The ancient stepping stones across the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey have been the subject of many a childhood memory, but bad weather since 2022 have seen the loss of more than a dozen of the 57 stones leaving the crossing point impassable. Once the ancient right of way for the Augustinian monks going to and from the Priory, the stones have become steeped in nostalgia for generations of visitors, young and old, who have enjoyed using them to ford their way across the water. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital subscription to Yorkshire Post, you can get access to all of our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
A landmark in the history of both the Priory and surrounding area, photographic records from the 1800s show the stepping stones standing proud of the water even before the first bridge was built across the river in 1899. It’s believed the estate workmen who built the bridge were entertained with a proper sit down tea in the Rectory garden. The Wharfe is a spate river, where the water level rises and falls quickly following rainfall as the large number of surrounding ‘becks’ or streams which carry water from the surrounding countryside swell.
Despite the strong torrents of water during storms, the well-imbedded stepped stones are not washed away but instead have been knocked out by large debris, such as entire trees and branches, which are carried along in high waters. The plans to refurbish the st.
