From Apletona to Appleton Wiske
The Domesday Book records the village as Apletona. It later added the name of the River Wiske to tell it apart from other Appletons, such as Appleton-le-Moors. It was one of the 41 ancient parishes of the Wapentake of Langbaurgh, in the Cleveland division of the North Riding.
William the Conqueror gave the parish to Robert de Brus of Skelton, an ancestor of Robert the Bruce. His son passed it to St Mary's Abbey, York, which held it until Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and granted it to Charles Brandon, later Duke of Suffolk. The first record of St Mary's Church dates from 1299. From 1974 to 2023 the village was in Hambleton District. Today it comes under North Yorkshire Council.
Who lives in the ward
Appleton Wiske gives its name to the Morton-on-Swale & Appleton Wiske ward. In 2021 its 2,799 households were:
- 63% detached houses
- 23% semi-detached
- 12% terraced
A village like this means plenty of detached homes with a garage, a wide front and often a yard behind. Typical Appleton Wiske projects:
- Printed concrete drives on modern detached houses, for a patterned surface that needs little upkeep.
- Tarmac on longer drives that lead to a garage at the back.
- Widening a drive so cars don't block each other.
- Edging and channels where a drive slopes towards the house.
Clay, sandstone and water
The British Geological Survey maps the village on Devensian till, a stony clay left by the ice, over Sherwood Sandstone. Till holds water, so rain lies on the surface and soaks away slowly. A drive here needs:
- Excavation down to firm, undisturbed clay.
- A geotextile layer to stop clay working up into the stone.
- A compacted crushed-stone sub-base, 150mm or more.
- A fall of about 1 in 60 away from the house, to a channel, a border or a soakaway tested for the clay.
Printed concrete and tarmac are impermeable, so the drainage plan matters most with them. The Environment Agency's flood map shows flood zone 3 within 750 metres of Front Street, on the low ground along the river. The village point itself is outside the flood zones.
Planning and the listed buildings
Appleton Wiske has no conservation area. Historic England lists five buildings: St Mary's Church, The Lord Nelson Inn, the Wesley Methodist Chapel, Garth House and Staindale House, all Grade II. If you live in one, check whether listed building consent is needed before altering the frontage or boundary.
For other houses, the national rule applies: a permeable drive, or one that drains onto the garden, doesn't need planning permission. Impermeable paving over five square metres that drains to the road does. Printed concrete with a channel draining to a soakaway on your land is fine.
Crossing the verge
Many frontages on Front Street and Hornby Road cross a grass verge rather than a kerb. Either way, you need North Yorkshire Council's permission. Its domestic licence is £310.20, with the work done by an approved independent contractor. You can ask the council to quote instead, for £102.36. It gives typical construction as about £2,000 plus a 10% admin fee, and there's no quotation fee if the crossing proves impossible. A bound surface at the road edge stops stones spilling onto the carriageway. More on our dropped kerbs and access page.
Prices
Checkatrade's April 2026 national averages for a 30m² drive:
| Surface | Per m² | 30m² |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel with a grid | about £60 | around £1,800 |
| Tarmac | about £90 | around £2,700 |
| Block paving | about £100 | around £3,000 |
| Resin bound | about £120 | around £3,600 |
Printed concrete isn't in that guide, but we can quote it next to the others. Breaking out an old drive, extra drainage on clay and the verge crossing all add to the cost.
Weighing it up. Printed concrete covers a big area quickly and needs only an occasional clean and reseal, but the base and joints must suit the clay. Tarmac is cheaper per metre and handles heavy use. Block paving is easy to repair if the ground settles. Resin bound looks good but needs a permeable base and good drainage on till.
Villages and areas near Appleton Wiske
- Great Smeaton drives: West on the A167, an old coaching village.
- Brompton drives: South towards town, a conservation village.
- Yafforth drives: South-west by the Wiske, a small farming village.
Popular with Appleton Wiske homeowners: printed concrete, tarmac surfacing, dropped kerbs and access.
All areas covered: See every village.
Questions people ask in Appleton Wiske
Is there a conservation area in Appleton Wiske?
No. Five buildings are listed, though, including St Mary's Church and The Lord Nelson Inn, and they need listed building consent for works affecting them.
Will printed concrete crack on clay?
It can if the base is thin. A deep sub-base, reinforcement and well-placed joints reduce the risk on Appleton Wiske's till.
How much does a crossing over the verge cost?
North Yorkshire Council's licence is £310.20 with an approved independent contractor. A council quotation is £102.36, and the council puts typical construction at around £2,000 plus 10%.
Is Appleton Wiske at risk of flooding?
The village point is outside the flood zones, but flood zone 3 lies within 750 metres along the river. Check your own address on the Environment Agency map.
Sources: Wikipedia: Appleton Wiske; ONS Census 2021, Morton-on-Swale & Appleton Wiske ward (TS044 via Nomis); Planning Data: conservation areas and listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer, 1:50,000; Environment Agency flood map for planning; North Yorkshire Council: pavements and kerbs; Checkatrade driveway cost guide (April 2026).