Pictures of Lastingham

About Lastingham

Lastingham is a small village set amidst fine wooded Yorkshire countryside. It is in an area renowned for its wonderful scenery where often in a quiet lane you will find an ancient corn mill. Although today many of these enchanting old properties have been converted to provide comfortable weekend retreats for folk wishing to escape from the larger town's of Yorkshire.

The focal point of the village is the church. This is built on the site of a monastery founded in by St.Cedd in 654. When the Danes came they destroyed the monastery and it was not until 1078 that work began to restore it. At the time this was largely due to the persistence of the Abbot of Whitby who petitioned William I to restore Lastingham.

The crypt built by the Abbot can still be seen, but this along with the apse were the only parts completed when the monks fled Lastingham to build a new monastery in York.

Today, the Norman church in its peaceful churchyard setting remains impressive. It has a stunning clock face tower with turrets, and its crypt of mellow stone is singularly beautiful with an aura of calm and peace. Outside, in the churchyard there are moss covered graves from several centuries.

Lastingham Grange is a period farmhouse from the 17th century which is now converted to provide comfortable hotel accommodation. Both quaint and splendid properties can be seen in the leafy lanes around the village.

The River Seven flows past the village, its peaceful river banks are of tremendous appeal to the fishing fraternity. In the wider area surrounding the village you have all the advantages of the beautiful North Yorkshire National Park, a wonderland of forests and moors criss-crossed by numerous sparkling streams, and dotted with sturdy stone cottages. Here in this lovely wilderness you can seek out ruined castles, abbey's and churches. The north Yorkshire coastline offers the chance of exploring fine beaches and coves which were once the haunt of smugglers. For the sporty there is a good golf course and opportunities for horse riding.

With so much of interest around Lastingham, the village makes an idyllic place to spend a holiday either walking the moors or visiting some of its famous beauty spots.