LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
The White Horse of Kilburn
The White Horse was designed and financed by Thomas Taylor, a Victorian businessman, and was cut in 1857. A native of Kilburn, he worked for a London merchant. He had seen the famous chalk hill figures of southern England and wanted to create something similar for his home village.
The White Horse is 314ft long and 228ft high and about 20 people could stand on the grass island, which forms the eye, though walking on the horse is now strongly discouraged.
Rievaulx Abbey
Rievaulx Abbey (ree-VOH) was a Cistercian abbey in Rievaulx, situated near Helmsley in the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, England. It was one of the great abbeys in England until it was seized under Henry VIII of England in 1538 during the dissolution of the monasteries.
The World of James Herriot
For fans of All Creatures Great & Small, this is a must see attraction.
Walk through his fully-restored 1940s home and surgery in Thirsk; travel back in time to what life was like when James was practicing. See the car he drove, step into the TV set, try your hand at being a vet and even experience what it was like to hide in a World War 2 air raid shelter, plus so much more including interactive games for Herriot fans of all ages. A visit to the World of James Herriot is something you will never forget.
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson Visitor Centre
From a single acorn to a finished piece of beautifully hand crafted oak furniture. One man’s work from start to finish. A simple ethos established by Robert Thompson – The Mouseman of Kilburn.
In perfect reflection of this, the new Mouseman Visitor Centre will take you on an amazing journey through the life and times of the Mouseman from humble beginnings to furniture legend. Visitors to the centre can pass through rooms set in the 1930s that are full of Robert Thompson’s own personal furniture made with his own hands and signed with early examples of the carved mouse symbol. Learn all about the Mouseman of Kilburn from our audio-visual display then browse our Gift shop where you can purchase any of the handcrafted items that we sell today.
Sutton Bank Visitor Centre
For a great free day out, head to Sutton Bank National Park Centre. A fascinating hi-tech exhibition will take you on a journey through time to discover how this iconic landscape was created and the influence it’s had on people through the ages.
Celebrated author and vet James Herriot gave the view from Sutton Bank the ultimate accolade – “England’s finest”. Find out if he was right…
Thirsk
Welcome to Herriot country. As well as being a traditional Yorkshire market town, Thirsk was also the home of renowned vet, James Herriot. Boasting the spectacular backdrops of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, it's no wonder this much-loved author was so inspired living and working here
