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Recommended Accommodation

The Inn at Hawnby (formally the Hawnby Hotel)	Captain Cooks Cottage
Lyke Wake Cottage	Eleven Westgate
Sevenford House Bed and Breakfast	Judges Country House Hotel
Carr Lodge Orchard Chalets	Golden Lion Hotel and Restaurant
High Farm Bed and Breakfast and Holiday Cottages	Park View Town House Whitby

A brief history of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park

History of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park.......

History of the North York Moors
The North York Moors National Park first came into existence in 1952 through the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act (1949), and covers an area of 554 square miles(1.436 square km) making it one of the smaller National Parks in the UK. However, it has been occupied for many thousands of years, the proof of which can be found in many ancient and prehistoric sites including; standing stones, remains of ancient burial chambers, forts and numerous stone crosses. Early settlers left a host of land marks, the tallest of which is the 25 foot standing stone in Runston churchyard near Bridlington which is estimated to be 3-4000 years old. From medieval times a number of stone crosses, thought to have been way markers (footpath guides), were erected. Further evidence of early settlers and travellers is underlined by the many prehistoric burial mounds scattered throughout the North Yorkshire Moors. Evidence of Roman occupation can be seen at Wheeldale Moor; including the remains of a mile long Roman Road which originally crossed the moors between Pickering and Grosmont, a well preserved short stretch, the so called Wades causeway, survives today.

Archaeological Interest
There are many ruins of archaeological and historical interest throughout the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, including great Yorkshire monastic houses such as Rievaulx, old castles and many fine listed buildings. These buildings and the associated settlements exist today through the dedication of monks from Europe and Ireland who settled in the moors, and established many of the historic abbeys and churches. After the original abbeys were built people travelled to settle in the moors from far and wide, building settlements in wild and isolated places. The moors were then transformed through farming to what we know today converting many of the rugged moors into green, lush and very fertile dales.

Industrual & Mining
The moors also have an industrial & mining history and Iron, Alum, Coal, Limestone and Whinstone are just some of the minerals which the Moors have been exploited for over the years. The fishing industry also thrived along Yorkshire’s east coast in such locations as Whitby, Robin Hoods Bay and Staithes sustaining local communities and providing the coastal settlements which are still there today. The coast line was also ideal for the many smugglers who brought there ‘goods’ ashore in small boats into the isolated and rugged coves.

Captain James Cook
The region was home to Captain James Cook, one of Britain's finest sea-faring explorers. A monument built at Easby moor to honour his Yorkshire roots provides a panoramic view of the moor land all the way over to the coast.

Dracula
Yorkshires east coast is also famous for inspiring one of the most well known novels ‘ Dracula’. The author of the novel Bram Stoker, stayed in the Royal Hotel on the western side of Whitby while writing his famous novel. This has inspired a whole ‘Dracula’ culture centred on Whitby and ‘Goth’ events take place annually with some very interesting sites to be seen!!

Useful Links
Ampleforth | Bridlington | Carlton in Cleveland | Castleton | Chop Gate | Commondale | Crathorne | Danby | Easingwold | Eastfield | Egton Bridge | Filey | Goathland | Great Ayton | Great Broughton | Grosmont | Guisborough | Hawnby | Helmsley | Hutton Rudby | Hutton-le-Hole | Ingleby Arncliffe | Ingleby Cross | Kirkbymoorside | Lastingham | LealHolm | Little Ayton | Malton & Norton | Northallerton | Osmotherley | Pickering | Rievaulx | Robin Hoods Bay | Rosedale-Abbey | Runswick Bay | Ryedale | Sandsend | Saltburn by Sea | Scaling | Scarborough | Staithes | Stokesley | Swainby | Thirsk | Thornton-le-Dale | Whitby | York