Historic village of Spofforth sitting between Harrogate and Wetherby

The village of Spofforth guards the southern bank, which at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 had 19 households. It has grown since then, but not by as much as many other places.

In fact, it is still very much a village, and a living, breathing, working one at that.

There are two good pubs, a village shop and post office, a hair and beauty salon, doctor’s surgery and fine old church.

There’s a snooker club based at the village hall and the cricket club, reputed to be one of the oldest in the county, has some of the finest facilities you’ll see for a village side.

The thriving village school is rated good by Ofsted and there is also a playgroup, Ginny Greenholes Playground, the Millennium Gardens and, for the more active members of the community, the Harland Way cycling and walking track, which runs to Wetherby and stretches as far as Thorp Arch.

At the heart of the village are the Grade II listed ruins of Spofforth Castle, which was actually more of a manor house than a genuine castle, and was the family home of the Percys before they upped sticks to build an altogether finer residence in Northumberland, where they hold the dukedom to this day.

In the intervening centuries, the housing, some of which still stands on that rose-coloured bedrock, has sprung up in new developments to the north and extended along the A661 towards Wetherby. Even so, it has not entirely pushed out the farming residents; there are still stone barns lining the main road.

If all this, plus ease of access to the A1(M), sounds attractive, one of the following properties – which are all currently for sale – may be the one for you.

On the western edge of the village, not far from the school, 9 Castle Ings stands in a short cul-de-sac and enjoys green views to the rear over open countryside and Spofforth golf course.

Improved and extended in recent years, it has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, utility room, study, two reception rooms and a music room.

Outside, there is plenty of off-street parking, two garages, one with a roof terrace, and half an acre of gardens with summerhouse and pond.

Not far away, Hartswood Cottage is a very spacious, late 18th-century semi-detached property with views towards the castle ruins.

It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, utility room, garden room, two reception rooms, and outside there are front and back gardens, outbuilding, greenhouse, garaging and driveway parking.

Finally, on the other side of the village, 18 Grange Avenue is an extended semi-detached house with three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, dining kitchen, two reception rooms and an integral single garage, plus front and back low-maintenance gardens.