Wildon Grange

Wildon Grange is first recorded in 1138 as Wyldon, meaning Wild Hill.^[1] The farming area of Wildon Grange was originally a possession of the monks of nearby Byland Abbey, being granted to them by Roger de Mowbray c. 1140.^[2][3] Until 1866, Wildon Grange was a township that was mostly part of the Ecclesiastical parish of Coxwold,^{[note 1]} in the wapentake of Birdforth, in the North Riding of Yorkshire.^[5] Since 1866, it has been its own civil parish, and in 1974 was transferred to North Yorkshire.^[6][7] From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the Hambleton District, it is now administered by the unitary North Yorkshire Council.

The parish covers an area of 740 acres (298 hectares), and is part of the Hillside & Raskelf Ward for local elections, and Thirsk and Malton constituency for Parliamentary representation.^[8][9][10] The current grange is 1.25 miles (2.01 km) north-west of Coxwold and 7 miles (11 km) east of Thirsk.^[11] Whinny Bank Road in the east of the parish, is the boundary into the North York Moors National Park, and also carries National Cycle Route 65, which runs from Hornsea to Middlesbrough.^[12][13]

In the south of the parish is Wildon Hill, which is 302 feet (92 m) above sea level. Evidence of quarrying is in existence on the hill, which has shown the underlying ground to be composed of sandstone and limestone.^[14][15][13]