Boston Spa
OS grid reference:- SE 431 455
Boston Spa lies on the banks of the River Wharfe and is within the civil parish of Leeds. It is situated 3 miles (5 km) to the south of the market town of Wetherby. The superb scenery and lush woodland along the banks of the River Wharfe attracts many walkers and day trippers to the area. The footpath runs from Bramham Beck to the east to Deepdale in the west.
The village was established as a spa when John Shires discovered magnesian limestone and sulphur springs there in 1774. It was then known as Thorp Spa. It was not until the mid ninetenth Century that village became known as Boston Spa.
Spa baths were constructed to allow visitors to take the waters. By 1753 a turnpike had been constructed on the Todcaster to Otley Road (A659) which allowed for easier travel to the village. The Royal Hotel, the oldest building in Boston Spa, was built in 1753 by William Taite, it has since been converted into flats and shops.
On the east bank of the river lies the village of Thorp Arch, which is much older than Boston Spa. It was mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086 and was believed to have possessed a mill in Roman times. The growth of Harrogate as a spa town led to the decline of Boston as a spa town, in addition to this, Boston Spa was established towards the end of the spa age when sea bathing was becoming more fashionable and the seaside resorts developed.
Boston Spa boasts a large village centre with a post office, a small library, several banks, restaurants, cafes and two pubs, the Admiral Hawke and the Fox and Hounds, both owned by Samuel Smiths Old Brewery, there is also a small supermarket and several independent retailers within the village centre. The village church in Boston Spa is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin.
The village is characterised by the predominance of classically-inspired Georgian buildings. The majority of houses along the High Street display Classical proportions. The use of magnesian limestone as the dominant building material is one of the key characteristics of Boston Spa.
The route of the White Rose Way, a 104 miles (167 km) long distance walk from the Black Prince Statue in Leeds City Square to the harbour-side Tourist Information Centre in the South Bay, Scarborough, passes through the village.
A farmers' market that place in Boston Spa on the second Friday of every month. There is also a beer festival and an arts festival.
Towns and Villages of Yorkshire