Bedale
North Yorkshire
The town has held a market since it was granted a charter by King Henry III in 1251. The town's long and wide main street is its Market Place continuing beyond its market cross to North End, while the opposite end is South End. Market day in the town is now Tuesday.
Bedale Hall, at North End, is a grade I listed manor house at the edge of the town. It owes much of its Palladian style to its extension in the early 18th century, although its origins are much earlier. The manor was bought by the Bedale Rural District Council in 1951 and is today operated by a charitable trust as a community hall and venue for business meetings and weddings.
Bedale has a station on the Wensleydale Railway, a former railway now partly restored as a tourist and heritage line to the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. More information about the line can be found below. Bedale station is just across the Bedale Beck, where begins the adjoining village of Aiskew.
In 2019, Bedale was one of the host towns of the Tour de Yorkshire, staging the finish for day two or the four-day event.
Town features
Bedale has a historic house.
Bedale has an old parish church.
Bedale has a station on one of Yorkshire's heritage railways.
Bedale has a choice of pubs. 
Bedale has takeaways and sandwich shops.
A choice of cafes can be found in Bedale.
Restaurant dining can be found in Bedale.
The town has a rich variety of traditional shops.
Bedale holds a traditional outdoor market - (Tuesday MD and Saturday car boot sales).
The town has a Post Office.
Bedale has bank and building society branches.
The town has pharmacies.
Bedale has a community hall - Bedale Hall.
The town has a library. 
Bedale has a museum - Bedale Museum.
There are public toilets in the town. Locations of toilets and opening times can be found at this North Yorkshire Council - Public toilets web page.
Places to stay in Bedale include guest house, inn, holiday home, caravan, camping accommodation.
Bedale has schools.
Places of worship: Anglican, Methodist - Catholic in adjoining village of Aiskew.
Travel
Bus travel
The town has buses to neighbouring towns and villages. Bedale
Bedale has a station on the Wensleydale Railway, one of Yorkshire's heritage railways.See 'Places to visit' below.
Road travel
Bedale can be reached via the A1(M) A684 B2285 Places to visit
The Wensleydale Railway
A heritage railway service into Wensleydale running from Scruton and Leeming Bar, near the
Further information at the 
Wensleydale Railway
Wensleydale Railway
Middleham Castle
Castle Hill, Middleham, North YorkshireMiddleham has substantial remains of a castle built in stages between the 12th and 15th centuries, including a late 12th century keep which is one of the largest hall keeps in the country. Ditch and timber defences were not replaced with the low stone curtain wall until the early 14th century. It is notable as the place where, in the 1460s, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who later became King Richard III, spent several years of his youth under the guardianship of his cousin Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. During the War of the Roses, King Edward IV was imprisoned at Middleham Castle for a short time in 1469. The castle is managed by English Heritage.
More information at these
English Heritage - Middleham CastleFind on map:
Middleham Castle Marmion Tower
West TanfieldAn impressive stone gatehouse to a lost manor house beside the River Ure which was once the manor of Elizabeth Parr, grandmother of Queen Katherine Parr, the sixth and last wife of King Henry VIII. The manor passed to Elizabeth Parr in 1513, but the gatehouse is now its only significant remains. The gatehouse was originally built during the latter part of the 14th century but has been remodelled several times. Its first floor has a splendid projecting oriel window. The 69 spiral steps of the tower can be climbed during its daily opening times. The tower is managed by English Heritage and there is no admission charge.
More information at the
English Heritage - Marmion Tower
Jervaulx Abbey
Jervaulx, near East Witton, North YorkshireJervaulx Abbey is the ruins of a Cistercian monastery dedicated in 1156. They are set in tranquil and beautiful parkland in Wensleydale, the valley of the River Ure. The abbey is privately-owned and became a visitor attraction, wedding venue and film and photography location after many years of conservation work at the end of the 20th century. A visitor centre displays a model of the abbey as it would have originally looked and the abbey also offers accommodation. The tea rooms at the venue were recently closed. Jervaulx is located along the
MiddlehamFind out more at the
Jervaulx AbbeyFind on map:
Jervaulx Abbey
Thorp Perrow
Kings Keld Bank, near Snape, 2 miles south of Thorp Perrow Arboretum has one of the UK's finest collection of trees, including rare trees and shrubs. Located alongside the woodlands is a Bird of Prey and Mammal Centre with birds from around the world. There are regular flying demonstations when the weather is good. The mammals include meerkats, wallabies, goats and rare breed sheep. Thorp Perrow also has a children's playground and tea room. In addition to its regular opening times, Thorp Perrow has a programme of special events and experience days.
More information at the
Thorp PerrowLocate on map:
Thorp Perrow
Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
From just beyond the south-west edge of the Hambleton district there extends the 232 square miles (603 sq km) of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Beauty. At its centre is the small town of 
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Just a few miles to the west of the Hambleton district is the Yorkshire Dales National Park. A drive or ride of around 13 miles from 
Sutton Bank National Park Visitor Centre and Kilburn White Horse
Top of Sutton Bank (A170)While the full figure of the Kilburn White Horse stands out from afar, it can also be reached by a 3-mile loop walk from the North York Moors National Park Visitor Centre at the top of Sutton Bank. The most northerly such figure in Britain, the horse was first created in 1857 when it was marked out by the Kilburn village schoolmaster and his pupils before the turf was cut from the limestone, now brightened with added chalk. The National Park centre also offers plenty of other walking and cycling opportunities, a fantastic viewpoint and is also a Dark Sky Discovery site.
Further information at this
North York Moors National Park - Sutton Bank North York Moors National Park
Beyond the visitor centre are 554 square miles (1,435 square kilometres) of National Park with features including moorland and coast, historic stateley homes, remains of castles and abbeys, attractive villages and market towns and a historic railway. For more information see our page dedicated to the The World of James Herriot
23 Kirkgate, ThirskThis museum paying tribute to vet and author James Herriot offers a wealth of things to see at his original practice surgery. The writer, whose real name was James Alfred Wight, wrote a series of semi-autobiographical books through the 1970s which were adapted for two films and a popular BBC TV series. Alf Wight continued to write through the 1980s and early 1990s, focusing more on children's books later in his life. The museum presents the house as it would have been in the 1940s and has an air-raid shelter in the cellar. There is a big display of veterinary instruments from the past to the modern day, a farrier's workshop, a massive collection of James Herriot memorabilia and a behind the scenes look at TV's 'All Creatures Great and Small' including a restored vintage car used in the series.
Further information at
The World of James Herriot Find Thirsk on map
Emergency services
North Yorkshire Police North Yorkshire PoliceNorth Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue ServiceYorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Local government
Civil parish council
Bedale Town CouncilProvides some local services in the area.
Link to council website:
Bedale Town CouncilUnitary authority
The North Yorkshire Council is a new unitary authority formed from the previous County Council from April 1, 2023. It covers the existing county duties including highways, schools, libraries and transport planning over an area of 3,109 square miles while also taking over the responsibilities of the seven huge district authorities also created in 1974 — Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby — these including local planning, waste collection, street cleaning, parks and car parks, housing and markets serving a population of around 615,500*.
Councillors were elected to the County Council in 2022 and continue as councillors of the new North Yorkshire Council unitary authority. There have been a few by-elections to fill councillor vacancies since then.
Places in 
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire Link to council website: North Yorkshire Council
North Yorkshire Council Open Government Licence v3.0Political composition:
CI = Conservative & Independent NY Ind = North Yorkshire Independents group LC = Labour & Cooperative
Composition and groupings - source North Yorkshire Council (February 2024)
Strategic authority
York and North Yorkshire Combined AuthorityThe York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority was created in December 2023 combining the unitary authority of York and the unitary authority of North Yorkshire — that created in April 2023 after the abolition of the county authority and its seven district authorities. The combined authority will run some functions under the new mayor elected in May 2024 as part of the government's so-called "Devolution deal" which ties the availablity of funding to the new governance arrangements. As well as having powers over housing development, transport and boosting skills and education across the 3,214 square miles of York and North Yorkshire, the elected mayor also takes on the role and functions of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner across the area.
Elected mayor:
York and North Yorkshire Combined AuthorityPolice, Fire and Crime Commissioner
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North YorkshireCovers the county of
City of York Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North YorkshireParliamentary constituency
Thirsk and MaltonElected MP: