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Browse the latest posts from the Yorkshire’s Best Guides Blog.
Celebrating 250 year of JMW Turner
JMW Turner’s Yorkshire in 10 special places St George’s Day next 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, the son of a Covent Garden barber, who was described by art critic John Ruskin as ‘the greatest of the age’ and left a...
The Mystery of the Water Pump with No Handle
One of the pleasures of exploring York is the often unexpected and intriguing discovery of something interesting and decidedly unusual. One such object can found in North Street Gardens by the banks of the River Ouse. On first sight there appears to be a...
Saltaire – The Village with (nearly) Everything
Imagine living in a place where you could walk to work and your kids could walk to school. Good housing, hospital on site, churches and recreational facilities all to hand. And all set in the delightful Yorkshire countryside away from the smoke and grime of the...
The Intriguing Medieval Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag
Tucked away in cave by the River Nidd in Knaresborough’s is unique 'Marian' shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built by a man known as 'John the Mason' in 1408. John the Mason probably worked to obtain stone for Knaresborough Castle from the nearby...
Tempest Anderson – the Yorkshire Volcanologist
Tempest Anderson was born in Stonegate, York in 1846. After being educated at St. Peters School he studied medicine at London University. On returning to York Tempest became a consultant at the County Hospital following in his fathers’ footsteps. His work at the...
York National Bookfair 13-14th September 2024
Taking place on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th September this year, at the York Racecourse,the York National Bookfair is a regular fixture in the city’s cultural calendar attracting visitorsand sellers from across the UK and beyond. This year’s event is set to impress...
The Marmian Tower in West Tanfield
When you travel on the road between Ripon and Masham, you come to the town of West Tanfield. After crossing the bridge over the River Ure you see the old Church of St. Nicholas but right next to it a strange fortified tower rises up by the name of The Marmion Tower. I...
A Feast for Richard III (1452 – 1485)
A hunchbacked murderous tyrant or a much-maligned monarch? Whatever you may think about King Richard III, there is no doubt that he was greatly loved by the people of the North, and by the citizens of York in particular. As Duke of Gloucester and as King he was...
Why Hull is Not Dull
Hull, often underestimated and overlooked, has earned the unfair reputation of being dull. However, beneath its unassuming facade lies a city with a rich history, a thriving cultural scene, and a unique charm that sets it apart. Hull is not dull but, in fact, a...
From Hospital to Hotel – Middleton’s York
Almshouses are places of charitable support for the poor, the sick, widows and strangers. Nationwide, in the 21st century, there are 2,600 functioning Almshouses in the UK, supporting around 36,000 elderly people on low incomes. Here in York, we have the first purpose...
‘Bradford Live’ – opening 2024
Time was when everyone flocked to Bradford for entertainment, including the people of Leeds - however unbelievable to imagine now! After a long hiatus, Bradford is set to regain some of that former glory, thanks to the sterling efforts of Bradfordians and those...
Yorkshire’s other literary village
We all know of Haworth and the famous Bronte Sister’s, with their tales of love and hardship in the 19th century, but there is another place in Yorkshire associated with three literary giants who put North Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Dales on the map...Ampleforth. A...
York on a Plate
York is an ancient city dating back to AD 71 when the Romans landed, so we are surrounded by history and thankfully our visitors to York can get a good sense of its past when strolling around the streets. Join me as we discover a city where we can walk through history...
Castle Hill near Huddersfield – a scheduled monument with over 4000 years history
Just to the South of Huddersfield on a raised area of land near Almondsbury lies Castle Hill. Perched on top of the hill is Victoria Tower, a Victorian monument which has become perhaps Huddersfield’s most recognisable monument and can be seen from miles around. I had...
Harlow Carr Reunited
Harrogate’s rise as a spa town began in 1571 when William Slingsby discovered the mineral nature of the waters of the Tewit Well. In 1734 sulphur springs were discovered at Harlow Carr but it was not for another century that the site was developed to become a...
The Masham Swifts
Swifts are unique and amazing birds. Although similar in appearance to swallows and house martins, they are not related and evolved separately some 50 million years ago. Surprisingly perhaps, their closest bird relatives are hummingbirds! What makes swifts so unique...
Dick Turpin
Visitors to York can see his grave in St George’s churchyard, his place of hanging at York’s Tyburn and his condemned cell in the Museum that was formerly York Castle prison. He has had a romantic reputation as a highwayman who held up stagecoaches at gunpoint and...
Anne Lister and Anne Walker Rainbow Blue Plaque, Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, York
There are over 70 historical blue plaques in York, but this one, with its distinctive rainbow border, is unique. It was the first ever permanent rainbow plaque in the UK and commemorates the day that Anne Lister and Ann Walker came here with the intent to...