The Parish forms part of the Richmondshire District of North Yorkshire. The Richmondshire District has a population in the region of 53700 with the Parish of Marske and New Forest contributing 127 persons in total.

Marske is not mentioned in the Domesday book, the earliest reference to it is the Charter of Conan, Earl of Richmond in 1171.

The Parish is situated between Richmond 6 miles, Reeth 4 miles and Leyburn 8 miles. This makes the village of Marske an excellent centre to explore the lower regions of Swaledale and Wensleydale. Part of the Parish is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park providing a very remote rural location in the upper areas of the New Forest section of the Parish.

The well known Coast to Coast path goes through the village on its route between Reeth and Richmond .

The pretty village of Marske is set on a steep hillside. The area was formed when the Stainmore glacier broke into Swaledale, resulting in the sub soil of Yoredale rocks and clay soil now found in the area.

Marske beck flows through much of the parish to join the river Swale and provides a lovely backdrop to the area. Orgate Falls offer a beautiful location to visit on one of the many walks through the area. Once a year in late October these falls form part of the route of the world famous 'Scott Trial'.

The Parish is currently dominated by Agriculture but it leads to higher ground where the heather moors provide habitat for many species of wildlife .

The area has strong links to an industrial past. There are recordings of a tin and lead mill at Skelton in 1653 but it really flourished in the 18th Century when areas of Swaledale were the centre of a lead mining industry. Signs of previous industrial workings can be seen throughout the Parish,varying from spoil heaps to smelting buildings.

Lime kilns are dotted throughout the area and they played an important part in the process of cultivating areas of Swaledale.

The area is a haven for wildlife which can be viewed from the many footpaths and bridleways which criss cross the parish.

This makes Marske an excellent area to enjoy outdoor activities in beautiful scenery in a largely unknown area of Swaledale.

The village of Marske has 2 historic buildings of importance.

St Edmunds Church which is dedicated to a Saxon king who was put to death by the Danes in 870. The church features a Norman archway with other historic features well worth investigating. One important little known fact is that the bones of St Cuthbert rested at Marske when the monks were protecting them from the Danes. The final resting place for St Cuthbert was eventually Durham Cathedral. Improvements to the church have been added by the Hutton Family over past centuries.

Marske Hall formed part of the Marske Estate which came into the Hutton families hands when in 1597 Matthew Hutton, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury, purchased the estate for his son Timothy. Marske Hall was built in the 18th Century on the site of an old house.

The family has a unique link to the church by providing two Archbishops and also two High Sheriffs.

An obelisk at the high point of Deer Park wood, south of the village, marks the burial place of Matthew Hutton who died in 1813, it is rumoured that he wanted to be buried overlooking his estate.

The grounds of the hall are currently divided from the hall by a road which provides access to the village. The gardens were added in 1836 when the manorial corn mill which was built next to Marske bridge was demolished. This bridge was recorded to have been in place in Elizabethan times and could be very much older. The stunning stable block is now separate to the hall but can still be seen at the rear of the hall today .

The beautiful Downholme bridge was built in 1836 to span the river Swale and provide a link between the village of Marske and the Turnpike road down Swaledale.

The Hutton family gave up the land to provide access to the bridge leaving an avenue of lime trees which mark the old route to the hall and village, these can still be seen today. The estate was sold in the 1960’s.

Signs of another mansion can be seen in an area known as Clints, just on the edge of the village of Marske. The main historic house was demolished by Timothy Hutton to make way for the Marske Estate but the coach house still remains and the main house vegetable gardens can be clearly viewed from the bridleway through the Clints area.

For those interested in horse racing the estate is famous for the stallion 'Marske` the sire of 'Eclipse` from which most British racehorses descend. These racehorses include 'Mill Reef`, 'Nijinsky` and 'Northern Dancer`.