Thinking of taking a Yorkshire country cottage holiday in Beverley? The medieval market town of Beverley is a real jewel in the crown for East Yorkshire. For a small town, it packs in a lot of attractions and events. Culture and history are prominent, but there is plenty to entertain families and young children. It also makes an excellent base for exploring the countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds or for day trips to the east coast. Enjoy browsing for self-catering cottages in Beverley and country cottages nearby.
Upon arrival, the Beverley Town Trail is a good place to start. Following the route brings medieval times to life, as the town’s many trade and craft guilds are commemorated. Pilgrims used to come to Beverley Minster, built between 1220 and 1425, because of its reputation as a site of miracles. Today, visitors marvel at the architecture, but St. Mary’s Church, built over a long period from 1120 to 1530, is just as impressive. Whilst on your cottage break pop in to the town's Tourist Information Centre for helpful advice and free resources such as brochures.
Sightseeing is thirsty work and Beverley obliges with a good pub scene. Most famously, there is the White Horse Inn, known to the locals as ‘Nellies’. Named after a former landlady, it was a coaching inn and is thought to date back to the 1600s. Drinking by gaslight in front of the fire is one of its charms and many of its features have been lovingly preserved. After enjoying a tipple on your cottage holiday, your thoughts may turn to souvenirs or bargains. There’s not one but two weekly markets in the town; these are the Wednesday Market and the Saturday Market.
The town is also famous locally for Beverley Westwood. Situated on the edge of the town, it’s a large grassy area where families congregate, sharing the space in summer with the cattle that are allowed to graze there. In winter, it’s a favourite spot for sledging down quite a steep slope. During the flat race season, Beverley Racecourse welcomes visitors and offers special ‘raceday packages’ consisting of an admission ticket, dining, racecard and so on. There is certainly plenty of choice when it comes to things to see and do whilst enjoying a cottage holiday in this part of Yorkshire.
Beverley is also known for its number of annual festivals and events. Music plays a big part on this cultural calendar, which includes the Beverley Early Music Festival, an unusual but well respected event. For something more up to date, the Beverley Folk Festival incorporates contemporary and traditional acoustic music with Americana and World Music as part of the mix. This festival goes back to 1983 and has become established enough to attract top acts, such as The Proclaimers, scheduled to perform in 2013.
‘Foodies’ flock to the annual Beverley Food Festival, which offers the opportunity to sample the finest locally produced food and drink. Entertainment and cookery workshops also make this a good family day out. Book lovers have a festival of their own too, with the Beverley Literature Festival. Workshops and readings explore the world of literature in a fun and informative way.
Beverley is an historic location, but they also know how to have fun here and how to cater for the modern visitor. There is a good range of holiday accommodation near Beverley, including country cottages on the Yorkshire coast, chalets, log cabins, farmhouses and apartments. View a list of self catering Yorkshire cottages to see the variety and perhaps find somewhere suitable to stay for a holiday or short break. If a break here coincides with one of its festivals, it’s a fortunate bonus indeed, but visitors receive a friendly welcome at any time of year.
Information on Cottage Holidays in Beverley
Whether you choose to book a holiday cottage in Beverley, an apartment, a lodge or another type of self-catering holiday accommodation, we hope you have your best holiday yet in East Yorkshire.