Kelly

Mother Shipton's Cave - Review

We visited Mother Shipton's Cave recently for the first time.

Find out how our day went. *We paid for our own tickets*

We have been meaning to visit for years, but never seemed to get around to visiting, so I made sure to prebook this time and get it in the calendar so we could visit this fascinating attraction.

Mother Shiptons is steeped in mystery and we just loved everything about it.

Ursula Southeil, born in 1488 to 15 year old Agatha who was banished after she refused to name the father. Agatha found a cave which is where she give birth to Ursula on a very stormy night.

Ursula stayed in the cave for a few years and then was put into foster care after her mother was sent to a convent. Ursula found her way back to the cave after her husband Toby Shipton died and the town blamed her for it. She was known as Mother Shipton when she became the oldest woman in the village. Se was well known as England's most famous prophetess as she foretold the fates of several Rulers and lots more including the Great fire of London in 1666. Ursula Died in 1561 and is buried in an unknown location.

I highly recommend purchasing the guide book and the prophecy book both are a great read.

Our Visit

We pre- Booked our tickets online a few days before. When you arrive you are guided to the parking area down by the river. The main toilets are located at the main entrance and there's a small parking area for anyone who wants to use them before you go into the attraction.

After Parking we took some pictures of the river and the followed the path into the attraction. There are lots of photo opportunities around the attraction. During the Summer there's a Pirates and mermaid event running throughout the holidays, we didn't really explore this as I felt out kids were a bit old but it did look great.

There's a great picnic area and a few food vans and you will also find a few porta loos here too. There are 2 really good play areas here too.

When you are finished in this section you must leave your pushchairs in the buggy park as they are not permitted anywhere past this section. It is also not accessible to wheelchair users. You come to some steep steps that take you to the main attraction. Here you come across the petrifying well, wishing well and the famous cave that Ursula lived in.

Did you know a small teddy bear only takes a few months to turn to stone! You can also purchase these in the little gift shop. It is said that the water has magical properties after a medical professional once visited and concluded that the water was a cure for any flux of the body.

There's also a small museum and a gift shop which are worth visiting too. You can also get bottles of the well water in the gift shop. (Of course I bought some!)

All in all we spent just under 2 hours here. This could have easily been more had we had younger kids with us on the day.

Don't forget to spot the oldest building in Knaresborough on your walk along the river.

Good To Know

Dogs are welcome on a short lead but are not permitted in the play areas.

Main toilets are located at the main entrance with only a few porta loos in the middle of the attraction

Light bites, ice creams and drinks are available to purchase on site.

Busier days you are only permitted to park for 2.5hrs after then you have to leave the site and park elsewhere ( you are not allowed to re enter unless you pay again)

Special events running throughout summer

The main part of the attraction is not accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs and you are not permitted to carry pushchairs up the steps.

Small gift shop and museum

Card payments only

Walk ins allowed