Goodmanham

The earliest traces of settlement are from the stone age. There are many ancient burial sites. The boundaries of the village lie along the lines of ancient earthworks and these are evidence that it was a prehistoric place of worship. Near the western boundary of the village lies one of the most ancient roads of Britain, later adopted by the Romans. Settlement at this time is indicated by finds of Samian ware and coins of the period. Later in Saxon times, after the recall of the Roman legions, the village reached a position of great importance and fame. It became the site of the high shrine of Anglo Saxon Northumbria, a great temple of Woden, the father of the gods.

The village is built in a favourable position on a south-facing slope of the Yorkshire Wolds between two streams. It has a copious supply of water from numerous springs and naturally occurring limestone for building.

This quiet spot was one of the earliest sites of Christianity in Britain. The squat little Norman church, between red-brick houses, is traditionally a successor of earlier sanctuaries which replaced a pagan temple.