The North Yorkshire town of Knaresborough, the town has many attractions including the Castle with good views over the town and river, the Petrifying Well, Mother Shipton's Cave and the river Nidd are the main attractions.
09/07/05

To see a map of the area click here

  Main entrance to Mother Shipton's Cave, Petrifying well and Historic Park, the park is all that remains of the ancient forest of Knaresborough.

  Looking across the river Nidd to Waterside, in the middle of the picture the Old Manor House with the black and white check is Knaresborough's oldest building which dates from the 1100's. 

The viaduct opened in 1851, trains from York, Leeds and Harrogate stop at Knaresborough, from where the picture was taken is the car park area.

One of many boats on the river today

   Castle Mill and weir, Knaresborough Castle on the hillside.

  The river Nidd, just after the weir on the way to the Petrifying Well

  Top of the Petrifying well, the water comes from a spring which can be seen behind the rock, the spring travels a mile from a natural underground lake.

The Petrifying well, from as long ago as 1538 people travelled many miles to bathe in the waters, it was believed to have magical healing properties.
The Petrifying Well is England's oldest visitor attraction since 1630.

 The minerals in the water eventually turn the objects to stone

Mother Shipton inside the cave where it is said she was born, she lived during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, she was famous for her prophecies which became feared throughout England.

Looking from the cave, to the right of the Petrifying well are the steps to the Wishing well.

Wishing well, it has been used for hundreds of years as a wishing well, it is the same magical water as the Petrifying well.

Walking through Beech Avenue to the old Mother Shipton Inn and Low Bridge

Near Low Bridge is the House in the rock, the construction of the house built into the rock was completed in 1791, it has four rooms built one on top of the other.

Chapel of Our Lady of the crag, the chapel was carved out of the rock in 1408, it was used by people of the Catholic faith usually in secret, their faith was being suppressed by Protestants during the religious upheavals in the first half of the sixteenth century. The Chapel is guarded by a medieval Knight.

Old rowing boat made into a garden at Waterside car park

Waterside refreshments and boat hire

A little further, more rowing boats near High Bridge

Looking from High Bridge, many families in rowing boats enjoying the river

Passing Knaresborough station on the way to the Castle

Knaresborough Castle, the Castle was dismantled after the English Civil War leaving behind what you can see today but there has been a Castle here since the 12th century.

Looking through an archway to the bowling green

War memorial in the Castle grounds

Ruins of the Castle Keep

View from the Castle of the Nidd Valley below.

All Images © John Beres 2003-2008