Beverley and The Westwood: 'Minster, Mills and Markets'

Beverley is a charming little market town with a very rich history. With its narrow, cobbled streets, half-timbered buildings, and its impressive minster, the town certainly has a medieval atmosphere and we'll see much more when we return through the town later.

After admiring the minster, we head out onto Beverley's unique common, The Westwood, which dates back to medieval times. This huge area of commonland is used for all sorts of activities, from dog-walking to horse racing to cattle grazing and we should see most of these. Indeed, we quickly reach Beverley Golf Club (built around the first windmill we come across). After continuing to our second windmill of the day, we cross some of the golf course's fairways, which are still situated on the common itself. An unusual feature of this golf course is the heavy fences erected around each green; this is to keep the grazing cattle away. Another common complaint of golfers is the tendency of loose dogs to run away with their golf balls!

After a brief stretch in old, broad-leaved woodland, we pass the racecourse (also situated on the common, though not common land), then continue across the Westwood back to the town. Returning through the town itself gives us more opportunity to savour some of the history and buildings. Our route takes us initially along the zigzagging Seven Corners Lane and on to North Bar Without. Beverley has some wonderful street names, and North Bar Without is the road leading to the impressive medieval city gate, North Bar. This is the only remaining gate of four and was built in 1409 at the staggering cost of £96. Local folklore has it that you must hold your breath whilst passing beneath.

Breathe again, we're now on North Bar Within, where the buildings become distinctly more ancient. After passing the peaceful heaven of Coronation Gardens, our next stop is St Mary's Church, home to some particularly impressive misericords, also the memorial gardens at the east side of the church. Here too you will find Hengate. If you fancy a refreshment break, you would be well advised to divert along Hengate to The White Horse Inn. This however, is just this pub's 'Sunday-best' name, but all who know it and love it refer to it as Nellie's. It is a wonderful, quirky little pub with a very rich history (it still uses the original gas chandeliers for lighting) and no visit to Beverley would be complete without dropping in.

Reluctantly, we move on from Hengate along to the Saturday Market with its very handsome Georgian market cross. Between the Saturday Market and the Wednesday Market runs Toll Gavel - another fine road name. This is the main shopping street in Beverley, but you will still be able to see interesting medieval architecture above the modern shopfronts.

This is quite a good dog walk, but be aware of golf, horses, cattle, other dogs, etc on the Westwood.

England - North England - Yorkshire - North York Moors

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Walk id: 1826

Walk grade

Easy Walk

Length

5 Miles

Height gain

60 Metres

Duration

2 Hours 6 Mins

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