Richmond
An historic Yorkshire Dales market town, with Norman castle, Georgian architecture, cobbled market place, monuments and abbeys, the fast flowing river Swale, and breathtaking scenery.
Situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Richmond is a town that inspires painters and poets, past and present.
With the variety of shopping and its many pubs, hotels and restaurants, the proximity to the most stunning scenery anywhere to be seen, Richmond remains one of the most beautiful and rewarding places to visit in the Country.
Richmond is an excelllent base for exploring the yorkshire dales and beyond and there is a good mix of accommodation both in the town itself and the surrounding areas. Hotels and Bed and breakfast in the town, country houses and cottages in Richmond combine to offer many choices.
Set in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, Thirsk is the "real" town that features as Darrowby in the well-known books about the life of the local vet and author, James Herriot. The area surrounding Thirsk and nearby Sowerby is affectionately known as "Herriot Country" and the site of his famous surgery is now a museum that houses his memorabilia.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park lies to the west of this town and the North York Moors National Park is to the east, which means that Thirsk offers the ideal base for those wanting to explore these magnificent areas of England. London is about 320 km south and Edinburgh is 230 km north, so Thirsk makes an ideal half-way stopping place for travelers between the two cities. In fact, it was a regular posting-stage for the mail coach of bygone times.
Thirsk is a small, old-fashioned market town that proudly continues to use the cobbled market place that dates back to medieval days. Market days are Mondays and Saturdays, with a farmers' market providing fresh produce on the second Monday. The market place remains the commercial centre of the town, with most of the shops still located around it, complete with many of the original shop-fronts. The town clock continues to watch over the proceedings, as it has done for many years.
The population of Thirsk is around 5,000, and it serves the surrounding farms and villages. As well as the market place, the town is known for its race course, where regular meetings are held, and the 15th century church, which is well worth a visit. The Cod Beck flows through the town, providing beautiful walks and picnic spots, complete with ducks with whom to share your food.
When you are traveling in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, make sure to put a visit to the town of Thirsk on your itinerary and enjoy the lovely ambience of this ancient market town.
Richmond has been used as a filming location for a significant number of TV programmes & films including The Fast Show, Century Falls, Earthfasts and All Creatures Great and Small amongst others.
Founded by the Normans in 1071 the town grew up around the castle built on the 'riche-mont' or 'strong-hill' that gave the town its name and whose massive keep dominates all other buildings around. The first of all Richmonds was an important regional centre in the medieval period, when royal charters were granted giving rights to hold markets and fairs.
Fresh Radio, the local radio station for the Yorkshire Dales, broadcasts programmes from studios in Richmond. Local newspapers include the weekly Darlington & Stockton Times and the daily Northern Echo.
The town of Richmond has two famous legends attached to it.
The Drummer Boy - nearly 200 years ago soldiers found an entrance to a tunnel by the keep of the castle. They could not fit into the tunnel and so elected to send a drummer boy. The boy was asked to walk along the tunnel and beat his drum so that above ground the soldiers could follow the noise. They did this for 3 miles before the sound stopped unexpectedly. This was never explained and today a stone marks the spot the noise stopped. More confusingly the entrance can also not be found. Legend claims that on some cold nights you can hear the faint sound of the drummer boy still. Today schools celebrate this local legend with children marching through town annually.
No Pubs or restaurants within 5 miles.
Easby Abbey - 1.1 miles
The substantial remains of an abbey of Premonstratensian 'white canons', probably most notable for its lavish roof-height refectory of c. 1300 and other monastic buildings.
