This delightful and historic village of lovely old houses is notable for it’s Grammar School founded in 1697 for Sir John Moore, a local boy who made his fortune in the East India Company and became Lord Mayor of London. The original plans were drawn up by Sir Christopher Wren and it is believed to be the only school this great architect ever designed.
The celebrated Dr Johnson made great efforts to obtain the headmastership of the school, without success. The school buildings are now used as a primary school and a heritage centre which holds regular cultural events.
The Tudor timber-framed Moat House stands on the site of the original Manor House, which was the home of the Appleby family from the 12th to 16th century. A stone gatehouse and three sides of the moat remain undisturbed from medieval days.
The beautiful 14th Century Parish Church contains a marble tomb with a knight and his lady reputed to be Sir Edmund Appleby and his wife.
According to work for the National Statistics Office in 1995 by Professor Daniel Dorling at Leeds, this is where the centre of Britain is in terms of population.
For further information on Appleby Magna and Appleby Parva a dedicated website is available