Northallerton is one of Yorkshire’s magnificent market towns, full of personality, heritage, things to do and places to eat, drink and enjoy.
With the moors and dales on its doorstep, Northallerton is a gem of a place to live. A thriving market twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday) gives the town a buzz and there’s a fine mix of stalls to browse – from furniture to country tweeds, fresh coastal fish to just-plucked local asparagus.
This is the heart of agricultural country and the regular livestock markets are a pull for the farming community from across North Yorkshire.
The history books reveal Northallerton as a major commercial and administrative centre since Saxon times. It developed into a thriving market town on the old Great North Road and later became an important halfway stop for stagecoaches travelling between London and Edinburgh.
These days its transport credentials are nicely maintained. Catch trains to York every half hour or so plus regular LNER trains take you direct to London or Scotland. You can catch TransPennine services to Leeds and Manchester Airport – or the Grand Central service will get you to the capital in under three hours.
If you’re driving, the A1 and A19 are handy for destinations north and south whilst the coast is about 45 minutes’ drive.
All of which make this a town that is popular with commuters but a great place to live and raise a family. Good schools, a large hospital and sports and community facilities mean everything is to hand. There’s an equestrian centre, cricket club – and Romanby Golf Club boasts an 18 hole championship standard golf course in 200 acres of serene parkland following the meandering route of the River Wiske.
The population of Northallerton is about 17,000 and the town is home to County Hall, the headquarters of North Yorkshire Council and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The former Northallerton Prison, in the heart of the town, once housed the largest treadmill in the world. A new Treadmills retail, business and leisure development is taking shape on the redeveloped site and it is home to restaurants, shops and last year the smart Everyman Cinema opened offering boutique movie-going and a cocktail; bar and restaurant.
Other claims to fame for the town are that Charles Dickens is reputed to have written part of Nicholas Nickleby at The Fleece Inn and that King of England Charles I stayed at the Porch House on his way to York in 1641!
lovenorthallerton.com
Go-to department store, Barkers of Northallerton is an institution in the town. NQ SHOPPING FIX
You can easily while away a morning or full day mooching a high street that punches above its weight when it comes to variety. The jewel in the crown is Barkers, a family-owned department store that genuinely has something for everyone. It is a fashion go-to with brands like Whistles, Mint Velvet, Holland cooper and Barbour. There are high-end European womenswear and menswear brands that span traditional and contemporary with menswear from Hugo Boss, Edwin and PS Paul Smith. Homeware and lingerie departments have recently been revamped and there’s a great kitchenware section, The instore cafe is always popular.
The high streets and streets off it are home to galleries like Boggle Hole, full of Yorkshire-made gifts, find vinyl at Betterdaze or get lost for hours in Lewis & cooper, the Yorkshire gourmet institution with cheese, eats and deli produce galore – as well as a great wine cellar.
Big names include Crew Clothing, Seasalt, Hotel Chocolat, Lakeland, Waterstones, Bradleys Jewellers, Kitsons Butchers, M&S, Charls Clinkard and a good old fashioned Toymaster toy shop and Beau Coco handmade chocs in Market Row.
Popular coffee shops include South Side Coffee house in South Parade.
The Forum is a place that’s genuinely at the heart of the community. A theatre, conference and event venue, it has a programme of events throughout the year, and this year celebrates its 50th anniversary with a gala concert on September 27. Always something to please everyone – with comedy, live music, ‘audience with’ events as well as cinema, National Theatre live streams, Sunday Jazz in the afternoon and local productions such as Northallerton Male Voice Choir summer concert, Crash, Bang Wallop Youth Theatre’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. The Forum is a charity run by a board of trustees and small number of staff, supported by an 80 plus strong team of valued volunteers. The Forum is used as a venue by the NHS for health initiatives and local groups can hire small meeting rooms. Forumnorthallerton.org.uk
It also serves as the HQ for the vibrant u3a community in Northallerton. The University of the Third Age, is part of a national network offering activities, learning and social groups for those who have finished their career or raising a family and are in their ‘third age’. In Northallerton groups include walking, singing, family history, Pilates and a book club. U3asites.org.uk/northallerton
TOWN LIFE
Deborah Munton is chair of the trustees at The Forum in Northallerton. She has lived in the town for 26 years and brought up her family in the town.
‘I love that I can walk into the centre of town from my house in ten minutes and find a vibrant community. On market day there is a buzz, but Northallerton is busy every day – we’re getting coaches bringing visitors in for market days now, it’s very popular.
There is always something going on and we have a good mix of independent shops as well as established names – and two very good butchers! There are good places to walk, to eat and drink – Bianco Italian is a favourite place – and Origins is close to us.
The station means we can get to York easily – visitors always love to go there – and there are direct trains to London or Edinburgh.
3 PLACES TO EAT
Bettys
Fat rascals, fancy afternoon tea or crisp fish and chips for a treat. Northallerton’s Bettys outpost is a gorgeously graceful place to spend some time in its lovely light-filled tea room.
Origin
This small plates restaurant is making waves on the food scene with an entry in the Good Food Guide Top 100 Best Local restaurants. A great 3 for £20 offer too. originsocial.co.uk
Soju by Sumo
A new foodie experience in Northallerton, this modern Chinese restaurant serves up authentic Asian flavours in slick surroundings in the Treadmills site of the town’s former prison.
Northallerton is surrounded by small villages such as pretty Brompton and Romanby which are popular places to live – and if you’re out to explore somewhere different there’s even a buffalo farm on the doorstep – Langthorne’s near Brompton has its own farm shop that’s well worth a visit.
Day-out destinations close by include English Heritage’s Mount Grace Priory which boasts beautiful gardens all year round. On July 1, in partnership with the National Garden Scheme, experience the gardens in the early evening when the site is closed to the public.
Meet the Head Gardener and members of the team for a tour of the gardens. Get an insight into how the team develop the spaces to ensure how they are presented today reflects their rich history. English-heritage.org.uk
