Langthorpe derives it's name from the Vikings, the name meaning 'long settlement'. The village is on the north bank of the River Ure where the Roman road would have forded the river.
A wooden bridge upstream from the ford was built in the 11c to improve the route it was on the site of the current bridge over the Ure. This boundary separated the North and West Ridings of Yorkshire.
The river and river crossing also had strategic importance, and became the site for the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322. Sir Andrew Harcla marched down from Carlisle in support of Edward II. He reached Ripon on 15th March and discovered that the Earl of Lancaster was retreating from Pontefract to Northumberland and from the King's Army, and planned to cross the river Ure with a force of 700 men. He quickly marched through to Langthorpe and deployed his pikemen at the bridge and more pikemen and archers at the ford. The next morning, 16th March one of Lancaster's commanders, the Earl of Hereford, tried to storm the bridge with foot soldiers, and was killed in the skirmish. The Earl of Lancaster with his cavalry tried to rush the ford, but were repelled by the archers. Having failed to get to Langthorpe the force retired to Boroughbridge for the night. The next day Sir Andrew Harcla marched into the town to round up the men and to arrest the Earl of Lancaster who had sought sanctuary in the church and sent him by boat to York. He was later beheaded at Pontefract, so never got his wish to visit Langthorpe.
The River Ure often flooded, damaging the bridge. The wooden bridge was replaced with a stone one in 1562, and this was widened in 1784. A flood marker can be found at the back of The Old Stables in Brewery Yard, it is dated 1883, the floods in 1991 were 9" higher.
The oldest remaining house in Langthorpe is the Old Hall, which was built in 17C, but from there is a Roman Culvert which runs down to the river.
At this time Langthorpe being the highest navigable point on the Ure would have been a very busy port sending produce down river to York and thence the sea. The goods being exported would have been farm produce, flax, timber and lead and imports would have included food, drink, cloth and gunpowder.
Langthorpe was on the Great North Road, and stagecoaches on the way to Edinburgh, Leeds and Newcastle would have passed through the village. Langthorpe is halfway between Edinburgh and London, and in the height of the season two thousand cattle a day were driven across the bridge on their way to markets in the south, stopping to be shod at the local blacksmiths.
Geese were also sent south and having to walk all the way, to ensure that their feet did not wear out, they were shod with wet tar and sand in the cottages by 'White Horse View'.
The commercial importance of Langthorpe was later enhanced as first the canal arrived in 1770 and then the railway in 1848 with Boroughbridge station being built on the edge of Langthorpe in1875.
Langthorpe was also the site of Warwick's brewery and Sanders and Smith's malt kiln. This ceased production in 1924 and the premises were taken over by Anchor Marine and a Laundry. The site has now been converted into housing with the Maltings due to be complete at the end of 2006.
The Railway closed in 1950 for passengers and in 1964 for goods trains, leaving Station Terrace and Station View as the reminder of a past age. The Great North Road (A1) was sent along a bypass to the west of the village in 1962, improving the traffic flow through the village dramatically. So within a few short years Langthorpe returned again to being a small Yorkshire Village.
The village now has two pubs; in the past it also boasted three more. 'The Railway Tavern' opposite the station, next to the Baptist church. 'The Old Red Lion' which closed in 1914, and was situated along by Back Lane, the lane which used to be Cottage Lane before the bypass was built. 'The Ship', which is now known as 'Guiseley House', it was here that visitors from York and Hull used to come by boat in June to Barnaby Fair.
The village also had a Baptist Chapel by the Anchor pub but this closed in 1917, the village shop which is now part of 'Blackhorse View' in 1982, and the Police Station which was in 'Victory Terrace' in1971.
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Useful History Links:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/NRY/Kirbyhill/Kirbyhill90Dry.html