View source for Strensall

{{Short description|Village in the City of York, England}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country                  = England
| static_image_name        = Strensall - geograph.org.uk - 380392.jpg
| static_image_caption     = York Road, Strensall
| coordinates              = {{coord|54.04006|-1.03436|display=inline,title}}
| label_position           = top
| official_name            = Strensall
| population = 6,047
| population_ref           = ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]])
| civil_parish             = [[Strensall with Towthorpe]]
| unitary_england          = [[City of York]]
| lieutenancy_england      = [[North Yorkshire]]
| region                   = Yorkshire and the Humber
| constituency_westminster = [[York Outer (UK Parliament constituency)|York Outer]]
| post_town                = YORK
| postcode_district        = YO32
| postcode_area            = YO
| dial_code                = 01904
| os_grid_reference        = SE633608
| type                     = [[Villages in the UK|Village]]
}}

'''Strensall''' is a village in the [[Strensall with Towthorpe]] [[Civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in the [[unitary authority]] of the [[City of York]] in [[North Yorkshire]], England, on the [[River Foss]] north of [[York]] and north-east of [[Haxby]]. In 2001 the parish had a population of 3,815. It covers an area of 2,908 acres.<ref name="Village History">{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=64640 |title=Parishes: Strensall |editor-first=William|editor-last=Page |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |year=1923 |work=A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 2 |accessdate=18 March 2011 }}</ref>

The village was historically part of the [[North Riding of Yorkshire]] until 1974. It was then a part of the district of [[Ryedale]] in [[North Yorkshire]] from 1974 until 1996. Since 1996 it has been part of the City of York unitary authority.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=History of Strensall, in York and North Riding {{!}} Map and description|url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/14297|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-28|website=www.visionofbritain.org.uk}}</ref> On 1 April 2009 the parish was abolished and merged with [[Towthorpe, York|Towthorpe]] to form "Strensall with Towthorpe".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10418318|title=Relationships and changes Duggleby CP/Tn through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref>

The nearby [[Strensall Common]] is a [[Special Area of Conservation]], an example of lowland heathland habitat covering over 5&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. The southern part is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Strensall also has an army firing range and training area both of which belong to the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]].

==History==

Strensall is referred to in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 as ''Streonaeshalch'', after ''Streona'', a personal name, and ''halch'', a corner of land. The name has altered through the centuries from Strenshale in the 11th century, to Stranessale in the 14th century and to Strencile or Strencham alias Trencham in the 17th century.<ref name="Village History"/>
[[File:Strensall Church - geograph.org.uk - 9045.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|right|St Mary's Church, Strensall]]
It has belonged to the [[Archbishops of York]] since before 1214, apart from a short period in 1547 when it was briefly held by the Duke of Somerset and Lord Wharton. During the reign of Edward the Confessor the manor and land belonged to a couple of Saxon lords known as Sasford and Turchil.<ref name="Village History"/>

Strensall is also the possible site of many historical events supposed to have occurred in [[Whitby]], most significantly the  [[Synod of Whitby]] of 664.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Barnwell|first1=P.&nbsp;S. |last2=Butler|first2= L.&nbsp;A.&nbsp;S. |last3=Dunn|first3=C.&nbsp;J. |year=2003| contribution=The Confusion of Conversion: ''Streanæshalch'', Strensall and Whitby and the Northumbrian Church| editor-last=Carver| editor-first=Martin |editor-link=Martin Carver |title=The Cross Goes North |publisher=York Medieval Press |isbn=1-903153-11-5}}</ref> This is due to a complication in 9th-century documents, which describe Streonaeshalch as being Whitby (the name ''Whitby'' is [[Viking]] as are all place names ending with the suffix ''"by"'', e.g. ''Selby'', ''Grimsby'', ''Wetherby'' etc. – ''"by"'' means "town" in [[Scandinavian languages]], from the verb ''"bo"'', meaning "to reside").

The Hall with its moat and large grounds were to the north of the church. On the same site probably stood the manor-house of 1649 and 1757 which also had a moat.<ref name="Village History"/>

To the south of the village lies Strensall Camp, formed by the War Office in 1884 for training troops and now known as [[Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall|Queen Elizabeth Barracks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Walkers-dice-with-death-on.3028509.jp|title=Military Camp established|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref>

==Demography==

The 1881 census records the population as being 446.<ref name="Village History"/> According to the 2011 census the parish had a population of 6,047.

==Governance==

Strensall was in the [[Ryedale (UK Parliament constituency)|Ryedale]] parliamentary constituency until the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] when it was transferred to the newly created constituency of [[York Outer (UK Parliament constituency)|York Outer]].

Strensall forms its own ward in the City of York Council, together with the villages of [[Stockton-on-the-Forest]] and [[Earswick]]. As of May 2023, it is represented by Tony Fisher and Paul Healey of the Liberal Democrats.<ref>{{cite web|title=City of York Council|url=http://democracy.york.gov.uk/mgFindCouncillor.aspx?XXR=0&AC=WARD&WID=365|accessdate=14 June 2011}}</ref>

The village is part of the Strensall with Towthorpe Parish Council. There are 14 councillors in total.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.strensallparishcouncil.co.uk/index.htm|title=Parish Council|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref>

==Geography==

The soil is sand and foxmole{{typo help inline|reason=similar to foxmould|date=June 2025}} laid over a subsoil of white and grey sandstone. The land lies for the most part about 50&nbsp;ft above sea level. The [[River Foss]] flows from the north-east of the village in a south and south-westerly direction towards [[Towthorpe, York|Towthorpe]]. It is crossed by three bridges. About a quarter of a mile east of the village is the disused Strensall station on the York and Scarborough branch of the North Eastern railway.<ref name="Village History"/>

===Strensall Common===

[[File:Military firing range - geograph.org.uk - 380385.jpg|thumb|Strensall Common]]
Strensall Common lies to the east of the village and forms part of the surrounding lowland heath. There are a number of different habitats, such as wet heath, dry heath and birch/oak woodland with areas of standing water. There are over 150 plant species including, [[marsh cinquefoil]], [[Gentiana pneumonanthe|marsh gentian]], [[round-leaved sundew]] and [[petty whin]].

There are over 60 species of bird including [[Eurasian curlew|curlew]], [[stonechat]], [[whinchat]], and both [[European green woodpecker|green]] and [[great spotted woodpecker]]. Amongst the numerous insects to be found are [[green hairstreak|green]] and [[purple hairstreak]]s, the [[Epione vespertaria|dark-bordered beauty]], [[bog bush cricket]] and [[Lampyris noctiluca|glowworm]]. Other wildlife seen here include [[red fox]], [[European hare]] and [[Eurasian harvest mouse|harvest mouse]]. [[Hebridean (sheep)|Hebridean sheep]] and [[Highland cattle]] graze during summer to keep down vegetation.

The site is maintained by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ywt.org.uk/nature_reserves.php?id=55|title=Strensall Common|access-date=17 December 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129061909/http://www.ywt.org.uk/nature_reserves.php?id=55|archive-date=29 November 2010}}</ref>

==Economy==

[[File:Strensall, Old Tanning Factory - geograph.org.uk - 196176.jpg|thumb|left|Derelict Tanning Factory]]
In the 19th century employment was found in a tannery in the village. There were also the Strensall Pottery and Britannia Pottery near the village.<ref name="Village History"/> Though there is some employment at the local Barracks, the village is mostly a dormitory for commuters to nearby York.

==Transport==

[[First York]] operate a service through the village as part of the York City Centre to Strensall route (Number 5 and 5a<ref>{{cite web|title=Current Timetables; York; First group plc|url=http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/york/journey_planning/timetables/index.php?operator=29&page=1&redirect=no|accessdate=14 June 2011}}</ref>).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/york/journey_planning/timetables/index.php?operator=29&page=1&redirect=no.|title=Bus services|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref>

There are three level crossings within Strensall as it lies on the [[York to Scarborough line]] but there is no station any more. [[Strensall railway station]] was a minor railway station serving the village. It was opened on 5 July 1845 by the [[York & North Midland Railway]] and closed on 22 September 1930.<ref>{{Butt-Stations}}</ref>

==Community==

Strensall has three local grocery shops plus a post office, three pubs, a bakery, a hairdressers, a fish & chip shop and Chinese takeaway. It also has a library and a medical centre. Its sports facilities include 2 playing fields, one with changing rooms; three floodlit tennis courts; two football pitches and one astro pitch and five small parks. There are 20 half plot allotments on New Lane run by the council and were established in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.york.gov.uk/environment/Parks_and_open_spaces/Allotments/allotments-cyc/newlane_strensall/|title=Allotments|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref> There are also 14 plots run by the Parish Council on Northfield Lane.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.york.gov.uk/environment/Parks_and_open_spaces/Allotments/allotments-other/|title=Parish allotment|access-date=17 December 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103195504/http://www.york.gov.uk/environment/Parks_and_open_spaces/Allotments/allotments-other/|archive-date=3 January 2011}}
</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px" style="text-align:left">
File:The Six Bells at Strensall (geograph 3525815).jpg|The Six Bells
File:The Half Moon, Strensall - geograph.org.uk - 1130328.jpg|The Half Moon
File:The Ship, Strensall - geograph.org.uk - 1130316.jpg|The Ship
</gallery>

==Religious sites==

A Wesleyan chapel existing in Strensall from 1823 was succeeded by a new building in 1895. Between 1879 and 1889 a Primitive Methodist chapel was built in the village.<ref name="Village History"/>

The Parish Church of Strensall is St Mary the Virgin. The current building was consecrated by the Archbishop of York in 1866 after the old building, originally dedicated to St James, was destroyed about 1798 or 1800. There are also the [[Methodist]] Chapel and St Wilfred's [[Garrison]] Church.<ref name="Village History"/>

==Education==

Strensall falls within the secondary education catchment areas for [[Huntington School, York|Huntington School]] in the northern outskirts of York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.york.gov.uk/content/45255/31906/Secondary_school_places/HUNTINGTON_SCHOOL.pdf|title=Secondary education|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref> Robert Wilkinson is the local primary school and was founded in 1718 from money left by a local farmer of that name. It moved to its present location on West End in 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rwprimary.ik.org/p_About_the_School.ikml|title=Primary education|access-date=17 December 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909094347/http://www.rwprimary.ik.org/p_About_the_School.ikml|archive-date=9 September 2012}}</ref>

==Sports==

Strensall is the home of the York Golf Club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkgolfclub.co.uk/pages.php/contact_us.html|title=Golf Club|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref> Strensall Football Club 1XI play in Division Two of the York and District Football League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.football.mitoo.co.uk/LeagueTab.cfm?TblName=Matches&DivisionID=12808&LeagueCode=YORK2010|title=Football Club|accessdate=17 December 2010}}</ref>

==Gallery==

{{Gallery
| title  = Views of Strensall
| width  = 160
| height = 140
|File:Entering Strensall Village - geograph.org.uk - 256522.jpg|Entering Strensall Village
|File:York Golf Clubhouse at Strensall - geograph.org.uk - 214300.jpg|York Golf Clubhouse at Strensall
|File:Manually operated level Crossing on Strensall Common - geograph.org.uk - 208274.jpg|Manually operated level Crossing on Strensall Common
||Yorkshire Wildlife Trust information board on Strensall Common
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{commons category}}

[[Category:Villages in the City of York]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in North Yorkshire]]