The village is mentioned in the "Domesday Book" as Crachele. It was part of the head manor of Masham. The manor lands were split between "Gilli" and "Ulfkil" before the Norman conquest. After 1086 the manor was tenanted to two men-at-arms of the household of "Count Alan of Brittany". The line of descent for the manor follows that of Ribald of Middleham, whose main tenants were named 'Crakehall', until 1624. From then it was granted by the Crown to Edward and Robert Ramsay until they granted it to John Heath and John White around 1658. Records thereafter are unclear until mention of the manor being in the possession of the "Place" family in the early 18th century. From 1732 to 1810 the manor was passed from Henry Goddard via Mary Turner, Watson Bowman and Anthony Hardolph Eyre to Henry Pulleine. Pulleine's granddaughter, Lady Cowell, inherited in the late 19th century. That part of the manor that was in Little Crakehall was held by the 'Crakehall' Family until the 14th century and it eventually passed to Christopher Conyers of Hornby whose descent it followed thereafter.