Fulford

History

Cavalry barracks were established in Fulford as early as 1795 but these have now been largely demolished. The infantry barracks, now known as Imphal Barracks were built between 1877 and 1880.

Fulford Cross, a 15th-century Grade II listed boundary cross stands opposite the barracks, beyond the present parish boundary. The cross has been removed, but an octagonal shaft on a three-stepped pedestal remains.

In 1823 Fulford, known as "Fulford Gate", was a village in the parish of Fulford Ambo in the East Riding of Yorkshire and the Wapentake of Ouse and Derwent. Population at the time was 182, with occupations including two farmers, two blacksmiths, two wheelwrights, two shoemakers, a butcher, a tailor, a shopkeeper, a coal dealer, a corn miller, and the landlords of The Light Horseman, The Saddle, The Board, The Plough, and The Bay Horse public houses. Also within the village was a druggist, a manufacturing chemist, a schoolmaster, nine gentlemen, three gentlewomen, two bankers and seven yeomen. A school existed for 20 boys and girls. Within the parish of Fulford Ambo, and 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south of Fulford Gate, was the settlement of Fulford Water, with a population of 35 which included three farmers, and a gentleman at the Hall.

Geography and governance

According to the 2001 Census the parish had a population of 2,595. It used to be part of the Selby district but in 1996 it was transferred to become part of the newly created City of York Unitary Authority.

The modern village incorporates the old settlements of Water Fulford to the south and Gate Fulford on the road to York. The current civil parish is co-terminous with the unitary authority ward boundary. The parish is much reduced in size, having once extended north up the A19 past Fulford Barracks as far as Heslington Road and including York Cemetery. Between Fulford and the university is Walmgate Stray. Low-lying land near the River Ouse is prone to flooding.

The parish council maintains a website with local information which includes a directory of organisations and shops, a list of links and contact details for services, a guide to local issues and a record of parish council minutes.

Education

Schools in the area include St. Oswald's Primary School and Fulford School, a Mathematics and Computing College.

Transport

Fulford main street is the A19. Near the intersection stands the York Designer Outlet shopping mall. A pedestrian Millennium Bridge with a cycle path was opened in 2001, linking Fulford to the South Bank area of York on the other side of the river. Several bus services operate between York and Fulford.

Sport

Fulford Golf Club, which celebrated its centenary in 2006, was home to the Benson and Hedges International Open between 1971 and 1989. During the 1981 tournament, Bernard Langer climbed 20 feet (6.1 m) up an ash tree by the 17th green to play his third shot. York City F.C. were once based in Fulford, at their Fulfordgate stadium, before moving to the current Bootham Crescent stadium in 1932. The area is now occupied by Eastward Avenue and lies close to Fulford School.

A 6.4 miles (10.3 km) long scale model of the Solar System starts across the Ouse, west of Fulford, and runs via Naburn to Riccall along a disused railway line from York to Selby, now a Sustrans cycle path and part of the White Rose cycle route.

The route of The White Rose Way, a long distance walk from Leeds to Scarborough also passes through Fulford.

Notable people