Barlow, Selby, North Yorkshire
The village is in a pleasant rural setting which has developed over the years as a ribbon settlement based upon what is now Park Road and Park Lane.
There is no shop or pub in the village. The nearest pub is about 2 miles away, Selby is the nearest town, just 3 miles away. The city of York is about 17 miles away. There is a primary school in the village, the local secondary school is in Brayton and the local college is in Selby.
Off Park Lane we have a village hall and large playing field with another playing field on Park Road. Barlow also has a fully licensed members club. Sadly the village church is no longer in use as a place of worship.
There are
a number of country walks around Barlow which are also suitable for dog walking.
Barlow Common Nature Reserve is owned by Selby District Council and previously operated by them, a new Countryside Management Partnership was launched in December 2006, between North Yorkshire County Council and the district council. The nature reserve is accessible from Mill Lane opposite Railway Cottages with disabled access from Barlow Common Road. It also has a
privately operated Day Fishery.
Parking at Barlow Common. The disabled/fishing car park is open between dawn and dusk.
The main car park closes at dusk and overnight parking is not permitted.
Drax Nature Reserve and Skylark Centre (Accessible via gates at the bottom end of Barlow village) The Skylark Centre lies at the heart of the widely-acclaimed Barlow Mound ash disposal scheme where a nature reserve has been established. The nature reserve is open to the public on Wednesdays and Sundays from 11am to 4pm.
Some historical facts
Scheduled Ancient Monument
There is a settlement here in Barlow, mentioned in the Domesday Book and the remains of the medieval village of Berlai are in fact an
Ancient Monument. It is to the north of the present Barlow Hall Farmhouse on Brown Cow Road, together with the earthworks of the gardens!
Over the years the village has been the site of a brickworks, racehorse training, an
Airship Factory and a
Royal Ordnance Depot located at the end of the village. This included a POW camp which was in Stable Road. Some of the houses towards the end of Park Lane, and the village club, hall and playing fields were part of the Depot.
In the days of the local railway before it's closure in 1964, Barlow Station's sidings were often used by the Royal Train as an overnight stop for the Royal Family! Excited children and residents got used to seeing this splendid sight! The Duke Of Edinburgh is said to have once walked to nearby cottages to borrow a bible!