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Richmond, North Yorkshire, England

Where – Richmond, North Yorkshire

In the last Sceneramic Newsletter we visited Corfe Castle in southern England. This time we’re going to stay in England and head north to visit Richmond.

Richmond is situated in North Yorkshire and is nestled between the Yorkshire Moors and Dales. If you follow a straight line on a map from Manchester to Newcastle, you’ll find Richmond about 2/3 of the way between the two (as the crow flies).

General Area

Richmond is surrounded by what has to be some of the most magical countryside in the whole of England. Easy Abbey is but a mile away. The Moors and Dales within an hours drive. The infamous Harry Potter's Castle (Alnwick Castle) within a couple of hours. And the list goes on. A day's itinerary can easily encompass at least half-dozen castles without even trying! In fact I'd dare you to try to plan a days drive without seeing at least one!

Of course, to the 'locals' all this is taken in stride and accepted as part of everyday life. To a tourist, however, it will have you standing in awe of its beauty and majesty. I mean, where else can you say that your local pub was built 250 years ago... and it's one of the newer buildings in town?

After awhile you may find yourself getting bored with all this. But I'd allow yourself at least 50 years before that even becomes a concern.

Castle History

Like Corfe Castle, Richmond has a long and interesting history. Founded in 1071 by the Normans, the town grew up around the castle, which was built on the ‘riche-mont’ or ‘strong hill,’ hence the town’s name.

Alan Rufus completed Richmond Castle’s construction in 1091. Designed purely for military purposes, many facets of the castle were unique to Norman design and castle design in general.

Used as recent as WWI and WWII to house ‘Conscientious Objectors,’ it’s now open to the public for viewing. The many artifacts on display catalog Richmond’s history and particularly that of the castle itself.

Richmond's Georgian Era

Although ‘newer’ buildings sprung up in the area during the medieval period, much of Richmond’s architectural heritage today can be attributed to the Georgian era. Many of the houses surrounding the cobbled market place, in fact, are dated to that period. If you follow the Town Trail and the Plaque Walk you can still witness some of the old Georgian streets and alleys.

One of the best examples of the Georgian handiwork has got to be The Georgian Theatre Royal (picture courtesy The Georgian Theatre Royal). Build in 1788, it still stands today in its original form as a grade 1 listed, living theater. Nationally and Internationally-known artists place high value on it’s historic significance and authentic Georgian atmosphere.

Richmond Preservation

Understanding it’s obligation to preserve the historical integrity of the town, Richmond has done an outstanding job in this regard. With few exceptions, newly built homes adhere to a very strict set of building guidelines. In many cases it’s very difficult to differentiate between the home built 2 years ago to that of the home standing off to its side built in yesteryear.

A prime example is St. Anne’s Court and the new homes encompassing the old convent. I would bet any tourist a pint or two of Black Sheep to guess the ages of the homes. Those that know me well know I don’t part with a pint that easily so it must be a pretty sure bet!

Bravo Richmond for your foresight in preserving the area the way it should be!

The Ever-Present Pubs

One thing you can count on in England and that’s the good old English pub. You can just about guarantee there’s going to be one on every street corner and usually at least half-dozen establishments in between.

Richmond is no different. It boasts 17 pubs and most of them within walking distance of each other. So, if you feel in the mood for a ‘pub crawl’ you won’t be disappointed by Richmond’s plethora of pubs.

One of my favorites is The Ship. Located on Frenchgate and owned by Mark McCulloch, it’s history dates back to 1750.

Mark schedules entertainment on the popular nights of the week making it a hot spot for the locals. Friday night’s live music night is always popular. As is Sunday’s Quiz night.

We were lucky enough to be in The Ship on a Friday night and had the sheer pleasure of watching Mark with his ‘blow up’ guitar belting out a few songs with one of the local talents. It’s Mark’s impromptu style and social grace that makes him the legend that he is.

So if you want a good time while enjoying a pint with the local lads, don’t miss The Ship. Say ‘hi’ to Mark from John and Linda.

More Pictures

We've added over thirty-five photographs of North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Northumberland in the England gallery. If your imagination is drawn to the magical quality of pristine English countryside you really should check them out.

The End

Don’t forget, if you have a favorite place you’d like me to include in one of our newsletters, please email me.

Until next Sceneramic Places, happy travels…

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