Risby, East Riding of Yorkshire


Risby is the site of a deserted village and former stately home. It is located in the civil parish of Rowley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England; approximately south-west of Beverley and lies west of the A164 road.
The area includes an open partially wooded parkland popular with local walkers which was one of the largest deer parks in Yorkshire, Risby Park, a farm, a cafe named "Folly Lake Cafe", and several fishponds in the ornamental lakes of the former hall. Since 1990 the pond has been operated as a coarse fishing location; the site also contains an octagonal brick folly that is designated Grade II.

Name

Risby was mentioned in the Domesday Book as Risebi. The name is from the Old Norse hrís and bỹ, and means "village or farm in the brushwood, or where brushwood was collected".

Risby Hall

Risby Hall was the home of the Ellerker family between the early 14th and the late 18th centuries. The Hall was built in the 1680s and expanded until it was ravaged by fire in the 1770s. The Hall was subsequently repaired but was then destroyed by fire again in the 1780s. The foundations of the Hall can still be seen today in the fields near Risby.

Parklands

The former Risby Hall had extensive parklands which included ornamental lakes, parkland, woodland and a brick folly which were extended in the late 18th century shortly before the hall's destruction. The lakes were created by Easton Mainwaring Ellerker between 1769 and his death in 1771. The Folly was built in as part of a landscaping improvements undertaken by the Elleker Family.
In 1550 a Deer Park was created through the enclosure of some of the estate which was subsequently expanded until the 17th century. Henry VIII and his court were entertained at Risby by Sir Ralph Ellerker at the former Ellerker manor house at nearby Cellar Heads, shortly before the development of the deer park in 1540.