Boroughbridge

Boroughbridge is a small town in North Yorkshire, until recently on the A1, and indeed it owes its prosperity in earlier years to the fact it was a convenient stopping point for people on the road from north to south. It is believed at one time 2000 cattle a day passed through the town - one can only imagine how it used to smell... The A1 now passes it by to the west, and thankfully the cattle are long gone.

Usually a small town or village is attractive because there is a consistency in style across all the buildings; in Boroughbridge it is the variety that makes it special. Wiki lists around 70 listed buildings in the town and surroundings. 

The road crosses the River Ure. This is the view from the bridge looking up river at the site of the Battle of Boroughbridge, where Edward II defeated a band of rebellious barons led by the Earl of Lancaster, in 1322.


You can see the river has gone round a small island. On the right, in the distance is a salmon ladder, built 1767-1769. I had always thought they were a recent idea.

The bridge is listed, but not easy to view. Just south of the bridge is Riverside Court. Now a care home, I wonder if this used to be a hotel? Also listed.


On the other side of the road is the Tap on the Tutt pub. Also listed, and formerly the Three Horseshoes Hotel until 2023. Built in 1930, a photo from 1955 here.


Back on the left side is this quirky building. Were they worried about flooding, so built most of it six foot about the road level? Currently owned by a law firm; I cannot find out its history sadly.


The building beyond is listed; the title is "house and cottage belonging to Mrs Paul". Who is this Mrs Paul?

A little further on, far right in the above image, is the Crown Hotel. Also listed! Bits of it date to around 1500. In 1569 it was the centre of a short-lived rebellion against Elizabeth I. Around 1750, it was substantially redeveloped as a coaching inn, catering to travellers from London to Edinburgh. The arrival of rails brought it into decline, until the 1920s and the motor car.


We had lunch there, and it was jolly good.

Opposite the Crown, is the Post Office, which is also listed.


This road is called Horsefair, reflecting when there was a horse fair in the town. I turned left off Horsefair, along Fishergate, to the Old Market Square.


These pretty cottages line the left side of the square. All listed.


This view down the High Street shows the numerous styles of the buildings.


A short way along the High Street is the Market Well. This was presumably the site of a second - and more recent - market. The structure - originally a fountain according to some sites - stands where the well used to be, and was built in 1875. It is of course listed.


The well was one of the deepest in England.

The Black Bull tells us it dates from the thirteenth century. Do you want to guess if it is listed?


In fact it is one of eleven listed buildings surrounding the square.

Only serves Thai food we discovered, despite finding an English menu online....

Here is a building that is not listed. Not sure why.  


This is now New Row, and the most of the buildings have a similar style. New Row is present in maps from 1852, so not that new!

The old police station.


And finally looking back down New Row.


Boroughbridge is not a big place, but I must admit I am not sure I did it justice in the short time I had there. Well worth a visit.




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