Boss of England's oldest paying tourist attraction say she is 'thrilled' by Visit England accolade
The pride of Knaresborough and one of England’s oldest paid visitor attractions has been rated “outstanding” by Visit England.
Fiona Martin, director at Mother Shipton's Cave, said everyone in the team at the historic location was thrilled to achieve an outstanding overall score of 91% in its latest VisitEngland Quality Assessment.
"We are delighted to have achieved a 91% VisitEngland Quality Assessment score,” she said.
"This recognition reflects the hard work of our entire team, who are passionate about creating memorable experiences for our visitors while preserving the unique history that makes Mother Shipton's Cave so special.”
Mother Shipton's Cave first opened in 1630 and is recognised as England's oldest paying tourist attraction.
It is also the legendary birthplace of Ursula Southeil (c. 1488–1561), a famous 16th-century prophetess and healer known as Mother Shipton.
The assessment, which took place during the attraction's May Half Term event, marked a significant increase in the score for the family-friendly location from 86% in 2025.
VisitEngland concluded that Mother Shipton's Cave continued to provide a "highly engaging and memorable visitor experience" and remains a "distinctive, imaginative and enjoyable day out" for visitors of all ages.
In the report, VisitEngland described it as "one of England's most distinctive and enjoyable family attractions" and praised the evident pride, care and investment shown by the team.
The assessment highlighted several key strengths, including the attraction's unique blend of history, folklore, nature and family entertainment, high presentation standards throughout the site, improved retail offering, outstanding customer service and engaging seasonal events that encourage repeat visits.
Visitor engagement was singled out as a particular strength, with assessors praising the attraction's storytelling, interactive features and family-friendly activities that bring the legend of Mother Shipton to life.
The report also recognised the attraction's growing social media presence, with Facebook followers increasing to more than 60,000, Instagram reaching 24,800 followers and TikTok almost doubling to 10,000 followers over the past year.
Fiona Martin said: "We've continued to invest in the visitor experience across the attraction, from seasonal events and interpretation to our retail offering, and it's wonderful to see those efforts recognised.”