Knaresborough is a historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. In the past an area of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is positioned on the River Nidd, 4 miles east from the centre of Harrogate. The town is reported in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Cenheard's fortress', with the name of the area undergoing various adjustments over the next few centuries. The growth of the town began around 1100, when it started to provide a market and bring in traders to service the castle. The town was not granted a royal charter to verify its status as a market town till 1310 by Edward II. A market continues to be held every Wednesday in the market square throughout the year. There are several landmarks scattered around the town that bring in frequent visitors. Some examples include the remains of Knaresborough Castle, the House in the Rock, the railway viaduct over the River Nidd, and St. Robert's Cave. Knaresborough is also home to 'Ye Oldest Chymist Shoppe' in England, which opened in 1720, a time in which there was much skepticism about such establishments. The town is also host to a number of social and cultural tourist attractions through the year. It has held the annual Bed Race since 1966, which is organised by the Knaresborough Lions Club, and the Festival of Entertainment and Visual Arts (FEVA), a yearly arts summer festival in the town centre, since 2001. There are 15 running clubs in the town, together with a wine bar and several restaurants. For all your home upgrades, make certain to make use of respected professionals in Knaresborough to make certain of quality.