subject: Life In Guisborough By The North Yorkshire Moors National Park [print this page] Situated on the northern edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, the market town of Guisborough is perfectly placed for access to the moors, the coast, bigger towns and cities for employment and entertainment, as well as being a pleasant town itself with plenty to offer.
Two main roads pass through the town. The A171 links Middlesbrough and Whitby and the A173 links Stokesly and Skelton heading through Guisborough roughly north to south. Middlesbrough is about 10 miles north west of Guisborough, with Stockton on Tees just a further 5 miles up the road. The coastal town of Whitby is approximately 21 miles to the east.
History of the town may go back as far as Roman times, with the famous Guisborough Roman helmet discovered in the area in 1864. The town museum has exhibits of all kinds relating to local history and is housed in Sunnyfield House. Guisborough is home to the beautiful ruins of Guisborough Priory, an Augustinian priory dating back to the 12th century. The place is now almost entirely in ruins but the skeletal faade of the east end of the church remains and is an impressive sight.
Guisborough Hall is a hotel and popular wedding venue. There are also conference facilities here and the restaurant serves award-winning cuisine.
For families living in Guisborough there are a number of good primary schools to choose from, with one secondary school for older children as well as a specialist sports college. Prior Pursglove College is a sixth form college offering GCSE, A and AS level courses. Guisborough is also home to a campus of the Askham Bryan College of Agriculture.
The market is held twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays and takes place on the cobbles of Westgate. Originally a cattle market, these days it thrives with stalls selling fruit, vegetables, flowers and clothing. The town serves as a centre for the outlying villages of Upleatham, Dunsdale and Newton Under Roseberry. There are a number of independent and chain shops in the high street as well as two supermarkets in the town.
In terms of entertainment there are several places to eat out in town, a number of cafes and pubs, some of which serve real ale. For cinemas it is necessary to travel out to nearby Middlesbrough, Stockton on Tees or Hartlepool.
There are rugby, cricket, football and swimming club facilities in town and golf courses nearby. A new skate park is work in progress with a group set up to fundraise and develop this exciting outdoor facility for the young.
With the south of the town sharing a boundary with the North Yorkshire Moors people living here can enjoy easy access to beautiful countryside, with public footpaths readily accessed from the outskirts of town, including the Cleveland Way. Guisborough Forest has a visitor's centre, walking, cycling and horse riding, with Highcliff Nab and Hanging Stone offering fantastic views over the surrounding area.
Slightly further afield are the popular attractions of Castle Howard, Whitby Abbey, Saltburn by the Sea and the Captain Cook museums in Staithes and with deeper forays into the Yorkshire Moors and Dales on your doorstep Guisborough is a delightful place to live and popular commuter town for Middlesbrough.
