OUR SITE HISTORY
The Park originally opened in the Spring of 1979 providing a perfect holiday destination. The park was recently bought by Springs Estates (Lincs) Ltd who have been operating holiday parks for holiday caravans, touring, motorhomes and tenting for families and "adult only" since 1968. Although predominantly located on the East Coast of Lincolnshire our Yorkshire roots means that we too love and understand the beauty and attractions of the area. Please rest assured that our philosophy of the last fifty years or so still holds strong as we aim to offer – ‘a haven away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life – an opportunity to be at one with nature and fellow visitors in the peace and tranquillity of rural Ryedale. We will look to build upon what is present to ensure the park goes from strength to strength.
Foxholme Springs sits on rising ground in Harome parish to the east of, and a mile away from, Harome village. Prior to the enclosure acts of the 18th & 19th centuries this land had been Harome Common - the communal grazing land for the village.
Harome is mentioned in the Domesday book and had long been part of the local estate based in Helmsley – tenant farmers and villagers alike lived a hard existence governed by the seasons of the year. The enclosures created a field of some 9 acres around the site of Foxholme with its fine view across the vale - a view that would witness the steady march of progress –from here whilst toiling in the fields labourers would glimpse the distant smoke of trains on the local branch line and later still see early aircraft, the arrival of motor transport and agricultural mechanisation – but nothing to compare to the changes that would arrive in this quiet corner of the North Riding in 1943.
A settlement, with the population of a small town, straddled the parishes of Harome & Wombleton – RAF Wombleton had arrived – part of No 6 Group Royal Canadian Air Force and home to No 1666 Heavy Conversion Unit – a training unit – and sadly, with worn out aircraft, green crews and an airfield surrounded by hills the accident rate was high. The site of Foxholme becoming ‘Mess site No 1.’ By 1950 the airfield had closed and, after providing homes for homeless demobbed servicemen, most of the buildings had gone, helped by the scrapmen - both official and unofficial! By then Foxholme was mostly just a mass of concrete and rubble. In 1958, the site was purchased from the MOD and planted with Norway spruce and for a few years poultry were kept here, after which Foxholme slumbered on until 1978, the trees maturing with just the wildlife for company. Then in 1978 ‘Mess site No1’ really came into its own, for the old Air Ministry infrastructure, (roads & drains) was to prove invaluable for what is now when Foxholme Springs Touring Park.
