Beamsley Hospital

Lady Anne Clifford is perhaps best remembered for her restoration of Skipton Castle. Many people do not realise that she also left us this charming building - Beamsley Hospital. It was founded in 1593 by Lady Anne's mother and finished by Lady Anne. It was built for 13 widows, one of them being in charge, called the 'mother', the others were called sisters. Some lived in quaint cottages close by and the rest lived in apartments built around this circular building, the centre being a chapel. The busy A59 runs nearby.

Just down the road from Beamsley Hospital is one of Yorkshire's most visited areas - Bolton Abbey. A famous landmark is this outstanding triple archway, it is cursed by some because of the traffic jams it causes. It can also be a tricky manoeuvre for coaches and the like. What many don't know is that this mediaeval structure is in fact an aqueduct that used to supply power for a corn mill at the abbey. Nearby you can see the dams that supplied the water. Click here for a close-up of the archway. King George V often stayed at a shooting lodge here.

The aqueduct at Bolton Abbey