Holme-on-Spalding-Moor can be explored through two distinct interests: architectural and church history, and railway trails. Historical topics include listed churches and chapels, a rare moated grange and a canal lock. For planning, it is worth considering cultural visits and routes separately: access to All Saints must be arranged, while the routes, lengths and permitted uses of the railway trails help you plan your outings.

Churches, chapels and historic sites

All Saints in Holme-upon-Spalding Moor is a Grade I listed building. The church is not usually open to the public; a visit must be arranged with the churchwarden. Arrange access in advance and check the current arrangements before planning a visit. This way, you can take the access requirement into account before making All Saints a fixed part of your itinerary.

Bursea Chapel lies south of Holme Upon Spalding Moor. It is a chapel of ease for All Saints, designed by William Butterfield. It is usually open during daylight hours; check current access arrangements before your visit. The usual visiting arrangements therefore differ from those at All Saints: daylight hours are the guide for Bursea Chapel, while access to All Saints must be arranged in advance. If visiting the interiors is important to you, take this difference into account early.

The Old School Chapel was originally a national school and is now a chapel. Its former use as a school and its current function as a chapel make the building’s transformation a topic in its own right. At Bursea Chapel, by contrast, the focus is on its design and church affiliation. Those interested in architectural history can explore different aspects through specific buildings: former use, present-day function and architectural design.

Park Closes is a rare example of a medieval moated grange associated with a medieval deer park. This combination gives the archaeological site a different focus from the churches and chapels: the grange, the moat and the connection to the deer park are all part of understanding the site. Those interested in medieval sites as well as church architecture will find a distinct point of interest here.

A fortified site with a moat, 170 metres northwest of Wholsea Farm, is well preserved. Its fortified form differs from that of the churches and chapels, broadening the range of architectural remains to explore. Sodhouse Lock adds another point of interest: it is a single canal lock built from dressed ashlar stone. Here, the focus is on the form of the lock and the stonework, rather than a church function or a medieval grange.

Railway trails and route selection

The Howdenshire Rail Trail runs for 9 miles to Bubwith and is almost straight and flat. Its length, destination and alignment help you assess the route. The nine miles give you a sense of its scale; its almost straight, flat course describes another aspect of the route. Together, these features provide practical guidance for anyone whose plans depend on route length and alignment.

The railway trail from Market Weighton to Bubwith can be used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. If you are choosing a route based on how you plan to travel, these user groups are an important consideration. The trail descriptions therefore address different planning questions: the Howdenshire Rail Trail is defined by its length and course, while the Market Weighton to Bubwith railway trail is defined by the types of use it permits.

Discover more destinations: Huntington, Rufforth, Knapton, Acaster Malbis, Copmanthorpe, Hessay, Strensall.

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