Kirkby Malham
History
Kirkby Malham was mentioned in the Domesday Book as being waste, but that the land belonged to Roger of Poitou. The name of the village derives from Old Norse, and means the village with a church by the stony bank. The presence of the word Kirkby in front of the village name suggests that a church was here before the Domesday Survey, however, the Domesday Book makes no mention of a church.
Nearby settlements include Malham, just to the north, Hanlith to the east by the River Aire, and Airton and Calton to the south. It is 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Settle, and 9 miles (14 km) north of Skipton. In 1606, John Topham founded a grammar school in Kirkby Malham for between 20 and thirty local children, which was described as having "moderate quarterages", although the classics were taught for free.
It has a joint parish council, Kirkby Malhamdale Parish Council, with the parishes of Malham, Malham Moor and Hanlith. The village has just over 35 buildings, one of which is the parish church of St Michael's. The church was a Parliamentary garrison during the English Civil War and the parish register contains the signature of Oliver Cromwell who witnessed a marriage in the church in 1655 (he had been visiting John Lambert of nearby Calton). The school, Kirkby in Malhamdale United Voluntary Aided Primary School, is just to the north of the village and was rated as Good by Ofsted in 2019.
Governance
The area was part of the Deanery of Craven, within the wapentake of Staincliffe. The village was also known historically as Kirkby Malhamdale, and was in the West Riding of Yorkshire, part of the Settle Rural District, until the boundary changes of 1974. Between 1974 and 2023, it was part of the former Craven District of North Yorkshire, but was moved into the new unitary authority of North Yorkshire Council in April 2023. It is represented at Parliament as part of the Skipton and Ripon Constituency.
| 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 2001 | 2011 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 167 | 175 | 204 | 219 | 195 | 139 | 128 | 174 | 145 | 107 | 106 | 118 | 113 | 103 | 55 | 65 | 71 | 202 | 202 | 170 |
Notable people
- American writer Bill Bryson once resided in the village.
- Richard Dean, Anglican minister was born and baptised in Kirkby Malham.
- Joan Hassall, lived in Malham, but worshipped and played the organ in Kirkby Malham church.
- Walter Morrison, businessman and politician was buried in Kirkby Malham churchyard.