Coordinates: 54°00′18″N 0°26′17″W / 54.005°N 0.438°W
| Driffield | |
 Market Place, Driffield |
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 Arms of Driffield Town Council |
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  Driffield
Driffield shown within the East Riding of Yorkshire |
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| Population | 11,477 (2001 census)[1] |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Driffield |
| 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 | DRIFFIELD |
| Postcode district | YO25 |
| Dialling code | 01377 |
| Police | Humberside |
| Fire | Humberside |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament | East Yorkshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire | |
Driffield, also known as Great Driffield, is a market town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Other English towns and villages of this name include Little Driffield and Driffield, Gloucestershire.
The civil parish is formed by the town of Driffield and the village of Little Driffield. According to the 2001 UK census, Driffield parish had a population of 11,477.[1]
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Location
Driffield lies in the Yorkshire Wolds, on the Driffield Navigation (canal), and near the source of the River Hull. Driffield lies on the A614, A166 and B1249, and on the Yorkshire Coast rail line from Bridlington to Hull. It is situated next to Little Driffield, where Aldfrith of Northumbria was reputedly buried, and is also very close to Nafferton, Hutton Cranswick and Wansford. Driffield is named the Capital of the Wolds, mainly through virtue of its favourable location between Bridlington, Beverley and York.
The town is served by Driffield railway station on the Yorkshire Coast Line.
Driffield has been covered by the HSDPA network commonly known as 3.5g since mid-August 2009.
Description
Driffield contains a small community hospital, small Fire, Police and Ambulance Stations, several churches - the largest being the All Saints Parish Church, whose bells were restored for the millennium, - and a fairly small high street. There is also an area of parkland close to the parish church alongside the stream (Driffield Beck) that runs roughly parallel to the high street.
There are a two infant schools, one larger primary school (Driffield Junior School), and a large secondary school, known simply as Driffield School. Driffield School contains a sixth form, and so offers education up to A level standard. The nearest independent school is Woodleigh School, North Yorkshire.
The local cattle market, despite former glories closed after the 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis.
Local businesses include printers Alma Printers and Horsley and Dawsons, and Roger Bentley (Power Equipment). Public Houses include the Original Keys (formerly the Ferret and Sprout, previously The Cross Keys), the Buck, the Full Measure, the Rose and Crown, The Mariner's Arms,Winston Churchill and the Norseman. Old standbys to the town's catering services include The Water Margin and Mario's. The town's main hotel is the "Bell Hotel", an old coaching inn, in the centre of the town, which has a substantial selection of whiskies. Its many facilities include the former Town Hall, which was bought by the hotel's owner and is now a function suite and gym / leisure centre. Recent additions (i.e. late 2006) to the town's night-time scene include The Lounge and The London Bar.
The town is home to the country's largest one-day annual agricultural show, as well as the Driffield Steam And Vintage Rally - an event showcasing historical vehicles, traction engines, fairground organs and so on. A particular focus is placed upon agricultural history, with demonstrations of ploughing and threshing often taking place.
Traditions
It is also tradition for the townspeople of Driffield to congregate in the market place on new year's eve and listen for the church bells ringing in the new year.
Scrambling This age old tradition is unique to the town of Driffield and has its origins in the eighteenth century. The event takes place a couple of days into the New Year. Children walk through the main street shouting an ancient rhyme to shopkeepers in return for money and goodies.
Sport
Driffield is home to Driffield Mariners football club who have won Three Hull Sunday league titles in recent years. The town has a cricket club in which its first team play in the ECB Yorkshire league.
Driffield Rugby Union Football Club is a member of the RFU and Yorkshire RFU, playing its senior fixtures in North 2 East. The club fields four senior teams, a colts team and mini/juniors (at every age group from Under 7s to Under 17s) every week during the season.
Driffield has an 18 hole golf club that has been at its present location since 1934.
Driffield will soon be adding a new Sports Centre to the list of Sports Venue's in the town, replacing the current Sports Centre, both are located just north of Driffield Secondary School. The new facility will include a main pool and learner pool, new sports hall, a 50-piece gym in line with the successful East Riding Leisure Tone Zone brand, and a studio/multi-use room.
Trivia
Mick 'Woody' Woodmansey, drummer with David Bowie's band The Spiders (originally called The Hype) from 1970, was born in Driffield.
The Manchester band Happy Mondays recorded their second album Bummed at The Slaughterhouse, a studio that has since burnt down, in Driffield in 1988.
Chris Evans had regularly mocked Driffield on his show Radio 1 breakfast show. However, following listeners' complaints who wanted to prove him wrong he rose to the challenge and in July 1996 hosted a live Roadshow from the Driffield showground.
Driffield was home to one of the finest of English nineteenth century woodblock colour printers, Benjamin Fawcett and the artist who worked for him, Alexander Francis Lydon.
John Wesley, an early leader of the Methodist movement, preached an inspirational sermon in the town.
Footballer & Boxer Curtis Woodhouse was born in Driffield
Blyth Spartans footballer Ged Dalton is from Driffield
Sri Lankan cricketer Ishara Amerasinghe has played for Driffield Cricket Club
Yorkshire CCC Cricketers Andrew Gale, Steven Patterson and Richard Pyrah are currently playing for Driffield Cricket Club.
Singer-Songwriter Edwina Hayes, lives in the town.
The town is twinned with Saint Affrique, France
RAF Driffield was targeted by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. On 15 August 1940, a raid by JU88's resulted in 14 deaths and many injuries.
References
- ^ a b "2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Headcounts: Area: Driffield CP (Parish)". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=790945&c=Driffield&d=16&e=15&g=390704&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1210878240776&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Driffield |
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