The Crathorne Arms can be seen at the end of the road.
The ancient road from York to Durham passed through Crathorne. It followed the track now known as the Drover's Road over the Hambleton Hills, through Scarth Nick and past Swainby to Crathorne, and so to the lowest crossing of the Tees at Yarm. By 1200AD, there was a lower road through Easingwold and Thirsk, which joined the high level route near Crathorne-. These roads were little more than tracks and in 1804 a new turnpike, or toll-road was completed between Thirsk and Yarm, passing through Crathorne with a toll-gate at Trenholme Bar. The spread of these turnpikes resulted in a revival of the ancient high-level tracks as the cattle-drovers attempted to avoid toll charges.