PICTON village is situated on rising ground approximately 4 miles south of Yarm and 10 miles south west of the major conurbation of Middlesbrough. It stands only 2 miles west of the A19 major trunk road, which provides access north to Teesside and south towards York.
The village is within Hambleton District on the northern fringe of the County of North Yorkshire some 5 miles from the boundary of the North York Moors National Park.
Picton was an ancient settlement, the name of the place being written as Pyketon or Pykton in old records, later spelt Pickton and eventually Picton. It belonged to a family who took to using the surname Picton in the reign of Edward the Ist to indicate their territorial rights. The name itself is believed to derive from Peak-town.
The population of the village has fluctuated over the years but in recent years has, despite demographic changes, tended to be in the region of 100 adults. The majority of the population commute to their places of work and as there is no public transport, rely on their own motor vehicles for both work and social purposes.
The village was founded on agriculture and is still rural in nature having several working farms, which are an integral and important part of the community.