Knaresborough is a historical market town in North Yorkshire, England, located four miles east of Harrogate.
Mother Shipton was a medieval seer who is said to have been born in a cave south of the town. Born Ursula Southeil around 1488, Mother Shipton is now considered to be largely mythical, her known predictions written by others much later and details of her life manufactured by Richard Head .
Another famous historical native of Knaresborough is John Metcalf, otherwise known as Blind Jack. Blind Jack was born on August 15th, 1717 into a working class family and had a typical upbringing. At the age of six, he lost his sight to a smallpox infection. Losing his sight in childhood did not deter him from carrying on a productive life as he learned to play the violin and guided people around Knaresborough. Later in life he became a roadmaker , building hundreds of roads and bridges in the North of England . Blind Jack died in 1810 at the age of 92 in Spofforth .
Among other notables, Guy Fawkes once lived in the town and Richard II was imprisoned there.
Sights in the town include remains of Knaresborough Castle, a petrifying well and several cave dwellings, one a chapel, dating from the Middle Ages. Knaresborough is also the site of the oldest chemist shop in England , started in 1720.
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Last updated: 10-12-2005 09:24:44
