The White Horse Sutton Bank

The Kilburn White Horse and Sutton Bank: North Yorkshire’s Best View

The Kilburn White Horse is a chalk figure cut into the limestone escarpment of the North Yorkshire Moors, visible from up to 30 kilometres away across the Vale of York. It was created in 1857 by a local schoolmaster named John Hodgson and his students, following a visit to the white horse figures on the Wiltshire Downs. Unlike the prehistoric Uffington White Horse, the Kilburn horse is demonstrably Victorian and demonstrably Yorkshire: the figure is 96 metres long, cut into a hill that does not actually have chalk bedrock (the white colour comes from limestone chippings and lime), and maintained by a small team of local volunteers who periodically re-whittle its outlines.

Sutton Bank

Sutton Bank itself is the dramatic escarpment edge of the Hambleton Hills above Thirsk, rising about 300 metres above the Vale of York in a relatively short horizontal distance. The A170 climbs it in a series of hairpins that defeat caravans and tested the engines of Victorian horses. The view from the top, looking west across the Vale toward the Pennines and on clear days the Lake District hills, is the best unobstructed lowland panorama in Yorkshire.

The National Park visitor centre at Sutton Bank (open year-round) has a good cafe, parking, and trail information. The walk along the escarpment edge is flat and straightforward, with the White Horse visible below after about 20 minutes from the car park.

The White Horse Itself

You cannot see the White Horse from directly above – that is always the issue with these figures. The best views are from the valley below, from the road near Kilburn village, or from across the Vale. The walk down to Kilburn village from the top of the bank takes about 40 minutes and is worth doing if you want to see the full figure from the right angle.

The Kilburn village itself has the famous Robert Thompson furniture workshop (Mouseman of Kilburn): Robert Thompson was a 20th-century wood carver who signed all his work with a small hand-carved mouse, and the workshop has been making oak furniture with this signature since 1919. The workshop is open to visitors and the showroom displays a significant range of pieces; there is nothing cheap here but the craftsmanship is genuine. Many pieces are in churches and country houses across England.

Rievaulx Abbey

About 12 kilometres from Sutton Bank, Rievaulx Abbey is arguably the finest ruined abbey in England. It was established by Cistercian monks in 1132 and was at its peak in the 13th century when it housed around 150 monks and 500 lay brothers, making it one of the wealthiest religious establishments in northern England. The Dissolution of the Monasteries stripped it of everything removable in 1538; the roofless nave, choir, and transepts standing in the valley below the Rievaulx Terraces are still commanding.

The abbey is managed by English Heritage (entry around £9); the adjacent Rievaulx Terraces, a series of 18th-century landscape garden walks above the valley with views down onto the abbey ruins, are managed by the National Trust. Both are worth visiting. The terraces are underused relative to the abbey itself.

Other Landmarks in the Area

Castle Howard, 30 kilometres south-east of Sutton Bank, is one of the most remarkable country houses in England, built between 1699 and 1712 by John Vanbrugh. The filmed-at-location for Brideshead Revisited (1981 TV series, 2008 film). The grounds, fountain, and interior decoration are exceptional; the Atlas Fountain in front of the house is spectacular. Entry and parking charges apply; allow half a day.

Helmsley is the market town closest to Sutton Bank and Rievaulx, with a good castle (12th century, Civil War damage, English Heritage managed), a pleasant market square, and several decent cafes and pubs. The Feathers Hotel and the Black Swan have long reputations for food.

Practical Notes

The Sutton Bank visitor centre car park charges approximately £4 for a day visit. The escarpment is exposed; bring a windproof layer regardless of the forecast. The main road up the bank (A170) has a sign warning against caravans and vehicles over a certain weight; this applies to campervans as well.

Peak season for this area is July to September; quieter visits are possible spring and autumn when the heather on the moorland above is in colour.