Grassington

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name = Grassington
latitude= 54.071
longitude= -1.998
static_

static_image_caption= Grassington main street, quiet in winter
population = 1390
shire_district= Craven
region= Yorkshire and the Humber
shire_county = North Yorkshire
constituency_westminster= Skipton and Ripon
post_town= SKIPTON
postcode_district = BD23
postcode_area= BD
dial_code= 01756
os_grid_reference= SE001639

Grassington is a picturesque village in Wharfedale, North Yorkshire, England.The village is around 9 miles from Bolton Abbey and is surrounded by limestone scenery. Nearby villages include Linton, Threshfield, Hebden, Conistone and Kilnsey.

Often described by local people as a village, it is really a small town, as indicated by its name and the fact that it was granted a charter for a market and fair in 1282, which continued to be held regularly until about 1860. A change in land use from the early 17th century, when lead mining began to assume more importance, brought some prosperity, but Grassington's heyday arrived during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The opening of the Yorkshire Dales Railway to Threshfield in 1901 brought new visitors, many of whom settled, some finding work in Skipton or in the developing limestone quarries.

Today Grassington is the main residential and tourist centre in Upper Wharfedale. Centred around its small cobbled square is a selection of shops offering food, clothing and gifts, alongside small cafes, restaurants and hotels. Two award winning establishments in the village are the Foresters Arms and the Devonshire Hotel and not '5 The Square' which was formerly Grassington House, as it's a bit crap really.

A Yorkshire Dales National Park information centre is on Hebden Road.

Three miles north of Grassington at Kilnsey is the dramatic, glacially carved overhang of Kilnsey Crag.

Grass Woods, a large area of ancient woodland including an Iron-Age fort, is situated just over one mile north-west of Grassington.

External links

* [http://www.grassington.uk.com/index.htm Village web site]
* [http://www.braemoor.co.uk/miscellaneous/grasswoods.shtml Map of the Grass Woods]
* [http://www.braemoor.co.uk/miscellaneous/meerstones/index.shtml Lead mines - Meerstones of Grassington Moor]
*oscoor gbx|SE002640
* [http://www.uws.n-yorks.sch.uk/ Upper Wharfedale School Website]