One of North Yorkshire’s finest villages lies not far from York city centre. Matt Clark spent a morning there.

BISHOPTHORPE isn’t really a place for atheists. The church dominates its flat landscape, many of the roads are named after past Archbishops of York, including Dr Cosmo Lang who baptised our Queen, and the present one lives in a grand palace, splendidly situated on the Ouse.

That said, the village does have secular roots. It was originally called Thorp-super-Usam, but religion arrived in the form of priors and monks from York, who built a church in 1202, dedicated to their patron St. Andrew.

The village then became known as Thorpe St. Andrew and the Bishop prefix was added after Archbishop Walter de Grey moved in, demolished the manor house and replaced it with a fine palace.

This he gave to the Dean and Chapter of York Minster and since 1241 it has been home to successive Archbishops of York.

However, the palace we see today dates from 1763, when Thomas Atkinson transformed the building for Archbishop Drummond.

The style he chose is incorrectly described as Strawberry Hill Gothick, after Horace Walpole’s house in Strawberry Hill, Twickenham. But in fact Atkinson’s design predates Walpole’s by seven years.

Less impressive, but equally charming, are the cottages lining Main Street and the grand properties on Chantry Lane. Not to mention the pinfold where stray animals were once kept. Now it is a suntrap for young and old to enjoy.

But, the palace aside, nothing here matches Bishopthorpe Garth, an important Grade II listed house built in 1908 by York architect Walter Brierle, nicknamed the Lutyens of the North.

Well, almost nothing. The original church by the river may have been demolished in 1768, but its dramatic façade remains intact in an idyllic spot by the river; a centrepiece for the Archbishops’ 1,000-year-old burial ground.

Archbishop Drummond had the first St Andrews taken down to rebuild a parish church, which he adorned with stone from Cawood.

However, this has also gone and the present St Andrews designed by C Hodgson Fowler dates from 1898.

Despite a population of a little more than 200 souls, Bishopthorpe was able to support no fewer than three pubs during the 19th century. It did so because the presence of Archbishops attracted many visitors, from royalty to day-trippers.

Less regal tourists arrived on foot or by boat at the ferry landing on Ferry Lane and The Brown Cow, Grey Mare and Woodman quenched their thirsts on a hot day with tea, lemonade or perhaps something a little stronger.

Apart from the palace and ruined church, Bishopthorpe is also well known for Brunswick Nursery, which a couple of decades ago was a rundown site with a broken-down shed on the edge of the village.

Over the years it has since been transformed into a plant nursery for people with learning difficulties, thanks to sheer hard work, support from the local community, volunteers and fundraising.