Patios built in Osmotherley

The village

Osmotherley probably takes its name from a clearing, or "ley", belonging to a Viking called Asmund or a Saxon called Osmund; the Domesday Book records it as Asmundrelac. A local legend tells a different story, of a man named Oswald or Osmund who died in the snow beside his mother, giving "Osmotherley". The village sits on the 110-mile Cleveland Way, and its school on School Lane was founded in 1857, in a building of 1878. Three pubs stand within about 50 metres of each other in the centre.

The village is built of local stone, with cottages and houses tightly lined along North End, South End and West End, and many of them are listed. The wider Hutton Rudby and Osmotherley ward, which includes newer housing in the area, records 59.6% detached homes, 18.9% terraced, 18.8% semi-detached and under 1% flats in the 2021 Census.

Gardens behind the old cottages are often long, narrow and on a slope, rising or falling from the street. Some are reached only through the house or a shared passage. Owners usually want a level stone terrace near the house, with steps up or down to the rest of the garden, and a surface that looks at home in a moorland village.

Ground on the hillside

The British Geological Survey maps glaciofluvial sand and gravel at the village centre, over the Cleveland Ironstone Formation of mudstone, sandstone and ironstone. Sand and gravel drain well, but on a hillside, water runs across the surface, and the rock below can be close to the surface in places.

We dig to a firm level, cut into the slope rather than build up, and compact a crushed-stone sub-base. Slabs are bedded on mortar, at least 150 mm below the damp-proof course with a fall away from the house. A channel drain along the top edge of a terrace catches water coming down the hill. The Environment Agency shows only a small area of Flood Zone 3 within 750 metres and few surface water low spots, so most problems here come from slope rather than flooding.

National Park and conservation area

Osmotherley lies within the North York Moors National Park, so planning matters are handled by the National Park Authority. The Osmotherley Conservation Area, designated in 1977, covers the historic village, and around 52 buildings near the centre are listed, including houses on North End, South End and School Lane. A ground-level patio at the back of a house is usually still permitted development, but listed buildings, front gardens, walls and trees need care, and some works need consent. We use stone and colours that suit the village.

Choosing a patio

Riven sandstone or reclaimed flags in buffs and greys sit best beside Osmotherley's stone houses, and their texture gives grip on sloping ground and wet days. For a newer house on the edge of the village, a sawn sandstone gives a cleaner look while still feeling natural. Retaining walls and steps are best built in stone that suits the house.

Steps and terraces

Most sloping gardens here benefit from two or more levels. A level terrace by the house, a flight of wide stone steps and a second level further up or down make the garden far easier to use. Keeping each terrace within 300 mm of the surrounding ground generally avoids the need for planning permission for the patio itself.

Newer homes on the edge of the village

Around the old stone core, later houses have more regular gardens, often with views toward the hills or across the Vale of Mowbray. These suit a broader terrace by the house, sometimes with a second seating area placed to catch the view. Sawn sandstone or a stone-effect porcelain keeps the look natural while being easy to maintain. Because the village sits at the foot of the hills, gardens can be breezy; a low stone wall or hedge behind a seating area gives shelter without blocking the outlook.

Things that change the price

• Slope. Cutting in, retaining walls and steps.
• Access. Materials carried through houses or passages.
• Material. Riven or reclaimed stone.
• Rock. Ironstone or sandstone close to the surface.
• Drainage. Channel drains on hillside gardens.
• Setting. Stone that suits the conservation area.

Other villages near Osmotherley

• Patios in Brompton: South-west: a former linen village by Northallerton.
• Patios in Great Smeaton: North-west, across the Vale: a village on the old Great North Road.
• Patios in Appleton Wiske: North-west: a village beside the River Wiske.

Patios that suit Osmotherley: sandstone & limestone, porcelain patios, block patios.

Everywhere we cover: See all towns and villages.

Patio FAQs: Osmotherley

Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, Hutton Rudby & Osmotherley ward (Nomis); Wikipedia: Osmotherley, North Yorkshire; Planning Data: conservation areas; Planning Data: listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning.