| Fairburn | |
St James' Church, Fairburn |
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Fairburn
Fairburn shown within North Yorkshire |
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| OS grid reference | SE471279 |
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| District | Selby |
| Shire county | North Yorkshire |
| Region | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CASTLEFORD |
| Postcode district | WF11 |
| Dialling code | 01977 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire | |
Fairburn is a small village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Situated approximately 10 miles (16 km) to the east of Leeds, lying close to the A1(M) motorway and 4 miles (6 km) from the M62 motorway.
The village sits on the eastern edge of a narrow ridge of southern magnesium limestone which runs from near Worksop in the south to near Richmond in the north. The geology gives rise to a particularly flower-rich limestone grassland which still exists in areas unsuitable for cultivation, whilst alluvial soils and clays are found in the river-valley bottoms. This outcrop of limestone has been used to construct many of the older houses in the village.
Close to the village is RSPB Fairburn Ings, a nature reserve with a visitor centre. The word "ing" is of Old Norse origin and means "damp or marshy land", a reference to the area being flooded regularly by the River Aire. Fairburn Ings lies over the border in West Yorkshire.