Scarborough

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

(Redirected from Scarborough, England)

Jump to: navigation, search

This article is on the English seaside resort. For other places see Scarborough (disambiguation).

Map sources for Scarborough at grid reference TA0388

The South Bay at Scarborough

Scarborough lies on the North Sea coast of North Yorkshire, England. The modern town lies 30 to 70 metres above sea level, on limestone cliffs. The older part of the town lies around the harbour and is protected by a rocky headland.

Modern Scarborough has a population approaching 60,000, and is the major holiday resort of the Yorkshire Coast. It is home to residential communities, business, fishing and service industries plus a burgeoning digital and creative economy.

The town has a North Bay and a South Bay. The South Bay is the main focus and contains many arcades and entertainment facilities and is overlooked by the town itself - a vibrant shopping centre. The North Bay has traditionally been 'the quiet end' of the resort and is home to Peasholm Park which has recently been granted funding to be restored to its Victorian Japanese-themed glory. The park still features a mock maritime battle (based on the Battle of the River Plate) re-enacted on the boating lake with large model boats and fireworks throughout the summer holiday season.

The North Bay is linked to the South Bay by an impressive Victorian promenade, built around the headland and soon to be home to the controversial large-scale sculpture 'The Wave'. Overlooking both bays is Scarborough Castle, best known for being the subject of an erroneous U-boat artillery attack in the First World War. Both bays have excellent sandy beaches and some superb rock-pooling opportunities at low tide.

Slightly less wellknown is the South Cliff Promenade situated above the Spa and South Cliff gardens and affording stunning views of the South Bay and old town. Its Victorian splendour is still intact and the mix of quality hotels and desirable apartments form the backdrop to the ITV drama The Royal which can often be seen filming in the area.

1 History
2 Culture
3 Education
4 Famous residents and ex-residents
5 External links

[edit]

History

The town was founded around 966 AD as Skarðaborg by Thorgils Skarthi, a Viking raider, though even before that date there had been a roman signal station on the headland, and evidence of much earlier stone age and bronze age settlements. However, the new settlement was soon burned to the ground by a rival band of Vikings under Tosti, Lord of Falsgrave, and Harald III of Norway. The destruction and massacre meant that very little remained to be recorded in the Domesday survey of 1085. Scarborough recovered under King Henry II who built a stone castle on the headland, and granted charters in 1155 and 1163, permitting a market on the sands, and establishing rule by Burgesses.

In the Middle Ages Scarborough Fair held a six week trading festival attracting merchants from all over Europe. It ran from Assumption Day, the 15th of August, until Michaelmas Day, the 29th September. The Fair continued to be held for 500 years, from the eleventh to the eighteenth century, and is referred to by the song of the same name.

Scarborough and its Castle changed hands seven times between royalists and parliamentarians during the English Civil War, of the 1640s, enduring two lengthy and violent sieges. Following this disaster much of the town lay in ruins.

In 1626, a Mrs Farrow discovered a stream of acid water running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town. This gave birth to Scarborough Spa, and attracted a flood of visitors to the town. Scarborough became Britain's first seaside resort, a position boosted with the coming of the railway in the 1840s.

Scarborough also has a high Mormon population and there is a Mormon Church situated near to the sixth form college.

[edit]

Culture

Dramatist Alan Ayckbourn is based in Scarborough where he has lived for a number of years. He has produced some sixty plays in Scarborough and is the artistic director of the famous Stephen Joseph Theatre, where almost all his plays receive their first performance. The town also plays host to the annual National Student Drama Festival, which takes place at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, the Spa Centre and other venues around the town.

The area is also home to hundreds of artists working in a wide variety of media and boasts several galleries. The presence of the University of Hull Digital Arts and Yorkshire Coast College's Arts provision in the town help fuel a vibrant music and arts scene.

The town is home to a significant jazz festival each September and an eclectic rock and pop festival on the beach in the summer which features at least 50% local talent alongside internationally known artistes. In Summer 2005 Scarborough played host to the Sonic Arts Network Expo featuring cutting edge performances and installations.

These fairly recent developments married to a traditional museum and visual arts provision hint at Scarborough's desire to re-invent itself as a creative and arts-based town.

[edit]

Education

The town has a small higher education institution, the University of Hull, Scarborough Campus, (formerly North Riding College and University College Scarborough) and is home to Yorkshire Coast College and Scarborough Sixth Form College, the latter is run by Tom Potter.

Education in Scarborough is notable for its commitment to the digital economy and as a result 2005 saw Scarborough's first showcase of digital industries "Digital Scarborough" take place featuring both businesses and educators from the local area demonstrating work of a world-class standard and hinting at a bright future for digital and creative industries in the region.

[edit]