When I was a child whenever we travelled down the A1 my dad would point out some huge, strange looking stones in fields beside the road.

“They’re the Devil’s Arrows,” he would tell us, as we assumed bored expressions. He went on to tell the tale of a 17th century character called ‘Old Nick’, who became annoyed by some slight from Aldborough near Boroughbridge, and hurled the stones from his home near Fountains Abbey a few miles away.

They fell short of their target, landing on the outskirts of Boroughbridge. The well-known legend is, of course, unlikely to be true and in reality no one really knows where they came from, how they came originally and what their purpose is.

The giant stones are 18ft, 22ft and 22ft six inches tall - the latter being taller than any stone at Stonehenge.

It was also thought in days gone by, that walking 12 times around the stones in an anti-clockwise direction, would raise the devil.

The most likely explanation is that the stones date from around 2000 BC and are probably part of an isolated row of stones - one of a large number of megalithic monuments scattered throughout Europe.

Whatever the reason for their existence, they are fascinating and it is a strangely calming experience to lean against them and wonder how they really came to be.

Within easy walking distance of the town centre, two of the stones are accessible by keeping to the edge of a farmer’s field, the other stands by the roadside among trees.

From early writings it is almost certain there were originally four stones. Pieces of the same millstone grit have turned up in the garden of a nearby house, and are thought to be part of the fourth stone.

Boroughbridge is a pleasant town for an afternoon out, with a variety of shops and cafes, pretty squares, and a river and stream flowing through it.

The settlement is steeped in history. It was once the site of a bloody battle, the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322, which saw the total defeat of rebel forces under the Earl of Lancaster. It was small but dramatic battle, fought for control of a narrow bridge and a nearby ford by which the Great North Road crossed the River Ure.

History buffs can map the events on a battlefield walk, from a leaflet available from the town’s Tourist Information Office in the Council Offices on Hall Square.

We walked around this cobbled square at the junction of Fishergate and High Street, which was once the home of fishermen and their families. At the rear of the now white painted cottages lining the western edge of the square the River Tutt, a tributary of the Ure, gave the fishermen their living. The white-painted hall was the birth place of the explorer, writer, naturalist and missionary Isabella Bird in 1835.

At the opposite side of the square - which has a neat war memorial - in an open, barn-like building, is the Butter Market Museum housing many industrial, domestic and farming artefacts donated by local residents. These can be seen any time.

In the town’s main square, St James, on the site of a former church, a fountain was erected over a bore hole to an underground - now capped - artesian well. It provided many of the local inhabitants with fresh drinking water. Seats at its base provide a good vantage point to watch the world go by.

The characterful Crown Hotel, on Horsefair, stands on the site of a 13th century manor house which was the rendezvous for the ‘Rising of the North’ rebellion in 1569.

The town is packed with independent shops, selling items from gifts to clothing and flowers, with a good number of cafes dotted about. We had a bite to eat in Gilchrist’s, an inviting bakery and cafe in High Street, and later I bought meat from a butchers in St James’ Square. It was some of the best beef we had tasted in a long time.

We walked across the bridge over the River Ure, spanned by an impressive weir complete with fish ladder. For visits in warmer weather a picnic area and car park are sited adjacent to the weir, just a short walk from the town centre.

A nearby marina offers mooring facilities and boat hire for trips along the Ure. Adjacent to the Ure, ‘Boroughbridge Canal’ - part of Ripon Canal - has a working lock, Milby Lock, where longboats can be spotted passing through.

Within easy reach of Boroughbridge,the picturesque village of Aldborough is built on the site of the former Roman town of Isurium Brigantum. It was one of 20 towns built by the Romans as military garrisons after the conquest of Britain. It served as the base for governing the Brigantes, the largest tribe in Britain, and grew into a flourishing township.

Roman remains and a museum of antiquities are among the attractions. We didn’t have time to check it out on this visit, but plan to return later.

Boroughbridge also names among its attractions John Boddy Timber, a firm of expert sawmillers and merchants, who supply wood to restoration projects such as York Minster, Windsor Castle and the Scottish Parliament buildings. There’s a huge range of timber for customers to peruse too, and frequent woodworking and turning demonstrations.

Again, we didn’t have time, but it’s on our list for next time.

INFORMATION

Boroughbridge is around 46 miles from Bradford by car, via the A1 (M). The journey takes around 50 minutes. It is not easily accessible by public transport.

Boroughbridge Tourist Information Office, 1 Hall Square, YO51 9AN. Tel. (01423) 323373 email: tip@boroughbridge.org.uk; boroughbridge.org.uk