Richmond Town

Richmond is a market town in North Yorkshire on the north bank of the River Swale. The town centre clusters around a cobbled Market Place and a network of streets lined with Georgian townhouses and independent shops. Above the town, Richmond Castle, begun in the 1070s by the Breton lord Alan Rufus, commands a loop of the Swale; its Norman keep and curtain wall remain visible from the High Street. The castle's bailey slopes down towards the river and is used for short walks and views over the river bend.

The riverside offers stepped banks and a stone bridge carrying the main road across the Swale, with paths that follow the valley. Cultural landmarks include the Georgian Theatre Royal, built in 1788 and still used for performances, and the town's market and seasonal events that make use of the Market Place and castle grounds. Small galleries, craft shops and tearooms occupy side streets off the Market Place. The town acts as a local service centre for surrounding farmland, with a compact centre that is mainly walkable.