The name
Wath derives from
Old Norse and means "ford", which has led to speculation that the name associates with a crossing through water, most likely Wath Beck at the east end of the village. The village is noted in the
Domesday Book of 1086, where it was in the ownership of Count Alan, having previously been owned by
Archil and
Rothschil in 1066.
William the Conqueror granted to Count Alan. The manor and village were in dispute about ownership through the first half of the 13th century. These disputes culminated in a
Papal Court which decided that the two warring parties would submit a champion each in a duel. The abbot of
Mont St Michel feared for his life, and that of his champion, and so renounced all claims on the village. The winner was Sir Robert Marmion, whose family were already resident at
West Tanfield and who built their castle (
Marmion Tower). Wath was historically a large ancient parish in the
North Riding of Yorkshire, which also included the townships of
Melmerby,
Middleton Quernhow and
Norton Conyers. ==Governance==