Masham, market town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England
Masham is a small market town in North Yorkshire with stone buildings and narrow streets arranged around a lively market square. The town has a compact layout with traditional shops, cafes, and historic facades that define its character.
Masham's history reaches back to Anglo-Saxon times, as reflected in its name, and the town developed as an important trading center with regular markets. Over the centuries, it remained a hub of local commerce and craft traditions, particularly in brewing.
The name Masham comes from Old English, referring to land owned by a man named Massa. The town was once a Peculier, a separate legal jurisdiction with its own rules, a distinction that still shapes local identity and traditions today.
The town is easy to explore on foot with a central market square that serves as an orientation point and hosts regular markets. Most shops, cafes, and attractions are close together, making it straightforward to visit several places without much effort.
Two established breweries define the town's identity, including a family-run brewery with long tradition and a modern brewery that has grown into one of the region's largest. Visitors can tour the breweries and taste freshly brewed beer on site, an experience that makes the place special in beer culture.
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