James Herriot Country

Alf Wight and James Herriot are pretty much one and the same, the author of All Creatures Great and Small was a Yorkshire vet practicing out of a surgery at 23 Kirkgate, Thirsk, called Darrowby in the novels, has since turned into the World of James Herriot Centre with the surgery located down the road. Alf wrote eight books about his life as a vet and another called James Herriot’s Yorkshire, which is an easy way to see the Yorkshire he saw (it’s got lovely photos). Thirsk is an old market town in a good spot for some rambling and appreciation of old architecture. Wight lived here for 49 years so there are plenty of country vet themed attractions as well as the World, which is in the original grade two listed house which now has a museum to the books and the TV series and an interactive vets surgery.