Between Scarborough And York Is A Once-Thriving Medieval Village That's Now An Abandoned Yorkshire Beauty

Deep in the rural Yorkshire Wolds just 25 miles from Scarborough, the medieval village of Wharram Percy lies abandoned. It was once a flourishing community with a collection of farm buildings, manor houses, and dwellings that were home to around 150 residents, many of whom were farmers or crafters. Today, the settlement is a nationally important archeological site and a popular tourist destination. Visitors can walk around Wharram Percy and get a feel for life in the Middle Ages, with the ancient church ruins and other building earthworks still visible.

Likely founded in the 9th century, Wharram Percy was thriving by the 1100s, under ownership of the esteemed Percy family. The village was continuously inhabited for 600 years before it was abandoned in the early 1500s. This desertion came about gradually through natural decline, plague, and evictions following the conversion of arable land to pasture as the wool trade became more profitable.

Wharram Percy is one of the largest and best understood deserted medieval villages in England. Thanks to extensive archaeogloical research in the latter half of the 20th century, the settlement provides rare, detailed insight into ancient society and agricultural practices through the ages. Wharram Percy has become a symbol of medieval village life, and a cultural curiosity for history enthusiasts and tourists. Despite its significance, the site is rarely crowded. According to Britain Express, Wharram Percy sits in a "beautiful, secluded location," which has helped to maintain the abandoned feel. One Tripadvisor review reports that the lack of other visitors adds to the "peace and tranquility of the place." 

Today, only the roofless medieval church and some 19th-century farm cottages remain standing in this abandoned village. With a heritage dating to the 12th century, St. Martin's Church is the main attraction for visitors. Excavations have revealed that it was built on the site of an even older church, while examinations of burned and mutilated skeletons suggest a superstitious society that feared the rising of the dead. Per the HauntedPlace website, it's a spooky spot, and many a ghost tale will deter visitors from approaching after dusk.

Archaeologists have excavated other structures too, and you'll see the exposed earthworks as you wander around the village. Near the church, you'll notice the outlines of buildings marked out in the grass to show what the settlement once looked like. These include two manor houses, the vicarage, and rows of small cottages that would have been occupied by peasants. The manors belonged to the Percy family who owned Wharram Percy, as well as more prominent strongholds like Warkworth Castle in the historic village of Warkworth, and Alnwick Castle in Northumberland's quaint town of Alnwick. The millpond is another focal point of the village with excavations uncovering the footprints of several watermills, one of which dates to the 10th century.

Wharram Percy is free to enter, and with no facilities on site, the settlement retains its historic vibe. It's just under a mile from the car park to the deserted medieval village — the trail is steep in places and sometimes muddy, so sturdy footwear is advisable. Yet as one Tripadvisor review reports, the 10-to-15-minute walk is worth it, as the village is "beautiful when you get there." Wharram Percy can easily be reached on a day trip from the charming city of York or the seaside town of Scarborough, both of which are less than an hour away by car.