Lying deep within the Vale of York, the village skirts the flood plain of the Yorkshire river Derwent. This is amongst the least polluted rivers in the country and it has been the subject of a House Of Lords appeal case which confirmed the freedom of the river from navigation rights above the original tidal river..

The flood plain fields are known as Ings. In this area they are named after the village alongside them - such as Thorganby Ings; Bubwith Ings and Wheldrake Ings. These all link up to provide a wild life sanctuary for birds which may be best watched from the hides on Wheldrake and Bubwith Ings. Parts of the area have International status for wildlife conservation and even the river Derwent itself through this area is dedicated as an SSSI.

The village has experienced, some may say suffered, all of the problems of the 21st century. The school was closed long ago. The Post Office is a memory. There is no longer a shop closer than two miles away. There is no petrol station, no cinema and the village phone boxes are under imminent threat of closure. There is a church which today hosts both Church of England, Methodist and combined services. There is a Roman Catholic chapel within the Carmelite Monastery that the village is proud to have within the parish.

There is a Village Hall, newly built thanks to the efforts of villagers and various grant aiding bodies. There is a large recreation field with a small playground intended for younger children. There are country walks and bridleways. There are distant views of the Yorkshire Wolds. There are beautiful sunsets and, for those about at that time, there are gorgeous sunrises over the Ings which are often covered with Scotch mist at low level.

With a history of occupation going back to the Vikings, Romans and beyond the whole area has about it a suggestion of a microcosm of Olde England. Stamford Bridge, where King Harold beat off the Vikings only a few days before losing his life fighting the Normans in 1066, is only a few miles upriver. The site of the Viking battle of Fulford lies between the village and York. The battle of Towton, which was decisive in the Wars of the Roses was held not far away. The site of the civil war battle of Marston Moor is only a few miles distant. The City of York and its Minster is the nearest major shopping and tourist centre. Nearby is the ex RAF station of Elvington, which still possesses one of the longest runways in the country, and which earned distinction during the Second World War. Within the parish is the site of a Mustard Gas packing site. The remnants of the Derwent Valley Light Railway can still be seen. The history of feudal England can be followed through the historic land ownerships and the Church records of births, marriages and deaths. Following up details of individual families show that people from Thorganby have emigrated to all parts of the world.

That seems to be quite a record for a little village on a loop road, tucked away beside a river.