The parish of Helperthorpe is situated in what was once the wapentake of Buckrose, part of the historical East Riding of Yorkshire (see maps in Introduction). It had no recorded sub-parishes before the 1832 parish boundary changes.
The archbishop of York was lord of Helperthorpe in 1066 and was confirmed as tenant-in-chief in 1086, the village being considered a dependency of his manor of Weaverthorpe. In c1110 Archbishop Thomas II granted both Helperthorpe and Weaverthorpe to Herbert, the chamberlain, and the FitzHerbert family retained the overlordship until the 16th century when it passed to the earls of Cumberland. It was later claimed by the owners of Londesborough manor. Among local families who were subtenants in Helperthorpe were the Thwings and the Hildeyards between the mid 1500s and the mid 1600s. Sir Mark Masterman Sykes was lord of the manor in the early 1800s and his property descended in the Sledmere estate until it was sold in 1942. In parallel to secular ownership, Bridlington, Watton and Wilberfoss priories, as well as the Knights Templar had holdings in Helperthorpe.
Helperthorpe already had a church at the time of the Conquest, which was rebuilt in 16th century. From 1871 to 1873 it was one of many in this area of the East Riding to suffer the Sykes treatment at the hands of Sir Tatton, the 4th baronet, who completely demolished the medieval building and replaced it in the neo Gothic style. Not even the ancient font was spared; it is buried in the ground beneath the new one.
Helperthorpe is one of the Thankful Villages that suffered no fatalities during the Great War, though a number of its men did not escape being gassed and / or wounded. A plaque in the church commemorates those who served.
The Pickerings of Malton lived for a time in Helperthorpe (11th and 12th generation) and celebrated their life events at St. Peter’s church.
Sources:
https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/ERY/Helperthorpe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helperthorpe
https://opendomesday.org/place/SE9570/helperthorpe
Victoria History of the County of York, East Riding, vol. 8, pp.107-107: not online
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thankful_Villages