The village
Yafforth's name is thought to come from "Ea-ford", the ford in the river. The Domesday Book of 1086 records it as a berewick, an outlying farm, of the royal manor of Northallerton. North of the village is Howe Hill, a Norman motte probably raised in the reign of King Stephen to guard the Wiske; it still stands about 15 feet high and seems to have been disused by 1198. All Saints' Church was built in 1208 and largely rebuilt in 1870, as a chapel of ease to Danby Wiske. Yafforth became a separate civil parish in 1866. Its school opened in 1868 and closed in 1952, and the building still stands in the middle of the village. The parish had 174 people at the 2011 Census.
Yafforth is mainly brick houses, farmsteads and converted farm buildings, including Yafforth Grange, Yafforth House and the Old Hall. It lies in the large rural Morton-on-Swale and Appleton Wiske ward, where the 2021 Census records 62.6% detached homes, 22.5% semi-detached and 12.3% terraced.
Many properties have large gardens or former farmyards. Owners of converted barns often want a terrace outside new glazing, with walls or seating built in, while older houses suit a traditional stone patio and paths.
Gravelly clay
The British Geological Survey records the Vale of York Formation as a gravelly sandy clay here, over Sherwood Sandstone. It drains better than heavy till but still holds water after rain. We dig out soft material, lay a geotextile where needed 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 building. Water goes to a border, soakaway or drain depending on how the ground behaves.
The Environment Agency shows no river flood zone within 750 metres of the village centre point, though the Wiske lies close by to the east, and its surface water map marks some low spots.
Listed buildings
Yafforth has no conservation area, but around nine buildings and structures are listed, many of them farm buildings: Yafforth Grange with its stables, a granary and a threshing barn with a round house, Yafforth House with its front wall and gate piers, the Old Hall and All Saints' Church. Work within the curtilage of a listed building may need listed building consent, even in a back garden. For other homes, a ground-level back-garden patio is usually permitted development.
Choosing a patio
For barn conversions, charcoal or grey porcelain and sawn sandstone give a clean, modern finish against old brick and big windows. A low brick seating wall around a patio suits the agricultural setting. For older houses, warm sandstone or reclaimed flags look more at home. Former farmyards can take setts or block paving where vehicles still need access.
Farmyards and outbuildings
Converted farmyards often have uneven old surfaces of concrete, cobbles or brick. We assess whether any of it is worth keeping, sometimes relaying old setts or bricks as a border. Where a yard drains toward a building, we correct the falls so water runs away from it.
Gardens by the Wiske
The River Wiske runs close to the east side of the village, and some gardens look out over the low land toward it. Seating placed to take in that view, with low planting in front, makes the most of the setting. Gardens on the lower side of the village can be damper, so we pay close attention to falls and to where water goes when the patio meets the lawn. A gravel strip or a slightly raised edge keeps wet soil off the paving after heavy rain.
Things that change the price
- Size. Large gardens and former farmyards.
- Removal. Breaking out old yard concrete.
- Material. Porcelain, sandstone or setts.
- Walls. Seating walls or low brick walls.
- Drainage. Correcting falls in old yards.
- Listed buildings. Extra care and possible consent.
Other villages near Yafforth
- Patios in Romanby: South-east: a large village joined to Northallerton.
- Patios in Ainderby Steeple: South: a village on the A684 with a conservation area.
- Patios in Brompton: North-east, beyond the town: a former linen village.
Patios that suit Yafforth: porcelain patios, sandstone & limestone, block patios.
Everywhere we cover: See all towns and villages.
Patio FAQs: Yafforth
What suits a barn conversion?
Porcelain or sawn sandstone, often with a low brick seating wall.
Can old setts or bricks be reused?
Often, as a border or a feature. We look at their condition at the visit.
Do we need consent near a listed building?
Possibly, if the patio is within the grounds of a listed building. We will flag it.
Is the ground wet?
It holds some water after rain, so we always build in a fall and drainage.
Can you lay a path to an outbuilding as well?
Yes. Paths to sheds, barns or gates can be laid on the same base during the same visit.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, Morton-on-Swale & Appleton Wiske ward (Nomis); Wikipedia: Yafforth; Planning Data: listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning.