North Yorkshire offers a mix of historic cities, national parks, castles, and coastal resorts with well-connected transport links and rich cultural heritage.
Goddards House and Garden in York is an Arts and Crafts historic house museum with well-preserved 1930s interiors and an extensive formal garden featuring a cruciform lily pool. Originally built for the Terry chocolate family, it now operated by the National Trust offers indoor heritage exhibits and outdoor garden exploration.
11 Oct, 18 Oct…
A tour at Treasurer’s House explores the lives and legends of some of its former residents, tracing the history of the house and its connections to York.
Richmond Castle is a well-preserved Norman enclosure castle in Richmond, North Yorkshire, featuring a 12th-century keep with panoramic views, significant medieval history, and managed by English Heritage as a public tourist attraction.
Richmond in North Yorkshire is a historic market town renowned for its medieval castle, Georgian architecture, and vibrant cultural scene, serving as a gateway to the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Coppergate Shopping Centre is an open-air shopping venue in York featuring covered walkways, public squares, cafes, shops, and the Jorvik Viking Centre museum. It hosts seasonal displays and cultural events.
7 Oct, 10 Oct…
A guided tour of Treasurer’s House explores Frank Green’s vision for the historic house and its collection of furniture, clocks and art, alongside research into his life and the property.
Nunnington Hall is a Grade I listed 17th-century country house in North Yorkshire featuring rich historic interiors, art collections, and period furniture. The hall sits beside the River Rye and is surrounded by organically managed gardens and orchards. It is managed by the National Trust and open to visitors interested in English heritage, architecture, and gardens.
7 Oct, 13–14 Oct…
A volunteer guide leads visitors through areas of Nunnington Hall that are normally closed to the public, introducing collection objects and the work involved in preserving the hall.
Treasurer's House is a Grade I listed historic house museum in York, showcasing architecture from the 12th century onwards with significant restoration by Frank Green. Owned by the National Trust, it offers tours including cellar and attic, features Roman archaeological remains, and a café and garden accessible to visitors. The house is notable for its reputed Roman soldier ghost sightings.
Fountains Abbey is a historic ruined Cistercian monastery near Ripon, North Yorkshire, with architecture dating from the 12th century. It is part of Studley Royal Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring landscaped gardens and industrial heritage. The site is owned by the National Trust and maintained by English Heritage, offering visitors extensive ruins, exhibitions, and scenic outdoor areas.
13 Oct (next Tuesday)
A volunteer-led tour of Fountains Mill explores the estate’s oldest building, its 12th-century origins and how it has changed over the years.
Howden Minster is a large Grade I listed Church of England church in Howden, East Riding of Yorkshire, known for its historical architecture from the 13th to 15th centuries, including a magnificent crossing tower and decorated east front, with portions of the church preserved as ruins and others still used as a parish church freely open to the public.
Howden is a historic market town in East Riding of Yorkshire, famous for its large medieval Minster, Georgian and Victorian architecture, and rich royal and religious history. It offers visitors a walkable town centre accessible by train, with a variety of cultural and historical attractions.
Beningbrough Hall is a large Baroque mansion near Beningbrough, North Yorkshire, featuring historic interiors, extensive gardens, and an art gallery exhibiting 18th-century portraits. The venue includes a restaurant, garden shop, and activities for families including a wilderness play area.
10–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition of newly commissioned and existing paintings by Nancy Cadogan, inspired by Beningbrough’s landscape, gardens and literary history. Visitors can view large-scale landscapes and more intimate works exploring women, time and storytelling.
St Stephen's is a major shopping centre in Kingston upon Hull featuring a wide variety of retail stores, dining options, a cinema, and cultural venues such as Hull Truck Theatre and the Albemarle Music Centre, attracting over 10 million visitors annually.
Whitby Abbey is a historic 7th-century Benedictine abbey ruin overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff in Whitby, North Yorkshire. The substantial ruins are a Grade I listed building cared for by English Heritage, featuring a site museum in Cholmley House. The abbey is known for its role in the Synod of Whitby and for inspiring Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Whitby is a historic coastal town in North Yorkshire, England, known for its iconic abbey ruins, maritime heritage, and literary connections including Bram Stoker's Dracula. It offers a mix of cultural experiences, scenic cliffs, beaches, and vibrant festivals.
The Light is a leisure and retail centre in central Leeds featuring shops, restaurants, a multi-screen cinema, nightclub, and hotel within historically listed buildings covered by a glass roof.
Thornton Abbey is a historic medieval abbey in Lincolnshire, renowned for its large surviving monastic gatehouse and Gothic ruins. It offers visitors an outdoor experience exploring significant architectural and archaeological remains of a prestigious Augustinian priory founded in the 12th century. The site is managed by English Heritage and requires booking for visits.
St Peter's Church in Barton-upon-Humber is a former parish church renowned for its Anglo-Saxon architecture and archaeological significance. Now operated by English Heritage as a museum, it showcases the history and excavations of this Grade I listed building.
Mount Grace Priory is a well-preserved Carthusian monastery ruin in North Yorkshire offering visitors both indoor historical exhibits and outdoor exploration of medieval monastic buildings and woodland setting. The site features a reconstructed monk's cell and a museum presenting the site's history, located within the scenic North York Moors National Park.
East Riddlesden Hall is a 17th-century historic manor house in West Yorkshire featuring well-preserved interiors, a medieval tithebarn, walled gardens, and a tea room, offering both indoor and outdoor experiences. It is notable for its architecture, royalist symbols, and as a filming location for various TV series and films.
7 Oct, 10–14 Oct…
An exhibition by textile artists Textilia 3, featuring artworks inspired by East Riddlesden Hall’s architecture, historic collection, past inhabitants and landscape. The works use techniques including stitching, felt, mixed media, ceramics, dyeing and print.
Keighley is a historic market town in West Yorkshire featuring Victorian architecture, a heritage steam railway, diverse cultural attractions, and a vibrant shopping and food scene.
Whalley Abbey is a historic former Cistercian abbey in Lancashire featuring extensive ruins and a modern retreat and conference house with visitor facilities including a coffee shop and exhibitions. Visitors can explore ancient monastic foundations and enjoy the blend of outdoor ruins and indoor hospitality spaces.
York Castle is a historic fortified complex in York, England featuring the ruins of Clifford's Tower, a unique medieval stone keep, and buildings housing the York Castle Museum and York Crown Court. It offers both indoor and outdoor heritage experiences reflecting its rich history from the Norman period through to a 17th-century explosion and beyond.
Scarborough Castle is a historic 12th-century medieval fortress perched on a rocky headland overlooking the North Sea and the town of Scarborough. Visitors can explore its ruined keep, extensive curtain walls with towers, and an exhibition housed in the 18th-century Master Gunner's House. The site also includes earlier Iron Age, Roman, and Anglo-Scandinavian archaeological remains, and offers spectacular views and family-friendly events throughout the year.
Scarborough is a historic seaside town in North Yorkshire, England, known for its sandy beaches, castle, cultural venues, and vibrant tourism and fishing industries.
The York Cold War Bunker in York is a preserved two-storey semi-subterranean bunker built in 1961 for nuclear monitoring during the Cold War, now an English Heritage site and museum showcasing Cold War operations and defence technology.
Rievaulx Abbey is a substantial ruined Cistercian monastery located in North Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1132, it is maintained by English Heritage and offers visitors an outdoor historical experience of medieval monastic life and industrial heritage within the scenic North York Moors National Park.
Ormesby Hall is a Grade I listed 18th-century Georgian mansion in North Yorkshire, offering visitors a blend of historic indoor interiors, including plasterwork and Victorian kitchens, alongside expansive gardens and estate walks. The venue showcases local heritage with a public model railway and hosts various events throughout the year.
8–12 Oct (another 3 days)
An exhibition of artwork by A-level students from The Northern School of Art, inspired by Ormesby Hall and the stories of Ruth and Jim Pennyman. Visitors can see photography, ceramics, textiles and paintings displayed in different rooms of the house.
Middlesbrough is a historic port town in North Yorkshire known for its industrial heritage, cultural venues, parks, and modern university presence.
Moulton Hall is a 17th-century Grade I listed manor house in North Yorkshire, featuring a beautiful carved staircase and surrounded by extensive grounds. Managed by the National Trust, it is open to the public by arrangement and offers a glimpse into historic aristocratic life.