Boroughbridge: Riverside Routes and History

Boroughbridge lies on the River Ure and offers several points of interest for a stay: walking routes, buildings and places of remembrance. Plan your visit according to whether you mainly want to explore old Boroughbridge, include the river and canal, or learn about the history of the town.

Riverside Routes and Different Destinations

The River Ure flows through Boroughbridge, which is known for its riverside walks. The Boroughbridge Town Trail is an easy walk through old Boroughbridge to the town boundaries. A short additional stretch follows the river and canal to a nearby lock and picnic area. These destinations offer a practical comparison: the Town Trail takes you through old Boroughbridge, while the lock and picnic area are the landmarks along the river and canal route. Local path conditions on this short stretch may change; check them before setting out.

The battlefields are also connected to the riverbank. There is public access along the banks, from which visitors can see two important areas of the Battle of Boroughbridge. A riverside path connects these two areas. Check local access conditions before planning your walk. The battle took place in 1322, giving a riverside walk a specific historical connection.

The River Ure is also navigable by leisure craft up to 54 feet long, 14 feet wide and with a draught of 4 feet 6 inches. For boating enthusiasts, these measurements add specific information to the walking routes: the river is both part of the townscape and a waterway for leisure craft within these limits.

Buildings and History

Borough Bridge is a Grade II listed bridge over the River Ure. Road builder Blind Jack Metcalfe is believed to have been involved in its construction. This involvement is a historical attribution, not a confirmed fact.

The Church of St James was built in 1852 by Mallinson and Healey. The church contains fragments of an elaborately decorated late-Romanesque portal. The construction date and portal fragments are two distinct historical points of interest that you can consider together when looking at the building, without attributing them to the same period.

The Butter Market stands on Hall Square. It is an open-fronted building dating from the 18th or early 19th century. Its open design distinguishes it from the other buildings mentioned here. Together with the bridge and the Church of St James, it illustrates the variety of historic points of interest in Boroughbridge: from the bridge, to a building from the 18th or early 19th century, to the church built in 1852.

Standing Stones, Roman Times and Agriculture

The Devil's Arrows, three large standing stones, stand on the western outskirts of Boroughbridge. The nearby village of Aldborough is home to Isurium Brigantum, the capital of the Romanised Brigantes. Alongside the buildings in town, these two places add to the area's historical interest.

The Butter Market Museum in the centre of Boroughbridge is an open-air museum with agricultural artefacts. The annual Aldborough and Boroughbridge Agricultural Show offers another connection to agriculture, celebrating the region's deep-rooted agricultural heritage. As event dates vary from year to year, check the dates for your travel period.

You can choose different focuses for your stay: walking routes along the Ure, the connection between river and canal, buildings in town, or the Roman and agricultural heritage of Boroughbridge and Aldborough.

Discover more destinations: Appleton-Le-Moors, Long Preston, Wigglesworth, Grassington, Oldstead, Malham, Clapham, Kettlewell

For the broader travel overview: North Yorkshire.