The origin of the name 'Boroughbridge' lies in its location relative to Aldborough, the principal settlement during the Roman period and known as Isurium Brigantum. Dere Street, the Roman road heading north from York, originally crossed the River Ure just north of Aldborough, but at an unknown date the road was diverted to cross the river at Boroughbridge. The place was first mentioned in 1155 in the Latin form pontem de Burgo and by 1298 in the English form Burghbrig ('the bridge near Burgh or Aldborough').[2] A new town grew up at the bridge and the Old Town became known as the 'Ald-Borough'.
A line of three menhirs, or standing stones, known as the Devil's Arrows, believed to have been erected in the Bronze Age, can be found on the outskirts of Boroughbridge, by the side of the A1. The tallest stone is 22 feet (6.7 m) tall. The stones are of millstone grit, probably quarried from Plompton, the closest source of this material. The stones stand on an almost north–south alignment, with the central stone slightly offset. The first reference to the stones is from the journal of a fisherman, Peter Frankck, who visited Boroughbridge in 1694 and claims he saw seven stones. The antiquarian John Leyland saw four stones, which is the verifiable number. The absent fourth stone stood close to the central stone and was dug out and broken up, allegedly by treasure hunters. Most of it was used to build Peg Bridge, which crosses the River Tutt as it enters the town. According to tradition the top of the fourth stone was to be found in the grounds of Aldborough Hall, which stands between Boroughbridge and Aldborough.[3]
Medieval
Boroughbridge was not mentioned in Domesday Book but was later described as part of the manor of Aldborough. In 1229 Boroughbridge, as part of the manor of Aldborough, was granted to Hubert de Burgh, but was forfeited a few years later by his son, who fought against the king at the Battle of Evesham. It then remained a royal manor until Charles I granted it to several citizens of London.[4]
Boroughbridge was an important stage for stagecoaches because of its position on the Great North Road midway between London and Edinburgh. An advertisement in the Edinburgh Courant for 1754 reads:
The Edinburgh Stage-coach, for the better accommodation of passengers, will be altered to a New Genteel Two-end Glass Coach Machine, being on steel springs, exceeding light and easy, to go in ten days in Summer and twelve in Winter; to set out the first Tuesday in March, and continue it, from Hosea Eastgate's, the Coach and Horses, in Dean-Street, Soho, London; and from John Somerville's, in the Canongate, Edinburgh, every other Tuesday, and meet at Burrow-Bridge on Saturday night, and set out from thence on Monday morning, and get to London and Edinburgh on Friday. In Winter, to set out from London to Edinburgh every other (alternate) Monday morning, and to go to Burrowbridge on Saturday night; and to set out from thence on Monday morning, and get to London and Edinburgh on Saturday night. Passengers to pay as usual. Performed, if God permits, by your dutiful servant HOSEA EASTGATE.
Boroughbridge became a separate civil parish in 1866. In 1938 the civil parish absorbed the parishes of Aldborough and Minskip.[5]
In 1945 the bridge carrying the A1 road over the River Ure collapsed under the weight of a heavy vehicle carrying an 80-ton steel mill roll housing from Sheffield to Falkirk. The incident interrupted the main transport route for a short time and the army installed a Bailey bridge until repairs were completed.
In 1974 Boroughbridge was transferred from the West Riding to the new county of North Yorkshire. It was part of the Borough of Harrogate between 1974 and 2023.
In 2011 the town's sewage works, which serves a population of ten thousand, was upgraded, with the old bar screens, which had reached the end of their working life, being replaced with modern wire-mesh drum screens able to screen out an increasingly large amount of undesirable waste and also filter grit and fat, thus decreasing the load on the plant. They were designed to meet the plant's stringent outfall requirements as set out by the Environment Agency. The settling and humus tanks were also upgraded from old manual sludging under hydrostatic head to circular tanks fitted with scrapers to desludge the tanks automatically.[6]
Governance
An electoral ward of the same name exists. At the 2011 Census this ward had a population of 3,104.[7]
Education
Boroughbridge has both a primary school and a secondary school. Boroughbridge High School, which has a library, computer rooms and a drama studio, marked its 25th anniversary in the summer of 2007.
The town is served by the local newspaper, Harrogate Advertiser.[10]
Local Economic Life and Trade
The town has been home to various small trades and today hosts a post office, hotel, a carpet showroom, two car showrooms and several restaurants and cafes, clustered along the B6265. Towards the edge of the town, due south of the centre, is a Morrisons shop and the home offices of various small local concerns
Boroughbridge and Co-op
In July 2023, the local co-op society, Central England Co-operative, applied for planning permission to develop a food branch for its members in the town. Locals will be able to take their trade to their locally owned community managed store, earning dividend and contributing to local charities and events. The store is expected to offer a local range of goods as well as the normal goods found in co-ops across England with a focus on convenience and ensuring a future fit for local areas and supplements.
Community Ownership in the Town
The local park is managed by the Council.
Proposal to bring new community food shop to the town
Unlike other community ventures which are commonly funded via one off IPS issues of community shares, locals will be able to subscribe to support the project via an existing long established society, which in January 2023 offered 1.5% interest on investments of £500 and invitation to annual and local meetings via the internet.
At the time of writing, sufficient funds have been found to make a application and proceed beyond the opening stages with the community venture. Support starting from just £10 can still be given, though new memberships will open if/when the shop opens to new members as per rules of the established society, which operates food branches in areas across the region.
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