From Roman times

During Roman times the village was on the ancient route that linked Roman York with the garrison at Ribchester near Preston. By 971 it was already a separate manor known as Mensington, being the settlement (tun) of the people (ings) of Mensa.

The Domesday survey of 1086 notes it as being in the Wapentake (a division of the shire in northern England with the same functions as the Hundred in southern England) of Skyrack, being part of the manor of Otley, including Pool, Guiseley, Hawksworth, and another Hawksworth (Thorpe in Hawksworth), Baildon, Burley-in-Wharfedale and llkley.

Otley Manor was recorded as being of 60 Carucates in area (a carucate is an area that could be ploughed with one plough and an eight ox team in one year), the area of Menston amounted to 1090 acres. Little had changed up to 1930 when the village was given as 1076 acres.

Until the end of the 18th Century the village was a small, self-contained agricultural community of scattered houses and farms increasingly dependent on sheep farming. It was centred at what is now the western end of the village about Lane Ends, Grange Farm (above) and Fairfax Hall (left), where Oliver Cromwell discussed tactics with General Fairfax, creator of the 'model army', prior to the battle of Marston Moor.

Low Hall, or Menston Hall as it is now known, was an exception, having been built at the eastern edge of the village as early as the 17th Century. Fairfax Hall is very much in its original state but Low Hall was entirely rebuilt in 1876.

The history of the village has been broken down for ease of reading. Please click on the menu to select the period you wish to look at.