Yorkshire Moors

Villages & Places

Ebberston

Ebberston is a small village on the A170 between Pickering and Scarborough, on the southern edge of the North York Moors. Its main street runs south, away from the main road, which keeps the village quieter than its position on the busy A170 suggests.

Stone cottages in a village on the southern edge of the North York Moors

The village's own guide

For the fuller picture of Ebberston, including the hall, the church, the pub, getting there and what is on, visit the village's own site.

The village in brief

The name Ebberston comes from the Old English Eadbrihtstun, meaning Eadbriht's settlement. The village was a civil parish in its own right until 1 April 1986, when it merged with neighbouring Yedingham to form the parish of Ebberston and Yedingham.

St Mary's Church is the parish church, built in the 12th century with a north aisle added around 1200 and a tower probably of the 14th century, restored between 1870 and 1876 by Ewan Christian. On the hill north of the village stands a memorial cairn associated with Alfrid of Northumbria, tied to a long-standing local legend that he was wounded in battle nearby and sheltered in a cave before being taken to Little Driffield.

Hall and pub

North west of the village stands Ebberston Hall, a Grade I listed 18th-century country house built for William Thompson and later owned by the sportsman George Osbaldeston. Visitor access is not something to assume, so check locally before planning a visit. In the village itself, The Grapes Inn is a Grade II listed pub of largely late 18th-century origin, built of sandstone with a pantile roof.

A station lost to time

Ebberston once had its own railway station, on the Forge Valley line between Pickering and Scarborough. It opened in 1882 under the name Wilton, was renamed Ebberston in 1903, and closed to passengers on 3 June 1950. Curiously, the station itself stood at Allerston, the next village to the west.

Part of a wider Moors day

The village sits on the A170 a few miles east of Pickering, the nearest market town, with Dalby Forest close by and Thornton-le-Dale just along the road. It makes an easy stop on a southern Moors day, or a quieter base than the better-known villages.

For more on the village, from St Mary's and the hall to The Grapes and local events, the village's own site has the detail.

Top answers for the Yorkshire Moors

All questions in the full FAQ hub →

Quick, straight answers to the questions visitors ask most. Each one links through to the fuller guide.

When is it busiest, and how do I avoid the crowds?

Busiest in the summer school holidays and on sunny weekends, especially the coast and honeypots like Goathland and Thornton-le-Dale. Visit midweek, out of school holidays, or in spring and autumn; the open moor is always the easiest place to escape people.

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What are the best market towns in the North York Moors?

Helmsley, Pickering, Kirkbymoorside and Thirsk (Herriot country), plus Malton just to the south. Each with markets, independent shops and good places to eat.

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Which villages are the prettiest and most worth visiting?

Thornton-le-Dale (often called Yorkshire's prettiest), Hutton-le-Hole, Goathland, Robin Hood's Bay and Staithes are perennial favourites, each with its own character.

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Where are the North York Moors?

In North Yorkshire, north-east England, between the Vale of York and the North Sea coast. Bounded roughly by Thirsk and the A19 to the west, Teesside to the north, the Whitby-to-Scarborough coast to the east, and the Vale of Pickering to the south. The main gateway towns are Helmsley, Pickering, Thirsk and Whitby.

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What is there to do in the North York Moors in winter?

Stargazing (it's an International Dark Sky Reserve), bracing coastal and moorland walks, cosy country pubs, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's festive steam services. The moors are atmospheric and empty in winter.

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What are the top things to do in the North York Moors?

Ride the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, walk the heather moors and the Cleveland Way, explore Rievaulx and Whitby abbeys, see the Hole of Horcum and Sutton Bank, visit Goathland and Thornton-le-Dale, and spend a day on the coast at Whitby or Robin Hood's Bay.

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