I visited Poppleton a few months ago and was dismayed to discover that there were no geocaches hidden anywhere in the village. Determined to correct this unhappy situation, I set about installing some to put this picturesque and historic settlement back on the 'geocachers radar'. My task is almost complete with six created so far and just two more to go. To finish off, I want to position a cache on each major approach to the village. This is number six, a microtube placed close to the white 'gates' that form the boundary along Hodgson Lane, a handy cut through off the main A59 Harrogate to York road.
The name 'Poppleton' is derived from popel (pebble) and tun (hamlet, farm) and means "Pebble Farm" because of the gravel bed upon which the village was built. Upper Poppleton has been referred to as 'Land Poppleton' and the neighbouring village of Nether Poppleton as 'Water Poppleton' indicating their position relative to the nearby river Ouse.
In 972, the village was recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles as "Popeltun" and in the Domesday Book as "Popeltune".The villages and lands were the gift of Osbert De Arches to the Abbot of St Mary's in York. During the reign of Richard II the village was the scene of the murder of a Mayor of York.
In 1644 the 25,000 strong Scottish and Parliament armies, led by the Earl of Manchester, laid siege to the city of York. To facilitate communications, they built a "Bridge of Boats" at Poppleton. This bridge was eventually taken by Prince Rupert and his Royalist forces, but he subsequently lost the battle at Marston Moor, just five miles away.
The village benefited from the growth in the railways in the 19th century when the York, Knaresborough and Harrogate Railway routed their line through the village and built a station which remains in use today.
Whilst this is not a main access route into the village, the road can be quite busy so park up along Westfield Lane and be aware of fast-moving traffic as you approach GZ. There is a wide verge but no pavement.