Prehistoric features

The area has been settled for many thousands of years. Above the village, at the top of Folkton Hill, was where the Folkton Drums were discovered. They are a set of chalk (the predominant stone in the area) carvings from the Stone Age. Bowl-shaped, they have been called drums as the carvings would be upside down were they to be used as bowls. They were discovered by William Greenwell in 1889.^[3] They were buried in a tumulus that sits at the intersection of several natural pathways through the Dales. This tumulus has now been identified as one of a network that acted as a guide through the maze of hills and valleys that make up the Dales which would have been heavily forested at the time. They can now be seen on display at the British Museum.^[4]

Prehistoric Folkton Drums as currently displayed in the British Museum

Modern history

The Carr would have historically been lake or marsh depending on which climatic era is being discussed. Its natural state today would be as marsh land but it was drained in the 19th century to make room for agriculture.

The village was also the site of a Roman military base. Not much is known of this stage as subsequent building works have destroyed any archaeology; however, the regular finds of Roman artefacts such as coins and arrow heads indicate a substantial presence.

The village as it stands today was established with a small number of farm houses around 400 years ago. Later building added to and expanded these existing structures into larger houses and farms with attached barns. Many barns were then demolished during the 1800s to avoid the 'Roof Tax'.

In 1823 the Folkton parish was in the Wapentake of Dickering. Population at the time was 144. Occupations included three farmers, and the landlady of The Bell public house. Two miles to the west of the village, in the Folkton parish, and separated by one mile, were the settlements of East and West Flotmanby, each listed with a gentleman.^[5]