If you have been watching the current series and found yourself searching for Grassington and All Creatures Great and Small, you are in very good company. Thousands of fans make the same happy discovery every year. The pretty Dales village you see on screen as Darrowby is a real place you can walk around, and it is every bit as charming in person. Here is what to look out for when you go, and how to round off your trip with the real story behind it all.
Grassington as Darrowby, the All Creatures Great and Small village
In the current series, the historic Wharfedale village of Grassington plays the fictional market town of Darrowby, the home of the Skeldale veterinary practice. With its cobbled square and unspoilt stone buildings, it barely needs a thing changing to slip back to the 1930s, which is exactly why the production team chose it. Spend an hour wandering and you will keep spotting corners you recognise from the show.
One lovely detail for book lovers. In James Herriot’s stories, Darrowby was never a single real town at all. It was a blend of several, including Richmond, Leyburn, Middleham and our own Thirsk. So Grassington gives you the on-screen Darrowby, while the real heart of the stories lies a little further east, but more on that in a moment.
What to look out for in Grassington
The star of the show is The Square itself, the cobbled marketplace that gets dressed back in time for filming and forms the backdrop to so many Darrowby scenes. Stand in the middle and you will feel instantly at home.
Look for The Devonshire, the pub overlooking the square. On screen it becomes The Drovers Arms, where James, Siegfried and Tristan gather, and it now proudly carries Drovers Arms signage alongside its own name in a nod to its television fame. Nearby, the Stripey Badger bookshop and cafe doubles as Endleby’s grocers in the series, and it is the perfect spot to pick up a James Herriot novel in the very place where Darrowby comes to life. Round every corner of the marketplace there is another little reminder of the show.
When does filming happen in Grassington?
Filming for All Creatures Great and Small typically takes over the village for a few days in spring, when Grassington is transformed into Darrowby in front of your eyes. Period shopfronts go up, modern signs come down, vintage vehicles appear, and the whole community gets involved. If you happen to time a visit for then it is quite a spectacle, though do remember the crew are hard at work, so it is very much a look but do not disturb occasion.
One gentle note. The house used as the exterior of Skeldale House in the current series is a private home in the Dales, over in the village of Arncliffe rather than in Grassington itself. It is a real family residence, so please enjoy it on screen and respect the privacy of the people who live there.
Planning your visit to Grassington
Grassington sits in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, near Skipton, and is an easy and beautiful drive. The simplest plan is to use the National Park visitor centre car park on the edge of the village, from where it is only a five minute stroll to the square. Wear comfortable shoes for the cobbles, allow time for a pot of tea or a bite of lunch, and you have a perfect half day. You can find more about the village at Discover Grassington.
For the full picture of every location, from Grassington and Askrigg to the sweeping Dales scenery, see our complete guide to the All Creatures Great and Small filming locations, and our dedicated page on the current series for more on the new adaptation.
From Darrowby to the real Skeldale House
Here is the part that makes a Grassington trip complete. As lovely as the village is, it is the set of the story, not the source of it. The real James Herriot was a country vet named Alf Wight, and he lived and worked not in Darrowby but in the market town of Thirsk, around an hour to the east. His genuine home and surgery at 23 Kirkgate is the real Skeldale House, and today it is the World of James Herriot.
Step inside and you are not on a film set. You are in the actual rooms where the real stories were lived and written, the restored 1940s home and surgery just as they were. It is the one place that takes you from the world of the television series to the real man who inspired every word of it. Pair a morning in Grassington with an afternoon in Thirsk and you have the perfect All Creatures Great and Small day out, the filmed and the real, side by side.
Book your World of James Herriot tickets here and meet the real Darrowby for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grassington the Darrowby in All Creatures Great and Small?
Yes. In the current series, Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales plays the fictional market town of Darrowby, with its cobbled square dressed back to the 1930s for filming. The original BBC series used the village of Askrigg instead.
Can you visit Grassington from All Creatures Great and Small?
Absolutely. Grassington is a real village you can explore on foot, with familiar sights like the market square, The Devonshire pub as The Drovers Arms, and the Stripey Badger as Endleby’s grocers. There is a National Park visitor centre car park a short walk from the square.
Where is the real Skeldale House?
The real Skeldale House is at 23 Kirkgate in Thirsk, about an hour east of Grassington. It is the genuine home and surgery of Alf Wight, the real James Herriot, and is now the World of James Herriot museum.
