All Creatures Great and Small author honoured with blue plaque

A blue plaque to honour the vet and author of All Creatures Great and Small has been unveiled at his former home.

Alf Wight, known to millions as James Herriot, built Rowardennan in Thirsk in 1953, and it became his home for more than 25 years.

A plaque in memory of him has been installed at the property on Topcliffe Road, with his children attending the unveiling.

His daughter Rosie Page said it was a “lovely tribute” to her father’s memory.

Wight spent his evenings and weekends at Rowardennan, writing stories in the living room in front of the fire, often with the TV on and his wife, Joan, sitting by his side.

The stories were later developed into long-running BBC series All Creatures Great and Small – which was remade in recent years as a hit for Channel 5.

The house was bought by Brian and Linda Halliday in 2024.

In 2025 it became part of the new James Herriot walk around Thirsk, which was put together by one of the author’s greatest fans, Roger French.

Page and her brother Jim Wight helped to create the tour, and visited Rowardennan when the idea of a blue plaque was mooted.