Conistone is mentioned in the
Domesday Book of 1086 as
Cunestune and belonging to Ketil. The name derives from a mix of
Old Danish (
Kunung) and
Old English (
tūn), which means King's farm or Settlement. The village is set in characteristic
limestone scenery, including
Mossdale Caverns, the dry
gorge of Conistone Dib and the limestone
outcrop of Conistone Pie. The former Methodist Church in Conistone is now operated as a hostel used for conferences and retreats. Conistone was historically in the large ancient parish of
Burnsall, in
Staincliffe Wapentake in the
West Riding of Yorkshire. It became part of the
civil parish of
Conistone with Kilnsey in 1866, and was transferred to North Yorkshire in 1974. From 1974 to 2023 it was part of the
Craven District, it is now administered by the unitary
North Yorkshire Council. The population of the parish in the
2001 census was 117, rising to 124 at the
2011 census. In 2015,
North Yorkshire County Council had estimated the population to be 110. Immediately to the east of the village are Conistone Moor and Riggs Moor. The moorland here was known for its lead mines, and also as being the furthest point in England from a road. Known by the
Ordnance Survey as
Pile of Stones, the point is on Riggs Moor and is found at . ==See also==