Home of the oldest classic horse race in the world, a wildlife park with polar bears and a great minster, Doncaster became a city in 2022.
Doncaster has been a town since Roman times, when a fort called Danum stood beside the River Don. It grew into a busy market town and later a great railway town, where some of the most famous locomotives in the world were built. In 2022 it was made a city as part of the celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Today Doncaster is known for horse racing, its wildlife park and its markets, and it is surrounded by country houses and castles. This guide covers six things to see and do, and how to get there.
1. Doncaster Racecourse and the St Leger
Doncaster Racecourse is one of the oldest and most important racecourses in Britain. Horse racing has taken place in the town for centuries. The racecourse, on Town Moor just east of the centre, is one of the largest in the country.
Doncaster is the home of the St Leger, the oldest of the five classic horse races in Britain. It was first run in 1776, and it is held every September. The St Leger Festival, over several days, is one of the biggest events in the racing calendar.
The racecourse holds race meetings through much of the year, both on the flat and over jumps. A day at the races is a fun day out, with the chance to dress up, have a flutter and enjoy the atmosphere. There are restaurants and bars on course.
On big race days the roads around the racecourse are very busy. Booking a car to drop you off and pick you up avoids the queues at the car parks. Tickets for the St Leger Festival should be booked ahead.
2. Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Yorkshire Wildlife Park, just south east of Doncaster, is one of the most popular attractions in the region. It is home to hundreds of animals from around the world, living in large, naturalistic enclosures. The park focuses on conservation.
Its most famous residents are its polar bears, which live in a huge reserve with lakes and hills. It is one of very few places in Britain where you can see polar bears. Other highlights include lions, tigers, giraffes, painted dogs and a walk through area with lemurs.
The park is designed so that visitors walk along paths and boardwalks through the animal areas, giving great views. There are play areas, cafés and restaurants. A whole day is easily filled.
It gets very busy in the school holidays, so booking in advance is essential. Tickets are usually cheaper online. The park is best reached by car, as it is outside the town.
3. Doncaster Minster and the town centre
Doncaster Minster, the Church of St George, is one of the finest Victorian churches in England. The medieval church on the site burned down in 1853, and it was rebuilt by the famous architect George Gilbert Scott. It was given the title of minster in 2004.
The church has a tall, graceful tower and a grand interior. It is famous for its organ, built by the German organ builder Edmund Schulze, which is considered one of the finest in the country. Concerts are held here regularly.
Doncaster Market, in the town centre, has been held for hundreds of years, and it is one of the largest markets in the North. The Corn Exchange building houses stalls selling food and goods. The fish market is known across the region.
The Danum Gallery, Library and Museum, which opened in 2021, tells the story of Doncaster from Roman times, and it houses the museum of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Entry is free. It is a good place to learn about the town.
4. The railway story
Doncaster has been a great railway town since the middle of the nineteenth century, when the Great Northern Railway built its locomotive works here, known as the Plant. Thousands of people worked at the works, building and repairing engines. Some of the most famous locomotives in the world were built here.
The Flying Scotsman, perhaps the most famous steam locomotive of all, was built in Doncaster in 1923. It became the first locomotive to be officially recorded at a hundred miles an hour. It is still running on special excursions today.
Mallard, which was also built in Doncaster, set the world speed record for steam locomotives in 1938, reaching a hundred and twenty six miles an hour. The record has never been broken. Mallard is now preserved at the National Railway Museum in York.
Doncaster remains an important railway town on the East Coast Main Line. The railway heritage is celebrated in the town. Rail enthusiasts can easily combine a visit with a trip to the National Railway Museum in York, about half an hour away by train.
5. Cusworth Hall and Brodsworth Hall
Cusworth Hall is a Georgian country house on a hill just north west of Doncaster, with views across the town. It was built in the 1740s and is surrounded by parkland with lakes. Today it houses a museum of South Yorkshire life.
The museum tells the story of everyday life in the region over the centuries, with displays on work, home and leisure. Entry is free. The park is a lovely place for a walk, with views and a café.
Brodsworth Hall, about five miles north west of Doncaster, is one of the most unusual country houses in England. It was built in the 1860s, and it has been conserved rather than restored, so it looks much as it did when the last family members lived there, with faded wallpaper, old furniture and everyday belongings. It is looked after by English Heritage.
The gardens at Brodsworth have been restored to their Victorian glory, with formal gardens, a fern dell and a quarry garden. It is a fascinating place that feels like stepping back in time. Allow a couple of hours, and check opening times, as they vary through the year.
6. Conisbrough Castle
Conisbrough Castle, about five miles south west of Doncaster, is a striking castle with one of the finest round keeps in England. It was built in the twelfth century by Hamelin Plantagenet, the half brother of King Henry II. Its tall white keep, supported by six great buttresses, is still in remarkable condition.
The castle inspired Sir Walter Scott, who used it as a setting in his novel Ivanhoe. It is looked after by English Heritage. A new roof and floors have been added to the keep, so you can climb up through its rooms to the top.
From the top of the keep there are views across the valley of the River Don. A visitor centre tells the story of the castle and the people who lived there. There is a small café.
Conisbrough Castle is smaller than many famous castles, but it is very atmospheric. It combines well with other attractions in the area. A car makes it easy to see the castle, Brodsworth Hall and Cusworth Hall in one day.
Getting there and getting around
Doncaster station is on the East Coast Main Line, with fast trains to London King’s Cross in around an hour and forty minutes, and to York, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh. It is one of the best connected stations in the North.
The A1(M), M18 and M180 all pass close to the city. The nearest large airports, including Leeds Bradford, Manchester and East Midlands, are each around an hour or more away by road. A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between Doncaster and the airports, and to reach the wildlife park, the racecourse and the country houses.
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