Yorkshire

Whether it’s through their remarkable architecture, unique stories or invigorating settings, our Yorkshire properties all have their own way of inspiring groups. Explore ruined abbeys, mighty castles and beautiful gardens, and imagine the lives of those who once lived and worked in these historic places.

64 Whitby Abbey 65 Brodsworth Hall and Gardens 66 Clifford’s Tower 67 Mount Grace Priory,

House and Gardens 68 Rievaulx Abbey 69 Scarborough Castle 70 Richmond Castle 70 York Cold War Bunker 71 Helmsley Castle

ITINERARY IDEAS

Clifford’s Tower is an ideal stop on a trip to York. Combine with visits to Jorvik Viking Centre, York Minster and the York Cold War Bunker to travel through history. Follow in the footsteps of medieval monks and enjoy a 2.5 mile walk between Helmsley Castle and Rievaulx Abbey. Treat yourself to a cup of tea and slice of cake when you get there.

WHITBY ABBEY

On a headland high above the picturesque town of Whitby, the abbey has a rich history. Gothic ruins, stunning views and links with Bram Stoker’s Dracula make this a firm favourite with groups. Thanks to a major improvement project, there’s now more to see than ever before.

Yorkshire WHITBY ABBEY

01947 603568 whitby.abbey @english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/ whitbyabbey Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4JT

FACILITIES

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Coach Parking Parking and drop-off in Abbey Headland car park (charge payable to local authority). Passengers can also be dropped off at the front of the visitor centre.

VISITS

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VISIT LENGTH

1½h ■ Get to know personalities from the

Abbey's past such as the Anglo-Saxon princess Abbess Hild, and Caedmon, a cowherd who was miraculously transformed into a talented poet. ■ Explore the newly refurbished visitor centre to discover the influence the

Abbey had on writers and artists through the ages, from Turner to Tolkien.

■ Pause to enjoy sweeping views over the coastline and the famously attractive fishing port. ■ Adventurous visitors may wish to attempt the notorious ‘199 Steps’ from the town up to the Abbey. Then have a well-earned cup of tea and bite to eat in the café. ■ Pre-book and for a small charge, enjoy a taste of medieval honey wine.

Brodsworth was built to the highest standards of luxury in the 1860s, and it was home to the same family for over 120 years. After the death of the last owner in 1988, the interiors were conserved as they were found, making this an English country house frozen in time. ■ Marvel at once-grand rooms which sit alongside family clutter that spans from

Victorian times until the late 1980s.

■ See the servants’ spartan quarters and venture behind the scenes into rooms where they worked to keep the house running like clockwork. ■ Wander the award-winning gardens, restored to their original splendour, including the rose garden, fern dell, summerhouse and garden privy. ■ On summer Sunday afternoons, enjoy the best of Yorkshire’s brass bands from the garden terraces.

Yorkshire BRODSWORTH HALL

AND GARDENS

01302 722598 brodsworth.hall @english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/ brodsworth Brodsworth, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN5 7XJ

FACILITIES

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Coach Parking Three free coach parking spaces on site.

Catering Self-service tearoom seats 70 inside and 80 outside. Serving freshly made sandwiches and home cooked meals, along with a selection of cakes. Alternatively book a buffet served in a private room (max 40 people). Call the property for more details and to book.

VISITS

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VISIT LENGTH

3h

Yorkshire CLIFFORD’S TOWER

01904 646940 cliffords.tower @english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/ cliffordstower Tower Street, York, North Yorkshire YO1 9SA

FACILITIES

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Coach Parking No coach parking on site. Park in St George’s Field coach park, approx. 6 minute walk to property entrance. VISITS

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VISIT LENGTH

1h Perched on top of the castle mound raised by William the Conqueror; Clifford’s Tower was built during the 1250s as the keep of York Castle, one of the greatest fortresses in medieval England.

■ Climb the keep for fine views across the city centre, including the majestic

York Minster.

■ See the tower’s unusual four-lobed design. ■ Unlock different chapters of the tower’s fascinating history, from its role as a northern stronghold to the time it served as a gaol to highwayman

Dick Turpin.

Picturesquely set against wooded hills, this most unusual of our monastic sites also features an arts and crafts mansion, renovated gardens and a tea-room with a carefully chosen menu reflecting both North Yorkshire delicacies and the property's Carthusian past. ■ See a reconstructed monk’s cell and herb plot to understand how the monks would have used the area for nutrition, spirituality and medicine. ■ Discover how building work commissioned by Sir Lothian Bell – owner of Mount Grace and a patron of the arts and crafts movement – exposed some medieval features of the mansion and preserved and restored much of the 17th-century interior. ■ Look out for the Bell children’s height charts in the attic nursery. ■ Wander celebrity gardener

Chris Beardshaw’s arts and craftsinspired gardens and enjoy the wildflower meadow.

Yorkshire MOUNT GRACE PRIORY,

HOUSE AND GARDENS

01609 883494 mountgrace.priory @english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/ mountgracepriory Staddlebridge, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL6 3JG

FACILITIES

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Coach Parking On-site spaces for up to three coaches which must be pre-booked. Catering The café seats 18 inside and 31 outside, serving freshly made sandwiches and home cooked meals, along with a collection of cakes.

VISITS

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VISIT LENGTH

1½h

Yorkshire RIEVAULX ABBEY

01439 798228 rievaulx.abbey @english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/ rievaulxabbey Rievaulx, Helmsley, North Yorkshire YO62 5LB

FACILITIES

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Coach Parking No coach parking on site. Coaches can drop-off/pick-up at site before parking in Helmsley. Catering Café seating 64 inside and 30 outside. Self-service lunches and light refreshments – all food prepared fresh to order. Open summer and weekends throughout winter. VISITS

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VISIT LENGTH

2h

ITINERARY IDEA Why not leave the coach at Helmsley Castle and enjoy a beautiful 2.5 miles walk to Rievaulx Abbey, where a well-deserved tea and cake awaits you? Set in a tranquil wooded valley, Rievaulx was once one of the wealthiest monasteries in medieval England, housing a 650-strong community at its peak. ■ Seek out intriguing features amongst the ruins including the warming-house sink where the monks did their laundry. ■ Discover more about life at Rievaulx in the museum which contains a

‘scourge’ whip for monastic penance and ‘pattern’ footwear for muddy weather. ■ Enjoy local fare in the café with views overlooking the abbey. ■ Browse the large shop offering local products and plants for sale. ■ Follow the audio tour on a journey through 900 years of Rievaulx’s history.

Step into 3,000 years of history at Scarborough Castle, which occupies a steep-sided headland between the two bays of the famous seaside town. The castle endured sieges by medieval kings and Civil War armies, came under attack from an American Independence naval fighter and suffered German naval bombardment in 1914.

■ Immerse yourself in the history of the castle with the absorbing audio guide. ■ Enjoy stunning views of the dramatic coastline from the battlements.

■ Admire attractively displayed archaeological finds in the Master Gunner’s House.

■ Less mobile visitors can enjoy a virtual tour of the displays and views.

Yorkshire SCARBOROUGH CASTLE

01723 372451 scarborough.castle @english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/ scarboroughcastle Castle Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 1HY

FACILITIES

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Coach Parking No coach parking on site. Drop-off point at bottom of the hill. Coach parking in the town centre at William Street Coach Park.

Catering The coffee shop seats 20 and serves tea, coffee, soft drinks, ice creams and light snacks. Picnic boxes available, if booked in advance. Contact the property for more information and to book.

VISITS

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VISIT LENGTH

1½h

Yorkshire OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN THE REGION

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RICHMOND CASTLE 01748 822493 richmond.castle@ english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/richmondcastle Tower Street, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 4QW Huge Norman castle, dramatically set above the River Swale in a fine historic town. Exhibition includes a mock-up of the prison cells of First World War conscientious objectors and a touch-screen tour. g w s 4 F B

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YORK COLD WAR BUNKER 01904 797935 yorkbunker@english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/yorkbunker Monument Close, York YO24 4HT Enter the blast-proof doors to gain access to our most modern, spine-chilling property. In active service from the 1960s to the 1990s, it now uncovers the secret history of Britain’s Cold War. Booking essential, visit by guided tour only. g w s F B

1 & 2. York Cold War Bunker, 3 & 4. Richmond Castle

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HELMSLEY CASTLE 01439 770442 helmsley.castle @english-heritage.org.uk english-heritage.org.uk/helmsleycastle Castlegate, Helmsley, North Yorkshire YO62 5AB Discover how this castle evolved over the centuries, from a mighty medieval fortress to a luxurious Tudor mansion, to a Civil War stronghold and a romantic Victorian ruin. Why not leave the coach at Helmsley and enjoy a beautiful 2.5 miles walk to Rievaulx Abbey, where a well-deserved cuppa and cake awaits you? g U w V s 4 F B

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