Heritage Castles Museums Gardens Stately Homes Military Churches Industry Railways Abbeys supported by
yorkshire.com/heritage
Contents 4 6 12 16 18 22 26 29 34 36 38 40 42 44 46
Introduction Museums Railways English Heritage Architecture Royal Great Family Houses Castles & Abbeys Military Religious Heritage Food Industrial Events & Festivals Markets Getting Here
Front cover image: Rievaulx Abbey, North Yorkshire © English Heritage
elcome to our new guide to Yorkshire’s heritage – showcasing the rich history of the UK’s biggest county. Yorkshire has an abundance of riches when it comes to heritage in our great county. From castles to country houses, and stately homes to stunning ancient ruins – we’ve got the lot.
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Yorkshire has an unrivalled amount of historic buildings and locations – we actually have more listed buildings in Yorkshire than there are châteaux in France. That’s why we created this guide to help showcase these great places and events. We’re delighted to have the support of English Heritage and hope this guide encourages you to explore and enjoy even more exciting days out across Yorkshire.
Gary Verity Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire
orkshire’s great heritage creates inspirational days out right across our beautiful county. From iconic Whitby Abbey on the coast, to Rievaulx Abbey on the Moors, Clifford’s Tower in the heart of York to Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in South Yorkshire, there is always something exciting to see or do.
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Step into England’s story as you explore, enjoy and experience Yorkshire’s wonderful heritage sites. Liz Page Historic Properties Director North, English Heritage
Discover a world of history...
4 Introduction
Have you ever put yourself in the place of the people, whose long days helped to build the wealth of Victorian Britain? If you have that kind of imagination, Yorkshire is waiting for you to bring it to life.
n Yorkshire you can discover the story of a nation written in its drawing rooms and battlefields, its museums and mills. There are world heritage sites and world-famous attractions that draw visitors from distant countries. The sheer quantity of castles, abbeys, churches, great houses, museums and monuments means you are never far from a spine-tingling historic experience.
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You’ll feel like a time traveller when you climb the steps to William the Conqueror’s inspiring Clifford’s Tower, relive the golden age of the railways at the National Railway Museum and you’d have to travel a long way to find a grander, more uplifting sight than stepping in to the interior of York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral north of the Alps. And for one county to have two UNESCO World Heritage sites seems almost greedy. The incredible mill village of Saltaire and the stately ruins of Fountains Abbey have been selected to rank alongside the Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu as the world’s greatest historic sites. But even more impressive than those, Yorkshire’s greatest treasure is the combined effect of the history mixed amongst the everyday. Sense it as you shop amongst impressive architectural surroundings of Leeds’ Victoria Quarter, spot it wandering through Huddersfield and its 1,660 listed buildings. From Whitby’s moody and magnificent cliff top abbey to Haworth’s parsonage, from York’s award-winning JORVIK Viking Centre to the chain of Royal castles across the county – there’s more and more history around every corner, over every hill. Perhaps the greatest way to experience this is to stay right among Yorkshire’s heritage. It’s easy – much of the accommodation across the county has its own long and fascinating history. You can choose from ancient farmhouses, Georgian townhouses, pretty old stone cottages and grand old coaching inns. There’s even a castle to stay in. And you can’t get closer to history than that...
Welcome to an incredible heritage
yorkshire.com/heritage
Clockwise from top left: Clifford’s Tower, York. Salts Mill, Saltaire. Fountains Abbey near Ripon.
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6 Museums
Clockwise from top left: Viking heritage in Yorkshire. National Railway Museum, York. Yorkshire Museum, York. Royal Armouries, Leeds.
yorkshire.com/heritage
The past, the present and the future Yorkshire’s museums are great fun! We’re lucky to have many of the best examples in the country including six National Museums.
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orkshire has a range of unique and award-winning collections covering a whole host of eras and topics. You can take a trip through Viking village life to Victorian industry or even venture into a nuclear bunker!
The National Media Museum, Bradford - Visit IMAX, the world’s most powerful giant screen experience, discover the past, present and future of television in ‘Experience TV’. New in 2012 is the Internet gallery, ‘Life Online’, the first gallery to explore the social, technological and cultural impact of the internet. The National Railway Museum, York - Offering three giant halls packed full of incredible trains and interactive fun, this award-winning museum has an exciting rolling programme of exhibitions running throughout the year, including Railfest in June 2012. The National Coal Mining Museum for England, Wakefield Don’t miss the chance to don a hard hat and head 140 metres underground to experience life as a miner. Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax - A perfect attraction for the kids as it opens up a world of hands on exploration and discovery. Over 400 exhibits provide plenty of opportunity to learn and play all day long! Royal Armouries, Leeds - An award-winning museum displaying thousands of artefacts of arms and armour, showcasing live tournaments and even horse shows! National Fishing Heritage Museum, Grimsby - The place to learn about the fishing trade. Sign up to become a crew member at this award-winning attraction and begin your journey of discovery. And there’s more… alongside our national museums we have many more museum attractions across the whole of the county just waiting to give you a brilliant day out in Yorkshire.
8 Museums
Re-opened in 2010 following a £2million refurbishment project The Yorkshire Museum in York has five new galleries showcasing some of Britain’s finest archaeological treasures and many rare animals, birds and fossils, in exciting new displays. The museum was one of the first purpose-built museums in the country. If you really want to walk the streets of yesteryear then York Castle Museum is one of Britain’s leading museums of everyday life. It shows how people used to live by displaying thousands of household objects and by recreating rooms, shops, streets - and even prison cells. Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life in Pickering has something of interest to all ages. The museum has many rooms, including a grocer’s shop, children’s room, printer’s workshop, costume room, kitchen and a new display area in operation. A visit to Whitby is not complete with a trip to the Captain Cook Memorial Museum. A 17th Century house which belonged to Cook’s master, the ship owner Captain John Walker where the young Cook and his fellow apprentices lodged, is still preserved. The remains of 1,000 year old houses are revealed beneath your feet, objects taken from the excavations are explored and Viking-age timbers are brought before your eyes at the JORVIK Viking Centre in York. With a medical twist the award winning Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds tells the story of medicine, from the slums of Victorian Leeds to the technologies of the future A unique spot in the heart of the Pennine countryside, Standedge Tunnel is the longest canal tunnel in Britain and a real jewel in the waterways crown. The Visitor Centre tells the fascinating history of the tunnel and tells all you need to know about who built the tunnel and how. For something completely different experience The Deep, one of the most spectacular aquariums in the world is located in Hull, East Yorkshire. This award-winning visitor attraction is home to over 3,500 fish including sharks and rays. Hull’s unique Museums Quarter is simply stunning. Consisting of Wilberforce House, the Hull and East Riding Museum, Streetlife and the Arctic Corsair trawler - is a great place to start your discovery of historic Hull. But don’t forget the Ferens Art Gallery and the Maritime Museum in the city centre, not to mention ‘Hands On’ History in Trinity Square. The Yorkshire Waterways Museum in Goole uses heritage, arts and environment of the Yorkshire waterways as a resource for learning and regeneration. Top to bottom: Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth, Underwater fun at The Deep, Hull and underground fun at Standedge Tunnel, Huddersfield.
The Brontës wrote some of the greatest novels in the English language. Haworth Parsonage was their lifelong home, while its moorland setting provided them with inspiration.
12 Heritage Railways
From one of Britain’s busiest regional mainline station to steamhauled historic rural railway lines, Yorkshire is a living railway museum.
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ith the success of the stage version of The Railway Children in London and two sell-out summer seasons at the National Railway Museum in York, it’s definitely time to take another look at Yorkshire’s rail heritage.
Hundreds of volunteer railway enthusiasts have helped to maintain the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, making it an ideal location for film makers. But it’s more than just a resource for innumerable TV and movie scenes. Just an hour away by rail from Leeds – Britain’s busiest station outside London – Keighley is a working railway station, and as well as offering a great family day out for any visitor, the KWVR still provides a handy public transport link for local people. The line meanders deep into a valley where age-old drystone walls enclose lush pastures, dotted with postcard-pretty stations like Oakworth – decorated with memorabilia of the golden age of steam – and Haworth, home of the Brontë Parsonage Museum, before reaching its northern terminus at Oxenhope. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is another heritage line that will seem immediately familiar to any visitor who has watched Heartbeat or the Harry Potter films – Goathland, its most picturesque location, features in both. The NYMR attracts thousands of visitors every year. Its single track provide a lifeline across one of the most remote and magical parts of England, with sturdy carriages dating from the 1960s hauled by a locomotive that represents the highest point of the steam age. Meanwhile, in York, the National Railway Museum is home to the Evening Star – the last steam locomotive built for British Rail, which rolled out of BR’s Swindon works in 1960. Half a century on, the Evening Star has pride of place in a collection that enchants visitors young and old, preserving the history of train travel from the earliest days of steam to its golden age.
Connect with a living railway museum
yorkshire.com/heritage
Clockwise from top left: Authentic steam nameplate. Keighley & Worth Valley Railway fireman. North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Goathland Station
18 miles
lway iss The North Yorkshire Moors Rai ways the longest steam operated rail track.s in the UK, with over 18 miles of
14 Heritage Railways
NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM
INGROW MUSEUM OF RAIL TRAVEL
ELSECAR HERITAGE RAILWAY
Over 100 locomotives and nearly 200 other items of rolling stock, either running on the railways of Great Britain or built here.
Over 70 TV and film productions have featured restored railway carriages from this multi-award winning museum.
The Elsecar Heritage Railway is laid upon the former Elsecar Branch of the South Yorkshire Railway, which opened in 1850.
York, North Yorkshire Tel: 0844 815 3139 www.nrm.org.uk
Ingrow, nr Keighley, West Yorkshire Tel: 01535 680425 www.vintagecarriagestrust.org
Elsecar, nr Barnsley, South Yorkshire Tel: 01226 740203 www.elsecarrailway.co.uk
KEIGHLEY & EMBSAY & KIRKLEES BOLTON ABBEY WORTH VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY RAILWAY RAILWAY
The railway runs for 4 miles between the award winning station at Bolton Abbey and Embsay station built in 1988.
Travel back in time on the railway most famous for its role in the 1970 film version of Edith Nesbit’s story The Railway Children
15 inch narrow-gauge railway once an old branch line which has since been extensively redeveloped all-weather attraction.
Embsay, nr Skipton, North Yorkshire Tel: 01756 710614 embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk
Keighley, West Yorkshire Tel: 01535 645214 www.kwvr.co.uk
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Tel: 01484 865 727 www.kirkleeslightrailway.com
NORTH WENSLEYDALE WOLDS WAY YORKSHIRE RAILWAY LAVENDER MOORS RAILWAY RAILWAY
One of Britain’s most popular heritage railways. Running through 18 miles of the North York Moors.
Go back in time to how train travel used to be from the 1950s through to the 1980s.
Originally built to transport lavender from the fields to the plants.
Pickering, North Yorkshire. Tel: 01751 472508 www.nymr.co.uk
Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire. Tel: 08454 505474 www.wensleydalerailway.com
Malton, North Yorkshire. Tel: 01944 758641 www.woldswaylavender.com
16 English Heritage
Inspiration & exploration In Yorkshire, there’s always something to see or do with English Heritage. We have 18 different historic properties in some of the most stunning locations for you to enjoy including coastal castles, moorland abbeys and grand countryside estates. So here are some suggestions for days out that are sure to go down in history.
ead for the Yorkshire Coast to the iconic ruins of Whitby Abbey and see why generations have been drawn to this dramatic headline with its fabulous views. Viking raiders sacked it, Norman pilgrims rebuilt it and its moody magnificence inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula.
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Why build sandcastles on the beach when you can climb the battlements of a real one and discover over 3,000 years of history at Scarborough Castle. Standing on the viewing platforms, you can gaze out across the North Sea and imagine yourself in the place of the sentries who guarded the castle’s ramparts for so many centuries. Visit the North York Moors and explore Rievaulx Abbey, one of the most tranquil sites in Yorkshire, and discover why it was described as ‘everywhere peace, everywhere serenity’. From Rievaulx follow in the footsteps of medieval pilgrims along the Cleveland Way Trail to Helmsley Castle (3 miles) and discover how castle life evolved with our audio guide. Enjoy some of the best views of York combined with almost 950 years of history with a visit to Clifford’s Tower. Situated in the historical Eye of York, no trip to the city would be complete without a visit. Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, South Yorkshire is unique. No glossily restored showpiece, this house is ‘conserved as found’. In contrast, the gardens are beautifully restored as a “collection of grand gardens in miniature”, complete with children’s play area. So come and step into England’s story as you explore, enjoy and experience our wonderful heritage sites. For more information on events, admission and opening times, go to www.english-heritage.org.uk/yorkshire or call 0870 3331182.
yorkshire.com/heritage
Clockwise from top left: Whitby Abbey, Whitby. Clifford’s Tower, York. Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, Doncaster. Rievaulx Abbey, North Yorkshire.
18 Architecture
From medieval masonry to cutting edge 21st century design, Yorkshire captures the living history of English architecture. Yorkshire is a delight for admirers of classical architecture. From the Northern Gothic of York Minster to the Baroque grandeur of Castle Howard, grandiloquent Victorian gems such as Bradford’s Saltaire, or the Georgian grace of Harrogate.
t’s not all aristocratic grandeur. In the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales, drystone walls and solidly built farmhouses are proof of the everyday skills of traditional masons. Yorkshire isn’t just about mellow old stones. It’s also about brick, iron, glass, steel and even more modern materials. And alongside the county’s historic gems, there are newer icons of architecture and design.
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There’s no more striking a gateway to Yorkshire than the vast sweep of the Humber Bridge. Since 1981, the 2,220 metre bridge was the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge. It’s still the longest in Britain, and its soaring pylons and cables are as awesome as any Gothic or Victorian edifice. And at the other end is a 21st century marvel of gleaming glass and aluminium: The Deep, Hull’s unique submarium. If your taste is for the solid, opulent Victoriana, head for Leeds, where the Town Hall is a magnificent mix of grandeur and charm, surrounded by colonnades and crowned by a graceful Italianate clock tower, and where the gleaming arcades of Briggate and the Victoria Quarter represent 19th century architecture at its finest. Towering above it is another remarkable modern edifice, the 110-metre Bridgewater Tower, a 21st marvel of glass, stone and aluminium that glows at night like a giant starship ready for lift off. Any architectural tour really should reach its climax in York. Under foot, running through the heart of York’s historic centre is The Shambles. A narrow, cobbled thoroughfare, lined with half-timbered 15th century buildings that lean tipsily against each other, remarkably well preserved, full of historic charm, with craft and antique shops occupying many of the pretty medieval buildings. To end this journey we reach the unfailingly impressive York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, which dominates the skyline of the Yorkshire capital. Its intricacy and breathtaking craftsmanship by stonemasons of old make it a fitting finale to our architectural tour through Yorkshire.
Experience history on a grand scale
yorkshire.com/heritage
Clockwise from top left: The magnificant Humber Bridge, Hull. Drystone walls in Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales. Castle Howard near York. York Minster.
2,220 metres The Humber Bridge is the longes ts single-span suspension bridge in the UK,s second longest in Europe and the fifths longest in the world.s
22 Royal
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Clockwise from top: Harewood House, Leeds. Medieval jousting. Conisborough Castle, South Yorkshire.
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citys Ripon, Britain’s oldest recorded k in 886 AD,s with a Royal charter granted bac can be found in North Yorkshire.s
yorkshire.com/heritage
Discover locations fit for a King Yorkshire’s relationship with royalty has been long, sometimes close and on many occasions troublesome, since it became part of an English kingdom in 954.
attles fought on Yorkshire soil determined the crown’s fate at critical junctures such as the Wars of the Roses and the Civil Wars. It has also been a breeding ground for plots and rebellions against the monarch. The rebellion that prompted the ‘harrying of the north’ by William the Conqueror, the ‘pilgrimage of grace’ and the ‘gunpowder plot’ being the most famous of these.
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Although Yorkshire ceased to be a royal county in the modern period, it maintained close links with royalty, the Duchy of Lancaster’s estates bankrolling successive sovereigns while its racecourses and moors provided royal entertainment. Traces of Yorkshire’s royal past can be found across the county if you know where to look. These trails will help you to find them and allow you to savour something of Royal life, past and present, ancient and modern. Royal events in Yorkshire in 2012 Harewood House was home to Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, through four decades. Harewood will be celebrating this Jubilee year with a special exhibition remembering ‘The Yorkshire Princess’ with an exhibition that runs through the House and out into the gardens which she loved so much. 31 March to 17 June 2012 Cannon Hall Museum in Barnsley, will be celebrating Jubilee Year with fascinating displays of social history and artworks throughout the Museum. 7 April to 28 October 2012 Ripley Castle will celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with a special day for all the family. The castle’s very own Queen Elizabeth I will make a special appearance and will relay her Royal tales of the past throughout the day. 5th June 2012
24 Royal
The county witnessed the creation and destruction of British, Northumbrian and Viking kingdoms during the ‘Dark Ages’ that followed the Roman withdrawal. York, former capital of Britannia, was an important seat of royal and ecclesiastical power. From here Erik Bloodaxe ruled the Viking kingdom of Jorvik. The end of his rule in 954 marked the end of Yorkshire royalty.
The Anglo-Saxon and Norman kings of England controlled Yorkshire, leaving it in the hands of powerful local lords, visiting the county infrequently until wars with Scotland during the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries made Yorkshire a royal country once again. The county served as a base for campaigning north of the Border with York as the seat of royal power.
The Wars of the Roses brought the county to the centre of royal affairs once again. The Yorkist dynasty disputed the Lancastrians’ right to the throne, questioning the legitimacy of the first Lancastrian king. Two key battles, temporarily determining the fate of the crown, took place in Yorkshire during the conflict: the Battle of Wakefield (1460) and the Battle of Towton (1461).
TUDOR & STUART (1485-1714)
HANOVER (1714-1901)
HANOVER & WINDSOR (1714-present)
Although strategically important to them, Tudor monarchs did not warm to a county too often associated with rebellions and plots during their reigns. Tellingly Yorkshire’s castles served as open prisons for Elizabeth I’s rival Mary Queen of Scots. Apart from a period of six months in 1642 when Charles I moved to York to escape the London mob, Yorkshire ceased to be a royal county.
Yorkshire was a source of pleasure and profit for Hanoverian monarchs who came here to race, hunt or shoot while the Yorkshire estates of the Duchy of Lancaster helped to fund the lifestyles of successive monarchs. Yorkshire also provided a quiet spot where the future Edward VII could meet with Lillie Langtry, the most celebrated royal mistress since Nell Gwyn.
The marriage of Princess Mary, to Henry Lascelles, later 6th Earl of Harewood, in 1922 strengthened the bond between the county and royalty. Princess Mary made Yorkshire her home. Links with Yorkshire were further strengthened when Katharine Worsley married the Duke of Kent in 1961 – the first Royal wedding at York Minster since Edward III married Philippa of Hainault in 1328.
Yorkshire’s Royal history
© 2012 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
NORTHUMBRIA NORMAN & LANCASTER AND VIKINGS PLANTAGENET (1399-1461) (604-1066) (1066-1399)
ADVERTORIAL
Celebrating heritage The team at Harewood House recognise that if little ones are happy, then a great day can be had by all the family. We know too that teenagers may need just that little bit extra to tempt them out, so we’ve excelled ourselves this year with an abundance of family friendly events to keep everyone entertained in 2012, whatever the weather. Harewood hosts one of our largest ever celebrations and our most spectacular event yet, The Harewood Medieval Faire (30 Jun – 1 Jul) which includes jousting, archery, skirmishes and encampments, two-night camping (Friday and Saturday night) with a Medieval Banquet and lots more. There’s also a choice of outdoor theatre productions (The Twits 9 Aug, Sword in the Stone 16 Aug, and Black Beauty 26 Aug). We’re not just about events either, throughout the year the house, our glorious grounds and gardens are open for all our visitors. Check out what’s on by visiting www.harewood.org for more information or call the box office on 0113 218 1000.
26 Great Family Houses
BURTON CONSTABLE HALL
HAREWOOD HOUSE
2012 AT HAREWOOD HOUSE
ELIZABETHAN HOUSE FULL OF WEIRD AND WONDERFUL
MAGNIFICENT HOME OF THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF HAREWOOD
Award winning Head Gardener, Trevor Nicholson, has worked at Harewood for 18 years and this year is involved in a major exhibition which includes the stunning gardens and grounds.
Set in 300 acres of parkland Burton Constable maintains the atmosphere of a home and offers unrivalled access to 30 rooms of faded splendour filled with fine furniture, paintings and sculpture.
Chippendale furniture; Old Masters and English Watercolours; State Rooms and Below Stairs; Award-winning Gardens; Bird Garden; woodland walks.
Burton Constable, Hull HU11 4LN Tel: 01964 562400 www.burtonconstable.com
Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LG LS17 9LQ SAT NAV Tel: 0113 2181010 www.harewood.org
NEWBY HALL & GARDENS
BURTON AGNES HALL & GARDENS
EUROPE’S LONGEST DOUBLE HERBACEOUS BORDERS
MAGNIFICENT HOUSE FILLED WITH TREASURES
Elegant 17th Century house with Adam interiors set in 25 acres of beautiful gardens. Plus Sculpture Park, Children’s Adventure Garden & Miniature Railway.
Elizabethan house filled with treasures collected over four centuries - original carving and plasterwork to modern and Impressionist paintings. Plus maze, giant games and plants galore.
Ripon HG4 5AE Tel: 01423 322583 www.newbyhall.com
Burton Agnes, Driffield YO25 4NB Tel: 01262 490324 www.burton-agnes.com
‘Royal Harewood: Celebrating the Life of The Yorkshire Princess’ weaves its way through the State Floor and into the garden where HRH Princess Mary’s influence can be seen today – a project on which Trevor has been heavily involved. Trevor said ‘The Earl and Countess have always maintained an avid interest in the garden and are always consulted on colours and planting plans at the turn of every season. This year, we’ll be gearing ourselves towards a new colour scheme on the Terrace in honour of HRH Princess Mary, as well as the cultivation of a ‘Dig for Victory’ display in the walled garden, and launching a new rose, the ‘Yorkshire Princess’. In addition, there are some rare and wonderful plants to be found in the Himalayan Garden, many of which were favourites of HRH Princess Mary.’
Yorkshire’s Great Family Houses
For a more complete list go to yorkshire.com/heritage
TREASURER’S HOUSE
CONSTABLE BURTON HALL & GARDENS
CASTLE HOWARD
WONDERFUL HOUSE BUILT OVER A ROMAN ROAD
ROMANTIC GARDEN IN 18TH CENTURY PARKLAND
Once owned by visionary, eccentric yorkshireman, Frank Green, he was so passionate about interior décor that he threatened to return to haunt Treasurers if any of his furniture was ever moved!
Fine trees, woodland walks, garden trails, extensive shrubs and roses. Set in beautiful countryside at the entrance to Wensleydale. Impressive daffodils in the early spring. Over 6,000 tulips planted annually.
18TH CENTURY HOUSE WITH BREATHTAKING PARKLAND
Minister Yard, York YO1 7JL Tel: 01904 624247 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Constable Burton, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5LJ Tel: 01677 450428
Castle Howard Estate York YO60 7DA Tel: 01653 648333 www.castlehoward.co.uk
KIPLIN HALL
SUTTON PARK
SLEDMERE HOUSE
COUNTRY HOUSE BUILT BY FOUNDER OF MARYLAND
30 ROOMS OF HISTORICAL SPLENDOUR
FANTASTIC HOUSE BUILT IN MEDIEVAL YORKSHIRE
Fine Jacobean house with 400 years of family contents. There are beautiful walks around the lake, through the woodland and parkland and in the garden itself.
Sutton Park is a charming lived in house, built in 1730 by Thomas Atkinson. Award winning gardens, tearooms. Woodland Walk, Childrens Adventure Playground.
There has been a house at Sledmere since medieval times. The main parts of the house are on view and contain splendid furnishings in the Chippendale, French and Adam styles.
Sutton on the Forest, York YO61 1DP Tel: 01347 810249 www.statelyhome.co.uk
Sledmere, Driffield YO25 3XG Tel: 01377 236637 www.sledmerehouse.com
Near Scorton, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 6AT Tel: 01748 818178 www.kiplinhall.co.uk
Character guides, outdoor tours, on-going exhibitions. Shops and cafes, including a Plant Centre and Farm Shop, plus adventure playground, boat trips and events.
Beneath the chandeliers, in front of the grand oil paintings and in the vast halls of Yorkshire’s great stately homes you’ll discover what it was like to be one of yesteryear’s great and good. But down in the kitchens, up the creaking back stairs and in the humble attic you’ll feel just what it was like to serve them too…
28 Great Houses, Castles & Abbeys
BRODSWORTH NUNNINGTON HALL & HALL GARDENS
EAST RIDDLESDEN HALL
ONCE OPULENT VICTORIAN HOME WITH GARDENS
A MELLOW 17TH CENTURY MANOR HOUSE
17TH CENTURY MANOR HOUSE AND GARDEN
Explore the changing fortunes of a wealthy Victorian family. Marvel at the Victorian gardens, a rare survival, now restored to their 1860s heyday.
Surrounded by a sheltered, walled garden on the banks of the river Rye stocked with scented borders, spring flowering meadows, fruit orchards and peacocks.
Mullioned windows, gleaming oak furniture, textiles and intimate rooms create an evocation of the era of England’s civil war.
Brodsworth, Doncaster DN5 7XJ Tel: 01302 722598 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ brodsworthhall
Nunnington, York YO62 5UY Tel: 01439 748283 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Bradford Road, Keighley, Nr. Bradford BD20 5EL Tel: 01535 607075 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
BENINGBOROUGH HALL & GARDENS
BARLEY HALL
SEWERBY HALL & GARDENS
YORK’S COUNTRY HOUSE AND GARDEN
MAGNIFICENT HOUSE ORIGINALLY BUILT BY THE MONKS OF NOSTELL PRIORY
DRAMATIC CLIFF-TOP HALL AND GARDENS
With an 18th century mansion and walled garden. Walk through hidden gateways to labyrinth paths Also home to over 100 pictures on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. Beningborough, York YO30 1DD Tel: 01904 470666 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
A stunning medieval townhouse, lovingly restored to its original splendour with stunning high ceilings and possibly the only horn window in England. 2 Coffee Yard, York YO1 8AR Tel: 01904 615505 www.barleyhall.org.uk
Set in 50 acre of early 19th Century parkland, enjoys spectacular views of Bridlington Bay. The award winning gardens are amongst the best in the area. Church Lane, Sewerby, Bridlington YO15 1EA Tel: 01262 673769 www.sewerby-hall.co.uk
Yorkshire’s Great Family Houses
For a more complete list go to yorkshire.com/heritage
NOSTELL PRIORY
RIEVAULX TERRACE & TEMPLES
ROCHE ABBEY
A MAGNIFICENT AND BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE
ENJOY STUNINNG VIEWS OF RIEVAULX ABBEY
BEAUTIFUL CISTERCIAN MONASTERY
An architectural masterpiece with over 100 pieces of Thomas Chippendale’s work. The grounds offer peaceful tree-lined walks by the lake and across the park.
Stroll and picnic on the elegant grass terrace. Also visit the two 18th century classical temples at either end of the terrace. In spring the bank between the temples is awash with wild flowers.
The soaring early Gothic transepts still survive to their original height and are ranked in importance with the finest early Gothic architecture in Britain.
Doncaster Road, Nostell, Wakefield WF4 1QE Tel: 01924 863892 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Rievaulx, Helmsley YO62 5LJ Tel: 01439 798340/01439 748283 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Maltby, Rotherham S66 8NW Tel: 01709 812739 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ rocheabbey
FOUNTAINS SCARBOROUGH RIPLEY ABBEY & CASTLE CASTLE STUDLEY ROYAL
YORKSHIRE’S FIRST WORLD HERITAGE SITE
EXPLORE 2,500 YEARS OF TURBULENT HISTORY
HOME TO THE INGILBY FAMILY FOR 700 YEARS
Explore a fine Abbey ruin and monastic watermill; stunning Georgian water garden with temples and cascades or roam through the medieval deer park with its 500 wild deer.
Dating back to the Bronze Age, and encompassing the Roman army, Viking invaders, medieval kings and even World War One German naval guns.
During your visit you will learn how they have survived wars, political and civil unrest, plague and pestilence and religious persecution. The story is fascinating for all ages.
Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 3DY Tel: 01765 608888 www.fountainsabbey.org.uk
Castle Road, Scarborough, YO11 1HY Tel: 01723 372451 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ scarboroughcastle
Ripley, Harrogate HG3 3AY Tel: 01423 770152 www.ripleycastle.co.uk
Yorkshire’s Great Castles & Abbeys
30 Great Castles & Abbeys
SKIPTON CASTLE
MOUNT GRACE PRIORY
BOLTON ABBEY
GUARDIAN OF THE GATEWAY TO THE DALES
FIND OUT HOW MONKS REALLY LIVED
THE YORKSHIRE ESTATE OF THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE
One of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in Britain. Open every day, except 25 December.
The best preserved Carthusian monastery in Britain. Explore the fully restored two storey ‘cell’, complete with herb garden to aid contemplation and spiritual renewal.
Explore its medieval buildings, moorland, woodland and riverside walks or simply relax by the river and enjoy this romantic location.
Staddlebridge, Northallerton, DL6 3JG Tel: 01609 883494 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ mountgracepriory
Estate Office, Bolton Abbey, Skipton BD23 6EX Tel: 01756 718009 www.boltonabbey.com
RICHMOND CASTLE
BYLAND ABBEY
PICKERING CASTLE
VISIT THE PLACE WHERE KING ARTHUR SLEEPS
ONCE ONE OF THE GREAT NORTHERN MONASTERIES
DISCOVER A CASTLE BUILT TO SUPPRESS THE REBELS
Built shortly after the Battle of Hastings, this is the bestpreserved castle of such scale and age in the country.
A truly outstanding example of Gothic architecture, its splendid collection of tiles is a testament to its earlier magnificence.
Tower Street, Richmond, DL10 4QW Tel: 01748 822493 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ richmondcastle
Byland, Coxwold YO61 4BD Tel: 01347 868614 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ bylandabbey
Originally built by William the Conqueror to suppress the rebellious northerners, this Royal Castle was used by a succession of medieval Kings as a hunting lodge and holiday home.
Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1AQ Tel: 01756 792442 www.skiptoncastle.co.uk
Castlegate, Pickering YO18 7AX Tel: 01751 474989 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ pickeringcastle
Yorkshire’s Great Castles & Abbeys
For a more complete list go to yorkshire.com/heritage
RIEVAULX ABBEY
MIDDLEHAM CASTLE
WENTWORTH CASTLE & GARDENS
EXPERIENCE STILLNESS AND BEAUTY
DISCOVER THE FAVOURITE HOME OF RICHARD III
ATMOSPHERIC VIEWS AND MAJESTIC FOLLIES
Explore this impressive monastic site – the first Cistercian abbey to be founded in the North of England and one of the most powerful abbeys in Europe.
The childhood home of Richard III where he learnt the military and courtly manners appropriate for a future king. It later became the centre of his northern power.
Wentworth Castle Gardens & Stainborough Park extends to over 500 acres and includes historic gardens and a collection of 26 listed buildings and monuments.
Rievaulx, Helmsley YO62 5LB Tel: 01439 798228 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ rievaulxabbey
Castle Hill, Middleham, Leyburn, DL8 4QP Tel: 01969 623899 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ middlehamcastle
Lowe Lane, Stainborough, nr Barnsley S75 3ET Tel: 01226 776040 www.wentworthcastle.org
HELMSLEY CASTLE
BOLTON CASTLE
WHITBY ABBEY
EXPLORE OVER 900 YEARS OF LIFE
A CASTLE WITH A WEALTH OF YORKSHIRE HISTORY
MOODY AND MAGNIFICENT ABBEY
Discover how the Castle evolved over time through interactive displays, artefacts excavated from the site and a new audio tour.
Bolton Catle has connections with ‘The Pilgrimage of Grace’ and Richard III. Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned here for 6 months. A Medieval Garden and Vineyard have been redeveloped on the site of the original gardens.
Whitby Abbey has for generations drawn visitors - from Saints to Dracula - to this site of settlement, religious devotion and even literary inspiration.
Castlegate, Helmsley, North Yorkshire YO62 5AB Tel: 01439 770442 www.english-heritage.org.uk/ helmsleycastle
Leyburn DL8 4ET Tel: 01969 623981 www.boltoncastle.co.uk
Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 5JT Tel: 01947 603568 www.englishheritage.org.uk/ whitbyabbey
One minute you’re spellbound by the atmosphere of an ancient abbey’s soaring gothic arches, the next you’re storming the ramparts of a spectacular castle. Explore the finest of Yorkshire’s fortresses and places of worship to experience real history you can actually touch.
If you’re passionate about Yorkshire. If you want to enjoy exclusive benefits.
You need to be a Yorkshire Champion. Join today Tel: 0113 322 3500 yorkshirechampions.com
34 Military
A county worth fighting for Historical military re-enactments bring Yorkshire’s past to life, whether it is a display of knights battling it out on horseback, a Viking parade or a lesson in medieval cookery. Yorkshire’s military heritage sites lead the rest of the country in staging live events at historic abbeys, castles, houses and gardens. You’ll see the latest and best re-enactments in Yorkshire.
he aim of these live events at heritage sites is to give everyone a really fun day out, whilst learning a little more about how our ancestors lived. Re-enacting the past helps people understand our history by bringing to life characters from long ago say the re-enactors and interpreters who help to bring the past to life at events like the annual JORVIK Viking Festival in York. They preserve traditional skills, from masonry to ironmongery, carving and weaving. At JORVIK, you’ll even meet chain mail makers and bow makers – all great craftsmen. Here is a taster of re-enactments across the county:
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RYEDALE FOLK MUSEUM
SKIPTON CASTLE
26TH & 27TH MAY 2012 HUTTON LE HOLE, YORK
JUNE 2ND - 4TH 2012 SKIPTON CASTLE, SKIPTON
Re-enactors demonstrating on site all weekend, covering different periods and demonstrating their traditional ways of living.
The Red Wyvern Society journey back to the War of the Roses to recreate a medieval campsite within the castle grounds.
If you love getting hands-on with heritage Yorkshire has some of the best tangible treats. Every Palm Sunday, Towton Battlefield Society commemorates the largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil. The Yorkshire Air Museum is the largest independent air museum in Britain and is also the location of The Allied Air Forces Memorial. Richmond Castle imprisoned conscientious objectors in the keep during World War I. Their story is told in an interactive display exploring Richmond’s nine centuries of development. Eden Camp transports visitors back in time in North Yorkshire. Housed in an original Prisoner of War Camp. York Cold War Bunker is English Heritage’s most modern and unusual site.
yorkshire.com/heritage
Bringing history to life through re-enactment.
36 Religious Heritage
Whether you are interested in regional history and heritage or simply seeking a place of peace and tranquility, the county’s churches will not disappoint. These impressive and inspirational buildings offer a warm welcome to visitors and an insight into the area’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.
ust as important to the communities they serve are the many parish churches, chapels and places of worship that are scattered across the county. Leave the main roads and take the time to explore some of Yorkshire’s best kept secrets. Here are just some of the many sites to explore:
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Bradford Cathedral (11th century) Modest in comparison with many of the great and famous Cathedrals of England, but full of rich history, from gruesome carved skulls to patterned stones from an ancient cross. Ripon Cathedral (12th century) Today’s church is in fact the fourth to have stood on this site. Saint Wilfrid brought stonemasons, plasterers and glaziers from France and Italy to build his great basilica in AD 672. Halifax Minster (15th century) Nestling in the heart of the Calder Valley there has been a place of worship and prayer at the site of St John the Baptist, Halifax for over 900 years. Beverley Minster (13th century) Renowned for the grace of its Gothic style. On the site where the Minster stands prayers have been offered for 1,300 years, many who visit the church today experience a sense of quiet and spiritual peace within its walls. Wakefield Cathedral (14th century) At the city’s heart, the cathedral warmly welcomes visitors to enjoy amazing heritage, light candles or relax in the peace. York Minster (13th century) Most of the building that you see above ground dates from the 13th century. This is truly one of the most beautiful cathedrals in England. All Saints Church, Harewood (15th century) Home to what is generally recognised as the largest and finest collection of medieval alabaster tombs in any English church. Leeds Minster Leeds Parish Church is to be given the status of Minster to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Parish Church of St Peter’s, Leeds, will become a Minster in a ceremony on 2 September 2012.
Tiny chapels to magnificent minsters
yorkshire.com/heritage
252 years Cathedrals York Minster, the largest gothic rs to builds in Northern Europe, took 252 yea windows.s and contains 128 stained glass
Clockwise from top left: York Minster. Ripon Cathedral. Beverley Minster.
38 Food Heritage
Taste history From wine gums to Scarborough rock, Chocolate in York and Harrogate toffee, Yorkshire has long been famed for its sweet delights. elly babies were born in Sheffield in 1919. Pontefract Cakes and Liquorice Allsorts owe their genesis to the liquorice plant that thrives in Yorkshire soil. In Sheffield, Trebor Bassett turns out Liquorice Allsorts and wine gums by the ton. In York, Nestlé Rowntrees produces household names including Kit Kat, Polo mints and fruit pastilles. And in Harrogate, Farrah’s of Harrogate, set up in 1840, still sells its trademark toffee and fudge in the same distinctive blue and silver tins.
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Halifax, or should we say ’Toffee Town’ was the original home of Quality Street, one of the UK’s most favourite treats, especially at Christmas time! Halifax earned its title of Toffee Town after the sweet treat was first created in 1890 by Violet and John Mackintosh. The Mackintosh name became so closely associated with toffee nationally, that John himself became ‘Toffee King’. He was an expert in advertising and marketing and word soon spread. Quality Street was first produced in Halifax and 2011 saw the 75th anniversary of Quality Street production in Halifax. To experience a day out with a difference, join other chocolate lovers at York Chocolate Festival. From Friday 6th to Monday 9th April 2012 York becomes transformed into a Chocolate City and the industry, chocolate lovers, artisan chocolatiers, museums
Top to bottom: Chocolate making through the years. Pontefract Liquorice Festival, West Yorkshire. York Chocolate Festival.
and attractions share a piece of York’s chocolate history. If you have a super sweet tooth a delicious new visitor attraction to everyone’s taste, CHOCOLATE – York’s Sweet Story, is opening in the centre of York in April 2012. Visitors will be taken on a journey through a fascinating story that begins in Central America’s rainforests to discover how confectionery found a home in York. Memories from the people of York and generations of secrets from the families that founded the confectionery companies Rowntree’s, Terry’s and Craven’s will be shared for the first time using innovative interpretative techniques and precious objects from the past to bring each story to life. The new attraction will feature priceless objects such as the long lost cocoa tin that survived Captain Scott’s fateful expedition to Antarctica and the famous Mr York who was the George Clooney of his day. For more information please visit www.yorkssweetstory. com or call 0845 498 9411.
40 Industrial
Yorkshire sat at the heart of the industrial revolution in England, and today the county’s many museums, historic canals, heritage steam railways and striking Victorian architecture are testament to Yorkshire’s industrial history. Here we take a look at heritage waterways across Yorkshire.
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aterways are ‘working heritage’. Yorkshire is home to a great variety of structures and artefacts, ranging from 200-year-old locks to aqueducts and grand warehouses. British Waterways cares for over 300 listed structures in Yorkshire alone.
Following the Five Weirs Walk along banks of the River Don and the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, through a swathe of the city’s industrial heritage. The Five Weirs Walk connects with an even newer walking route, the Upper Don Walk, which begins at Bridge Street and ends up at Oughtibridge. On the way, it passes some of the 19th-century factories that made Sheffield world-famous – including the steel mill which supplied the girders for New York’s legendary Brooklyn Bridge. The Leeds Liverpool Canal challenges the most energetic walkers to complete its 127-mile length from Leeds’s trendy waterfront all the way across the country. But a little more easy-going is the three miles from the heritage site at Saltaire to Bingley and its famous Five Rise Locks. The Dowley Gap aqueduct, carrying the canal across the River Aire, is another monument to the ingenious engineers of the canal building era. From here, you carry on through Bingley, where sturdy factory buildings beside the water have been turned into enviably stylish apartments, to the famous Five Rise Locks – a tribute to the forgotten ‘inland navigators’ who laboured to build Yorkshire’s waterways in the 18th century. To stretch your legs in York, stroll along the south bank of the River Ouse, starting just a stone’s throw from the station, and head east along an esplanade of smartly regenerated riverside buildings before taking a short detour inland by way of one of the city’s most prominent historic landmarks, the 13th-century Clifford’s Tower. Yorkshire Water has teamed up with walking author and broadcaster Mark Reid to launch a 103-mile route from Kettlewell in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales to Langsett on the very edge of the Peak District - linking land and reservoirs along the way.
The heart of the industrial revolution
yorkshire.com/heritage
3 miles Standedge Tunnel in Huddersfie ld is the
highest, longest and deepest can al tunnel in the country, at around 3Âź mile s long.
Courtesy of the Craven Herald & Pioneer
Clockwise from top left: Narrowboats in Skipton. One of the locks on the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Stunning waterways in Skipton, North Yorkshire. The Sheffield and Tinsley Canal passes through historic 19th industrial buildings.
42 Events and Festivals
Clockwise from top left: Country music festivals. Illuminating York. Whitby Folk Week. Railway in Wartime.
yorkshire.com/heritage
Be inspired by events and festivals Yorkshire’s heritage sites host some great festivals and events every year. Some use their history for inspiration whilst others take buildings and events from the past and give them a modern twist and interpretation.
e’ve got some great heritage sports events too with two of the country’s oldest established horse racing meetings – The Ebor Festival at York and the St Leger Festival at Doncaster. Meanwhile cricket has been played at the Scarborough Cricket Festival every year since 1876.
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Illuminating York uses the latest in digital projection technology to throw images on many of York’s most magnificent buildings. The JORVIK Viking Festival, on the other hand, celebrates York’s early past - steeped in Nordic history. Hull celebrates famous son William Wilberforce with the annual Freedom Festival. His campaigning led to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. The musical and cultural extravaganza held in the streets of the city attracts over 100,000 people annually. The magnificent Keighley Worth Valley Railway goes back in time for the 1940’s Weekend and the North York Moors Railway joins in with the annual Railway in Wartime. Beverley and York enjoy musical heritage with their annual Early Music Festivals which draw visitors from around the world. Over on the coast Whitby Folk Week enjoys traditional song, dance and storytelling whilst Hull Shanty Festival doffs its cap to maritime heritage. We celebrate our food history too with the Pontefract Liquorice Festival and the Wakefield Rhubarb Festival – two of the county’s most unique foods. Literature features strongly in the Yorkshire story and Ilkley Literature Festival celebrates the old and the new against the famous backdrop of Ilkley Moor. Celebrate Bram Stoker’s Dracula than with at the bi-annual Whitby Goth Weekends. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Saltaire greets thousands for the annual Saltaire Festival which incorporates many of the village’s famous buildings in two week of fun. Over at Elsecar the Heritage Centre hosts many events including the annual music Madfest. So whatever your taste you’ll find an event for you!
44 Markets
Get a taste for Yorkshire’s history Travelling across Yorkshire you will find every type of market. From big and bold markets in busy Yorkshire towns to the more gentle country markets selling local jams and homemade cakes.
n the South you will find Doncaster Market. The biggest and best traditional market in the North with some 400 shops, stalls and stands and providing employment for over 1000 people, Doncaster Market has been the heart of the town for hundreds of years. With significant investment in the Market now underway providing an even livelier and more diverse experience at the centre of Doncaster’s burgeoning retail offer.
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Leeds has been considered a market town since 1207 and generations have been drawn to the city to trade their cloth, leather and food goods ever since. Nowhere can this be enjoyed more today than at Leeds Kirkgate Market which attracts over 10 million visitors a year and is the largest covered indoor market in Europe. With over 600 stalls and 250 businesses, it is a closely guarded gem in the Leeds landscape and provides a great opportunity for independent traders eager to sell a great range of diverse produce. Today Kirkgate Market oozes with atmosphere and the imposing and glamorous main Edwardian space is a sight to behold – boasting ornamental wrought iron casings and grand stone archways. Voted Best Shopping Centre, 2011 by the Leeds Retail Awards, Leeds Kirkgate Market is the public’s favourite. At Huddersfield Open Market, this impressive Grade 2 listed canopy provides a high degree of weather protection for the hundreds of shoppers who visit this leading market every week. These bustling markets are full of well-stocked stalls and are a vital part of Huddersfield’s town centre with shoppers attracted by the superb bargains and sheer variety of goods on sale. Moving across the county, there are farmers markets popping up in towns and villages all over Yorkshire. Grassington, at the heart of Upper Wharfedale and the Limestone Dales transforms it’s pretty market square with stalls and traders creating a real bustle for the regular market. This is a market that outdoes itself when it comes to cakes and bakery.
yorkshire.com/heritage
Clockwise from top left: Kirkgate Market, Leeds. Country markets across Yorkshire. Yorkshire’s local produce. Colourful stalls at Kirkgate Market.
46 Getting Here
WHITBY GUISBOROUGH DANBY
YORKSHIRE DALES
RICHMOND
REETH
LEYBURN
HORTON-IN-RIBBLESDALE
RIPON
GRASSINGTON
SETTLE
THIRSK
MASHAM
PICKERING
A64
A19
PATELEY BRIDGE
YORK
HARROGATE
ILKLEY
A65
A629
WETHERBY
A658
A64
LEEDS
BRADFORD
A614 HORNSEA
BEVERLEY SELBY
A164
A63
HULL
A63
WITHERNSEA
HUMBER BRIDGE
HALIFAX TODMORDEN
For more travel information go to www.yorkshire.com/travel YORKSHIRE BY RAIL You can get to Yorkshire by high-speed train from London or Edinburgh in less than two hours with Grand Central and East Coast services. The Midlands is even nearer to Yorkshire’s cities, while TransPennine services offer direct links from the North West and the North East.
BARNSLEY
A15
SCUNTHORPE
A1
HOLMFIRTH
How to get here
GOOLE
PONTEFRACT
WAKEFIELD
MIRFIELD HUDDERSFIELD
Please recycle after use.
A166
A19
HEBDEN BRIDGE
For more information please contact: Welcome to Yorkshire Dry Sand Foundry, Foundry Square, Holbeck, Leeds LS11 5DL 0113 322 3500 info@yorkshire.com www.yorkshire.com
FILEY
MALTON
A1079
OTLEY
KEIGHLEY SALTAIRE
SEAMER
BRIDLINGTON
KNARESBOROUGH
A59
HAWORTH
SCARBOROUGH
A170
A165
MALHAM
SKIPTON
ROBIN HOOD’S BAY
A169
HELMSLEY
SUTTON BANK
A684 HAWES
INGLETON
NORTH YORK MOORS
NORTHALLERTON
A1
DONCASTER
A180 GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES
BRIGG
A18
PEAK ROTHERHAM
DISTRICT A57
SHEFFIELD N KEY Motorways
Heritage Coasts
A Roads
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Rail Routes
National Parks
Airports
Ferryport
YORKSHIRE BY SEA Ferry services to Hull and Newcastle link Yorkshire with Holland, Belgium and Germany. P&O Ferries operate overnight services to Hull from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. YORKSHIRE BY ROAD Britain’s biggest and fastest highways cross Yorkshire from north to south and east to west, making getting here by car or by coach very simple indeed. For details of the quickest (or the most scenic) driving routes see the AA or RAC websites www.theaa.com and www.rac.co.uk YORKSHIRE BY AIR Leeds-Bradford International Airport is our busiest air gateway, with flights from Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Exeter, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Isle of Man, London Gatwick, Newquay, Plymouth and Southampton. You can also fly to Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, Humberside Airport and Durham Tees Valley Airport.