Wharram Percy is one of the largest and best preserved of Britain’s 3,000 or so known deserted medieval villages. It is also undoubtedly the most famous. For over 60 years, archaeologists have pioneered new techniques here to understand what life was like in the village and why it was eventually deserted.
Perched on the side of a remote and beautiful valley in the Yorkshire Wolds, the village was continuously occupied for six centuries before it was abandoned soon after 1500. Today you can trace the outlines of many lost houses on a grassy plateau above the substantial remains of the church and the millpond.
We left Tiggy in the car park here which is a short 20 minute walk away from the medieval village. The path used to be quite muddy but as the Yorkshire Wolds Way has become more popular it was being graveled when we visited last.
Below is the route, a simple following of the path west from the car park. Once you cross the bridge the site is on the left, buildings, a church and some medieval ruins.
Leaving Tiggy looking particularly lonely.
Just follow the signs along the gravel track west.
The footpath is mainly gravel but does have a few grassy muddy bits.
You then get to Wharram Percy on the left which is a mix of this building below, a church, a lake and some medieval ruins.
All that remains of the village itself are these mounds and wall remains..
After a thorough exploration head back the way you came, back to the car park. We got back just as the sky turned dark and it looked like the heavens were about to open.
