Homes and plots in Dringhouses
Dringhouses was recorded in 1109 as "Drengeshirses", meaning the houses of the drengs, men who held land by a particular kind of free tenure. It was part of the West Riding and grew along the old road to Tadcaster. Today it is bounded by the Knavesmire, where York Racecourse sits, to the east, Askham Bog and the A64 to the south, and Woodthorpe, Acomb and Holgate to the west and north. The Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward had 11,084 people at the 2011 Census.
The ward's 2021 Census figures show a suburb of semis and detached houses: 47.8% semi-detached, 29.9% detached, 10.8% terraced and 9.8% flats. Along Tadcaster Road there are older houses and villas, the Church of St Edward the Confessor and the Cross Keys; the side roads and estates such as Don Avenue, Cherry Lane and Leeside are mostly 1930s and later.
Plots are generally generous. A typical Dringhouses semi or detached house has a side drive, a long rear garden and often a rear extension. Owners commonly want to replace a tired patio with something larger that lines up with new doors, sometimes in porcelain for a clean, modern finish, with a step down to the lawn.
Lake clay and wet ground
The British Geological Survey shows Dringhouses on clay and silt of the Alne Glaciolacustrine Formation, laid down in an ice-age lake, over Sherwood Sandstone. This fine clay drains slowly. Askham Bog, just to the south, is a reminder of how wet this ground can be.
A patio on lake clay needs a proper base. We dig out topsoil and soft clay, lay a geotextile and compact a crushed-stone sub-base thick enough for the patio size. The surface is set below the damp-proof course with a fall away from the house. Larger patios on clay may need a channel drain along the lower edge.
The Environment Agency shows Flood Zone 3 within 750 metres of the centre, and its surface water map marks many low spots across the area. If a lawn stays wet through winter, a soakaway may not work well in clay, so we look at taking water to an existing drain where that is allowed.
Planning in Dringhouses
The Tadcaster Road Conservation Area runs along the main road, and there are around 17 listed buildings and structures, including houses on Tadcaster Road, Aldersyde and its conservatory, the Church of St Edward the Confessor, the Cross Keys Hotel and the village pinfold.
For most homes, a ground-level back-garden patio is permitted development, inside or outside the conservation area. Raised platforms over 30cm need permission, and more than five square metres of non-permeable paving in a front garden does too. If your home is listed, check with City of York Council before work that could affect it. We point out anything worth checking at the visit.
Materials for Dringhouses homes
Almost half the homes in the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward are semi-detached, and many of them are inter-war or post-war houses with long back gardens off Tadcaster Road, Moor Lane and the roads between. These gardens can take a generous patio across the full width of the house, with space left for lawn and planting beyond.
Buff or grey sandstone is a popular choice against the brick of these semis, and a sawn finish gives a cleaner, more modern edge than riven stone. Porcelain suits families who want an easy surface to sweep and wash down, and it copes well with barbecue fat and spilled drinks. Clay pavers make a good path from the patio to the back of the garden.
Because the lake clay here stays wet, we pay close attention to the edge where the patio meets the lawn. A slightly raised kerb or a gravel strip stops soil and water washing onto the paving after heavy rain and keeps the lawn edge tidy for mowing.
Price factors in Dringhouses
We quote after a visit. In Dringhouses the main factors are:
- Size. Long gardens often take larger patios.
- Clay. A thicker sub-base on soft lake clay.
- Drainage. Channel drains where gardens hold water.
- Extensions. Lining the patio up with new doors and levels.
- Material. Porcelain, sandstone or clay pavers.
- Removal. Lifting old slabs or concrete.
Close to Dringhouses
- Acomb patios: North-west: a big suburb around an old village green.
- Bishopthorpe patios: South-east: the Archbishop's village by the Ouse.
- Fulford patios: East across the Ouse: a historic village with sand and gravel ground.
Pages Dringhouses owners often read: porcelain patios, natural stone patios, brick & block patios.
All of the areas we cover: All areas.
Questions about patios in Dringhouses
Our lawn stays wet all winter. Will a patio help?
A patio with a fall and a drain helps keep the area by the house dry. On lake clay we usually take the water to a drain rather than a soakaway.
Can the patio sit level with our new bi-fold doors?
It can sit just below, keeping the required gap under the damp-proof course, with a channel drain at the threshold.
Is Tadcaster Road a conservation area?
Yes, the Tadcaster Road Conservation Area runs along it. A ground-level back-garden patio usually still does not need permission.
Is porcelain a good choice here?
Porcelain is popular with modern extensions. It is hard-wearing and easy to clean. We bring samples to compare.
Sources: ONS Census 2021 TS044, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward (Nomis); Wikipedia: Dringhouses; Planning Data: conservation areas; Planning Data: listed buildings; BGS Geology Viewer; Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning.