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With en-suite rooms and Wi-Fi available, there are all the required modern conveniences to enjoy at Monks Guest House, in Barnoldswick, as you explore this historic area where legends and mystery abound

Barnoldswick is a border town that is influenced as much by Yorkshire as it is by Lancashire. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal winds through the town and we have our own marina, walks, picnic areas and cycle routes. Although a small town, Barnoldswick has all the amenities you could need, including a gym, golf club, swimming pool and a host of pubs, cafes and restaurants. Shopping is particular to the area, with an abundance of Mill shops.

In the surrounding region, the whole of Lancashire and Yorkshire are within easy reach of nearby motorway links and the choice of activities is vast; with walking, riding, cycling, golf, fishing and bird watching of particular prominence locally. Other towns and villages in the area offer their own unique character, shopping and dining choices and there is good public transport for those without a vehicle.

Barnoldswick is a town steeped in legend, myth, magic and history that draws its influences and ways from both Yorkshire and Lancashire as it nestles the border. Barnoldswick traces its history back to the Domesday Survey of 1086, when the settlement was known as Bernulfsuuic. It is known that in 1147 a monastery was founded here by Cistercian monks from Fountains Abbey. This apparently didn’t go down well with the local community, so they moved on to Kirkstall where they built an abbey. The monks did however build the church of St Mary-le-Gill about a mile from Barnoldswick centre some 10 years later.

Barnoldswick (or Barlick as it is colloquially known) remained a small village for hundreds of years, surrounded by the fertile Pennine hills that made excellent grazing for sheep and a flourishing trade in hand-loom weaving as weavers turned fleeces into cloth.

Our old mill town has changed incredibly over the years and is now home to many thriving, modern companies; yet the heritage, the industrial past and the natural beauty of the area, remain evident in the buildings, the people and the scenery. The town centre is now marked as a Conservation Area because of the value placed on its heritage and it is very much used by the local community.

From Barnoldswick, it is just a short drive to the towns and cities of Yorkshire and Lancashire; Skipton, Settle, Malham and Bolton Abbey.  The stunning North Yorkshire Moors and the Forest of Bowland are all within easy reach.