Welcome to Driffield.

Driffield is at the very heart of the rural community in East Yorkshire. With a population of around 14,000, it has a bustling town centre with many high street stores and independent shops, and is surrounded by charming villages and tranquil rolling countryside.

A host of friendly cafés and public houses in the town provide good quality local food and drink for residents and visitors alike.

Driffield Town Council have produced a printed Town Guide booklet. This is always very popular showcasing the town, events and each year featuring unique aspects of our community.  The Town Guide is usually available free of charge from the Town Council offices on market walk in Driffield.

You can view our Town Guide in digital format – click on the buttons below to enlarge it to full screen, and to flick through the pages:

History.

The town has a rich and colourful history dating back to Neolithic times, including the burial of a king, an Anglo-Saxon palace, witchcraft, the arrival of the canal in the 18th century and the railway in the 19th century, and some of the finest nineteenth century colour printing ever seen. You can find more information on our History page.

For generations Driffield’s prosperity was tied to agriculture, but in recent years it has adapted very successfully to the need for new sources of prosperity. In the last decade the number of residents has grown as word has spread about what a great place this is to live and work.

Another contributing factor in Driffield’s growing popularity is the excellent road and rail links. The town is an easy place for visitors to get to, and it is very well connected to the rest of the region for those who live here and/or have businesses here.

Things To Do In the Town

Driffield’s attractive high street includes a varied mix of independent shops and national retailers, interspersed with cafes, restaurants and public houses.

The town’s three picturesque becks (streams) present lovely opportunities for a relaxing stroll, as does the historic River Head canal which also hosts pleasure boats and sailing. A mile-long stretch of the canal towpath from Whinhill Lock to Wansford is now a pretty nature trail. You can view and download the Driffield Town Trail, and there is also a historical trail celebrating the life of the famous archaeologist John Mortimer which you can follow by downloading the Mortimer Trail map.

Driffield has a great range of leisure and sports facilities: the Leisure Centre offers swimming, fitness classes, and fun activities for all ages, and the town’s many clubs include rugby union, golf, football, cricket, lawn tennis, and martial arts. In addition there are also a wide variety of societies for all manner of hobbies and interests, including musical theatre, photography, art and film.