Bridlington

Coordinates: 54°05′17″N 0°12′01″W / 54.088°N 0.2004°W / 54.088; -0.2004

Bridlington
A view of Bridlington
Arms of Bridlington Town Council
Bridlington  Bridlington shown within the East Riding of Yorkshire
Population	33,837 (2001 census)[1]
OS grid reference	TA1866
Parish	Bridlington
Unitary authority	East Riding of Yorkshire
Ceremonial county	East Riding of Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BRIDLINGTON
Postcode district	YO15/YO16
Dialling code	01262
Police	Humberside
Fire	Humberside
Ambulance	Yorkshire
EU Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	East Yorkshire
Website	www.bridlington.gov.uk
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Bridlington is a town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a population of over 33,000 (expanding greatly in the summer months). The town is a sister town with Millau, France, and Bad Salzuflen, Germany.^[2]

Geography

Bridlington is a seaside resort area and minor seaport on the coast of the North Sea. The town lies just south of the promontory of Flamborough Head. It is served by the Bridlington railway station, which is on the Yorkshire Coast Line that runs between Kingston upon Hull and Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

Bridlington sits on the Holderness Coast, an area which is said to have the highest seacoast erosion rates in Europe.^[3] Southward the coast becomes low, but northward it is steep and very fine, where the great spur of Flamborough Head projects eastward. The sea front is protected by a sea wall and a wide beach encouraged by wooden groynes which trap the sand.^[3] The beaches are part of a large deposit of Smithic Sand which stretches out into the bay in sand banks which are an important habitat for many marine species.^[3]

The civil parish is formed by the town of Bridlington and the villages of Bessingby and Sewerby. According to the 2001 UK census, the Bridlington parish had a population of 33,837.^[1]

The town of Bridlington is divided into two parts:

• The Old Town, the ancient market town (once known as Burlington) lying about a mile from the coast. The old town contains the historic site of the town’s market and The Priory Church of St Mary, on the site of an Augustinian Priory which was dissolved by Henry VIII when the last prior was executed for taking part in the Pilgrimage of Grace.^[4]
• Bridlington Quay, which is the home of the tourist area and the harbour. It has excellent sea-bathing, and the parade and ornamental gardens provide pleasant promenades. The Bridlington Harbour is the key feature of the Quay, which is enclosed by two stone piers. Recently extensive works have been carried out along the sea front and after some struggle with planning permission, a 'London Eye'-style wheel has been built.^[5]

One of the UK's coastal weather stations is located at Bridlington.

Climate

The climate is temperate with warm summers and cool, wet winters. The hottest months of the year, and the best time for hitting the beach, are from June to September, with temperatures reaching an average high of 19°C (66°F) and 11°C (52°F) at night. The average daytime temperature in winter is 9°C (48°F) and 5°C (41°F) at night.

History

The origins of the inhabitation of Bridlington area are unknown but can be traced back to ancient times. The nearby Dane's Dyke, a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) long manmade dyke dates back to the Bronze Age.^[6] Also some writers believe that Bridlington was the site of a Roman station, as a Roman Road can be traced into the town and Roman coins have been found in the town.^[7]

The earliest written evidence of the town can be found in the Domesday Book. It records that "Bretlinton" was the head of the Huntow Hundred and was held by Earl Morcar before they passed into the hands of William I of England by the forfeiture.^[7] The survey also records the effect of the Harrying of the North as the annual value of the land had decreased from 32 pounds in the time of Edward the Confessor to 8 shillings at the time of the survey and comprised:

“two villeins, and one socman with one carucate and a half. The rest is waste.”^[7]

The land was given to Gilbert de Gant, nephew of the King, in 1027.^[7] His eldest son, Walter de Gant, later founded an Augustinian priory on the land in 1133 which was confirmed by King Henry I in a Charter.^[8] Several succeeding kings confirmed and extended Walter de Gaunt's gift: King Stephen granting in addition the right to have a port; King John granted the prior permission to hold a weekly market and an annual fair in 1200; and Henry VI granted permission for three annual fairs on the Nativity of Mary, and Deposition of and the Translation of St. John of Bridlington in 1446.^[7] Also in 1415, Henry V visited the priory to give thanks for victory at the Battle of Agincourt.^[9] The town began to be developed around the site of the priory as it grew in importance and size.

After the Dissolution of the monasteries, the manor remained with the crown until 1624 when Charles I granted it to Sir John Ramsey, who had recently been created the Earl of Holderness.^[7] In 1633, Sir George Ramsey sold the manor to 13 inhabitants of the town on behalf of all the tenants of the manor. In May 1636, a deed was drawn up empowering the 13 men as Lords Feoffees or trust holders of the Manor of Bridlington.

In 1643 Queen Henrietta Maria landed at Bridlington with troops to support the Royalist cause in the English Civil War before going on to the city of York which became her headquarters.

From early in the history of the town, a small fishing port grew up near the coast, later known as Bridlington Quay. After the discovery of a chalybeate spring, the Quay developed in the 19th century to become a Seaside resort.^[7] Bridlington's first hotel was opened in 1805 and it soon became a popular holiday resort for industrial workers from West Yorkshire. The railway station opened on 6 October 1846 between the Quay and the historic town.^[10] The area around the new station was developed and the two areas of the town were brought together. Bridlington's popularity has declined with the industrial north and the popularity of cheap foreign holidays. In its heyday it was a leading resort with a nationally-famous dance venue at The Spa, and many famous entertainers have appeared in the town.

Governance

Bridlington Town Hall

The MP for Bridlington is Greg Knight (Conservative), who represents the East Yorkshire constituency, which has included the town since 1997. Previously (since 1950) there had been a constituency named Bridlington, but like the present constituency it included a substantial part of the county as well as the town itself; its MPs included Richard Wood, a junior minister in Conservative governments from the 1950s to 1970s, who was the son of the former Foreign Secretary the Earl of Halifax. Before 1950, Bridlington was included in the Buckrose constituency.

Bridlington was designated a municipal borough in 1899. After local government re-organisation in 1974 it was included in the new county of Humberside, which caused much local resentment among residents who objected to being excluded from Yorkshire. The town became the administrative centre of a local government district, initially called the Borough of North Wolds, but Yorkshire loyalists subsequently succeeded in having the district name changed to the Borough of East Yorkshire.^{[citation needed]} The district disappeared when the county of Humberside was abolished in the 1990s, the new East Riding of Yorkshire unitary authority absorbing it and the neighbouring county districts, and Bridlington no longer has any formal local government administrative status above Town Council level. It once had nine Labour councillors on the East Riding Unitary Authority, the largest group of Labour councillors in the history of the Labour Party in Bridlington. There has always been a strong Conservative presence on the council, while the number of Liberal Democrats has recently decreased.

Education

Primary

• Bay Primary School^[11]
• Burlington Infant School
• Burlington Junior School^[12]
• Hilderthorpe Infants School^[13]
• Hilderthorpe Junior School
• Martongate Primary School^[14]
• Quay Primary School
• St Mary's RC Primary School^[15]
• New Pasture Lane Primary School^[16]

Secondary

• Bridlington School
• Headlands School and Community Science College

Further and higher education

• East Riding College^[17]

Media

Bridlington is served by the Bridlington Free Press newspaper. Yorkshire Coast Radio used to broadcast from the town as the Bridlington area is a specific commercial radio licence, which operates as a peak-time opt-out service. However, all programming comes from Scarborough.

Notable people

• Cecil Burton, cricketer.
• Richard Cresswell, former Sheffield Wednesday footballer.^[18][19]
• Jonty Tinsley Chicago Blaze Rugby (centre) and former player Bridlington Rugby Club.[1][2]
• Andrew Hartley Dismore, British politician and lawyer.
• Air Marshal Sir Eric Dunn, senior Royal Air Force officer.^[20]
• Angela Eagle, Member of Parliament for Wallasey.
• Benjamin Fawcett, English 19th century woodblock colour printers.
• Thomas Fenby, British Liberal politician and blacksmith.
• Andy Firefly, British stand-up comedian and actor.
• Henry Freeman, Whitby fisherman and lifeboatman.
• Sarah Grand (Frances McFall) (1854-1943), feminist writer and campaigner
• Ben Hillman, one half of Glasgow pop duo Over The Wall.^[21]
• David Hockney, one of Britain's most notable living artists resides in Bridlington.
• St. John of Bridlington, English Saint who was the Prior at Priory of Bridlington.
• John Paul Jones, American naval hero in the American Revolutionary War who fought the Battle of Flamborough Head in Bridlington Bay.
• Amy Johnson, English aviatrix.
• May Kendall, English poet, novelist and satirist.
• William Kent, eminent English architect, landscape architect and furniture designer.
• Greg Knight, Member of Parliament for East Yorkshire (which incorporates Bridlington).
• Scott Langton, fashion designer who founded the 'Artful Dodger' clothing range.^[22]
• T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) who worked in the town during his last months on RAF service in the 1930s.^[23]
• Malcolm McDowell, actor, was raised in the town.^[24]
• A.E. Matthews, actor.
• David Pinkney, British businessman and motor racing driver.
• Joseph Redshaw, Professional cyclist, who appeared in the 2006 Tour de France.
• David Savage, furniture designer and maker.
• Craig Short, footballer.
• Peter Simon (presenter), TV presenter, attended Moorfield Junior School.
• Sir Peter Winston Smith, Kt, High Court Judge famed for presiding over the Da Vinci Code plagiarism case.^[25]
• Jonson Walker, DJ and musician with Crescendo^[26]

Landmarks

One of Bridlington's districts, Flamborough, is famous for its seven mile long headland, Flamborough Head, and its dramatic views. It features excellent trails for both bikes and the public. Between Bridlington and Flamborough is the village of Sewerby, where the gardens and museum at Sewerby Hall also attract tourists.

Another attraction for visitors to the area is Bempton Cliffs. Bempton Cliffs is an RSPB nature reserve frequented by avid bird watchers and is a popular breeding ground for the Northern Gannet and Atlantic Puffin of which there are thousands along the cliffs.

Notable is the Priory Church in the Old Town, with a good sounding ring of 8 bells (tenor approx 24 cwt) but with a long draft and a large 4 manual organ boasting the widest 'scaled' 32 ft reed (Contra Tuba) in the UK.

Facts

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (October 2007)

• The town of Bridlington gives its name to the "Bridlington Agreement", a concordance between the British Trade Unions not to poach each others' members.
• Burlington, New Jersey (and subsequently, Burlington County, New Jersey), are named after the old name of Bridlington.
• It is believed that numerous other cities and towns in the United States and Canada, such as Burlington, Massachusetts, and Burlington, Ontario are named after the old name as well. See Burlington.

Gallery

Bridlington beach, from the North Pier

Bridlington beach

Bridlington beach photographed on the millennium dawn (2000)

References

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Bridlington.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bridlington

• Aboutbridlington
• Bridlington History 1
• Bridlington History 2