Thirsk
North Yorkshire
Thirsk town centre is arranged around an attractive market place where a clock tower is the centrepiece. A market has been held in Thirsk since at least the early 12th century.
The town has become the centre of "Herriot Country", having becoming well known as Darrowby in the semi-autographical books of vet Alf Wight, whose full name was James Alfred Wight and who wrote under the well-known pen name of James Herriott. The vet and author is celebrated at the World of James Herriot museum in Thirsk at his original surgery (see below).
Just across Kirkgate, the Thirsk Museum charts the area's history and also features cricket memorabilia in the birthplace of another famous son of the town, Thomas Lord, who founded Lord's Cricket Ground in London.
Thirsk merges with the neighbouring village of Sowerby, but each has a separate church and civil parish.
Town features
Thirsk is close to the North York Moors National Park.
Thirsk has one of Yorkshire's nine horse racecourses.
The town is at a bridge over the Cod Beck.
The town has a range of shops and supermarkets.
Thirsk offers bakery goods, butchers, antiques, books, clothes, crafts, flowers, furnishings, gifts, jewellery, an outdoor market (Mon, Sat).
The town has a Post Office branch.
Thirsk has bank and building society branches.
The town has pharmacies.
The town has pubs and a social club.
The town offers a choice of inns, bistros, cafes, restaurants and take-aways.
Takeaway food outlets in the town include fish and chips, chinese, sandwiches.
Thirsk has museums.
The town has a community cinema. 
The town has a leisure centre with swimming pool.
There are public toilets in the town with limited hours of use. Locations of toilets and opening times can be found at this North Yorkshire Council - Public toilets web page.
Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, other.
Thirsk has tourist information.
Places to stay in Thirsk include hotel, guest house, inn, caravan accommodation.
Travel
Thirsk station Station Road
Station managed by: TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS. Operator/s: GRAND CENTRAL, TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS.
NATIONAL RAIL - Departure and station infoExternal link to National Rail live departure board for services at this station (opens in new tab).
Bus travel
The town has buses to neighbouring towns and villages. 
Road travel
Thirsk can be reached via the A19 A61 A168 A170 B1448 Places to visit
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 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 Aldborough Roman Site
Front Street/Chapel Hill, Aldborough, near BoroughbridgeThe village of Aldborough is on the site of a Roman Town, Isvrivm, which was on Dere Street, the main Roman road north from York (Eboracvm). The Romans made York their provincial capital in the north of England after invading the lands of the Brigantes, largest Celtic tribe in Britain, around 71 AD. Aldborough became the main centre of Romanised Brigantes. The present Roman site has the original walls of one corner of the town, set out in gardens laid out many thousand of years later in Victorian times. A collection of Roman finds can be found in the museum at the site and there are also two mosaic pavements in their original positions. The site is managed by English Heritage and is open throughout April to September. The site is best reached on foot as there is no car park.
More information at the
English Heritage - Aldborough Roman SiteFind on map:
Aldborough Roman Site
Shandy Hall
Thirsk Bank, CoxwoldShandy Hall, a grade I listed building with some original features dating back to 1430, was the home of Irish-born 18th century novelist and clergyman Laurence Sterne while he was Vicar of Coxwold. The house, then simply The Parsonage, was where he wrote 'The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman' and 'A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy'. Shandy Hall's gardens are open to the public between May and September and the house itself on advertised days or by appointment. The Hall is maintained by The Laurence Sterne Trust.
More information at
The Laurence Sterne Trust 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
Byland Abbey
Byland, near Coxwold, North YorkshireByland Abbey features the ruins of one of the largest and grandest Cistercian abbey churches in England. Completed towards the end of the 12th century, it is noted for its Gothic architecture which inspired that in other church buildings, including York Minster. The lower portion of a huge rose window gives some idea of the scale and magnificence of the building before the dissolution of the monastery. The abbey also has tiled floors surviving from the 13th century. The abbey is in the
More information at
English Heritage - Byland AbbeyFind on map:
Byland Abbey Rievaulx Abbey
Rievaulx, near Helmsley, North YorkshireThe first Cistercian abbey in the North of England was founded in 1132 but became one of the most important in the country, quickly growing to a 650-strong community within its first 30 years. However by the time of supression of the monastery in December 1538 the number had fallen to 23 monks. The abbey in the valley of the River Rye in the
More information at the
English Heritage - Rievaulx Abbey Find Rievaulx Abbey on map
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 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 
Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Extending south from the National Park and at the eastern edge of the Hambleton district is the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covering 79 square miles (204 square kilometres). The landscape is one of rolling hills with fields and woodland, charming villages, farms, monasteries, Iron Age earthworks and grand country houses with their designed parkland.More information on our
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
Thirsk Town CouncilProvides some local services in the area.
Link to council website:
Thirsk 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: