Welcome to our perfect home. Completely deserted, away from other human beings, and within the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Wharram Percy, a place that formerly housed human life once upon a time, can be found tucked away in the Yorkshire Wolds – just a few miles down the road from Yorkshire’s food capital, Malton.
One of England’s best preserved medieval villages, those who stumble upon the secluded spot will find the remains of a number of buildings, including a church, a millpond, and the decaying foundations of peasant housing – all of which tell the story of a bygone era.
It makes for an incredibly interesting walk, in particular for history buffs who enjoy wandering around pondering what it was that made civilisation completely flee from the scenic area.
cc-by-sa/2.0 – © Richard Croft – geograph.org.uk/p/5524525
A place that was once home to an estimated 200 people, Wharram Percy last saw life dwelling on its soil way back in the 16th century – when it’s believed that some of the village’s residents were sent away as part of forced evictions to make room for more sheep farming, while the remainder of the population simply gradually abandoned the area – according to English Heritage.
The village faced a whole lot of sticky situations that led to its steep population decline before that, however, facing a deathly bought of the plague and being raided by the Scots who set fire to a number of farmsteads.
cc-by-sa/2.0 – © Richard Croft – geograph.org.uk/p/5523964
Now, the village would make for prime property for developers – surrounded by the iconic Yorkshire Wolds and nearby Malton, the Howardian Hills, and a short drive away from the coastline. Thank the heavens it’s a preserved site of archaeological importance now – as much as we’d love to escape civilisation and live beyond those rolling hills.
cc-by-sa/2.0 – © Paul Allison – geograph.org.uk/p/976
Archaeologists have undertaken extensive research over the years to discover what it was that forced life away from the picturesque village, with skeletons and other medieval resources continuing to provide insight to researchers to this day.
Visitors can see the abandoned village for free, or check it out as part of the stunning Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail.
Read more: 10 Of The Most Beautiful, Quaint Villages To Visit In East Yorkshire
