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.

Gazette & Herald: Looking at the island from the Scarborough directionLooking at the island from the Scarborough direction (Image: Malton and Norton Heritage Centre)

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.


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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.

Gazette & Herald: The island and house from the station directionThe island and house from the station direction (Image: Malton and Norton Heritage Centre)

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.