Kirkby Ravensworth (Kirby-on-the Hill), Yorkshire Genealogy

Parish History
Kirkby Ravensworth is an Ancient Parish in the county of Yorkshire; sometimes referred to as Kirkby-on the-Hill. Other places in the parish include: Washton, Whashton, Casey Green, Gayles, Ravensworth, Hellwith, Kirby Hill, New Forest, Newsham, and Hallgate.

see Kirkby Ravensworth, Yorkshire KIRKBY-RAVENSWORTH (St. Peter and St.Felix), a parish, in the union of Richmond, wapentake of Gilling-West, N. riding of York, 4¾ miles(N. N. W.) from Richmond; containing, with the townships of Ravensworth, Washton, Dalton, Gayles, New-Forest, and part of Newsham, 1451 inhabitants, of whom 109 are in the township of Kirkby-Ravensworth,or Kirkby-on-the-Hill. This parish comprises about14,000 acres, of which a considerable number are moor,and the remainder arable, meadow, and pasture. Its surface is varied with hill and dale, and is in some parts well wooded; the soil is generally fertile. There are quarries of good freestone, two of which are extensively wrought; a copper-mine, also, discovered many years since, was wrought for a short time, but, not yielding a remunerating supply, was discontinued. The village,which is small but neatly built, is pleasantly situated eminence, commanding some fine views. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £120; patron, the Bishop of Chester, as appropriator of the rectory,which is valued in the king's books at £25. 5. 2½.The church is a handsome edifice with a lofty embattled tower, erected in 1397, on the site of a more ancient church. The Grammar school and Hospital of St. John the Baptist were founded in 1556, by Dr. Dakyn, rector of the parish, who endowed them with lands at East Cowton, now producing £1100 per annum, for the instruction of boys, and the support of the aged and indigent.There are some remains of a castle founded by Bodin,ancestor of the Fitz-Hugh family.

From: Lewis, Samuel A., A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 692-697. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51082 Date accessed: 30 April 2011.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Church Records
Kirkby Ravensworth (Kirby-on-the Hill) parish registers of christenings, marriages and burials are available online for the following years:

To find the names of the neighboring parishes, use England Jurisdictions 1851 Map. In this site, search for the name of the parish, click on the location "pin", click Options and click List contiguous parishes.

Records are also available at the North Yorkshire County Record Office.

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Yorkshire Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851


 * Vision of Britain