There is a marvellous website, created by Colin Blanchard Withers, covering virtually everthing you would wish to know about Ellerton village history.
Here is the link - http://www.ellerton.info/index.html .
Below is a summary of the history of Ellerton:
Ellerton's Past
Here, you find a time line of the history of Ellerton. Apparently a Viking Longboat was found in Ellerton or Aughton.
1086 - Mentioned in Doomsday book as "Elreton(e): Kings Land." The name possibly due to many Eller trees in the area (GenUK)
1506 - John Leland visits Ellerton. (King Henry VIII's Vicar. Came to value the Priory.)
1200's - Grave of Monk of Wyntringham - still can be seen in Ellerton Cemetery
1203 - Priory founded dedicated to Virgin Mary & St Lawrence (See Ellerton Priory)
1600 - Boot & Shoe built
1610 - Almshouses built for 3 poor women / 9 acre allotment. "Each inmate receives 6s per wk" (B4) Sir Hugh Bethell
1610 - Records found of Will made of John Sowerby from Ellerton
1653 - Records found of Will made of John Duffield from Ellerton
1657 - Records found of Will made of Sir George Butler from Ellerton
1672 - Ellertons population - 252
late 1600's - Daniel Defoe (author of Robinson Crusoe) stayed in Ellerton whilst researching his book - "Tour through Great Britain"
1808 - Death Duty papers found for Robert Watson of Ellerton
1809 - Death Duty papers found for Robert Mitchell, farmer of Ellerton
1810 - Death Duty papers found for Thomas Webster, Cordwainer of Ellerton
1810 -The Weres built (Ellerton duck pond) from clay. Used to wash cart horse hooves & swell the wooden cart wheels on to their rims / water in case of fire
1820's - Ellerton Church Patron is John Bethell Esq.
Ellerton population - 31
Mean household size 4.82 (Charlesworth papers)
1851 - Number of homes - 71
1872 - Ellerton School built. The land was bequeathed from Miss Margaret Hall, Beverley (G)
1892 - Ellertons main crops - wheat, potato, clover, turnip
Main Land Owners James Lund Esq. Malsis Hall, Cross Hills, Keighley
Joseph J Dunnington-Jefferson Esq. Thickett Priory also
1872 - Ellerton school committee member -
Captain George Henry Bridges. Nothcote House, Clifton Park
George Wake. Ellerton
Francis Stephenson Esq.(also Aug). Pontefract
Robert & John Watson. Ellerton
Alfred Jackson Acomb, York
Post Office at Richard Dearing's house. Letters went via York, arriving at 9-20 a.m., and despatched at 3-40 p.m.
- Miscellany of trades
Ainsworth Miss Susannah, schoolmistress
Bradley John, farm foreman
Dearing Rd., grocer, and carrier to York (Sat.), Post office
Etherington Daniel, carrier to York (Sat.), and Selby (Mon.)
Etherington George, mattress maker
Harrison Charles, blacksmith
Harrison Francis, joiner and wheelwright
Harrison Robert, joiner and wheelwright
Mitchell Mr. Robert, Pearse Mrs. Jane & Son, shoemakers
Pearse Mrs. Mary, cowkeeper
Robinson Rev. George, B.A., vicar
Sanderson William, pig dealer
Sargant William Winn, miller
Scott Mrs. Mary Ann, joiner, &c.
Sharp William, tailor and farmer
Simpson Mrs. Emma & Tasker Mrs. Hannah, dressmaker
Tate Joseph, joiner
Tate Miss Margaret, vict., Boot and Shoe Inn
Wilkinson George, cowkeeper
- Farmers.
Anson George Smith, Short Acre house
Bissett Thomas, Ellerton South grange
Boast Miss Jane (owner)
Bradley John, Ellerton South grange
Buttle Robert
Featherby William, North Ross
Nutt Thos., Ellerton Hall and North Ross farm
Pottage Charles, Fog Spring farm
Simpson George
Story George, Ellerton Ruddings
Wake George (yeo.), Priory farm
Watson John (yeo.), Sunny Bank house
Watson Robt. (yeo.), Ellerton North grange
Watson Thomas, The Town farm
Watson William
Wilkinson Robert
1905 - Main Land owners
John Dudding, W.J.Bethell, William Westwick, Humphrey Osbaldeston, Thomas Atkinson
1930's - Ellerton has a resident Vicar, Blacksmith, Grocer, Post Office, Shop, Wheelwright (The Publican), Clay pits for brick making & sand pits.
1932 - The Village Shop is situated between the school & pub (extension which can be seen to the left of Holly House. The long window was the door) - sold tobacco / sweets. Had a beehive (Edward Nutt kicked it over as a child and was told off!) Miss Sleight was the owner
1956 - Romano-British Pottery found behind Priory Cottage (Now Willow Grange) 1970's -Cannon ball found in the grounds of Rose Cottage
1995 - Mortar fragments are found North & West of the Church indicating old enclosures, ditches & ovens or kilns
2000 - Only4 Farms left in Ellerton -Town Farm, Hall Farm, West End Farm, Priory Farm.
Relics found in village - musket balls / old lead weights - Priory Farm
Remnants of a Roman Pottery found at North Grange Farm
2004 - A medieval ditch & small finds assemblage found at Forge View
2009 - A medieval bank with a ditch & inter cutting pits were found at Ellerton House
2010 - A Roman Road alignment is found, which forms the Northeast boundary of the parish with Melbourne. In the ground to the Northwest of the Church, mortar fragments are found suggesting the presence of buildings, possibly belonging to the Priory. Medieval pottery, handmade bricks and a 17th century gun flint were found at Willow Grange.