St Martins, Allerton Mauleverer
Description
Allerton is situated just off the A1 and between Harrogate and York.
Allerton is old English for Aelfred’s tun or town. ‘Mauleverer’ is a Norman personal nickname meaning ‘poor harrier’.
The Mauleverer family held the manor from the reign of Henry I until that of George I in 1721 and the addition of ‘Mauleverer’ made Allerton distinguishable from Northallerton, Allerton Bywater , Chapel Allerton and Moor Allerton.
A large parish, Allerton Mauleverer had the settlement of Hopperton to the south and Thornbrough to the east. The foundations of St. Martin’s Church date from mediaeval times but the present structure was built in 1745. A visitor in 1620 noted the tombs of the Mauleverers, three of which still survive, and heraldry in the chancel and aisles.
Transcribed by Lynn Wood in 2005