Scarborough is located on the North Yorkshire coast of England, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. It is said to be the oldest seaside spa town in the United Kingdom and as such was nicknamed the Queen of the East Coast. It has a permanent population of over 50,000 residents, swelling to possibly double that number during the summer months. The old town lies below the ruined castle on the south side of the Scarborough Rock, close to the harbour. | ||
The town is the administrative headquarters for Scarborough Borough Council which has responsibility for an area covering from Staithes in the North, to Filey in the South, as far as Scaling Dam in the North West and Snainton in the South West, with a total population of 108,000 residents. | ||
Scarborough is still a premier and vibrant seaside town determined to give the visitor and its citizens the best possible facilities and entertainment. Besides the many attractions that the town offers it is also ideally placed for visiting the Great Yorkshire Forest at Dalby, the North York Moors National Park, its neighbouring coastal towns of Filey and Whitby and the historic city of York. | ||
The early history of the town and its Norse connection is known mainly from the Icelandic Sagas which tell of raids and eventual settlement by those resolute Norse seafarers. The Romans built a lookout and signal station on top of the Scarborough Rock to keep watch and warn of the approach of these fierce warriors. After the Norman invasion and the later building of Scarborough Castle the town grew and with the building of its harbour Scarborough became an important port from which wool was exported. Fishing and ship building expanded and became increasingly important. | ||
Fast forward to Victorian times and Scarborough had developed out of all recognition with its magnificent North and South bay hotels, The Marine Drive connecting the two bays, the railway, the tram and the new fangled motor car. With the coming of the First World War Scarborough was bombarded by German warships in December 1914 and "Remember Scarborough" became one of the great British propaganda slogans of that terrible war. During the Second World War it became a training and convalescence centre for service men; it suffered some bomb damage early in the war but nowhere near as bad as other east coast ports such as Hull and Middlesbrough. | ||
Scarborough Maritime Heritage Museum |
After the second world war the town enjoyed a brief resurgence of visitors until cheap continental holidays became possible. Then the town had to re-invent itself into what it has become now, a sophisticated and modern resort with top class entertainment and first class resources. Scarborough is exceptionally lucky to be the home of the world famous playwright Alan Aykbourn and Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre (home to theatre in the round) has often premiered his work before London. The town is easily accessible by road and rail, with the nearest commercial and passenger airports at Leeds/Bradford and Humberside. |
|
Scarborough Civic Society |