Discover Beverley

If you’re looking for church architecture and history, a themed walk and time in a pastoral landscape, Beverley offers a range of options. There’s also a weekly market and an annual three-day folk festival.

Churches and Architectural History

The present-day Beverley Minster was built between 1220 and 1425. Its construction, spanning more than two centuries, gives the building a clear historical context and makes it a good choice if you’d like to consider architecture across more than a single moment in time. For a more in-depth visit, the Minster offers tours called “Exploring Beverley Minster” and “Roof Tours”. Availability may vary, so if you’re interested, check in advance which tours are offered during your visit.

St Mary's Church offers a different point of reference in time: it was founded in the 12th century. Its chancel ceiling was originally built in 1445 and depicts forty kings of England. Here, the focus can shift from the founding of the church to a specific, dated architectural feature and its imagery. Together, the Minster and St Mary's offer two distinct ways to explore Beverley's architectural history: a long construction period on the one hand, and a single historic ceiling feature on the other.

Walks and Landscape

The medieval trail features 40 sculptures representing the guilds and crafts of medieval Beverley. The walk is defined not just by the route itself but by its theme: the sculptures draw attention to occupations and associations in medieval Beverley. If you’d like to pair a walk with a specific historical theme, the trail offers a distinct focus. The series of related sculptures provides a different way to explore the town than looking at individual church buildings.

A short canal runs from the River Hull to the centre of Beverley and offers a towpath of just under a mile. This route offers a waterside landscape. While the sculpture trail focuses on medieval guilds and crafts, the canal walk is defined by its route from the river to the centre and its waterside setting. The two walks therefore offer different points of reference: history told through sculptures or a route by the water.

Beverley Westwood is a grassy, wooded pastureland. It’s suitable for walking dogs, picnics and kite flying. These three activities offer different ways to spend time outdoors: with a dog, during a picnic break or flying a kite. Unlike the trail, with its 40 sculptures, Westwood puts the landscape itself centre stage. It complements the historical themes with another way to spend time in Beverley.

Market and Folk Festival

The weekly market takes place every Saturday. Local producers sell, among other things, artisan cheeses there. If the market matters to your visit, the day of the week is a useful guide: Saturday is the market day mentioned here. Beverley has also hosted an annual three-day folk festival since 1983. If you’re travelling specifically for the festival, check the exact event dates in advance. The weekly market offers a recurring Saturday date, while the festival runs for three days each year; these different schedules may help you choose your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Thwing, Skipsea, Nafferton, Aldbrough, Withernwick, Stamford Bridge, South Cave, Tickton

Return to the main travel overview: East Riding Of Yorkshire.