The Beginning of a Community

The earliest surviving written reference to Harrogate occurs in an account of assault and trespass which was before the court in September 1332, when ‘John of Harrogate’ was a named participant.

Despite the lack of prior documentary evidence there is evidence of language and geography which provide clues to Harrogate’s origin.

The name Harrogate has Scandinavian roots, being formed from two distinct words, Harro and Gate – gate is the Scandinavian word for road or way. As all roads or ways lead from one place to another, it is reasonable to infer that the Harro to which the gate belonged was a geographical feature, and that as the locality’s biggest geographical feature is Harlow Hill, the name of Harrogate means ‘the way to Harlow’.

In 1086 the Domesday Book provides information about land holdings that later became Harrogate town which was divided between the two communities of Bilton with Harrogate and Beckwith with Rossett. The distinction between the two communities is relevant not only because the former produced High Harrogate and the latter Low Harrogate, but also because for centuries Harrogate consisted of two communities which were separated by fields worked by local farmers.