The East Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three Ridings making up England’s largest county Yorkshire, in the north of the country. Nearby lies York, one of the finest medieval cities anywhere, with the largest Gothic church in northern Europe and encircled by over three miles of medieval city walls. Be sure to leave time to explore the sleepy towns and villages surrounded by beguiling countryside to the east, you won’t be disappointed.

Hockney Landscapes

David Hockney, arguably the most versatile and popular British artist of the 20th-century has in the last few years produced a series of landscape paintings of the Yorkshire Wolds, bearing testament to his love for this undiscovered part of northern England. The Wolds are a series of gently rolling chalk hills and dry valleys, giving rise to scenery which is highly reminiscent of the Downs of southern England, although much emptier and less frequented by tourists. Open roads pass through countless villages with characterful inns, ponds and fine churches to charming and unspoilt market towns such as Driffield, known as the ‘capital of the Wolds’. Hockney has spoken of the “hot, living” quality of this “very beautiful Yorkshire landscape, a very preserved corner of England that has hardly changed in 50 years … The ground is extremely fertile, so one does not find anything for tourists – no teashops, just beautiful, undulating hills.” While there are a few tea shops, as well as some excellent pubs, the beauty and authenticity of the place remains.

Medieval towns

Just to the south of the Wolds is Beverley, best known for its beautiful Minster which dominates the town – a masterpiece of medieval religious architecture with wonderful stone carvings inside. But there is much more to discover. Street names such as Toll Gavel, Butcher Row, Ladygate, and Hengate conjure up images of life in medieval Beverley. Today, tucked away down these narrow streets are antique shops and craft arcades, and on every other corner is a pub full of history and atmosphere. Tucked away down narrow, medieval streets are antique shops and craft arcades, and the square is a riot of colour on market days.

Ancient mysteries

Tucked away in a fold in the Wolds is the deserted medieval village of Wharram Percy. The church and the mill pond remain as well as some excavations, although why the inhabitants left this idyllic setting is unknown. Mystery also surrounds the Rudston Monolith, the tallest standing stone in England. It sits in the cemetery of the village church, perhaps indicating the religious importance placed on the stone. Several legends surround the origins of the stone. One says that it was thrown by the Devil at the church – but missed – landing in the churchyard. It is also said to have fell from the sky to kill people who were going to desecrate the churchyard.

Tags: Come, cottage, East, holiday, Spend, Yorkshire