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Masham

Masham
Masham.jpg
The Marketplace at Masham
Masham is located in North Yorkshire
Masham
Masham
Masham shown within North Yorkshire
Population 1,205 (2011)
OS grid reference SE225808
• London 195 mi (314 km) SSE
Civil parish
  • Masham
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town RIPON
Postcode district HG4
Dialling code 01765
Police North Yorkshire
Fire North Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
EU Parliament Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
YorkshireCoordinates: 54°13′22″N 1°39′15″W / 54.2227°N 1.6541°W / 54.2227; -1.6541

Masham (/ˈmæsəm/ MASS-əm) is a small market town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 1,235. Situated in Wensleydale on the western bank of the River Ure, the name derives from the Anglo-Saxon "Mæssa's Ham", the homestead belonging to Mæssa. The Romans had a presence here, but the first permanent settlers were the Angles. Around 900 AD the Vikings invaded the region, burning and laying waste to the church and causing great suffering in Masham. They also introduced sheep farming, something for which the town is well known today.

Masham was historically a large parish in the North Riding of Yorkshire. As well as the town of Masham the parish included the townships of Burton-on-Yore, Ellingstring, Ellington High and Low, Fearby, Healey with Sutton, Ilton cum Pott and Swinton. In 1866 the townships became separate civil parishes. Masham Moor was an area of moorland to the west of the parish bordering the West Riding, common to the parishes of Masham and East Witton. It was divided between the parishes of Healey, Ilton cum Pott and Colsterdale in 1934.


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