Micklefield Parish Council

History of the village:

The name, Micklefield, is derived from the Old English 'Micelfield', meaning 'Great Field'. The village is listed in a Royal Charter of 963 A.D., which makes Micklefield one of a very special set of Yorkshire townships with a recorded history older than the Doomsday Survey of 1086.

The small linear settlement of Old Micklefield was probably settled by the English around 620 A.D. Prior to this it lay in the British Kingdom of Elmet. Crop marks in the area, the proximity of the Roman Road and the enigmatic earthworks at Castle Hills suggest earlier settlement in the parish at least to Romano-British times, and possibly earlier.

The main road through the village was probably an ancient north/south trade route, though from Roman times it was superseded by the Ridge Road, which now forms the western boundary of the village. The main road regained its importance during the Tudor Era and became the Great North Road turnpike in 1741.

The Blands Arms public house (an important symbol of our village history) was an overnight stop for Scots cattle drovers taking their stock to market in London. The 'Scotsman' building where they rested still stands at the rear of the pub. The pub also honours the Blands family, Lords of the Manor from 1600 to the 1920s and sole landowners in Micklefield from 1750 to 1830.

The Parish Council:

The Parish Council was established in 1894. The village has changed substantially since then, but the Parish Council continues to work to make Micklefield a better place to live, work and visit. Our website includes a wealth of information about how we conduct business and what we do.

Find local groups and businesses in our community directory. Use the search or browse the site to find whatever you are looking for. If you can't find what you want or would like to recommend any improvements to our website then please contact us.

All Parish Council activities are governed by law, from time, location and number of meetings, to how its finances are managed and what we can spend money on. Whenever it makes a decision to do something, particularly if the decision involves spending money, the Parish Council must be sure that there is a law that supports this. If there isn't, then the Parish Council hasn't acted legally. If the Parish Council is not undertaking work that you think it should be, it might be because it does not have the legal power to do so.

Notice of all Parish Council meetings (ordinary and extraordinary), Committee meetings and meetings of the Trustee of Micklefield Recreation Ground Charity is posted in each village notice board at least three clear days before the meeting, as required by law. Though not a legal requirement, the Parish Council also posts an agenda of the business to be transacted at the meeting. Any other business of the Council, including legally required documents such as vacancy notices and audit notices, is also posted in the notice boards, so checking them regularly can help you keep up with Parish Council activities.