Rosedale, North Yorkshire facts for kids

Rosedale is a beautiful valley right in the middle of the North York Moors National Park in North Yorkshire, England. It's surrounded by wide-open moorland, with high points like Blakey Ridge reaching over 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level. The River Seven starts its journey here, flowing down the valley to meet the River Rye further south. The nearest town is Kirkbymoorside, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) away.

Exploring Rosedale Valley

Rosedale is a long, narrow valley. At its southern end, the valley gets quite tight between Spaunton Moor and Hartoft Rigg. Here, the River Seven flows through Forestry Commission woodlands before reaching the village of Cropton and then the flat lands of the Vale of Pickering. It's a great place for nature and exploring the outdoors.

A lovely view looking towards Rosedale Abbey, the main village in the valley.

Rosedale's Main Village

The only village in the valley is Rosedale Abbey. It's built on the site of an old Cistercian priory, which was a type of religious house. Today, Rosedale Abbey is a quiet place, but it was once a busy center for mining.

How People Live in Rosedale

Not many people in Rosedale work in farming anymore. Many houses in the valley are bought as second homes, which means the number of people living there all the time has become much smaller.

Rosedale's Mining Past

In the late 1800s, Rosedale became a very important place for digging up iron ore. This is why the modern village of Rosedale Abbey grew so much. Mining for iron ore happened here from 1857 until 1928.

Processing the Iron Ore

Before the iron ore was sent away, it was heated in special ovens called kilns. This process, called calcination, made the ore easier to transport and use. You can still see the ruins of some of these old kilns today.

The remains of the calcining kilns near Rosedale East Ironstone Mine, where iron ore was processed.

The Rosedale Railway

To move the heavy iron ore, a special railway called the Rosedale Railway was built. It was only used for carrying goods, not passengers, and connected Rosedale to Battersby. The railway closed in 1929, shortly after the last of the processed ore dust was sold.

Famous Spots and Events

Rosedale has some interesting landmarks and events that attract visitors.

Rosedale Chimney Bank

One of the most famous ways to enter the valley is via Rosedale Chimney Bank. This road is known for being one of the steepest in the whole United Kingdom. Near the top, you can see a row of old, unused kilns and a former underground monitoring post that was used by the Royal Observer Corps to watch for aircraft.

Local Events and Nature

Just next to Rosedale is the Farndale Valley, famous for its wild daffodils that bloom around Easter time, creating a beautiful yellow carpet. In mid-August, the Rosedale Show takes place at Rosedale Abbey. This big event, which started in 1871, is one of the oldest shows in North Yorkshire and brings in about 5,000 people from all over Britain.

Frank Elgee Memorial

A memorial for Frank Elgee was put up in 1953 on Blakey Ridge. It overlooks an area called Loose Howe at Rosedale Head, honoring his connection to the North York Moors.