Rosedale Abbey in Rosedale is Lovely

Rosedale is a beautiful deep valley; and running about due North to South from the high spine of moorland above Rosedale Abbey to the Vale of Pickering.

The River Seven flows through the valley from its source at Rosedale Head up high on the watershed of the North York Moors.

The View Over the Village of Rosedale Abbey and Northdale from Chimney Bank.

The Seven is a tributary of the River Rye, which it meets near Pickering.

The valley of Rosedale is home to a few hamlets, such as Thorgill and hartoft; but only one real village - Rosedale Abbey with shops, cafes, pubs, school, church and other services on hand.

Rosedale Abbey is situated in the geographical centre of the North York Moors National Park.

The village is located above the archeological ruin of a former Cistercian Priory dating back to 1158 AD.

The Priory was disolved during the disolution of the Monestries at the time of the reign of King Henry VIII.

But don't expect to see any majestic ruins; such as those found at nearby Rievaulx Abbey.

The standing remains of the Priory in Rosedale were "robbed away" during the Victorian period; with much of the stone being used to construct the village of Rosedale Abbey itself.

That's one reason the village has a most unusual but lovely "ecclisiastical" feel to it.

All that remains above ground of the former Priory today is a ruined stone spiral staircase standing near the Church of St Mary and St Lawrence.

Rosedale Priory Staircase Outside the Church of St Mary and St Lawrence.

The Victorian-era village that you see today was largely constructed when Rosedale suddenly became the focus of a booming ironstone industry.

From 1850 to around 1926, the population of Rosedale rose from about a hundred farming and estate families to a population of nearly 3,000 mining and railway employees.

Cottages in Rosedale Abbey have an Interesting and Unique Ecclisiastical Architecture.

Looking at the peace and tranquility around Rosedale Abbey today, visitors and holiday-makers may find this fact difficult to believe; especially since the local population is now back to only around 250 year-round locals.

But if you look around, there is still plenty of evidence to be found of Rosedale's industrial past.

You might spot the remains of the mining; the old railway running round the edge of the valley above Rosedale Abbey; or the great ruined Kilns which stand like ancient Roman buildings to the Northeast and Northwest of the village.

Rosedale East Mines.

The little rows of former miners cottages at Bank Top and Updale are also a little incongruous within the local style of architecture in the valley.