Wetwang

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This article is about the East Yorkshire village. For the location in The Lord of the Rings see Wetwang (Middle-earth).

Wetwang
Wetwang shown within the East Riding of Yorkshire
Population	672 (2001 census)^[1]
OS grid reference	SE932590
Parish	Wetwang
Unitary authority	East Riding of Yorkshire
Ceremonial county	East Riding of Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DRIFFIELD
Postcode district	YO25
Dialling code	01377
Police	Humberside
Fire	Humberside
Ambulance	Yorkshire
European Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	East Yorkshire
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Coordinates: 54°01′10″N 0°34′44″W / 54.019372, -0.578926

Wetwang is a Yorkshire Wolds village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Driffield on the A166 road.

Looking north across the village pond at Wetwang

According to the 2001 UK census, Wetwang parish had a population of 672.^[1]

It is known for its Iron Age chariot burial cemetery and its black swans.

It is recorded in the Domesday Book as Wetuuangha. There are two interpretations of this. One is that it probably comes from the Old Norse vaett-vangr, 'field for the trial of a legal action'. Another theory is that it was the "Wet Field" compared to the nearby Dry Field at Driffield.

One of Wetwang's famous residents is the critically acclaimed author, poet and film maker Gareth Scott, whose cultural novels and short films have inspired many of today's leading media darlings.^{[citation needed]}

Its name often attracts mirth, even coming from the late Richard Whiteley of the Channel 4 quiz show Countdown. Whiteley held the honorary title Mayor of Wetwang until his death in 2005.^[2] On 25 June 2006, local weather forecaster Paul Hudson from BBC Look North was invested as Whiteley's successor to the position.^[3]