A brief guide to the towns and villages of Yorkshire
South West
Ampleforth
Stone-built village in Hambleton Hills. Famous for its abbey and college, a Benedictine Public School, founded in 1802, of which Cardinal Hume was once abbot. Romanesque-style church by Sir Giles Scott, completed in 1961 just after his death.
Askrigg
The name of this Dales village means "ash tree ridge". It is centred on a steep main street of high, narrow, 3-storey houses and thrived on cotton and later wool in the 18th century. Once famous for its clock making.
Beverley
Beverley's most famous landmark is its beautiful medieval minster dating from 1220, with the Percy family tomb. Many attractive squares and streets, notably Wednesday and Saturday Market and North Bar Gateway. Famous racecourse. The market cross dates from 1714.
Bridlington
Lively seaside resort with long sandy beaches, Leisure World and busy harbour with fishing trips in cobles. Priory church of St Mary whose Bayle Gate is now a museum. Mementoes of flying pioneer, Amy Johnson, in Sewerby Hall. Harbour Museum and Aquarium.
Burnsall
Attractive village of grey-stone buildings with massive 5-arched bridge over the River Wharfe, popular for fishing, boating and walking excursions. Annual feast day games, notably the fell race held around maypole on the village green in August.
Burton-in-Lonsdale
On a hillside above the River Greta, this town was once the centre for 7 potteries, the last of which closed in 1930.
Carlton
At the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, Carlton is a good base for exploring Coverdale and visiting the National Park Centre.
Cropton
Moorland village at the top of a high ridge with stone houses, some of cruck construction, a Victorian church and the remains of a 12th century moated castle. Cropton Forest and Cropton Brewery are nearby.
Danby
Eskdale village 12 miles west of Whitby. Visit the Moors Centre at Danby Lodge, a former shooting lodge in 13 acres of grounds including woodland and riverside meadow. Remains of medieval Danby Castle.
Ebberston
Picturesque village with a Norman church and hall, overlooking the Vale of Pickering.
Filey
Resort with elegant Regency buildings along the front and 6 miles of sandy beaches bounded by natural breakwater, Filey Brigg. Starting point of the Cleveland Way. St Oswald's church, overlooking a ravine, belonged to Augustinian canons until the Dissolution.
Fylingthorpe
Within a stone's throw of Robin Hood's Bay and the north-east coast.
Glaisdale
Set in a wooded valley with the 350-year-old shingle stone arch "Beggars Bridge" spanning the River Esk. Often described as the "Queen of the Dales". Central for the North York Moors National Park and close to Whitby. Numerous lovely walks and bridle paths.
Goathland
Spacious village with several large greens grazed by sheep, an ideal centre for walking the North York Moors. Nearby are several waterfalls, among them Mallyan Spout. Plough Monday celebrations are held in January. Location for filming of TV's "Heartbeat" series.
Grassington
Tourists visit this former lead-mining village to see its "smiddy", antique and craft shops and Upper Wharfedale Museum of country trades. Popular with fishermen and walkers. Cobbled market square, numerous prehistoric sites. Grassington Feast in October. National Park Centre.
Halifax
Founded on the cloth trade, and famous for its building society, textiles, carpets and toffee. The most notable landmark is Piece Hall where wool merchants traded, now restored to house shops, museums and art gallery. Home also to Eureka! The museum for children.
Harrogate
Major conference, exhibition and shopping centre, renowned for its spa heritage and award-winning floral displays, spacious parks and gardens. Famous for antiques, toffee, fine shopping and excellent tea shops; also its Royal Pump Rooms and Baths. Annual Great Yorkshire Show in July.
Hawes
The capital of Upper Wensleydale on the famous Pennine Way, Yorkshire's highest market town, renowned for great cheeses. Popular with walkers. Dales National Park Information Centre and Folk Museum. Nearby is spectacular Hardraw Force waterfall.
Haworth
Famous since 1820 as home of the Bronte family. The Parsonage is now a Bronte Museum where furniture and possessions of the family are displayed. The Moors and Bronte waterfalls are nearby and steam trains on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway pass through.
Hebden Bridge
Originally a small town on a packhorse route, Hebden Bridge grew into a booming mill town in the 18th century with rows of "up-and-down" houses of several storeys built against hillsides. Ancient "pace-egg play" custom held on Good Friday.
Helmsley
Delightful small market town with red roofs, warm stone buildings and cobbled market square, on the River Rye at the entrance to Ryedale and the North York Moors. Remains of 12th century castle, several inns and All Saint's Church.
Heptonstall
Quaint village above Hebden Bridge with an assortment of narrow streets, weavers' cottages, weather-worn houses and the ruins of a 12th century church. The 17th century grammar school is situated in a churchyard.
High Bentham
Bentham is said to mean "Home on the Common". A weekly market has been held here since the 14th century. Good walking country.
Ilkley
Former spa with an elegant shopping centre and famous for its ballad. The 16th century manor house, now a museum, displays local prehistoric and Roman relics. Popular walk leads to Heber's Ghyll to Ilkley Moor, with the mysterious Swastika Stone and White Wells, 18th century plunge baths.
Kirkbymoorside
Attractive market town with remains of Norman castle. Good centre for exploring moors. Nearby are the wild daffodils of Farndale.
Knaresborough
Picturesque market town on the River Nidd. The 14th century keep is the best-preserved part of John of Gaunt's castle, and the manor house, with its chequerboard walls, was presented by James I to his son Charles as a fishing lodge. Prophetess Mother Shipton's cave. Boating on river.
Leaholm
Pretty moorland village on the River Esk below Leaholm Moor.
Leeds
Large city with excellent modern shopping centre and splendid Victorian architecture. Museums and galleries including Temple Newsam House (the Hampton Court of the North), Tetley's Brewery Wharf and the Royal Armories Museum; also home of Opera North.
Leyburn
Attractive Dales market town where Mary Queen of Scots was reputedly captured after her escape from Bolton Castle. Fine views over Wensleydale from nearby.
Malton
Thriving farming town on the River Derwent with large livestock market. Famous for racehorse training. The local museum has Roman remains, and the Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum transports visitors back to wartime Britain. Castle Howard is within easy reach.
Newton-on-Rawcliffe
Pretty village on the edge of the North York Moors National Park.
Northallerton
Formerly a staging post on coaching route to the North and later a railway town. Today it is a lively market town and the administrative capital of North Yorkshire. The parish church of All Saints dates from 1200. Dickens stayed at The Fleece.
Pickering
Market town and tourist centre on edge of North York Moors. The parish church has a complete set of 15th century wall paintings depicting the lives of saints. Part of the 12th century castle still stands. Beck Isle Museum. The North York Moors Railway begins here.
Reeth
Once a market town and lead-mining centre, Reeth today serves holiday-makers in Swaledale with its folk museum and 18th century shops and inns lining the green at High Row.
Richmond
Market town on the edge of Swaledale with 11th century castle and Georgian and Victorian buildings surrounding the cobbled marketplace. Green Howard's Museum is in the former Holy Trinity Church. Attractions include the Georgian Theatre, restored Theatre Royal, Richmondshire Museum, and Easby Abbey.
Ripon
Ancient city with impressive cathedral containing a Saxon crypt which houses church treasures from all over Yorkshire. Charter granted in 886 by Alfred the Great. "Setting the Watch" tradition kept nightly by horn-blower in Market Square. Fountains Abbey is nearby.
Robin Hood's Bay
Picturesque village of red-roofed cottages with main street running from cliff top down ravine to seashore, a magnet for artists. Scene of much smuggling and shipwrecks in the 18th century. Robin Hood is reputed to have escaped to the continent by boat from here.
Scarborough
Large, popular East Coast seaside resort, formerly a spa town. Beautiful gardens and 2 splendid sandy beaches. Castle ruins date from 1100; fine Georgian and Victorian houses. Scarborough Millennium depicts 1,000 years of the town's history. Sea Life Centre.
Scotch Corner
Famous milestone at the junction of the A1 and A66 near Richmond.
Sheffield
Local iron ore and coal gave Sheffield its prosperous steel and cutlery industries. The modern city centre has many interesting buildings – cathedral, Cutlers' Hall, Crucible Theatre, Graves and Mappin Art Galleries. Meadowhall Shopping Centre is nearby.
Skipton
Pleasant market town at gateway to Dales, with farming community atmosphere, a Palladian Town Hall, parish church and fully roofed castle at the top of the high street. The Clifford family motto, "Desoramis", is sculpted in huge letters on the parapet over the castle gateway.
Staintondale
Moors village north-west of Scarborough with shire-horse farm and visitor centre.
Staithes
A busy fishing village until the growth of Whitby, Staithes is a maze of steep, cobbled streets packed with tall houses of red brick and bright paintwork. Smuggling was rife in the 18th century. Cotton bonnets worn by fisherwomen can still be seen. Strong associations with Captain Cook.
Thirsk
Thriving market town with cobbled square surrounded by old shops and inns. St Mary's Church is probably the best example of Perpendicular work in Yorkshire. House of Thomas Lord – founder of Lord's Cricket Ground – is now a folk museum.
Todmorden
In beautiful scenery on the edge of the Pennines at junction of 3 sweeping valleys. Until 1888 the county boundary between Yorkshire and Lancashire cut this old cotton town in half, running through the middle of the Town Hall.
Whitby
Holiday town with narrow streets and steep alleys at the mouth of the River Esk. Captain James Cook, the famous navigator, lived in Grape Lane. 199 steps lead to St Mary's Church and St Hilda's Abbey overlooking the harbour. Dracula connections. Gothic weekend every April.
York
Ancient walled city nearly 2,000 years old, containing many well-preserved medieval buildings. Its minster has over 100 stained glass windows and is the largest Gothic cathedral in England. Attractions include Castle Museum, National Railway Museum, Jorvik Viking Centre and York Dungeon.