Yorkshire Moors

Villages & Places

Thornton-le-Dale

Regularly called one of the prettiest villages in Yorkshire, Thornton-le-Dale is the picture-postcard heart of this corner of the Moors — a beck running past stone cottages, a village green with an old market cross and stocks, and tea rooms made for a lazy afternoon.

The thatched Beck Isle cottage beside the clear beck running through the village of Thornton-le-Dale

Placeholder photograph — real imagery to follow.

The village

The clear beck that runs through the middle, crossed by little bridges, is the star, and the thatched cottage beside it is said to be one of the most photographed in the country. There's a green with its ancient cross and stocks, independent shops and cafés, and easy walks straight from the centre. (See our walks from Thornton-le-Dale.)

Bangers & Cash country

Thornton-le-Dale is also the home of Mathewsons, the classic-car auction house of the TV series Bangers & Cash, which has put the village firmly on the enthusiast's map. (See our Bangers & Cash guide for how to visit.)

A base for the Moors

With Dalby Forest, Pickering and the coast all close by, the village and its neighbours make an ideal base — including, in nearby Allerston, a classic-car-themed cottage.