Origins

The name Normanby means village of the north men and refers to an isolated settlement of Norwegians in a predominantly Danish occupied area. No one can be sure, however, if this was an even older location re-named by later settlers. It has been referred to by other names including Normanbi and Normanton.  The 'ton' ending as in Salton and Habton is linked with older Saxon names.

Normanby lies 4 miles west of Pickering. It covers 1786 acres, with Thornton Riseborough 2404 acres.  The population is about 200 - 300, as it has been for several hundred years.  There are few places with such a stable population.  The parish is between the streams of the Dove and the Seven, near the confluence with the Rye.  The land around is the level plain of the ancient glacial Lake Pickering, except to the west is a small sheltering hill now known as Normanby Hill (208' high) consisting of sand, gravel and boulder clay.  On old maps it is labelled as 'Roe Bargh'. Riseborough Hill is 236'.  The soil is a clay loam on a sub-soil of Kimmeridge clay.  The climate is dry compared with some districts of Britain. Rainfall average is 24"

Name references are recorded:

1086 - Normanebi      1130 - Normannabi

1147 - Normanby      1285 - Northmanby

1308 - Normannebi

The River Seven was the only permanent water supply in the district for many years right up to the early twentieth century, leading to the establishment of settlements along its length.  There is a sulphur spring, which contains carbonic acid and a small portion of neutral salts.  This is east of the church and is recorded as yielding 60 gallons a minute.  There is a fossil bearing strata to the north of the Sun Inn.

- - - - -  Map of the many "Bridle Paths" around the village - - - - -

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