Bolton Abbey: what to know before moving day
The land around the village is the Bolton Abbey Estate, which belongs to the Duke of Devonshire and is run by the Chatsworth Settlement Trustees; it covers 33,000 acres, with 84 farms and 84 buildings of architectural interest. The village centre is a few buildings on the B6160: the post office and shop, the village hall, the estate office, tearooms and a bookshop, with a row of four 18th-century listed cottages at 1 to 4 The Green. The Great Tythe Barn, once Bolton Priory's tithe barn and now an events venue, is Grade II* listed.
The priory itself was founded in 1154 and closed in 1539. Its nave is still the parish church, the Priory Church of St Mary and St Cuthbert, and the priory gatehouse became Bolton Abbey Hall. The estate is open to visitors and charges for its car parks, so tell us where the van can stand at your house rather than planning on a visitor car park.
How the van gets to Bolton Abbey
The B6160 runs north through the village from the Bolton Bridge roundabout on the A59, passing the hamlet of Bolton Bridge and the Devonshire Arms on the way. Just north of Abbey Mill it passes under an 18th-century stone aqueduct, whose central arch spans the road. Green Lane leaves the B6160 in the village. From Bradford the van reaches the A59 by way of Skipton.
The drive from Bradford is roughly 35 to 50 minutes. That is an estimate from route data, not a timed run, and traffic changes it.
Services for Bolton Abbey
Each service below links to its Ilkley page, which covers how the job works in and around Ilkley.
Bolton Abbey: questions before you book
Is Bolton Abbey the village, the priory or the estate?
All three use the name. The priory is the ruined 12th-century religious house, the estate is the Devonshire land around it, and the village is the small settlement on the B6160. For a move, give your house name and postcode.
Bolton Abbey has a station on the map. Can I use it on moving day?
Only as a day out: it is a heritage line. The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway ends at Bolton Abbey station, about a mile and a half from the priory. There is no mainline service, so plan to travel by road.
Where the local details on this page come from
Checked on 28 September 2026 against:
- Postcode lookup (postcodes.io, ONS data): BD23 6EX is in Wharfedale ward, North Yorkshire, parish of Bolton Abbey
- Bolton Abbey (Wikipedia): estate of the Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth Settlement Trustees, 33,000 acres, 84 farms and 84 buildings of architectural interest, priory founded 1154 and closed 1539, nave in use as the parish church of St Mary and St Cuthbert, gatehouse converted into Bolton Abbey Hall, Yorkshire Dales National Park, open to visitors with a charge for car parking, Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway station 1.5 miles from the priory
- Listed buildings in Bolton Abbey (Wikipedia, from the National Heritage List for England): 1, 2, 3 and 4 The Green (18th-century cottages), The Great Tythe Barn (former tithe barn to Bolton Priory, Grade II*), aqueduct north of the Abbey Mill crossing the B6160 with its central arch spanning the road
- Bolton Bridge (Wikipedia): hamlet south along the B6160 from Bolton Abbey, with the Devonshire Arms
- A59 road (Wikipedia): Skipton bypass and the roundabout junction with the B6160
- OpenStreetMap: B6160 through Bolton Abbey from the Bolton Bridge roundabout on the A59, Green Lane; Bolton Abbey Post Office, village hall, Estate Office, Tea on the Green, Grove Rare Books, The Tithe Barn events venue, Abbey Mill