The Society exists to preserve and promote the fascinating history of our Estate Village and its surrounding buildings, area, customs and countryside.  Coxwold, with its 1000+ years of recorded history, perpendicular-style Church with its unique tower, many listed buildings, close proximity to Byland Abbey and Newburgh Priory and its 18th century author Laurence Sterne, deserves no less.

In 2015 the Society was asked by the Village to revise the Coxwold Village Guide, which had been first printed in 1978.  The result was a 20-page commercially printed illustrated booklet which lays out all the principal historical attractions of the Village and includes a map with pointers to other amenities, including the Fauconberg Arms.  The Guide is available in the Church and at the pub, and also from the Secretary of the Local History Society, price £2.

The principal objectives of the Society are:

• To record as much local history as possible by interviewing long-time residents, ensuring that family records, photographs and memories are conserved for future generations.
• To establish and maintain the village archive with the intention of creating a database accessible through the website.
• To organise an on-going series of talks and guided tours in the village and surrounding countryside.
• To research and publish booklets/pamphlets on various aspects of Coxwold and village life.  The new edition of the Coxwold Booklet is a recent example of this.
• To include and research 20th century as well as earlier history.
• To research and exhibit the history of Coxwold’s many listed buildings, people, trades and social development.

The Society meets on a Wednesday evening every two months with special event meetings held as occasion demands.  There is no membership fee.  To join, just come along to a meeting or event, or contact John Robinson (Secretary) on 01347 868122 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Recent public events have included a talk entitled Airmen and Anecdotes, a Coxwold History Exhibition and a talk on York, Chocolate City. The Coxwold Booklet, published in 2015, continues to achieve good sales.

Current projects include the production of new leaflets and booklets for the Church and a research paper on the Sneever Observatory.  The subject for the Society Talk in 2020 is currently being investigated.

COXWOLD VILLAGE ARCHIVES

Coxwold Local History Society archives have recently been categorised into the following sections and may be accessed through the Society chairperson, secretary or other member.  The Archives include photographs, maps, documents, books, magazines and newspapers, videos and DVDs.  The full list of categories which may be searched can be found on the Archives page.

COXWOLD LOCAL HISTROY SOCIETY: JOIN US!

The immediate locality we live in has had people of endeavour and character shape its physical nature and culture…buildings, roads, pathways, traditions i.e. our local style.

Its history is not the content of textbooks covering national and international issues; it is in many ways more interesting than that since it relates directly to us!

We can delve into places, records, magazines, libraries, books, registers, memories and pictures and put together an explanation and story relating to the immediate area we live in.

Our Coxwold Local History Society has been small and active for almost a decade and over this time we have ran several events and including an exhibition and pulled together some archive material. Our aim is to help make our local history more accessible to all comers.

We want and need more active members to ensure we stay active, vibrant and motivated.

Please contact us with a view to appreciating more fully what we do. Then hopefully you will join us in our quarterly meetings, annual projects and support our occasional presentations.