Cottingham

Cottingham

Cottingham Village

About Cottingham, East Riding

Cottingham is a pleasant village in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and is just one of those that claims to be the largest village. According to the 2011 census, there are more than 17,000 people living there. It dates back to the 1000s and has a deep history rooted throughout, which can be seen in the buildings and architecture around the area.

The History of Cottingham

During the reign of Edward the Confessor, Gamel owned Cottingham. During this time, Hugh FitzBaldrick was a manor within the land, which included fisheries, a mill and farm land. Up until 1541, a castle was built on the land but it was destroyed. Rumours include a visit from Henry VIII but the owner at the time believed that the monarch wanted his wife, so destroyed the castle to prevent the visit.

The parish church was built from 1272, with additions made in the 1400s, including the tower. The English Heritage has now made the building a Grade I listed one to help preserve the history within and outside of it.

The Southwood Hall manor house is one of the Grade II listed buildings in the area, and was built in 1661. During the 1600s, a schoolhouse and almshouse were also built. In 1729 the Church House was built, which was a workhouse at the time.

Modern Day Cottingham

When Hull was expected to expand, more water was needed and Cottingham was one of two sites where extractions were planned. To help with that, the Mill Dam pumping station was built close to the Mill Dam stream and by 1909 a new reservoir had been constructed.

The start of the First World War saw the start of Castle Hill Hospital development, where Cottingham Castle once stood. At first it was a Tuberculosis sanitorium, but by the start of World War Two, a hospital for infectious diseases was needed and Castle Hill became the spot.

As Hull University expanded, more halls of residence were needed. Two of the larger houses in the area, Thwaite House and Northfields House, were bought by the university and converted, including an extension. They are now called Thwaite Hall and Needler Hall. Cleminson Hall was added in 1951 within the south Thwaite Hall grounds to accommodate the growing student population; however, that third hall was closed between 2003 and 2004 and is now a housing estate.

Cottingham has been through numerous changes since the Dark Ages, but it remains a peaceful and friendly village. It is perfectly situated for easy access to Hull and Scarborough.