 The township took its name from Fountains Abbey, which owned the land in the Middle Ages and established granges at Lofthouse, Bouthwaite and other places in the township.Fountains Earth became a civil parish in 1866, and in 1974 became part of the new Harrogate district in North Yorkshire.The parish now shares the Upper Nidderdale grouped parish council with the parishes of Stonebeck Down and Stonebeck Up.