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Historic Towns & Picturesque Villages

Almshouses in Thaxted

Thaxted

in the county of Essex

Pictures of Harrogate

in the county of North Yorkshire

About Harrogate

One of the chief town's in Yorkshire's old West Riding, Harrogate acheived early fame as a Spa resort. Its mineral springs were discovered in the 16th-century.

The name Harrogate derives from Har-low-Gata, meaning Grey Mill Road. The name Harlow is still remembered in the naming of Harlow Hill Gardens.

The fame of Harrogate as a Spa town can be attributed to William Slingsby who discovered Spring Waters in a well at Harrogate called the Tewitt Well, this discovery took place in 1571 and today a Dome marks the site in the centre of the town called the Stray. The Stray at Harrogate covers some 200 acres and was created by an act of parliament in 1770. Before this time Harrogate was merely a village near the historic town of Knaresborough.

The discovery of the Sulpher and Iron rich waters brought a wave of prosperity to Harrogate. A physician called Timothy Bight claimed the Spa waters had healing properties and could cure almost anything including nervous tension, gout, rheumatism and lumbago.

The Tewitt Well and a number of other wells can be found on the Stray and of the others the most notable is the 17th-century St. John's Well. This well was named after a church, later replaced by Christ's Church in Church Square, it was the discovery of Dr. Michael Stanhope and featured in his publication 'Cures without Care'. Other wells include a Magnesia well discovered in 1895, it is located in Harrogate's Valley Gardens, along with many other mineral wells. The most famous of all the sulpher wells is to be found in the Royal Pump Room, now a museum.

The Royal Pump Room was built as the country's first Public Baths in 1842 to house the old sulpher well. Today, this superb building is extremely popular with visitors who are interested in the history of this lovely town.

Harrogate is one of the most attractive town's in the country. The prosperity brought by the discovery of the now famous wells resulted in a wealth of dignified stone buildings and beautiful gardens that have earned Harrogate the nickname 'the floral resort of England'. The Valley Gardens are particularly notable, so to are the Prospect and Montpellier Gardens, and the Harlow Car Trial Gardens are highly respected for experimental horticulture.

Apart from noted wells, the Pump Room houses an interesting museum of local history, Victoriana, and costumes.

In recent times the building of the Harrogate International Centre, one of the first in it's kind in the country, has proved to be an outstanding success. So is the Royal Hall, which attracts thousands of visitors each year.

There is much to see and do in Harrogate, people flock here from all over the country to attend Garden and Flower Shows and for thousands of visitors the three day Great Yorkshire Show is a date in the diary not to be missed. Shopping here is pure delight and dining out is a most enjoyable experience, there is real choice in the town's wealth of noted inns and restaurants.

Few places can match Harrogate's splendour, nor the warmth of its people. The beauty of the Yorkshire countryside is matchless. And to the Yorkshireman, the cricket, the food, the ale, the scenery and the people of his beloved county are all finer than any of the smaller counties that make up the rest of England - once you have been to Harrogate, you will understand his claim and you will not disagree.

Recommended towns & villages near Harrogate

Knaresborough

Knaresborough (131 Pictures) a Historic Market Town in the county of North Yorkshire

(3.2 miles, 5.1 km, direction NE of Harrogate)

This attractive market town lies in the high reaches of Yorkshire above Harrogate. It is overlooked by the peaceful waters of the River Nidd which is spanned by a magnificent.....

Bridge Avenue, Otley, West Yorkshire

Otley (45 Pictures) in the county of West Yorkshire

(8.5 miles, 13.8 km, direction SW of Harrogate)

Otley is a beautiful old town with attractive buildings in medieval courts and alleyways and a lovely parish church that dates back to Norman times...

Ripon Cathedral, Ripon, North Yorkshire

Ripon (205 Pictures) a Historic City in the county of North Yorkshire

(9.9 miles, 16.0 km, direction N of Harrogate)

Every night Ripons market square is the scene of a 1,000 year old custom when the city Wakeman blows his horn...

High Street, Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire

Pateley Bridge (35 Pictures) a Historic Market Town in the county of North Yorkshire

(10.8 miles, 17.4 km, direction NW of Harrogate)

An attractive market town on the river Nidd, set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Twice winner of 'Britain in Bloom' and home to the oldest sweet shop in Britain......

A picture of Cow and Calf Rocks

Ilkley (39 Pictures) in the county of West Yorkshire

(12.4 miles, 19.9 km, direction W of Harrogate)

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Ripley Castle, Yorkshire

Ripley Castle (12 Pictures)

(3.5 miles, 5.6 km, direction N)

Ripley Castle was built more than 700 years ago, it was originally built as the home of the Ingilby family and has remained so.....

Harewood House in West Yorkshire - Terrace Gardens, June 2005

Harewood House (25 Pictures)

(6.6 miles, 10.6 km, direction S)

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Brimham Rocks Country Park, North Yorkshire.

Brimham Rocks Country Park (78 Pictures)

(8.1 miles, 13.0 km, direction NW)

At a height of nearly 300m, Brimham Rocks give spectacular views over the surrounding countryside of the Nidderdale. . The.....

Fountains Abbey.Ripon,North Yorkshire

Fountains Abbey (159 Pictures)

(8.3 miles, 13.4 km, direction N)

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Ripon Cathedral, Ripon, Yorkshire.

Ripon Cathedral (28 Pictures)

(10.1 miles, 16.2 km, direction N)

The present Cathedral at the heart of Ripon is built upon the spot of a monastery founded by Bishop Wilfrid of York in the year.....

Cow and Calf, Ilkley.

Cow and Calf Rocks (21 Pictures)

(11.9 miles, 19.2 km, direction SW)

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Kirkstall Abbey near Leeds, West Yorkshire

Kirkstall Abbey (14 Pictures)

(12.2 miles, 19.6 km, direction S)

Kirkstall Abbey is one of Yorkshire's finest ruined Cistercian abbey's. It was founded in the 12th-century from which much of.....


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