The charming little UK town with a high street that feels frozen in time
- UK Hidden Gems
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Brits hoping to enjoy some fresh countryside air are turning to one historic market town for a peaceful weekend of browsing old books.
This pretty spot in a well-loved national park is known as England’s “book town”.
These cobbled streets feel like they’ve stayed the same for years. Its cosy high street is lined with independent cafés, small specialist shops and pubs serving food made from local ingredients.
Set among the rolling hills of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park, it sits close to the stunning Lake District.
A 78-mile walking route runs through the area, making Sedbergh a brilliant base for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.
The town is home to Farfield Mill, once a Victorian wool mill that has now been turned into a heritage attraction.
It is used by local makers as gallery space, working studios and handloom rooms showing off jewellery, art and other crafts.
The old chemist shop on Main Street sits inside a medieval building that featured in the BBC series ‘The House Detectives’. Legend says Bonnie Prince Charlie hid in a chimney here during his retreat north in 1745.
Sedbergh was named one of 45 book towns worldwide in 2006 in the book Book Towns by Alex Johnson.
It is one of only three in the UK, the others being Hay-on-Wye in Wales and Wigtown in Scotland.
It has more books for sale per person than anywhere else in England and even has several publishing houses. Despite having under 3,000 residents, Sedbergh has five bookshops.
Away from its bookish side, Sedbergh is also famous for its old boarding school, which is nearly 500 years old. Sedbergh School was founded in 1525 and its former pupils include explorers, scientists, politicians and military leaders.
The town’s history stretches back centuries. Its market dates from the 13th century and it has a Norman church from the 12th century. Sedbergh appears in the Domesday Book, meaning a settlement must have been here before the Norman Conquest.
Remember - LeaveNoTrace!
As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!
Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
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