← Back✦ Historic site

Swainby medieval settlement, Premonstratensian abbey, grange and field system, immediately east of Swainby Grove

✦ Ancient woodland33 ha

📷 Chris Heaton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsAncientBluebells

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome33 ha

Getting here

54.26550, -1.48577

Open directionsv

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

▾

🐦72+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Tree Sparrow and Great Tit
🌳Ancient woodland is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦72+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Tree Sparrow and Great Tit
🌳Ancient woodland is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Best for

11 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Free

Birds — Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Swallow +69 more · last seen 2024; Grazing marsh — lapwing, redshank, snipe and wintering wildfowl

Ancient woodland

Very strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600

Bluebell walks

Strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — native bluebell habitat

Wildlife

Strong match

Free

Birds — Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Swallow +69 more · last seen 2024; Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh priority habitat

Heritage

Strong match

Free

Historic site with public access

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Himalayan Balsam, Giant Hogweed · last seen 2023

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🐴

Horse riding

▾

6 public paths nearby

Public paths

Swainby Lanebridleway · 49 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 49 mPath type: service

Swainby Lanebridleway · 519 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 519 mSurface pavedPath type: service

Swainby Lanebridleway · 316 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 316 mPath type: service

Swainby Lanebridleway · 349 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 349 mPath type: unclassified

Swainby Lanebridleway · 14 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 14 mPath type: service

About this historic site

Scheduled Monument

Wildlife to spot

671 records from NBN Atlas

▾

Wildlife to spot

671 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds72 species

springsummer

2024

Tree Sparrow · Great Tit · Swallow · Blue Tit · Blackbird

+67 more species

All 72 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Tree SparrowPasser montanus2023
Great TitParus major
SwallowHirundo rustica
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2021
House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2013
RobinErithacus rubecula2023
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2013
RookCorvus frugilegus2013
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2013
DunnockPrunella modularis2023
GreenfinchChloris chloris2022
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2013
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2013
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2016
Coal TitPeriparus ater2014
JackdawColoeus monedula2013
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2013
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Barn OwlTyto alba2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2010
Rock DoveColumba livia2010
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2010
WhitethroatCurruca communis2010
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2010
LinnetLinaria cannabina2010
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2010
Stock DoveColumba oenas2019
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2017
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2011
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2011
Little OwlAthene noctua2021
MagpiePica pica2010
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2010
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2010
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2021
Greylag GooseAnser anser2016
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2013
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2013
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2013
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2013
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2012
CurlewNumenius arquata2011
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2011
LapwingVanellus vanellus2010
RedwingTurdus iliacus2020
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2013
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2013
House MartinDelichon urbicum2010
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2010
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2010
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2010
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2010
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2021
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2020
Turtle DoveStreptopelia turtur2018
HobbyFalco subbuteo2017
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2017
Little Ringed PloverCharadrius dubius2016
SiskinSpinus spinus2013
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2012
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2011
TealAnas crecca2011
GoosanderMergus merganser2011
BitternBotaurus stellaris2010
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2010
SwiftApus apus2010
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2010
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2010
QuailCoturnix coturnix2010
NuthatchSitta europaea2010

🦌

Mammals4 species

springsummer

2022

Brown Hare · Otter · Badger · Red Fox

🐝

Insects16 species

summer

2019

Red Admiral · Small White · Harlequin Ladybird · Green-veined White · Peacock

+11 more species

All 16 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta
Small WhitePieris rapae
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis2016
Green-veined WhitePieris napi
PeacockAglais io
Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae

🌿

Plants2 species

summer

2023

Himalayan Balsam · Giant Hogweed

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

671 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds72 species

springsummer

2024

Tree Sparrow · Great Tit · Swallow · Blue Tit · Blackbird

+67 more species

All 72 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Tree SparrowPasser montanus2023
Great TitParus major
SwallowHirundo rustica
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2021
House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2013
RobinErithacus rubecula2023
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2013
RookCorvus frugilegus2013
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2013
DunnockPrunella modularis2023
GreenfinchChloris chloris2022
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2013
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2013
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2016
Coal TitPeriparus ater2014
JackdawColoeus monedula2013
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2013
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Barn OwlTyto alba2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2010
Rock DoveColumba livia2010
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2010
WhitethroatCurruca communis2010
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2010
LinnetLinaria cannabina2010
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2010
Stock DoveColumba oenas2019
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2017
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2011
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2011
Little OwlAthene noctua2021
MagpiePica pica2010
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2010
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2010
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2021
Greylag GooseAnser anser2016
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2013
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2013
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2013
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2013
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2012
CurlewNumenius arquata2011
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2011
LapwingVanellus vanellus2010
RedwingTurdus iliacus2020
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2013
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2013
House MartinDelichon urbicum2010
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2010
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2010
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2010
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2010
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2021
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2020
Turtle DoveStreptopelia turtur2018
HobbyFalco subbuteo2017
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2017
Little Ringed PloverCharadrius dubius2016
SiskinSpinus spinus2013
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2012
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2011
TealAnas crecca2011
GoosanderMergus merganser2011
BitternBotaurus stellaris2010
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2010
SwiftApus apus2010
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2010
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2010
QuailCoturnix coturnix2010
NuthatchSitta europaea2010

🦌

Mammals4 species

springsummer

2022

Brown Hare · Otter · Badger · Red Fox

🐝

Insects16 species

summer

2019

Red Admiral · Small White · Harlequin Ladybird · Green-veined White · Peacock

+11 more species

All 16 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta
Small WhitePieris rapae
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis2016
Green-veined WhitePieris napi
PeacockAglais io
Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae

🌿

Plants2 species

summer

2023

Himalayan Balsam · Giant Hogweed

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

15 photos from nearby open sources

▾

📷 Chris Heaton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Site of Swainby Abbey

1 / 15

Photos

📷 Chris Heaton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Site of Swainby Abbey

1 / 15

Events & activities nearby

Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.

Bookable tours

✦ Ancient✓ Public accessFree entry🐶 Dogs

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome
🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat

Weather for this location

Next 14 days

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱The GreenUrban park2.3 km→⛪St Andrew's ChurchReligious grounds4 km→⛪All Saints' ChurchReligious grounds2.2 km→🐄Thirsk Birds of Prey CentreVisitor farm4 km→🌱MazeUrban park4.3 km→🌱The GreenUrban park4.7 km→