Sutton-on-the-Forest

Sutton-on-the-Forest is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England. It is 8 miles north of York and 4.4 miles south-east of Easingwold.

The village is mentioned three times in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Sudtune in the Bulford hundred. At the time of the Norman invasion the land was split between the manors of Easingwold and Caldenesche. Therefore, there were several lordships including Earl Morcar, Gospatric, son of Arnketil, Uthred, Egelfride and Ligulf. Afterweards, all the land was claimed by the Crown. During the reign of Henry I, some land was granted to Bertram de Bulmer of Sheriff Hutton and the lands then passed through the descent of the Nevill family. In the 15th century a settlement was made between the Nevill's and Lord Fauconberg to whom the manor passed. The land then passed to Richard, Earl of Warwick until 1471 when it became forfeit and granted to Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later to be King Richard III. Upon taking the throne the lands were maintained by royal bailiffs. In 1629, the manor was sold to the citizens of London while its status was decided. By 1649 the manor was granted to Lord Fauconberg of Newburgh whose family held it up to the 18th century when it was acquired by the Harland family. In 1863 the manor passed to Admiral Duncombe who had married into the family. From 1738 until 1759, the novelist Laurence Sterne was the Anglican vicar of Sutton. He retired from active ministry to pursue his literary career in 1759, writing the first two volumes of his novel Tristram Shandy while living in the village.

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