An abbey was founded at
Coverham in the 14th century by Ralph, son of Robert, Lord of
Middleham. The order that it belonged to was
Premonstratensian (or White Canons) and was formally dissolved in 1536. Whilst some of the ruins are still extant, it is not open to the general public. In the 18th century, the road through Coverdale from
Kettlewell to Middleham was used as the route of coaches between
London and
Richmond. The route came north through
Halifax,
Keighley,
Skipton and
Cracoe as part of its journey. The valley gives its name to a variant of
Yorkshire Dales cheese, produced at the
Wensleydale Creamery in
Hawes. Coverdale cheese is of the same general texture and flavour as Wensleydale, but thought by some to be slightly sourer and therefore possessing greater 'edge'. The
River Cover meets its confluence with the
River Ure at the hamlet of Coverbridge which consists of Clarkson's farm and the Coverbridge Pub, an ancient travellers inn on the road from
Jervaulx Abbey to Middleham. The Coverbridge Pub has at least two claims to fame including having been the hiding place of monks who kept alive the recipe of Wensleydale cheese during the sacking of Jervaulx Abbey by troops loyal to King
Henry VIII, and, the scene of the first formally recorded game of cricket in 1706. In 2006 the Coverbridge Cricket Festival celebrated the 300th anniversary in a massive spectacle of cricket supported by the
Red Arrows and a
Spitfire and
Hurricane of the RAF with musical support provided by the band of the
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. A Coverbridge team of
dalesmen played the visiting Awali Camels team on tour from the
Kingdom of Bahrain. ==Tourism==