Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Coastal Landscape, Seaside Town, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Tenby is both a walled, seaside town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the western side of Carmarthen Bay, and a local government community.
Notable features include 2 1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the 15th century St. Mary's Church, and the National Trust's Tudor Merchant's House.
Boats sail from Tenby's harbour to the offshore monastic Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and has a 19th century Palmerston Fort.
The town has an operating railway station.
The A478 road from Cardigan, Ceredigion, connects Tenby with the M4 via the A477, the A40 and the A48 in approximately 40 miles (64 km).
View upwards to the promenade, showing the 1814 arched road built during the town's revival by Sir William Paxton
Blue lines show where the walls round Tenby were most likely placed and red lines mark the wall sections that are still standing
Five Arches Gate
St Mary's Street, a typical old town street in Tenby
Pembroke and Tenby Railway (1868)
Seven arch viaduct, Tenby
Tenby baths (1825)
St Catherine's Island
Earliest surviving copy of The Tenby Observer (21 July 1854)
Colourful, traditional, seaside shops in Tenby
History
With its strategic position on the far west coast of Britain, and a natural sheltered harbour from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea, Tenby was a natural settlement point, probably a hill fort with the mercantile nature of the settlement possibly developing under Hiberno-Norse influence. The earliest reference to a settlement at Tenby is in Etmic Dinbych, a poem probably from the 9th century, preserved in the 14th century Book of Taliesin.[2]
Tenby was taken by the Normans, when they invaded West Wales in the early 12th century. The town's first stone-wall fortification was on Castle Hill. Tenby's mercantile trade grew as it developed as a major seaport in Norman controlled Little England beyond Wales. However, the need for additional defences became paramount after the settlement and castle were successfully attacked and sacked by Welsh forces of Maredudd ap Gruffydd and Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1153. Sacking of the town was repeated in 1187 and again by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260.[3] After the final attack, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke ordered the construction of the Tenby town walls in the late 13th century. The stone curtain wall, towers and gates enclosed a large part of the settlement—now known as the "old town". With the construction of the town walls, Tenby Castle was made obsolete and had been abandoned by the end of the 14th century.[4]
In 1457, Jasper Tudor, the uncle of Henry Tudor, agreed to share with the town's merchants the costs of refurbishing and improving Tenby's defences because of its economic importance to this part of Wales. Work included heightening the wall to include a second tier of higher arrow slits behind a new parapet walk. Additional turret towers were added to the ends of the walls where they abutted the cliff edges, and the dry ditch outside walls was widened to 30 feet (9.1 m).
Consequently, in the Late Middle Ages, Tenby was awarded royal grants to finance the maintenance and improvement of its defences and the enclosure of its harbour. Traders sailed along the coast to Bristol and Ireland and further afield to France, Spain and Portugal. Exports included wool, skins, canvas, coal, iron and oil; while in 1566 Portuguese seamen landed the first oranges in Wales.[4] It was during this period that the town was so busy and important, it was considered to be a national port. During the Wars of the Roses Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII of England, sheltered at Tenby before sailing into exile in 1471.
In the mid 16th century, the large D-shaped tower known as the "Five Arches" was built following fears of a second Spanish Armada.
Two key events caused the town to undergo rapid and permanent decline in importance. First, Tenby declared for Parliament in the English Civil War. After resisting two attempts by the Royalists forces of Charles Gerard, 1st Earl of Macclesfield, it was finally taken in 1648. Ten weeks later the shattered town was surrendered to Colonel Thomas Horton, who welcomed Oliver Cromwell shortly afterwards.[3][4] Second, a plague outbreak killed half of the town's remaining population in 1650.
With limited infrastructure, resources and people, the town's economy fell into decline. Most of the merchant and business class left, resulting in the town's decay and ruin. By the end of the 18th century, John Wesley noted during his visit how: "Two-thirds of the old town is in ruins or has entirely vanished. Pigs roam among the abandoned houses and Tenby presents a dismal spectacle."[5]
Another war led to a resurgence in Tenby's fortunes. Since 1798, the French General Napoleon Bonaparte had begun conquering Europe restricting the rich British upper classes from making their Grand Tours to continental spa towns. In 1802 local resident, merchant banker and politician, Sir William Paxton, bought his first property in the old town. From this point onwards he invested heavily in the area with the full approval of the town council.
With the growth in saltwater sea-bathing for health purposes, Paxton engaged engineer James Grier and architect Samuel Pepys Cockerell (the same team who had built his home at Middleton Hall) to create a "fashionable bathing establishment suitable for the highest society." His sea-bathing baths came into operation in July 1806 and, after acquiring the Globe Inn, transformed it into "a most lofty, elegant and convenient style" to lodge the more elegant visitors to his baths. Cottages were erected adjoining the baths with adjoining livery stables and coach house.
A road was built on arches overlooking the harbour at Paxton's full expense in 1814. He had a Private Act of Parliament passed that enabled fresh water to be piped through the town. Despite these accomplishments, his 1809 theatre was closed in 1818 due to lack of patronage.[5]
Paxton also took in "tour" developments in the area as required by rich Victorian tourists. This included the discovery of a chalybeate spring in his own park at Middleton Hall, and coaching inns from Swansea to Narberth. He built Paxton's Tower, in memorial to Lord Nelson whom he had met in 1802 when mayor of Carmarthen.[5] Paxton's efforts to revive the town succeeded and after the Battle of Trafalgar, the growth of Victorian Tenby was inevitable.
Through both the Georgian and Victorian eras Tenby was renowned as a health resort and centre for botanical and geological study.[6] With many features of the town being constructed to provide areas for healthy seaside walks, due to the walkways being built to accommodate Victorian nannies pushing prams, many of the beaches today still retain good disabled access. In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot) accompanied George Henry Lewes to Tenby to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The old 1905 (cream & red) and new 2008 (silver) RNLI Tenby Lifeboat Station
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners' Royal Benevolent Society deployed a lifeboat to the town, taken over in 1854 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In 1905 a slip-way equipped lifeboat station was built on Castle Hill. It was replaced by a modern station in 2008.
Tenby railway station and the Pembroke and Tenby Railway were opened as far as Pembroke on 30 July 1863. The extended line to Pembroke Dock opened on 8 August 1864. In 1866, the line was connected to Whitland railway station.[7] In 1867, work began on the construction of the Palmerston Fort on St Catherine's Island. The Army had control of the fort during 1887–1895.[8]
The old town castle walls have survived, as does the Victorian revival architecture in a pastel colour scheme. The economy is based on tourism, supported by a range of craft, art and other stores. As of April 2017, there are 372 listed buildings and other structures in and around Tenby.[9]
Education
There are four schools in the Tenby schools area, consisting of three primary schools and one secondary school: Ysgol Hafan-y-Mor, Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, St. Teilo's RC School and Ysgol Greenhill Secondary.
Pupils from St. Teilo's School and Tenby Church in Wales School are automatically enrolled in the Greenhill School, but parents can enrol them into a different school. Ysgol Hafan y Môr is a Welsh language medium school. Most of the pupils go on to Ysgol y Preseli, a Welsh-medium secondary school in Crymych.
Previous schools in the area were Tenby V.C. Infants School which was an English medium school with a Welsh unit. Pupils from this school would automatically enrol in Tenby Junior School which has now been converted into Ysgol Hafan y Môr. Tenby V.C. Infant school was demolished in 2016 and turned into a field for the nearby Greenhill School.
Tourism
South beach
Attractions include the two sheltered, sandy beaches and the coastal boat trips to Caldey Island. St Catherine's Island is tidal and the site of St Catherine's Fort a 19th century Palmerston Fort. In August 2016, the fort faced an "uncertain future" and was closed to the public.[10] Tenby has shops, pubs and restaurants to cater for visitors. The Sunday Times rated Tenby's Castle Beach the best beach in the UK in 2019.[11]
Transport
Tenby railway station (1967)
Tenby railway station serves the town on the Pembroke Dock branch of the West Wales Line operated by Transport for Wales Rail, who also manage the station. Trains run in each direction; westwards towards Pembroke and eastwards to Whitland, Carmarthen and Swansea. During peak season, trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International.
Sport
Tenby United RFC, a rugby union club has existed since 1876. It is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union.
In 1970, the Tenby Sea Swimming Association started the Boxing Day Swim. It is Tenby's main Christmas attraction now, with approximately 600 swimmers, most in fancy dress, watched by thousands of onlookers. Each swimmer who enters for a charity receives a medal. The Osborne family has been associated with the event from the beginning and Chris Osborne, chairman of TSSA has seen it take place in every weather condition, from brilliant sunshine to freezing winds.[12]
Tenby hosts the Welsh Ironman Triathlon in September. There is also the Tenby Aces Cycling Club and the 18-hole Tenby Golf Course that provides links golf by the coast.
Notable people
St Catherine's Island, viewed from the Caldey Island ferry
Alison Bielski, poet and writer
Michael Bonacini, chef, born and raised in Tenby[13]
Rhidian Brook, writer, born in Tenby
Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield, educated at St Andrew's School, Tenby[14][15]
Charles Dale, actor, born in Tenby
Kenneth Griffith, actor
Augustus John, artist, born in Tenby
Gwen John, artist
Kate Lamb, actress, grew up in Tenby
Michael Lieber, actor
Clive Merrison, actor
Charles Norris, etcher
Gwilym Prichard, artist
Robert Recorde, mathematician
Wally the Walrus
Wally sleeping on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway
On 19 March 2021, an Arctic walrus was spotted on the rocks of Broad Haven South beach, after initially making the journey over from Ireland. During its' time in Tenby, it was situated primarily on the new RNLI Lifeboat Tenby slipway. Wally was not spotted from 07:00 BST Easter Monday to 8 April 2021[16].
Experts believe that the walrus is a three year old female, who made the long journey over from the Arctic on an ice floe[17]. The RSPCA believes this is the most southernly sighting of the species, occasionally they can be seen in Scotland[18].
Despite spending most of her days resting and scavenging for food, she has been causing some mischief. It was reported that she capsized a dingy and damaged a fishing boat trying to board the vessels[19].
Freedom of the Town
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Town of Tenby.
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Individuals
Rt Hon David Lloyd George OM PC [20]
Augustus John OM RA: 30 October 1959. [21]
Military Units
HMS Tenby, RN
Monochrome, Bearpark, County Durham, England. Bearpark is a village and civil parish in County Durham in England. It is situated two and a half miles west of Durham, and a short distance to the north of Ushaw Moor. The name may be a corruption of the French term Beau Repaire – meaning "beautiful retreat". Half a mile to the north of the present village lies the ruins of Beaurepaire Priory, built in 1258 by the Prior of Durham, Bertram de Middleton, as a retirement residence. The building was extended in the subsequent three centuries, becoming a retreat for the Durham monks in a similar way to the nearby Finchale Priory. The manor was largely destroyed by the Scots in 1640 and 1644 during the British Civil War.[2][3] In 1872, Theodore Fry was involved in founding the Bearpark Coal and Coke Company, which established a coal mine in Bearpark until 1984, when the mine was closed.
Bearpark Community Centre is at the hub of the local village, a red brick building originally built in 1921 as a miners' welfare hall. An old pit wheel stands in front of the building, a memorial to the village's mining history.
County Durham (/ˈdʌrəm/ (About this soundlisten) DURR-əm) is a ceremonial county in North East England.[2] The county town is Durham, a cathedral city. During the Middle Ages, the county was an ecclesiastical centre, due largely to the presence, of St Cuthbert's shrine in Durham Cathedral, and the extensive powers granted to the Bishop of Durham as ruler of the County Palatine of Durham.
The historic county's boundaries stretched between the rivers Tyne and Tees. Historic borders were shared with 4 counties: Northumberland to the north, now along with the county of Tyne and Wear; North Riding of Yorkshire to the south, now North Yorkshire; Westmorland and Cumberland, latter two to the west and both now Cumbria.
Within the Durham County Council area, the largest settlements are Durham, Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe. The largest ceremonial settlement is Darlington, closely followed by Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees. The North East Combined Authority region includes the towns of Gateshead, Jarrow, South Shields and the city of Sunderland. The ceremonial and combined authority overlapped roughly correspond to historic boundaries.[3]
The county has a mixture of mining, farming and heavy railway heritage, with the latter especially noteworthy in the southeast of the county, in Darlington, Shildon and Stockton.[4] In the centre of the city of Durham, Durham Castle and Cathedral are UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites.
Contents
1Etymology
2Politics
2.1Parliament
2.2Local government
2.3Civil parishes
2.4Emergency services
3History
3.1Anglian Kingdom of Bernicia
3.2Kingdom of Northumbria
3.3City of Durham founded
3.4County Palatine of Durham
3.5Early administration
3.5.1Overview
3.5.2The Early English and Norman period
3.5.311th to 15th centuries
3.5.415th century to the modern era
3.6Modern local government
3.7Modern national government
4Tourism
4.1Landmarks
4.2Bishop Auckland
5Geography
5.1Geology
5.2Climate
5.3Green belt
5.4North Pennines
6Biology
6.1Birds
7Demography
7.1Population
7.2Settlements
7.2.1Changes in the 1900s
7.2.2Changes in the 1800s
7.3Employment
8Economy
8.1Economic history
8.2Boosting tourism
8.3Economic output
8.4Post markings
9Culture
9.1Mining and heavy industry
9.2Art
9.3Music
9.4Flag
10Education
11Places of interest
12See also
13Notes
14References
14.1Citations
14.2Sources
15Further reading
16External links
Etymology
Many counties are named after their principal town, and the expected form here would be Durhamshire, but this form has never been in common use. The ceremonial county is officially named Durham,[3] but the county has long been commonly known as County Durham and is the only English county name prefixed with "County" in common usage (a practice common in Ireland). Its unusual naming (for an English shire) is explained to some extent by the relationship with the Bishops of Durham, who for centuries governed Durham as a county palatine (the County Palatine of Durham), outside the usual structure, of county administration in England.
The situation regarding the formal name in modern local government is less clear:
The 2009 structural change legislation[5] created the present unitary council (that covers a large part – but not all – of the ceremonial county) refers to "the county of County Durham" and names the new unitary district "County Durham" too.
Later amendment to that legislation[6] refers to the "county of Durham" and the amendment allows for the unitary council to name itself "The Durham Council".
The council retains the name as Durham County Council. With either option, the name does not include County Durham.
The former postal county was named "County Durham" to distinguish it from the post town of Durham.
Politics
Parliament
Main article: List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham
The county boundaries used for parliamentary constituencies are those used between 1974 and 1996 (i.e. consisting of only the area governed by Durham County Council and the Borough of Darlington). This area of the county elects seven Members of Parliament. As of the 2019 General Election, four of these MPs are Conservatives and three MPs are Labour. The rest of the ceremonial county is included in constituencies in the Cleveland parliamentary constituency area.
2019 General Election Results in County Durham
PartyVotes%Change from 2017SeatsChange from 2017
Conservative123,11240.6%Increase4Increase4
Labour122,54740.4%Decrease3Decrease4
Brexit25,4448.4%new00
Liberal Democrats21,3567.0%Increase00
Greens5,9852.0%Increase00
Others4,7251.6%Increase00
Total303,260100.07
Local government
Flag of Durham County Council since 1974, based on the council's coat of arms. This flag was used as an unofficial flag of County Durham until 2013.
The ceremonial county of Durham is administered by four unitary authorities. The ceremonial county has no administrative function, but remains the area to which the Lord Lieutenant of Durham and the High Sheriff of Durham are appointed.
County Durham (governed by Durham County Council): the unitary district was formed on 1 April 2009 replacing the previous two-tier system of a county council providing strategic services and seven district councils providing more local facilities. It has 126 councillors. The seven districts abolished were:[7][8]
Chester-le-Street, including the Lumley, Pelton and Sacriston areas
Derwentside, including Consett and Stanley
City of Durham, including Durham city and the surrounding areas
Easington, including Seaham and the new town of Peterlee
Borough of Sedgefield, including Spennymoor and Newton Aycliffe
Teesdale, including Barnard Castle and the villages of Teesdale
Wear Valley, including Bishop Auckland, Crook, Willington, Hunwick, and the villages along Weardale
The Borough of Darlington: before 1 April 1997, Darlington was a district in a two-tier arrangement with Durham County Council.[9]
The Borough of Hartlepool: until 1 April 1996 the borough was one of four districts in the relatively short-lived county of Cleveland, which was abolished.[3][10]
The part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees that is north of the centre of the River Tees. Stockton was also part of Cleveland until that county's abolition in 1996.[10] The remainder of the borough is part of the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.[3]
Civil parishes
The county is partially parished.
Emergency services
Durham Constabulary operate in the area of the two unitary districts of County Durham and Darlington.[11] Ron Hogg was first elected the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner for the force on 15 November 2012. The other areas in the ceremonial county fall within the police area of the Cleveland Police.
Fire service areas follow the same areas as the police with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service serving the two unitary districts of County Durham and Darlington and Cleveland Fire Brigade covering the rest. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service is under the supervision of a combined fire authority consisting of 25 local councillors: 21 from Durham County Council and 4 from Darlington Borough Council.[12]
The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust are responsible for providing NHS ambulance services throughout the ceremonial county, plus the boroughs of Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland, which are south of the River Tees and therefore in North Yorkshire, but are also part of the North East England region.
Air Ambulance services are provided by the Great North Air Ambulance. The charity operates three helicopters including one at Teesside International Airport covering the County Durham area.
Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team, are based at Sniperly Farm in Durham City and respond to search and rescue incidents in the county.
History
Anglian Kingdom of Bernicia
Main article: Bernicia
Around AD 547, an Angle named Ida founded the kingdom of Bernicia after spotting the defensive potential of a large rock at Bamburgh, upon which many a fortification was thenceforth built.[13] Ida was able to forge, hold and consolidate the kingdom; although the native British tried to take back their land, the Angles triumphed and the kingdom endured.
Kingdom of Northumbria
Main article: Kingdom of Northumbria
In AD 604, Ida's grandson Æthelfrith forcibly merged Bernicia (ruled from Bamburgh) and Deira (ruled from York, which was known as Eforwic at the time) to create the Kingdom of Northumbria. In time, the realm was expanded, primarily through warfare and conquest; at its height, the kingdom stretched from the River Humber (from which the kingdom drew its name) to the Forth. Eventually, factional fighting and the rejuvenated strength of neighbouring kingdoms, most notably Mercia, led to Northumbria's decline.[13] The arrival of the Vikings hastened this decline, and the Scandinavian raiders eventually claimed the Deiran part of the kingdom in AD 867 (which became Jórvík). The land that would become County Durham now sat on the border with the Great Heathen Army, a border which today still (albeit with some adjustments over the years) forms the boundaries between Yorkshire and County Durham.
Despite their success south of the river Tees, the Vikings never fully conquered the Bernician part of Northumbria, despite the many raids they had carried out on the kingdom.[13] However, Viking control over the Danelaw, the central belt of Anglo-Saxon territory, resulted in Northumbria becoming isolated from the rest of Anglo-Saxon Britain. Scots invasions in the north pushed the kingdom's northern boundary back to the River Tweed, and the kingdom found itself reduced to a dependent earldom, its boundaries very close to those of modern-day Northumberland and County Durham. The kingdom was annexed into England in AD 954.
City of Durham founded
Main article: Durham, England
In AD 995, St Cuthbert's community, who had been transporting Cuthbert's remains around, partly in an attempt to avoid them falling into the hands of Viking raiders, settled at Dunholm (Durham) on a site that was defensively favourable due to the horseshoe-like path of the River Wear.[14] St Cuthbert's remains were placed in a shrine in the White Church, which was originally a wooden structure but was eventually fortified into a stone building.
Once the City of Durham had been founded, the Bishops of Durham gradually acquired the lands that would become County Durham. Bishop Aldhun began this process by procuring land in the Tees and Wear valleys, including Norton, Stockton, Escomb and Aucklandshire in 1018. In 1031, King Canute gave Staindrop to the Bishops. This territory continued to expand, and was eventually given the status of a liberty. Under the control of the Bishops of Durham, the land had various names: the "Liberty of Durham", "Liberty of St Cuthbert's Land" "the lands of St Cuthbert between Tyne and Tees" or "the Liberty of Haliwerfolc" (holy Wear folk).[15]
The bishops' special jurisdiction rested on claims that King Ecgfrith of Northumbria had granted a substantial territory to St Cuthbert on his election to the see of Lindisfarne in 684. In about 883 a cathedral housing the saint's remains was established at Chester-le-Street and Guthfrith, King of York granted the community of St Cuthbert the area between the Tyne and the Wear, before the community reached its final destination in 995, in Durham.
Following the Norman invasion, the administrative machinery of government extended only slowly into northern England. Northumberland's first recorded Sheriff was Gilebert from 1076 until 1080 and a 12th-century record records Durham regarded as within the shire.[16] However the bishops disputed the authority of the sheriff of Northumberland and his officials, despite the second sheriff for example being the reputed slayer of Malcolm Canmore, King of Scots. The crown regarded Durham as falling within Northumberland until the late thirteenth century.
County Palatine of Durham
Main article: County Palatine of Durham
Durham palatinate plaque
Matters regarding the bishopric of Durham came to a head in 1293 when the bishop and his steward failed to attend proceedings of quo warranto held by the justices of Northumberland. The bishop's case went before parliament, where he stated that Durham lay outside the bounds of any English shire and that "from time immemorial it had been widely known that the sheriff of Northumberland was not sheriff of Durham nor entered within that liberty as sheriff. . . nor made there proclamations or attachments".[17] The arguments appear to have prevailed, as by the fourteenth century Durham was accepted as a liberty which received royal mandates direct. In effect it was a private shire, with the bishop appointing his own sheriff.[15] The area eventually became known as the "County Palatine of Durham".
Sadberge was a liberty, sometimes referred to as a county, within Northumberland. In 1189 it was purchased for the see but continued with a separate sheriff, coroner and court of pleas. In the 14th century Sadberge was included in Stockton ward and was itself divided into two wards. The division into the four wards of Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Easington and Stockton existed in the 13th century, each ward having its own coroner and a three-weekly court corresponding to the hundred court. The diocese was divided into the archdeaconries of Durham and Northumberland. The former is mentioned in 1072, and in 1291 included the deaneries of Chester-le-Street, Auckland, Lanchester and Darlington.
The term palatinus is applied to the bishop in 1293, and from the 13th century onwards the bishops frequently claimed the same rights in their lands as the king enjoyed in his kingdom.
Early administration
Overview
The historic boundaries of the county shown in John Speed's map of the county in his Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, c. 1611. These boundaries remained in use for administrative purposes until the local government reforms starting in the 1960s. A depiction of the city of Durham is inset in the top right.
The historic boundaries of County Durham included a main body covering the catchment of the Pennines in the west, the River Tees in the south, the North Sea in the east and the Rivers Tyne and Derwent in the north.[18][19] The county palatinate also had a number of liberties: the Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire[20] and Norhamshire[21] exclaves within Northumberland, and the Craikshire exclave within the North Riding of Yorkshire. In 1831 the county covered an area of 679,530 acres (2,750.0 km2)[22] and had a population of 253,910.[23] These exclaves were included as part of the county for parliamentary electoral purposes until 1832, and for judicial and local-government purposes until the coming into force of the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, which merged most remaining exclaves with their surrounding county. The boundaries of the county proper remained in use for administrative and ceremonial purposes until the 1972 Local Government Act.
The Early English and Norman period
Following the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror appointed Copsig as Earl of Northumbria, thereby bringing what would become County Durham under Copsig's control. Copsig was, just a few weeks later, killed in Newburn.[24] Having already being previously offended by the appointment of a non-Northumbrian as Bishop of Durham in 1042, the people of the region became increasingly rebellious.[24] In response, in January 1069, William despatched a large Norman army, under the command of Robert de Comines, to Durham City. The army, believed to consist of 700 cavalry (about one-third of the number of Norman knights who had participated in the Battle of Hastings),[24] entered the city, whereupon they were attacked, and defeated, by a Northumbrian assault force. The Northumbrians wiped out the entire Norman army, including Comines,[24] all except for one survivor, who was allowed to take the news of this defeat back.
Following the Norman slaughter at the hands of the Northumbrians, resistance to Norman rule spread throughout Northern England, including a similar uprising in York.[24] William The Conqueror subsequently (and successfully) attempted to halt the northern rebellions by unleashing the notorious Harrying of the North (1069–1070).[25] Because William's main focus during the harrying was on Yorkshire,[24] County Durham was largely spared the Harrying.[26] The best remains of the Norman period include Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, and several parish churches, such as St Laurence Church in Pittington. The Early English period has left the eastern portion of the cathedral, the churches of Darlington, Hartlepool, and St Andrew, Auckland, Sedgefield, and portions of a few other churches.
11th to 15th centuries
Until the 15th century, the most important administrative officer in the Palatinate was the steward. Other officers included the sheriff, the coroners, the Chamberlain and the chancellor. The palatine exchequer originated in the 12th century. The palatine assembly represented the whole county, and dealt chiefly with fiscal questions. The bishop's council, consisting of the clergy, the sheriff and the barons, regulated judicial affairs, and later produced the Chancery and the courts of Admiralty and Marshalsea.[citation needed]
The entrance to Durham Castle, the bishops' palace until 1832 when it moved to Auckland Castle
The prior of Durham ranked first among the bishop's barons. He had his own court, and almost exclusive jurisdiction over his men. A UNESCO site describes the role of the Prince-Bishops in Durham, the "buffer state between England and Scotland":[27]
From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England’s northern frontier.
A report states that the Bishops also had the authority to appoint judges and barons and to offer pardons.[28]
There were ten palatinate barons in the 12th century, most importantly the Hyltons of Hylton Castle, the Bulmers of Brancepeth, the Conyers of Sockburne, the Hansards of Evenwood, and the Lumleys of Lumley Castle. The Nevilles owned large estates in the county. John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby rebuilt Raby Castle, their principal seat, in 1377.
Edward I's quo warranto proceedings of 1293 showed twelve lords enjoying more or less extensive franchises under the bishop. The repeated efforts of the Crown to check the powers of the palatinate bishops culminated in 1536 in the Act of Resumption, which deprived the bishop of the power to pardon offences against the law or to appoint judicial officers. Moreover, indictments and legal processes were in future to run in the name of the king, and offences to be described as against the peace of the king, rather than that of the bishop. In 1596 restrictions were imposed[by whom?] on the powers of the chancery, and in 1646 the palatinate was formally abolished. It was revived, however, after the Restoration, and continued with much the same power until 5 July 1836, when the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 provided that the palatine jurisdiction should in future be vested in the Crown.[29][30]
15th century to the modern era
During the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, Henry VI passed through Durham. On the outbreak of the Great Rebellion in 1642 Durham inclined to support the cause of the Parliament, and in 1640 the high sheriff of the palatinate guaranteed to supply the Scottish army with provisions during their stay in the county. In 1642 the Earl of Newcastle formed the western counties into an association for the King's service, but in 1644 the palatinate was again overrun by a Scottish army, and after the Battle of Marston Moor (2 July 1644) fell entirely into the hands of the parliament.
In 1614, a bill was introduced in parliament for securing representation to the county and city of Durham and the borough of Barnard Castle. The bishop strongly opposed the proposal as an infringement of his palatinate rights, and the county was first summoned to return members to parliament in 1654. After the Restoration of 1660 the county and city returned two members each. In the wake of the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned two members for two divisions, and the boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland acquired representation. The bishops lost their secular powers in 1836.[31] The boroughs of Darlington, Stockton and Hartlepool returned one member each from 1868 until the Redistribution Act of 1885.
'Durham Castle and Cathedral' is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.[32] Other attractions in the County include; Auckland Castle, North of England Lead Mining Museum and Beamish Museum. [33]
Modern local government
See also: History of local government districts in Durham
High Force waterfall on the River Tees
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 reformed the municipal boroughs of Durham, Stockton on Tees and Sunderland. In 1875, Jarrow was incorporated as a municipal borough,[34] as was West Hartlepool in 1887.[35] At a county level, the Local Government Act 1888 reorganised local government throughout England and Wales.[36] Most of the county came under control of the newly formed Durham County Council in an area known as an administrative county. Not included were the county boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland. However, for purposes other than local government, the administrative county of Durham and the county boroughs continued to form a single county to which the Crown appointed a Lord Lieutenant of Durham.
Over its existence, the administrative county lost territory, both to the existing county boroughs, and because two municipal boroughs became county boroughs: West Hartlepool in 1902[35] and Darlington in 1915.[37] The county boundary with the North Riding of Yorkshire was adjusted in 1967: that part of the town of Barnard Castle historically in Yorkshire was added to County Durham,[38] while the administrative county ceded the portion of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in Durham to the North Riding.[39] In 1968, following the recommendation of the Local Government Commission, Billingham was transferred to the county borough of Teesside, in the North Riding.[40] In 1971, the population of the county—including all associated county boroughs (an area of 2,570 km2 (990 sq mi)[23])—was 1,409,633, with a population outside the county boroughs of 814,396.[41]
In 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 abolished the administrative county and the county boroughs, reconstituting County Durham as a non-metropolitan county.[36][42] The reconstituted County Durham lost territory[43] to the north-east (around Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland) to Tyne and Wear[44][45] and to the south-east (around Hartlepool) to Cleveland.[44][45] At the same time it gained the former area of Startforth Rural District from the North Riding of Yorkshire.[46] The area of the Lord Lieutenancy of Durham was also adjusted by the Act to coincide with the non-metropolitan county[47] (which occupied 3,019 km2 (1,166 sq mi) in 1981).[23]
In 1996, as part of 1990s UK local government reform by Lieutenancies Act 1997, Cleveland was abolished. Its districts were reconstituted as unitary authorities. Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees (north Tees) were returned to the county for the purposes of Lord Lieutenancy.[48] Darlington also became a third unitary authority of the county. The Royal Mail abandoned the use of postal counties altogether, permitted but not mandatory being at a writer wishes.[49][3][50]
As part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England initiated by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the seven district councils within the County Council area were abolished. The County Council assumed their functions and became the fourth unitary authority. Changes came into effect on 1 April 2009.[51][5]
On 15 April 2014, North East Combined Authority was established under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 with powers over economic development and regeneration.[52] In November 2018, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Borough Council, and Northumberland County Council left the authority. These later formed the North of Tyne Combined Authority.[53]
Modern national government
Further information: List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham
Tourism
Landmarks
Durham Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Construction began in 1093.
The Angel of the North in Gateshead
Tyne bridge between Gateshead and Newcastle, Northumberland
The Transporter Bridge between Port Clarence and Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle
The Penshaw Monument.
Yarm Viaduct between Eaglescliffe and Yarm, Yorkshire
Bishop Auckland
An October 2019 article in The Guardian referred to Bishop Auckland as a "rundown town ... since the closure of the mines" but predicted that the re-opening of Auckland Castle would transform the area into a "leading tourist destination".[54] After renovations by the Auckland Project, the castle re-opened on 2 November 2019, operated by the Auckland Castle Trust, started by the owner of the castle, Jonathan Ruffer. In 2012 Ruffer had purchased the property and all of its contents, including the artwork, with works by Francisco de Zurbarán.[55][56][57]
Other projects in the town include the Mining Art Gallery, which opened in 2017 (thanks to support provided to the Castle Trust by Bishop Auckland and Shildon AAP and Durham County Council),[58] a viewing tower, an open-air theatre show (Kynren) depicting "An Epic Tale of England", and the Bishop Trevor Gallery at the Castle (which started displaying the National Gallery's "Masterpiece" touring exhibit in October 2019). In a few years[when?], other attractions were expected[by whom?] to open at or near the Castle: a display of Spanish art, a Faith Museum, a site that will feature the works of Francisco de Zurbarán, a boutique hotel and two additional restaurants.
Reports suggest that the revival of the area, dubbed "the Auckland Project", will eventually cost a total of about £150m.[59][60] According to The Guardian,[60]
"The aim is to make the town – the heart of the abandoned Durham coalfields – a tourist destination that holds people for a day or two rather than just a couple of hours. The scheme will create hundreds of entry-level jobs in a county that suffers high unemployment and has some of the most deprived areas in northern Europe".
A Financial Times report in early November 2019 stated that "Kynren [theatre] has attracted 250,000 people and the Auckland Project, even with the castle closed, welcomed 35,500 visitors in the past year" to this community.[61]
A September 2019 report identified Bishop Auckland as one of the towns designated to receive up to £25 million in funding from a new Towns Fund intended "to improve industrial areas that have not benefitted from economic growth in the same way as more prosperous areas". Durham County Council's Cabinet member for economic regeneration said that the funds would help the partners in Bishop Auckland to regenerate the town center area.[62]
Geography
Geology
Main article: Geology of County Durham
County Durham is underlain by Carboniferous rocks in the west. Permian and Triassic strata overlie these older rocks in the east. These sedimentary sequences have been cut by igneous dykes and sills.
Climate
County Durham
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
56 61
39 71
51 92
52 113
50 156
55 179
45 2011
61 2011
58 179
57 136
62 93
59 72
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [63]
Imperial conversion
The following climate figures were gathered at the Durham weather station between 1981 and 2010:
Climate data for Durham, elevation: 102 m (335 ft), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1850–present
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)16.7
(62.1)17.4
(63.3)21.7
(71.1)24.1
(75.4)27.8
(82.0)30.6
(87.1)33.6
(92.5)32.5
(90.5)30.0
(86.0)25.0
(77.0)19.4
(66.9)15.9
(60.6)33.6
(92.5)
Average high °C (°F)6.6
(43.9)7.2
(45.0)9.5
(49.1)11.9
(53.4)15.0
(59.0)17.6
(63.7)20.1
(68.2)19.8
(67.6)17.2
(63.0)13.3
(55.9)9.4
(48.9)6.7
(44.1)12.9
(55.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)3.8
(38.8)4.1
(39.4)5.9
(42.6)7.8
(46.0)10.6
(51.1)13.3
(55.9)15.6
(60.1)15.4
(59.7)13.1
(55.6)9.8
(49.6)6.4
(43.5)3.9
(39.0)9.1
(48.4)
Average low °C (°F)0.9
(33.6)0.9
(33.6)2.3
(36.1)3.7
(38.7)6.1
(43.0)9.0
(48.2)11.1
(52.0)11.0
(51.8)9.0
(48.2)6.3
(43.3)3.4
(38.1)1.1
(34.0)5.4
(41.7)
Record low °C (°F)−17.2
(1.0)−18.3
(−0.9)−15.0
(5.0)−11.1
(12.0)−4.4
(24.1)−1.1
(30.0)1.1
(34.0)0.6
(33.1)−1.1
(30.0)−5.5
(22.1)−8.8
(16.2)−16.6
(2.1)−18.3
(−0.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)52.3
(2.06)41.8
(1.65)44.6
(1.76)52.7
(2.07)44.2
(1.74)55.4
(2.18)54.0
(2.13)60.8
(2.39)55.4
(2.18)60.9
(2.40)72.0
(2.83)57.0
(2.24)651.1
(25.63)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)11.49.39.79.59.29.79.09.69.311.312.311.7122.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours58.680.3115.5150.3181.7164.8172.3167.3134.5102.866.451.21,445.4
Source 1: Met Office[64][65][66]
Source 2: Durham Weather UK[67]
Green belt
Further information: North East Green Belt
County Durham contains a small area of green belt in the north of the county, surrounding primarily the city of Durham, Chester-le-Street and other communities along the shared county border with Tyne and Wear, to afford a protection from the Wearside conurbation. There is a smaller portion of belt separating Urpeth, Ouston, Pelton, and Perkinsville from Birtley in Tyne and Wear. A further small segment by the coast separates Seaham from the Sunderland settlements of Beckwith Green and Ryhope. It was first drawn up in the 1990s.[68]
North Pennines
The county contains a sizeable area of the North Pennines, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, primarily west of Tow Law and Barnard Castle. The highest point (county top) of historic County Durham is the trig point (not the summit) of Burnhope Seat, height 746 metres (2,448 ft), between Weardale and Teesdale on the border with historic Cumberland in the far west of the county. The local government reorganisation of 1974 placed the higher Mickle Fell south of Teesdale (the county top of Yorkshire) within the administrative borders of Durham (where it remains within the ceremonial county), although it is not generally recognised as the highest point of Durham.
The two main dales of County Durham (Teesdale and Weardale) and the surrounding fells, many of which exceed 2,000 feet (610 m) in height, are excellent hillwalking country, although not nearly as popular as the nearby Yorkshire Dales and Lake District national parks. The scenery is rugged and remote, and the high fells have a landscape typical of the Pennines with extensive areas of tussock grass and blanket peat bog in the west, with heather moorland on the lower slopes descending to the east. Hamsterley Forest near Crook is a popular recreational area for local residents.
Biology
Birds
152 species of birds are recorded as breeding; however, not all are considered regular breeders.[69]
Demography
Population
Further information: List of settlements in County Durham by population
Population over time of the current remit of Durham County Council between 1801 and 2001
YearPopulationYearPopulationYearPopulation
1801
59,765
1871
273,671
1941
511,590
1811
64,781
1881
329,985
1951
504,943
1821
74,366
1891
360,028
1961
506,070
1831
86,267
1901
419,782
1971
509,307
1841
121,602
1911
492,503
1981
501,639
1851
161,035
1921
503,946
1991
505,625
1861
217,353
1931
518,581
2001
493,470
Source: A Vision of Britain through Time.[70]
The Office for National Statistics estimated in 2016 that the Durham County Council area had a population of 522,100, the Borough of Darlington a population of 105,600, the Borough of Hartlepool a population of 92,800, and the part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham (the other part being in North Yorkshire) a population of 137,300[note 1]. This gives the total estimated population of the ceremonial county at 857,800.[71][72]
At the 2001 Census, Easington and Derwentside districts had the highest proportion (around 99%) in the county council area of resident population who were born in the UK.[73] 13.2% of the county council area's residents rate their health as not good, the highest proportion in England.[74] This table shows the historic population of the current remit of Durham County Council between 1801 and 2001.
96.6% of County Durham's residents are indigenous White British, with other white groups making up a further 1.6% of the population. The largest non-white ethnic group is formed by those of Chinese descent, at around 1,600 people (0.3%), most of whom living in and around Durham itself, and with many of those studying at the university. Around 77% of the county's population are Christian whilst 22% have no religion, and around 1% come from other religious communities. These figures exclude around 6% of the population who did not wish to state their religion.
Settlements
Further information: List of places in County Durham and List of civil parishes in County Durham
Changes in the 1900s
Since the Local Government Act 1972 historic county boundaries now lie within other administrative counties. These include:
Tyne and WearSouth Tyneside, City of Sunderland and metropolitan borough of Gatesheadadministratively removed in 1974
North Riding of YorkshireSmall number of settlements south of the Tees, such as Startforth,administratively added to county control in 1974.
Cleveland countyHartlepool boroughadministratively removed from historic county control in 1974, added to ceremonial county control in 1996.
Cleveland countyStockton-on-Tees (North Tees) boroughTwo previous separate administrative partial removals from historic county control in 1968 and 1974, added to ceremonial county control in 1996.
Changes in the 1800s
Further information: Exclaves
Throughout the 1800s exclaves, of the historic county, each were given back to surrounding shires and lands they were closer associated with:
East Riding of YorkshireHowdenshire
North Riding of Yorkshire (now North Yorkshire)Allertonshire
NorthumberlandBedlingtonshire, Islandshire (included Berwick-upon-Tweed)
Employment
The proportion of the population working in agriculture fell from around 6% in 1851 to 1% in 1951; currently less than 1% of the population work in agriculture.[23] There were 15,202 people employed in coal mining in 1841, rising to a peak of 157,837 in 1921.[23] As at 2001, Chester-le-Street district has the lowest number of available jobs per working-age resident (0.38%).[75]
Economy
Economic history
Graph showing unadjusted gross value added (GVA) in County Durham across 3 industries at current basic prices from 1995 to 2004.
Legend
Agriculture, hunting and forestry
Industry, including energy and construction
Service activities
Total
Source:[76]
County Durham has long been associated with coal mining, from medieval times up to the late 20th century.[77] The Durham Coalfield covered a large area of the county, from Bishop Auckland, to Consett, to the River Tyne and below the North Sea, thereby providing a significant expanse of territory from which this rich mineral resource could be extracted.
King Stephen possessed a mine in Durham, which he granted to Bishop Pudsey, and in the same century colliers are mentioned at Coundon, Bishopwearmouth and Sedgefield. Cockfield Fell was one of the earliest Landsale collieries in Durham. Richard II granted to the inhabitants of Durham licence to export the produce of the mines, the majority being transported from the Port of Sunderland complex which was constructed in the 1850s.[citation needed]
Among other early industries, lead-mining was carried on in the western part of the county, and mustard was extensively cultivated. Gateshead had a considerable tanning trade and shipbuilding was undertaken at Sunderland, which became the largest shipbuilding town in the world – constructing a third of Britain's tonnage.[citation needed]
The county's modern-era economic history was facilitated significantly by the growth of the mining industry during the nineteenth century. At the industry's height, in the early 20th century, over 170,000 coal miners were employed,[77] and they mined 58,700,000 tons of coal in 1913 alone.[78] As a result, a large number of colliery villages were built throughout the county as the industrial revolution gathered pace.
The railway industry was also a major employer during the industrial revolution, with railways being built throughout the county, such as The Tanfield Railway, The Clarence Railway and The Stockton and Darlington Railway.[79] The growth of this industry occurred alongside the coal industry, as the railways provided a fast, efficient means to move coal from the mines to the ports and provided the fuel for the locomotives. The great railway pioneers Timothy Hackworth, Edward Pease, George Stephenson and Robert Stephenson were all actively involved with developing the railways in tandem with County Durham's coal mining industry.[80] Shildon and Darlington became thriving 'railway towns' and experienced significant growths in population and prosperity; before the railways, just over 100 people lived in Shildon but, by the 1890s, the town was home to around 8,000 people, with Shildon Shops employing almost 3000 people at its height.[81]
However, by the 1930s, the coal mining industry began to diminish and, by the mid-twentieth century, the pits were closing at an increasing rate.[82] In 1951, the Durham County Development Plan highlighted a number of colliery villages, such as Blackhouse, as 'Category D' settlements, in which future development would be prohibited, property would be acquired and demolished, and the population moved to new housing, such as that being built in Newton Aycliffe.[83] Likewise, the railway industry also began to decline, and was significantly brought to a fraction of its former self by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s. Darlington Works closed in 1966 and Shildon Shops followed suit in 1984. The county's last deep mines, at Easington, Vane Tempest, Wearmouth and Westoe, closed in 1993.
Boosting tourism
An October 2019 article in The Guardian referred to town of Bishop Auckland as a "rundown town ... since the closure of the mines" but predicted that the re-opening of Auckland Castle would transform the community into a "leading tourist destination".[84] The castle re-opened on 2 November 2019 after renovations by the Auckland Project, operated by the Auckland Castle Trust, started by the owner of the castle, Jonathan Ruffer.[85][86][87]
The interior had been fully restored, including the bishops' "palatial" apartments. The Faith Museum of world religion and a huge glass greenhouse were under construction.[88]
Other attractions already operating include the Mining Art Gallery which opened in 2017,[89] an open-air theatre, Kynren, depicting "An Epic Tale of England", and the Bishop Trevor Gallery at the Castle; the latter started displaying the National Gallery's Masterpiece touring exhibit in October 2019. In a few years, other attractions were expected to open at or near the Castle: a display of Spanish art, the Faith Museum (already being built), a site that will feature the works of Francisco de Zurbarán, a boutique hotel and two restaurants, in addition to the Bishop's Kitchen café. According to The Guardian,[90]
The aim is to make the town – the heart of the abandoned Durham coalfields – a tourist destination that holds people for a day or two rather than just a couple of hours. The scheme will create hundreds of entry-level jobs in a county that suffers high unemployment and has some of the most deprived areas in northern Europe.
Economic output
The chart and table summarise unadjusted gross value added (GVA) in millions of pounds sterling for County Durham across 3 industries at current basic prices from 1995 to 2004.
Gross Value Added (GVA) (£m)
199520002004
Agriculture, hunting and forestry453348
Industry, including energy and construction1,7511,8271,784
Service activities2,2822,8693,455
Total4,0784,7295,288
UK640,416840,9791,044,165
Post markings
Postal Rates from 1801 were charged depending on the distance from London. Durham was allocated the code 263 the approximate mileage from London. From about 1811, a datestamp appeared on letters showing the date the letter was posted. In 1844 a new system was introduced and Durham was allocated the code 267. This system was replaced in 1840 when the first postage stamps were introduced.
Culture
Mining and heavy industry
John Wilson Carmichael A View of Murton Colliery near Seaham, County Durham, 1843
A substantial number of colliery villages were built throughout the county in the nineteenth century to house the growing workforce, which included large numbers of migrant workers from the rest of the UK.[77] Sometimes the migrants were brought in to augment the local workforce but, in other cases, they were brought in as strike breakers, or "blacklegs". Tens of thousands of people migrated to County Durham from Cornwall (partly due to their previous experience of tin mining) between 1815 and the outbreak of the First World War, so much so that the miners' cottages in east Durham called "Greenhill" were also known locally as "Cornwall", and Easington Colliery still has a Cornish Street.[91] Other migrants included people from Northumberland, Cumberland, South Wales, Scotland and Ireland.[92][93] Coal mining had a profound effect on trade unionism, public health and housing, as well as creating a related culture, language, folklore and sense of identity that still survives today.[78]
The migrants also were employed in the railway, ship building, iron, steel and roadworking industries, and the pattern of migration continued, to a lesser extent, up until the 1950s and 1960s. Gateshead was once home to the fourth-largest Irish settlement in England,[92] Consett's population was 22% Irish[94] and significant numbers of Irish people moved to Sunderland, resulting in the city hosting numerous events on St. Patrick's Day due to the Irish heritage.[95]
Durham Miners' Gala 2008
The culture of coal mining found expression in the Durham Miners' Gala, which was first held in 1871,[96] developed around the culture of trade unionism. Coal mining continued to decline and pits closed. The UK miners' strike of 1984/5 caused many miners across the county to strike. Today no deep-coal mines exist in the county and numbers attending the Miners' Gala decreased over the period between the end of the strike and the 21st century. However recent years have seen numbers significantly grow, and more banners return to the Gala each year as former colliery communities restore or replicate former banners to march at the Gala parade.[96][97]
Art
In 1930, the Spennymoor Settlement (otherwise known as the Pitman's Academy) opened. The settlement, initially funded by the Pilgrim Trust, aimed to encourage people to be neighbourly and participate in voluntary social service.[98] The settlement operated during the Great Depression, when unemployment was widespread and economic deprivation rife; Spennymoor was economically underprivileged. The settlement provided educational and social work, as well as hope; this included providing unemployed miners with on outlet for their creativity, a poor person's lawyer service, the town's first library and the Everyman Theatre. The output included paintings, sewing, socially-significant plays, woodwork and sculptures. Several members went on to win adult scholarships at Oxford University[98] when such a route would normally be closed to the underprivileged. Former members include artists Norman Cornish and Tom McGuinness, writer Sid Chaplin OBE and journalist Arnold Hadwin OBE. The Spennymoor Settlement at its home in the Everyman Theatre (Grade 2 listed) is still operating, administered by the current trustees, offering community events and activities, including Youth Theatre Group, an Art Group and various classes, as well as offering community accommodation facilities.
Several Durham miners have been able to turn their former mining careers into careers in art. For example, Tom Lamb, as well as the aforementioned Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish. Their artworks depict scenes of life underground, from the streets in which they lived and of the people they loved; through them, we can see, understand and experience the mining culture of County Durham.
In 2017, The Mining Art Gallery opened in Bishop Auckland in a building that was once a bank.[99] Part of the Auckland Project, the gallery includes the work of artists from within County Durham and beyond, including such other North-Eastern mining artists as Robert Olley, as well as contributions from outside the region. It features three permanent areas and a temporary exhibition area; the gallery's Gemini Collection includes 420 pieces of mining art. [100] Much of the artwork was donated, by Dr Robert McManners and Gillian Wales, for example.[101]
In 2019, 100 years after his birth, a permanent tribute to the work of the artist Norman Stansfield Cornish MBE was opened within the Town Hall, and a Cornish Trail around the town was established to include areas of the town depicted in Cornish's artwork.
Music
As with neighbouring Northumberland, County Durham has a rich heritage of Northumbrian music, dating back from the Northumbrian Golden Age of the 7th and 8th centuries. Bede made references to harp-playing, and abundant archeological evidence has been found of wooden flutes, bone flutes, panpipes, wooden drums and lyres (a six-string form of harp).[13] North-East England has a distinctive folk music style that has drawn from many other regions, including southern Scotland, Ireland and the rest of northern England, that has endured stably since the 18th century.[102] Instruments played include, in common with most folk music styles, stringed instruments such as the guitar and fiddle, but also the Northumbrian smallpipe, which is played and promoted by people including the Northumbrian Pipers' Society throughout the North East, including County Durham, with the society having an active group in Sedgefield.[103] Contemporary folk musicians include Jez Lowe and Ged Foley.
In 2018, The Arts Council funded the Stories of Sanctuary project in the city of Durham. The project aims to assist people living in the city to share their stories about seeking sanctuary in the North East through photography, stories, poetry and music. The art is based on a history of sanctuary in Durham, from St Cuthbert's exile, through to the miners' strike of 1984, and to refugees escaping civil war in the Middle East. The music produced as part of the project includes contributions from singer-songwriter Sam Slatcher and viola player Raghad Haddad from the National Syrian Orchestra.[104]
Other notable performers/songwriters who were born or raised in the county include Paddy McAloon, Eric Boswell, Jeremy Spencer, Alan Clark, Martin Brammer, Robert Blamire, Thomas Allen, Zoe Birkett, John O'Neill, Karen Harding and Courtney Hadwin.
Flag
Main article: Flag of County Durham
County Durham flag
County Durham has its own flag, registered with the Flag Institute on 21 November 2013.[105]
Katie, Holly and James Moffatt designed the flag and entered their design into a competition launched by campaigner Andy Strangeway, who spoke of the flag as "free, public symbol for all to use, especially on 20th March each year, which is not only County Durham Day but also St Cuthbert’s birthday.”[106]
The flag consists of St Cuthbert's cross counterchanged with the county's blue and gold colours.
Education
Further information: University of Durham and List of schools in County Durham
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington
Durham LEA has a comprehensive school system with 36 state secondary schools (not including sixth form colleges) and five independent schools (four in Durham and one in Barnard Castle). Easington district has the largest school population by year, and Teesdale the smallest with two schools. Only one school in Easington and Derwentside districts have sixth forms, with about half the schools in the other districts having sixth forms.
The University of Durham is based in Durham city and is sometimes held to be the third oldest university in England.[107]
Places of interest
Key
AP Icon.svgAbbey/Priory/Cathedral
Accessible open spaceAccessible open space
Themepark uk icon.pngAmusement/Theme Park
CL icon.svgCastle
Country ParkCountry Park
EH icon.svgEnglish Heritage
Forestry Commission
Heritage railwayHeritage railway
Historic houseHistoric House
MosqueMosques
Museum (free)
MuseumMuseum (free/not free)
National TrustNational Trust
Drama-icon.svgTheatre
Zoo icon.jpgZoo
Apollo Pavilion, Peterlee, controversial piece of concrete art designed by Victor Pasmore in 1969.
Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland Historic house
Barnard Castle English Heritage Historic house Castle
Beamish Museum, in Stanley Accessible open space Museum (charges for entry) Heritage railway
Binchester Roman Fort Museum (charges for entry)
Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle Museum (charges for entry) Historic house
Castle Eden, a castle with adjoining village, famous for the Castle Eden Brewery.
Castle Eden Dene, Nature reserve with coal mining heritage.
Causey Arch, near Stanley
County Hall
Crook Hall and Gardens
Durham Cathedral and Castle, a World Heritage Site Cathedral Castle
Durham Dales
Durham Light Infantry Museum, Aykley Heads, Near Durham Museum (charges for entry)
Escomb Saxon Church, near Bishop Auckland
Finchale Priory, near Durham city English Heritage
Hamsterley Forest
Hardwick Hall Country Park, near Sedgefield Country Park
High Force and Low Force waterfalls, on the River Tees Accessible open space
Ireshopeburn – oldest Methodist chapel in the world to have held continuous services. Site of the 'Weardale Museum'
Killhope Wheel, part of the North of England Lead Mining Museum in Weardale Museum (charges for entry)
Kynren, night show in Bishop Auckland, depicting British History.
Longovicium Roman Fort, Lanchester – ruined auxiliary fort.
North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Newcastle
Oriental Museum, Durham City – Asian artefacts and information.
Raby Castle, near Staindrop Castle
The Raby Hunt in Summerhouse, the only 2-Michelin Star restaurant in North East England.
Seaham Hall
Sedgefield – St Edmund's Church has notable Cosin woodwork. Home to Sedgefield Racecourse.
Locomotion railway museum, in Shildon Heritage railway Museum (free entry)
Spennymoor - Jubilee park
Tanfield Railway, in Tanfield Heritage railway
Ushaw College, Catholic Seminary of great religious heritage.
Weardale Railway, at Stanhope, County Durham, Wolsingham and Bishop Auckland Heritage railway
Monochrome, Ushaw College, County Durham, England. Ushaw College (formally St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw), is a former Catholic seminary near the village of Ushaw Moor, County Durham, England, which is now a heritage and cultural tourist attraction. The College is known for its Georgian and Victorian Gothic architecture and listed nineteenth-century chapels. The College now hosts a programme of art exhibitions, music and theatre events, alongside tearooms and a café.
It was founded in 1808 by scholars from the English College, Douai, who had fled France after the French Revolution. Ushaw College was affiliated with Durham University from 1968 and was the principal Roman Catholic seminary for the training of Catholic priests in the north of England.
In 2011, the seminary closed, due to the shortage of vocations. It reopened as a visitor attraction, marketed as Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels & Gardens in late 2014 and, as of 2019, receives around 50,000 visitors a year. The County Durham Music Service and Durham University Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring are based at the college and buildings at the college are also used by Durham University Business School.[2][3]
History
Founding
The English College, Douai was founded in 1568 but was forced to leave France in 1795 following the French Revolution. Part of the college settled temporarily at Crook Hall near Lanchester, northwest of Durham. In 1804 Bishop William Gibson began to build at Ushaw Moor, four miles west of Durham. These buildings, designed by James Taylor, were opened as St Cuthbert's College in 1808. There was a steady expansion during the nineteenth century with new buildings put up to cater for the expanding number of clerical and secular students. In 1847, the newly built chapel, designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was opened.[4] This was followed by the Big Library and Exhibition Hall designed by Joseph Hansom, 1849–1851.[5] The Junior House, designed by Peter Paul Pugin, was added in 1859. St Cuthbert's Chapel, designed by Dunn and Hansom, was opened in 1884, replacing AWN Pugin's 1847 chapel which the seminary had outgrown. The Refectory was designed and built by E. W. Pugin. The final development came in the early 1960s with the opening of a new East wing, providing additional classrooms and single bedrooms for 75 students. The main college buildings are Grade II listed, the College Chapel is Grade II* and the Chapel of St Michael is Grade I.
University of Durham
Although independent, Ushaw College had a close working relationship with Durham University. The college became a Licensed Hall of Residence of the University of Durham in 1968. It was independent of the university but offered courses validated by the university, and both Church and lay students studied at the college. The Junior House closed in 1972, its younger students being transferred to St Joseph's College, Up Holland in Lancashire.
21st Century
In 2002, the college rejected a report from the Roman Catholic hierarchy that it should merge with St Mary's College, Oscott, near Birmingham.[6] However, in October 2010 it was announced that the college would close in 2011 due to the shortage of vocations in the Roman Catholic Church, and that the site might be sold.[7] Following a detailed feasibility study by the college's Trustees and Durham University, and with support from Durham County Council and English Heritage,[8][9] it was announced in January 2012 that Durham Business School would temporarily relocate to the college during rebuilding of the school's buildings in Durham. This was seen as the first step in a long-term education-based vision for the site.[10]
The university also agreed to catalogue and archive the Ushaw library and inventory the other collections to ensure their preservation and specialist conservation,[11] with a view to creating a proposed Ushaw Centre for Catholic Scholarship and Heritage.[8] In March 2019, an uncatalogued early charter of King John was found in the library manuscript collection.[12]
In 2017, Durham University announced plans to develop an international residential research library at Ushaw College, with the aim of attracting scholars from around the world to work on the collections of Ushaw, Durham University and Durham Cathedral. The university has also confirmed that it has extended the agreement to lease the east wing of the college (used by the Business School) to 2027.[13] The college is also used for numerous musical events and for the Ushaw Lecture Series, organised by the university's Centre for Catholic Studies.[14]
In 2018, Durham University's Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) moved into the east wing of the college, previously used by the Business School.[3]
Heraldry
The college armorial bearings are "Per pale dexter Argent a Cross Gules on a Canton Azure a Cross of St Cuthbert proper sinister impaling Allen Argent three Rabbits couchant in pale Sable."
Various emblems on shield represent the college's history and foundation, for example:-
Three coneys are from the family coat of arms of William Allen, the founder of English College, Douai. See Three hares.
The small cross of St Cuthbert represents the college's patron saint (it is modelled on St Cuthbert's own pectoral cross, which is kept in the Treasury at Durham Cathedral).
The large cross of St George honours the English Roman Catholic Martyrs.
Alumni
Early drawing of Ushaw designed (1804–1808) by James Taylor
The Death of St Bede; the monastic clergy are wearing surplices over their cowls (original painting at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw)
See also: Category:Alumni of Ushaw College
Clergy
Nicholas Cardinal Wiseman – first Archbishop of Westminster
Francis Cardinal Bourne – Archbishop of Westminster
Arthur Cardinal Hinsley – Archbishop of Westminster
William Cardinal Godfrey – Archbishop of Westminster
John Carmel Cardinal Heenan – Archbishop of Westminster
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta – Cardinal Secretary of State
Charles Petre Eyre – Archbishop of Glasgow.
Louis Charles Casartelli – 4th Bishop of Salford
Hugh Lindsay – 10th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
James Chadwick – 2nd Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
Alexander Goss – Bishop of Liverpool
Thomas Grant – Bishop of Southwark
Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury
John Lingard – author of The History Of England, From the First Invasion by the Romans to the Accession of Henry VIII
Bernard Łubieński - Redemptorist missionary priest
John Furniss – English Roman Catholic priest, known for his mission to children
James Nugent – Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool
Nicholas Rigby – English Roman Catholic priest and author of The Real Doctrine of the Church on Scripture
Constantine Scollen – Irish Roman Catholic missionary priest and outstanding linguist in Canada in the mid- to late 19th century and author of Thirty Years among the Indians of the Northwest
Paul Swarbrick - Bishop of Lancaster
Lay
George Goldie – nineteenth-century ecclesiastical architect
Edward Goldie – nineteenth- and twentieth-century ecclesiastical architect
Alexander Martin Sullivan – Irish lawyer and defence counsel in the trial of Roger Casement
Charles Napier Hemy – artist and Royal Academician
Francis Thompson – English poet
Joseph Gillow – author of Bibliographical Dictionary of the English Roman Catholics
William Shee – first Roman Catholic to sit as a judge in England and Wales since the Reformation
Francis Joseph Sloane (aka Francesco Giuseppe Sloane) - born 1794, died October 23, 1871, tutor at Ushaw and lifelong friend of Nicolas (later Cardinal) Wiseman, responsible for reviving the Montecatini Val di Cecina copper mine, which was the largest in Europe[15]
Paul Goggins – Labour Member of Parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East and junior minister in the Northern Ireland Office.
Joseph Scott – attorney in Los Angeles, founder of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, vice-president of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
A.J. Hartley bestselling novelist and Shakespeare scholar
Lafcadio Hearn (also known as Koizumi Yakumo) – author, best known for his books about Japan
Francis Petre - prominent New Zealand-born architect designed the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch
Peter Paul Pugin – English architect
James Joseph Foy – Ontario Attorney General and political figure
Myles William Patrick O'Reilly – Roman Catholic soldier and politician
Archibald Matthias Dunn – Roman Catholic ecclesiastical architect
Joe Tasker - Himalayan climber
Charles Bruzon – Gibraltarian government minister and curate[16]
List of presidents
1794–1810 Thomas Eyre
1811–1828 John Gillow
1828–1833 Thomas Youens
1833–1836 John Briggs
1836–1837 Thomas Youens
1837–1863 Charles Newsham
1863–1876 Robert Tate
1876–1877 Francis Wilkinson
1877–1878 James Chadwick
1878–1885 William Wrennall
1885–1886 William Dunderdale
1886–1890 James Lennon
1890–1909 Thomas Wilkinson
1909–1910 Joseph Corbishley
1910–1934 William Brown
1934–1950 Charles Corbishley
1950–1967 Paul Grant
1967–1977 Philip Loftus
1977–1984 Peter Cookson
1984–1991 Peter Walton
1991–1997 Richard Atherton
1997–2003 James O’Keefe
2003–2008 Terence Drainey
2008–2011 John Marsland
County Durham (/ˈdʌrəm/ (About this soundlisten) DURR-əm) is a ceremonial county in North East England.[2] The county town is Durham, a cathedral city. During the Middle Ages, the county was an ecclesiastical centre, due largely to the presence, of St Cuthbert's shrine in Durham Cathedral, and the extensive powers granted to the Bishop of Durham as ruler of the County Palatine of Durham.
The historic county's boundaries stretched between the rivers Tyne and Tees. Historic borders were shared with 4 counties: Northumberland to the north, now along with the county of Tyne and Wear; North Riding of Yorkshire to the south, now North Yorkshire; Westmorland and Cumberland, latter two to the west and both now Cumbria.
Within the Durham County Council area, the largest settlements are Durham, Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe. The largest ceremonial settlement is Darlington, closely followed by Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees. The North East Combined Authority region includes the towns of Gateshead, Jarrow, South Shields and the city of Sunderland. The ceremonial and combined authority overlapped roughly correspond to historic boundaries.[3]
The county has a mixture of mining, farming and heavy railway heritage, with the latter especially noteworthy in the southeast of the county, in Darlington, Shildon and Stockton.[4] In the centre of the city of Durham, Durham Castle and Cathedral are UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites.
Etymology
Many counties are named after their principal town, and the expected form here would be Durhamshire, but this form has never been in common use. The ceremonial county is officially named Durham,[3] but the county has long been commonly known as County Durham and is the only English county name prefixed with "County" in common usage (a practice common in Ireland). Its unusual naming (for an English shire) is explained to some extent by the relationship with the Bishops of Durham, who for centuries governed Durham as a county palatine (the County Palatine of Durham), outside the usual structure, of county administration in England.
The situation regarding the formal name in modern local government is less clear:
The 2009 structural change legislation[5] created the present unitary council (that covers a large part – but not all – of the ceremonial county) refers to "the county of County Durham" and names the new unitary district "County Durham" too.
Later amendment to that legislation[6] refers to the "county of Durham" and the amendment allows for the unitary council to name itself "The Durham Council".
The council retains the name as Durham County Council. With either option, the name does not include County Durham.
The former postal county was named "County Durham" to distinguish it from the post town of Durham.
Politics
Parliament
Main article: List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham
The county boundaries used for parliamentary constituencies are those used between 1974 and 1996 (i.e. consisting of only the area governed by Durham County Council and the Borough of Darlington). This area of the county elects seven Members of Parliament. As of the 2019 General Election, four of these MPs are Conservatives and three MPs are Labour. The rest of the ceremonial county is included in constituencies in the Cleveland parliamentary constituency area.
2019 General Election Results in County Durham
PartyVotes%Change from 2017SeatsChange from 2017
Conservative123,11240.6%Increase4Increase4
Labour122,54740.4%Decrease3Decrease4
Brexit25,4448.4%new00
Liberal Democrats21,3567.0%Increase00
Greens5,9852.0%Increase00
Others4,7251.6%Increase00
Total303,260100.07
Local government
Flag of Durham County Council since 1974, based on the council's coat of arms. This flag was used as an unofficial flag of County Durham until 2013.
The ceremonial county of Durham is administered by four unitary authorities. The ceremonial county has no administrative function, but remains the area to which the Lord Lieutenant of Durham and the High Sheriff of Durham are appointed.
County Durham (governed by Durham County Council): the unitary district was formed on 1 April 2009 replacing the previous two-tier system of a county council providing strategic services and seven district councils providing more local facilities. It has 126 councillors. The seven districts abolished were:[7][8]
Chester-le-Street, including the Lumley, Pelton and Sacriston areas
Derwentside, including Consett and Stanley
City of Durham, including Durham city and the surrounding areas
Easington, including Seaham and the new town of Peterlee
Borough of Sedgefield, including Spennymoor and Newton Aycliffe
Teesdale, including Barnard Castle and the villages of Teesdale
Wear Valley, including Bishop Auckland, Crook, Willington, Hunwick, and the villages along Weardale
The Borough of Darlington: before 1 April 1997, Darlington was a district in a two-tier arrangement with Durham County Council.[9]
The Borough of Hartlepool: until 1 April 1996 the borough was one of four districts in the relatively short-lived county of Cleveland, which was abolished.[3][10]
The part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees that is north of the centre of the River Tees. Stockton was also part of Cleveland until that county's abolition in 1996.[10] The remainder of the borough is part of the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.[3]
Civil parishes
The county is partially parished.
Emergency services
Durham Constabulary operate in the area of the two unitary districts of County Durham and Darlington.[11] Ron Hogg was first elected the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner for the force on 15 November 2012. The other areas in the ceremonial county fall within the police area of the Cleveland Police.
Fire service areas follow the same areas as the police with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service serving the two unitary districts of County Durham and Darlington and Cleveland Fire Brigade covering the rest. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service is under the supervision of a combined fire authority consisting of 25 local councillors: 21 from Durham County Council and 4 from Darlington Borough Council.[12]
The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust are responsible for providing NHS ambulance services throughout the ceremonial county, plus the boroughs of Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland, which are south of the River Tees and therefore in North Yorkshire, but are also part of the North East England region.
Air Ambulance services are provided by the Great North Air Ambulance. The charity operates three helicopters including one at Teesside International Airport covering the County Durham area.
Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team, are based at Sniperly Farm in Durham City and respond to search and rescue incidents in the county.
History
Anglian Kingdom of Bernicia
Main article: Bernicia
Around AD 547, an Angle named Ida founded the kingdom of Bernicia after spotting the defensive potential of a large rock at Bamburgh, upon which many a fortification was thenceforth built.[13] Ida was able to forge, hold and consolidate the kingdom; although the native British tried to take back their land, the Angles triumphed and the kingdom endured.
Kingdom of Northumbria
Main article: Kingdom of Northumbria
In AD 604, Ida's grandson Æthelfrith forcibly merged Bernicia (ruled from Bamburgh) and Deira (ruled from York, which was known as Eforwic at the time) to create the Kingdom of Northumbria. In time, the realm was expanded, primarily through warfare and conquest; at its height, the kingdom stretched from the River Humber (from which the kingdom drew its name) to the Forth. Eventually, factional fighting and the rejuvenated strength of neighbouring kingdoms, most notably Mercia, led to Northumbria's decline.[13] The arrival of the Vikings hastened this decline, and the Scandinavian raiders eventually claimed the Deiran part of the kingdom in AD 867 (which became Jórvík). The land that would become County Durham now sat on the border with the Great Heathen Army, a border which today still (albeit with some adjustments over the years) forms the boundaries between Yorkshire and County Durham.
Despite their success south of the river Tees, the Vikings never fully conquered the Bernician part of Northumbria, despite the many raids they had carried out on the kingdom.[13] However, Viking control over the Danelaw, the central belt of Anglo-Saxon territory, resulted in Northumbria becoming isolated from the rest of Anglo-Saxon Britain. Scots invasions in the north pushed the kingdom's northern boundary back to the River Tweed, and the kingdom found itself reduced to a dependent earldom, its boundaries very close to those of modern-day Northumberland and County Durham. The kingdom was annexed into England in AD 954.
City of Durham founded
Main article: Durham, England
In AD 995, St Cuthbert's community, who had been transporting Cuthbert's remains around, partly in an attempt to avoid them falling into the hands of Viking raiders, settled at Dunholm (Durham) on a site that was defensively favourable due to the horseshoe-like path of the River Wear.[14] St Cuthbert's remains were placed in a shrine in the White Church, which was originally a wooden structure but was eventually fortified into a stone building.
Once the City of Durham had been founded, the Bishops of Durham gradually acquired the lands that would become County Durham. Bishop Aldhun began this process by procuring land in the Tees and Wear valleys, including Norton, Stockton, Escomb and Aucklandshire in 1018. In 1031, King Canute gave Staindrop to the Bishops. This territory continued to expand, and was eventually given the status of a liberty. Under the control of the Bishops of Durham, the land had various names: the "Liberty of Durham", "Liberty of St Cuthbert's Land" "the lands of St Cuthbert between Tyne and Tees" or "the Liberty of Haliwerfolc" (holy Wear folk).[15]
The bishops' special jurisdiction rested on claims that King Ecgfrith of Northumbria had granted a substantial territory to St Cuthbert on his election to the see of Lindisfarne in 684. In about 883 a cathedral housing the saint's remains was established at Chester-le-Street and Guthfrith, King of York granted the community of St Cuthbert the area between the Tyne and the Wear, before the community reached its final destination in 995, in Durham.
Following the Norman invasion, the administrative machinery of government extended only slowly into northern England. Northumberland's first recorded Sheriff was Gilebert from 1076 until 1080 and a 12th-century record records Durham regarded as within the shire.[16] However the bishops disputed the authority of the sheriff of Northumberland and his officials, despite the second sheriff for example being the reputed slayer of Malcolm Canmore, King of Scots. The crown regarded Durham as falling within Northumberland until the late thirteenth century.
County Palatine of Durham
Main article: County Palatine of Durham
Durham palatinate plaque
Matters regarding the bishopric of Durham came to a head in 1293 when the bishop and his steward failed to attend proceedings of quo warranto held by the justices of Northumberland. The bishop's case went before parliament, where he stated that Durham lay outside the bounds of any English shire and that "from time immemorial it had been widely known that the sheriff of Northumberland was not sheriff of Durham nor entered within that liberty as sheriff. . . nor made there proclamations or attachments".[17] The arguments appear to have prevailed, as by the fourteenth century Durham was accepted as a liberty which received royal mandates direct. In effect it was a private shire, with the bishop appointing his own sheriff.[15] The area eventually became known as the "County Palatine of Durham".
Sadberge was a liberty, sometimes referred to as a county, within Northumberland. In 1189 it was purchased for the see but continued with a separate sheriff, coroner and court of pleas. In the 14th century Sadberge was included in Stockton ward and was itself divided into two wards. The division into the four wards of Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Easington and Stockton existed in the 13th century, each ward having its own coroner and a three-weekly court corresponding to the hundred court. The diocese was divided into the archdeaconries of Durham and Northumberland. The former is mentioned in 1072, and in 1291 included the deaneries of Chester-le-Street, Auckland, Lanchester and Darlington.
The term palatinus is applied to the bishop in 1293, and from the 13th century onwards the bishops frequently claimed the same rights in their lands as the king enjoyed in his kingdom.
Early administration
Overview
The historic boundaries of the county shown in John Speed's map of the county in his Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, c. 1611. These boundaries remained in use for administrative purposes until the local government reforms starting in the 1960s. A depiction of the city of Durham is inset in the top right.
The historic boundaries of County Durham included a main body covering the catchment of the Pennines in the west, the River Tees in the south, the North Sea in the east and the Rivers Tyne and Derwent in the north.[18][19] The county palatinate also had a number of liberties: the Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire[20] and Norhamshire[21] exclaves within Northumberland, and the Craikshire exclave within the North Riding of Yorkshire. In 1831 the county covered an area of 679,530 acres (2,750.0 km2)[22] and had a population of 253,910.[23] These exclaves were included as part of the county for parliamentary electoral purposes until 1832, and for judicial and local-government purposes until the coming into force of the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, which merged most remaining exclaves with their surrounding county. The boundaries of the county proper remained in use for administrative and ceremonial purposes until the 1972 Local Government Act.
The Early English and Norman period
Following the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror appointed Copsig as Earl of Northumbria, thereby bringing what would become County Durham under Copsig's control. Copsig was, just a few weeks later, killed in Newburn.[24] Having already being previously offended by the appointment of a non-Northumbrian as Bishop of Durham in 1042, the people of the region became increasingly rebellious.[24] In response, in January 1069, William despatched a large Norman army, under the command of Robert de Comines, to Durham City. The army, believed to consist of 700 cavalry (about one-third of the number of Norman knights who had participated in the Battle of Hastings),[24] entered the city, whereupon they were attacked, and defeated, by a Northumbrian assault force. The Northumbrians wiped out the entire Norman army, including Comines,[24] all except for one survivor, who was allowed to take the news of this defeat back.
Following the Norman slaughter at the hands of the Northumbrians, resistance to Norman rule spread throughout Northern England, including a similar uprising in York.[24] William The Conqueror subsequently (and successfully) attempted to halt the northern rebellions by unleashing the notorious Harrying of the North (1069–1070).[25] Because William's main focus during the harrying was on Yorkshire,[24] County Durham was largely spared the Harrying.[26] The best remains of the Norman period include Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, and several parish churches, such as St Laurence Church in Pittington. The Early English period has left the eastern portion of the cathedral, the churches of Darlington, Hartlepool, and St Andrew, Auckland, Sedgefield, and portions of a few other churches.
11th to 15th centuries
Until the 15th century, the most important administrative officer in the Palatinate was the steward. Other officers included the sheriff, the coroners, the Chamberlain and the chancellor. The palatine exchequer originated in the 12th century. The palatine assembly represented the whole county, and dealt chiefly with fiscal questions. The bishop's council, consisting of the clergy, the sheriff and the barons, regulated judicial affairs, and later produced the Chancery and the courts of Admiralty and Marshalsea.[citation needed]
The entrance to Durham Castle, the bishops' palace until 1832 when it moved to Auckland Castle
The prior of Durham ranked first among the bishop's barons. He had his own court, and almost exclusive jurisdiction over his men. A UNESCO site describes the role of the Prince-Bishops in Durham, the "buffer state between England and Scotland":[27]
From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England’s northern frontier.
A report states that the Bishops also had the authority to appoint judges and barons and to offer pardons.[28]
There were ten palatinate barons in the 12th century, most importantly the Hyltons of Hylton Castle, the Bulmers of Brancepeth, the Conyers of Sockburne, the Hansards of Evenwood, and the Lumleys of Lumley Castle. The Nevilles owned large estates in the county. John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby rebuilt Raby Castle, their principal seat, in 1377.
Edward I's quo warranto proceedings of 1293 showed twelve lords enjoying more or less extensive franchises under the bishop. The repeated efforts of the Crown to check the powers of the palatinate bishops culminated in 1536 in the Act of Resumption, which deprived the bishop of the power to pardon offences against the law or to appoint judicial officers. Moreover, indictments and legal processes were in future to run in the name of the king, and offences to be described as against the peace of the king, rather than that of the bishop. In 1596 restrictions were imposed[by whom?] on the powers of the chancery, and in 1646 the palatinate was formally abolished. It was revived, however, after the Restoration, and continued with much the same power until 5 July 1836, when the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 provided that the palatine jurisdiction should in future be vested in the Crown.[29][30]
15th century to the modern era
During the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, Henry VI passed through Durham. On the outbreak of the Great Rebellion in 1642 Durham inclined to support the cause of the Parliament, and in 1640 the high sheriff of the palatinate guaranteed to supply the Scottish army with provisions during their stay in the county. In 1642 the Earl of Newcastle formed the western counties into an association for the King's service, but in 1644 the palatinate was again overrun by a Scottish army, and after the Battle of Marston Moor (2 July 1644) fell entirely into the hands of the parliament.
In 1614, a bill was introduced in parliament for securing representation to the county and city of Durham and the borough of Barnard Castle. The bishop strongly opposed the proposal as an infringement of his palatinate rights, and the county was first summoned to return members to parliament in 1654. After the Restoration of 1660 the county and city returned two members each. In the wake of the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned two members for two divisions, and the boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland acquired representation. The bishops lost their secular powers in 1836.[31] The boroughs of Darlington, Stockton and Hartlepool returned one member each from 1868 until the Redistribution Act of 1885.
'Durham Castle and Cathedral' is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.[32] Other attractions in the County include; Auckland Castle, North of England Lead Mining Museum and Beamish Museum. [33]
Modern local government
See also: History of local government districts in Durham
High Force waterfall on the River Tees
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 reformed the municipal boroughs of Durham, Stockton on Tees and Sunderland. In 1875, Jarrow was incorporated as a municipal borough,[34] as was West Hartlepool in 1887.[35] At a county level, the Local Government Act 1888 reorganised local government throughout England and Wales.[36] Most of the county came under control of the newly formed Durham County Council in an area known as an administrative county. Not included were the county boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland. However, for purposes other than local government, the administrative county of Durham and the county boroughs continued to form a single county to which the Crown appointed a Lord Lieutenant of Durham.
Over its existence, the administrative county lost territory, both to the existing county boroughs, and because two municipal boroughs became county boroughs: West Hartlepool in 1902[35] and Darlington in 1915.[37] The county boundary with the North Riding of Yorkshire was adjusted in 1967: that part of the town of Barnard Castle historically in Yorkshire was added to County Durham,[38] while the administrative county ceded the portion of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in Durham to the North Riding.[39] In 1968, following the recommendation of the Local Government Commission, Billingham was transferred to the county borough of Teesside, in the North Riding.[40] In 1971, the population of the county—including all associated county boroughs (an area of 2,570 km2 (990 sq mi)[23])—was 1,409,633, with a population outside the county boroughs of 814,396.[41]
In 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 abolished the administrative county and the county boroughs, reconstituting County Durham as a non-metropolitan county.[36][42] The reconstituted County Durham lost territory[43] to the north-east (around Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland) to Tyne and Wear[44][45] and to the south-east (around Hartlepool) to Cleveland.[44][45] At the same time it gained the former area of Startforth Rural District from the North Riding of Yorkshire.[46] The area of the Lord Lieutenancy of Durham was also adjusted by the Act to coincide with the non-metropolitan county[47] (which occupied 3,019 km2 (1,166 sq mi) in 1981).[23]
In 1996, as part of 1990s UK local government reform by Lieutenancies Act 1997, Cleveland was abolished. Its districts were reconstituted as unitary authorities. Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees (north Tees) were returned to the county for the purposes of Lord Lieutenancy.[48] Darlington also became a third unitary authority of the county. The Royal Mail abandoned the use of postal counties altogether, permitted but not mandatory being at a writer wishes.[49][3][50]
As part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England initiated by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the seven district councils within the County Council area were abolished. The County Council assumed their functions and became the fourth unitary authority. Changes came into effect on 1 April 2009.[51][5]
On 15 April 2014, North East Combined Authority was established under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 with powers over economic development and regeneration.[52] In November 2018, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Borough Council, and Northumberland County Council left the authority. These later formed the North of Tyne Combined Authority.[53]
Modern national government
Further information: List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham
Tourism
Landmarks
Durham Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Construction began in 1093.
The Angel of the North in Gateshead
Tyne bridge between Gateshead and Newcastle, Northumberland
The Transporter Bridge between Port Clarence and Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle
The Penshaw Monument.
Yarm Viaduct between Eaglescliffe and Yarm, Yorkshire
Bishop Auckland
An October 2019 article in The Guardian referred to Bishop Auckland as a "rundown town ... since the closure of the mines" but predicted that the re-opening of Auckland Castle would transform the area into a "leading tourist destination".[54] After renovations by the Auckland Project, the castle re-opened on 2 November 2019, operated by the Auckland Castle Trust, started by the owner of the castle, Jonathan Ruffer. In 2012 Ruffer had purchased the property and all of its contents, including the artwork, with works by Francisco de Zurbarán.[55][56][57]
Other projects in the town include the Mining Art Gallery, which opened in 2017 (thanks to support provided to the Castle Trust by Bishop Auckland and Shildon AAP and Durham County Council),[58] a viewing tower, an open-air theatre show (Kynren) depicting "An Epic Tale of England", and the Bishop Trevor Gallery at the Castle (which started displaying the National Gallery's "Masterpiece" touring exhibit in October 2019). In a few years[when?], other attractions were expected[by whom?] to open at or near the Castle: a display of Spanish art, a Faith Museum, a site that will feature the works of Francisco de Zurbarán, a boutique hotel and two additional restaurants.
Reports suggest that the revival of the area, dubbed "the Auckland Project", will eventually cost a total of about £150m.[59][60] According to The Guardian,[60]
"The aim is to make the town – the heart of the abandoned Durham coalfields – a tourist destination that holds people for a day or two rather than just a couple of hours. The scheme will create hundreds of entry-level jobs in a county that suffers high unemployment and has some of the most deprived areas in northern Europe".
A Financial Times report in early November 2019 stated that "Kynren [theatre] has attracted 250,000 people and the Auckland Project, even with the castle closed, welcomed 35,500 visitors in the past year" to this community.[61]
A September 2019 report identified Bishop Auckland as one of the towns designated to receive up to £25 million in funding from a new Towns Fund intended "to improve industrial areas that have not benefitted from economic growth in the same way as more prosperous areas". Durham County Council's Cabinet member for economic regeneration said that the funds would help the partners in Bishop Auckland to regenerate the town center area.[62]
Geography
Geology
Main article: Geology of County Durham
County Durham is underlain by Carboniferous rocks in the west. Permian and Triassic strata overlie these older rocks in the east. These sedimentary sequences have been cut by igneous dykes and sills.
Climate
County Durham
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
56 61
39 71
51 92
52 113
50 156
55 179
45 2011
61 2011
58 179
57 136
62 93
59 72
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [63]
Imperial conversion
The following climate figures were gathered at the Durham weather station between 1981 and 2010:
Green belt
Further information: North East Green Belt
County Durham contains a small area of green belt in the north of the county, surrounding primarily the city of Durham, Chester-le-Street and other communities along the shared county border with Tyne and Wear, to afford a protection from the Wearside conurbation. There is a smaller portion of belt separating Urpeth, Ouston, Pelton, and Perkinsville from Birtley in Tyne and Wear. A further small segment by the coast separates Seaham from the Sunderland settlements of Beckwith Green and Ryhope. It was first drawn up in the 1990s.[68]
North Pennines
The county contains a sizeable area of the North Pennines, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, primarily west of Tow Law and Barnard Castle. The highest point (county top) of historic County Durham is the trig point (not the summit) of Burnhope Seat, height 746 metres (2,448 ft), between Weardale and Teesdale on the border with historic Cumberland in the far west of the county. The local government reorganisation of 1974 placed the higher Mickle Fell south of Teesdale (the county top of Yorkshire) within the administrative borders of Durham (where it remains within the ceremonial county), although it is not generally recognised as the highest point of Durham.
The two main dales of County Durham (Teesdale and Weardale) and the surrounding fells, many of which exceed 2,000 feet (610 m) in height, are excellent hillwalking country, although not nearly as popular as the nearby Yorkshire Dales and Lake District national parks. The scenery is rugged and remote, and the high fells have a landscape typical of the Pennines with extensive areas of tussock grass and blanket peat bog in the west, with heather moorland on the lower slopes descending to the east. Hamsterley Forest near Crook is a popular recreational area for local residents.
Biology
Birds
152 species of birds are recorded as breeding; however, not all are considered regular breeders.[69]
Demography
Population
Further information: List of settlements in County Durham by population
The Office for National Statistics estimated in 2016 that the Durham County Council area had a population of 522,100, the Borough of Darlington a population of 105,600, the Borough of Hartlepool a population of 92,800, and the part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham (the other part being in North Yorkshire) a population of 137,300[note 1]. This gives the total estimated population of the ceremonial county at 857,800.[71][72]
At the 2001 Census, Easington and Derwentside districts had the highest proportion (around 99%) in the county council area of resident population who were born in the UK.[73] 13.2% of the county council area's residents rate their health as not good, the highest proportion in England.[74] This table shows the historic population of the current remit of Durham County Council between 1801 and 2001.
96.6% of County Durham's residents are indigenous White British, with other white groups making up a further 1.6% of the population. The largest non-white ethnic group is formed by those of Chinese descent, at around 1,600 people (0.3%), most of whom living in and around Durham itself, and with many of those studying at the university. Around 77% of the county's population are Christian whilst 22% have no religion, and around 1% come from other religious communities. These figures exclude around 6% of the population who did not wish to state their religion.
Settlements
Further information: List of places in County Durham and List of civil parishes in County Durham
Changes in the 1900s
Since the Local Government Act 1972 historic county boundaries now lie within other administrative counties. These include:
Tyne and WearSouth Tyneside, City of Sunderland and metropolitan borough of Gatesheadadministratively removed in 1974
North Riding of YorkshireSmall number of settlements south of the Tees, such as Startforth,administratively added to county control in 1974.
Cleveland countyHartlepool boroughadministratively removed from historic county control in 1974, added to ceremonial county control in 1996.
Cleveland countyStockton-on-Tees (North Tees) boroughTwo previous separate administrative partial removals from historic county control in 1968 and 1974, added to ceremonial county control in 1996.
Changes in the 1800s
Further information: Exclaves
Throughout the 1800s exclaves, of the historic county, each were given back to surrounding shires and lands they were closer associated with:
East Riding of YorkshireHowdenshire
North Riding of Yorkshire (now North Yorkshire)Allertonshire
NorthumberlandBedlingtonshire, Islandshire (included Berwick-upon-Tweed)
Employment
The proportion of the population working in agriculture fell from around 6% in 1851 to 1% in 1951; currently less than 1% of the population work in agriculture.[23] There were 15,202 people employed in coal mining in 1841, rising to a peak of 157,837 in 1921.[23] As at 2001, Chester-le-Street district has the lowest number of available jobs per working-age resident (0.38%).[75]
Economy
Economic history
Graph showing unadjusted gross value added (GVA) in County Durham across 3 industries at current basic prices from 1995 to 2004.
Legend
Agriculture, hunting and forestry
Industry, including energy and construction
Service activities
Total
Source:[76]
County Durham has long been associated with coal mining, from medieval times up to the late 20th century.[77] The Durham Coalfield covered a large area of the county, from Bishop Auckland, to Consett, to the River Tyne and below the North Sea, thereby providing a significant expanse of territory from which this rich mineral resource could be extracted.
King Stephen possessed a mine in Durham, which he granted to Bishop Pudsey, and in the same century colliers are mentioned at Coundon, Bishopwearmouth and Sedgefield. Cockfield Fell was one of the earliest Landsale collieries in Durham. Richard II granted to the inhabitants of Durham licence to export the produce of the mines, the majority being transported from the Port of Sunderland complex which was constructed in the 1850s.[citation needed]
Among other early industries, lead-mining was carried on in the western part of the county, and mustard was extensively cultivated. Gateshead had a considerable tanning trade and shipbuilding was undertaken at Sunderland, which became the largest shipbuilding town in the world – constructing a third of Britain's tonnage.[citation needed]
The county's modern-era economic history was facilitated significantly by the growth of the mining industry during the nineteenth century. At the industry's height, in the early 20th century, over 170,000 coal miners were employed,[77] and they mined 58,700,000 tons of coal in 1913 alone.[78] As a result, a large number of colliery villages were built throughout the county as the industrial revolution gathered pace.
The railway industry was also a major employer during the industrial revolution, with railways being built throughout the county, such as The Tanfield Railway, The Clarence Railway and The Stockton and Darlington Railway.[79] The growth of this industry occurred alongside the coal industry, as the railways provided a fast, efficient means to move coal from the mines to the ports and provided the fuel for the locomotives. The great railway pioneers Timothy Hackworth, Edward Pease, George Stephenson and Robert Stephenson were all actively involved with developing the railways in tandem with County Durham's coal mining industry.[80] Shildon and Darlington became thriving 'railway towns' and experienced significant growths in population and prosperity; before the railways, just over 100 people lived in Shildon but, by the 1890s, the town was home to around 8,000 people, with Shildon Shops employing almost 3000 people at its height.[81]
However, by the 1930s, the coal mining industry began to diminish and, by the mid-twentieth century, the pits were closing at an increasing rate.[82] In 1951, the Durham County Development Plan highlighted a number of colliery villages, such as Blackhouse, as 'Category D' settlements, in which future development would be prohibited, property would be acquired and demolished, and the population moved to new housing, such as that being built in Newton Aycliffe.[83] Likewise, the railway industry also began to decline, and was significantly brought to a fraction of its former self by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s. Darlington Works closed in 1966 and Shildon Shops followed suit in 1984. The county's last deep mines, at Easington, Vane Tempest, Wearmouth and Westoe, closed in 1993.
Boosting tourism
An October 2019 article in The Guardian referred to town of Bishop Auckland as a "rundown town ... since the closure of the mines" but predicted that the re-opening of Auckland Castle would transform the community into a "leading tourist destination".[84] The castle re-opened on 2 November 2019 after renovations by the Auckland Project, operated by the Auckland Castle Trust, started by the owner of the castle, Jonathan Ruffer.[85][86][87]
The interior had been fully restored, including the bishops' "palatial" apartments. The Faith Museum of world religion and a huge glass greenhouse were under construction.[88]
Other attractions already operating include the Mining Art Gallery which opened in 2017,[89] an open-air theatre, Kynren, depicting "An Epic Tale of England", and the Bishop Trevor Gallery at the Castle; the latter started displaying the National Gallery's Masterpiece touring exhibit in October 2019. In a few years, other attractions were expected to open at or near the Castle: a display of Spanish art, the Faith Museum (already being built), a site that will feature the works of Francisco de Zurbarán, a boutique hotel and two restaurants, in addition to the Bishop's Kitchen café. According to The Guardian,[90]
The aim is to make the town – the heart of the abandoned Durham coalfields – a tourist destination that holds people for a day or two rather than just a couple of hours. The scheme will create hundreds of entry-level jobs in a county that suffers high unemployment and has some of the most deprived areas in northern Europe.
Economic output
The chart and table summarise unadjusted gross value added (GVA) in millions of pounds sterling for County Durham across 3 industries at current basic prices from 1995 to 2004.
Gross Value Added (GVA) (£m)
199520002004
Agriculture, hunting and forestry453348
Industry, including energy and construction1,7511,8271,784
Service activities2,2822,8693,455
Total4,0784,7295,288
UK640,416840,9791,044,165
Post markings
Postal Rates from 1801 were charged depending on the distance from London. Durham was allocated the code 263 the approximate mileage from London. From about 1811, a datestamp appeared on letters showing the date the letter was posted. In 1844 a new system was introduced and Durham was allocated the code 267. This system was replaced in 1840 when the first postage stamps were introduced.
Culture
Mining and heavy industry
John Wilson Carmichael A View of Murton Colliery near Seaham, County Durham, 1843
A substantial number of colliery villages were built throughout the county in the nineteenth century to house the growing workforce, which included large numbers of migrant workers from the rest of the UK.[77] Sometimes the migrants were brought in to augment the local workforce but, in other cases, they were brought in as strike breakers, or "blacklegs". Tens of thousands of people migrated to County Durham from Cornwall (partly due to their previous experience of tin mining) between 1815 and the outbreak of the First World War, so much so that the miners' cottages in east Durham called "Greenhill" were also known locally as "Cornwall", and Easington Colliery still has a Cornish Street.[91] Other migrants included people from Northumberland, Cumberland, South Wales, Scotland and Ireland.[92][93] Coal mining had a profound effect on trade unionism, public health and housing, as well as creating a related culture, language, folklore and sense of identity that still survives today.[78]
The migrants also were employed in the railway, ship building, iron, steel and roadworking industries, and the pattern of migration continued, to a lesser extent, up until the 1950s and 1960s. Gateshead was once home to the fourth-largest Irish settlement in England,[92] Consett's population was 22% Irish[94] and significant numbers of Irish people moved to Sunderland, resulting in the city hosting numerous events on St. Patrick's Day due to the Irish heritage.[95]
Durham Miners' Gala 2008
The culture of coal mining found expression in the Durham Miners' Gala, which was first held in 1871,[96] developed around the culture of trade unionism. Coal mining continued to decline and pits closed. The UK miners' strike of 1984/5 caused many miners across the county to strike. Today no deep-coal mines exist in the county and numbers attending the Miners' Gala decreased over the period between the end of the strike and the 21st century. However recent years have seen numbers significantly grow, and more banners return to the Gala each year as former colliery communities restore or replicate former banners to march at the Gala parade.[96][97]
Art
In 1930, the Spennymoor Settlement (otherwise known as the Pitman's Academy) opened. The settlement, initially funded by the Pilgrim Trust, aimed to encourage people to be neighbourly and participate in voluntary social service.[98] The settlement operated during the Great Depression, when unemployment was widespread and economic deprivation rife; Spennymoor was economically underprivileged. The settlement provided educational and social work, as well as hope; this included providing unemployed miners with on outlet for their creativity, a poor person's lawyer service, the town's first library and the Everyman Theatre. The output included paintings, sewing, socially-significant plays, woodwork and sculptures. Several members went on to win adult scholarships at Oxford University[98] when such a route would normally be closed to the underprivileged. Former members include artists Norman Cornish and Tom McGuinness, writer Sid Chaplin OBE and journalist Arnold Hadwin OBE. The Spennymoor Settlement at its home in the Everyman Theatre (Grade 2 listed) is still operating, administered by the current trustees, offering community events and activities, including Youth Theatre Group, an Art Group and various classes, as well as offering community accommodation facilities.
Several Durham miners have been able to turn their former mining careers into careers in art. For example, Tom Lamb, as well as the aforementioned Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish. Their artworks depict scenes of life underground, from the streets in which they lived and of the people they loved; through them, we can see, understand and experience the mining culture of County Durham.
In 2017, The Mining Art Gallery opened in Bishop Auckland in a building that was once a bank.[99] Part of the Auckland Project, the gallery includes the work of artists from within County Durham and beyond, including such other North-Eastern mining artists as Robert Olley, as well as contributions from outside the region. It features three permanent areas and a temporary exhibition area; the gallery's Gemini Collection includes 420 pieces of mining art. [100] Much of the artwork was donated, by Dr Robert McManners and Gillian Wales, for example.[101]
In 2019, 100 years after his birth, a permanent tribute to the work of the artist Norman Stansfield Cornish MBE was opened within the Town Hall, and a Cornish Trail around the town was established to include areas of the town depicted in Cornish's artwork.
Music
As with neighbouring Northumberland, County Durham has a rich heritage of Northumbrian music, dating back from the Northumbrian Golden Age of the 7th and 8th centuries. Bede made references to harp-playing, and abundant archeological evidence has been found of wooden flutes, bone flutes, panpipes, wooden drums and lyres (a six-string form of harp).[13] North-East England has a distinctive folk music style that has drawn from many other regions, including southern Scotland, Ireland and the rest of northern England, that has endured stably since the 18th century.[102] Instruments played include, in common with most folk music styles, stringed instruments such as the guitar and fiddle, but also the Northumbrian smallpipe, which is played and promoted by people including the Northumbrian Pipers' Society throughout the North East, including County Durham, with the society having an active group in Sedgefield.[103] Contemporary folk musicians include Jez Lowe and Ged Foley.
In 2018, The Arts Council funded the Stories of Sanctuary project in the city of Durham. The project aims to assist people living in the city to share their stories about seeking sanctuary in the North East through photography, stories, poetry and music. The art is based on a history of sanctuary in Durham, from St Cuthbert's exile, through to the miners' strike of 1984, and to refugees escaping civil war in the Middle East. The music produced as part of the project includes contributions from singer-songwriter Sam Slatcher and viola player Raghad Haddad from the National Syrian Orchestra.[104]
Other notable performers/songwriters who were born or raised in the county include Paddy McAloon, Eric Boswell, Jeremy Spencer, Alan Clark, Martin Brammer, Robert Blamire, Thomas Allen, Zoe Birkett, John O'Neill, Karen Harding and Courtney Hadwin.
Flag
Main article: Flag of County Durham
County Durham flag
County Durham has its own flag, registered with the Flag Institute on 21 November 2013.[105]
Katie, Holly and James Moffatt designed the flag and entered their design into a competition launched by campaigner Andy Strangeway, who spoke of the flag as "free, public symbol for all to use, especially on 20th March each year, which is not only County Durham Day but also St Cuthbert’s birthday.”[106]
The flag consists of St Cuthbert's cross counterchanged with the county's blue and gold colours.
Education
Further information: University of Durham and List of schools in County Durham
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington
Durham LEA has a comprehensive school system with 36 state secondary schools (not including sixth form colleges) and five independent schools (four in Durham and one in Barnard Castle). Easington district has the largest school population by year, and Teesdale the smallest with two schools. Only one school in Easington and Derwentside districts have sixth forms, with about half the schools in the other districts having sixth forms.
The University of Durham is based in Durham city and is sometimes held to be the third oldest university in England.[107]
Places of interest
Key
AP Icon.svgAbbey/Priory/Cathedral
Accessible open spaceAccessible open space
Themepark uk icon.pngAmusement/Theme Park
CL icon.svgCastle
Country ParkCountry Park
EH icon.svgEnglish Heritage
Forestry Commission
Heritage railwayHeritage railway
Historic houseHistoric House
MosqueMosques
Museum (free)
MuseumMuseum (free/not free)
National TrustNational Trust
Drama-icon.svgTheatre
Zoo icon.jpgZoo
Apollo Pavilion, Peterlee, controversial piece of concrete art designed by Victor Pasmore in 1969.
Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland Historic house
Barnard Castle English Heritage Historic house Castle
Beamish Museum, in Stanley Accessible open space Museum (charges for entry) Heritage railway
Binchester Roman Fort Museum (charges for entry)
Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle Museum (charges for entry) Historic house
Castle Eden, a castle with adjoining village, famous for the Castle Eden Brewery.
Castle Eden Dene, Nature reserve with coal mining heritage.
Causey Arch, near Stanley
County Hall
Crook Hall and Gardens
Durham Cathedral and Castle, a World Heritage Site Cathedral Castle
Durham Dales
Durham Light Infantry Museum, Aykley Heads, Near Durham Museum (charges for entry)
Escomb Saxon Church, near Bishop Auckland
Finchale Priory, near Durham city English Heritage
Hamsterley Forest
Hardwick Hall Country Park, near Sedgefield Country Park
High Force and Low Force waterfalls, on the River Tees Accessible open space
Ireshopeburn – oldest Methodist chapel in the world to have held continuous services. Site of the 'Weardale Museum'
Killhope Wheel, part of the North of England Lead Mining Museum in Weardale Museum (charges for entry)
Kynren, night show in Bishop Auckland, depicting British History.
Longovicium Roman Fort, Lanchester – ruined auxiliary fort.
North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Newcastle
Oriental Museum, Durham City – Asian artefacts and information.
Raby Castle, near Staindrop Castle
The Raby Hunt in Summerhouse, the only 2-Michelin Star restaurant in North East England.
Seaham Hall
Sedgefield – St Edmund's Church has notable Cosin woodwork. Home to Sedgefield Racecourse.
Locomotion railway museum, in Shildon Heritage railway Museum (free entry)
Spennymoor - Jubilee park
Tanfield Railway, in Tanfield Heritage railway
Ushaw College, Catholic Seminary of great religious heritage.
Weardale Railway, at Stanhope, County Durham, Wolsingham and Bishop Auckland Heritage railway
Monochrome, Ushaw College, County Durham, England. Ushaw College (formally St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw), is a former Catholic seminary near the village of Ushaw Moor, County Durham, England, which is now a heritage and cultural tourist attraction. The College is known for its Georgian and Victorian Gothic architecture and listed nineteenth-century chapels. The College now hosts a programme of art exhibitions, music and theatre events, alongside tearooms and a café.
It was founded in 1808 by scholars from the English College, Douai, who had fled France after the French Revolution. Ushaw College was affiliated with Durham University from 1968 and was the principal Roman Catholic seminary for the training of Catholic priests in the north of England.
In 2011, the seminary closed, due to the shortage of vocations. It reopened as a visitor attraction, marketed as Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels & Gardens in late 2014 and, as of 2019, receives around 50,000 visitors a year. The County Durham Music Service and Durham University Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring are based at the college and buildings at the college are also used by Durham University Business School.[2][3]
History
Founding
The English College, Douai was founded in 1568 but was forced to leave France in 1795 following the French Revolution. Part of the college settled temporarily at Crook Hall near Lanchester, northwest of Durham. In 1804 Bishop William Gibson began to build at Ushaw Moor, four miles west of Durham. These buildings, designed by James Taylor, were opened as St Cuthbert's College in 1808. There was a steady expansion during the nineteenth century with new buildings put up to cater for the expanding number of clerical and secular students. In 1847, the newly built chapel, designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was opened.[4] This was followed by the Big Library and Exhibition Hall designed by Joseph Hansom, 1849–1851.[5] The Junior House, designed by Peter Paul Pugin, was added in 1859. St Cuthbert's Chapel, designed by Dunn and Hansom, was opened in 1884, replacing AWN Pugin's 1847 chapel which the seminary had outgrown. The Refectory was designed and built by E. W. Pugin. The final development came in the early 1960s with the opening of a new East wing, providing additional classrooms and single bedrooms for 75 students. The main college buildings are Grade II listed, the College Chapel is Grade II* and the Chapel of St Michael is Grade I.
University of Durham
Although independent, Ushaw College had a close working relationship with Durham University. The college became a Licensed Hall of Residence of the University of Durham in 1968. It was independent of the university but offered courses validated by the university, and both Church and lay students studied at the college. The Junior House closed in 1972, its younger students being transferred to St Joseph's College, Up Holland in Lancashire.
21st Century
In 2002, the college rejected a report from the Roman Catholic hierarchy that it should merge with St Mary's College, Oscott, near Birmingham.[6] However, in October 2010 it was announced that the college would close in 2011 due to the shortage of vocations in the Roman Catholic Church, and that the site might be sold.[7] Following a detailed feasibility study by the college's Trustees and Durham University, and with support from Durham County Council and English Heritage,[8][9] it was announced in January 2012 that Durham Business School would temporarily relocate to the college during rebuilding of the school's buildings in Durham. This was seen as the first step in a long-term education-based vision for the site.[10]
The university also agreed to catalogue and archive the Ushaw library and inventory the other collections to ensure their preservation and specialist conservation,[11] with a view to creating a proposed Ushaw Centre for Catholic Scholarship and Heritage.[8] In March 2019, an uncatalogued early charter of King John was found in the library manuscript collection.[12]
In 2017, Durham University announced plans to develop an international residential research library at Ushaw College, with the aim of attracting scholars from around the world to work on the collections of Ushaw, Durham University and Durham Cathedral. The university has also confirmed that it has extended the agreement to lease the east wing of the college (used by the Business School) to 2027.[13] The college is also used for numerous musical events and for the Ushaw Lecture Series, organised by the university's Centre for Catholic Studies.[14]
In 2018, Durham University's Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) moved into the east wing of the college, previously used by the Business School.[3]
Heraldry
The college armorial bearings are "Per pale dexter Argent a Cross Gules on a Canton Azure a Cross of St Cuthbert proper sinister impaling Allen Argent three Rabbits couchant in pale Sable."
Various emblems on shield represent the college's history and foundation, for example:-
Three coneys are from the family coat of arms of William Allen, the founder of English College, Douai. See Three hares.
The small cross of St Cuthbert represents the college's patron saint (it is modelled on St Cuthbert's own pectoral cross, which is kept in the Treasury at Durham Cathedral).
The large cross of St George honours the English Roman Catholic Martyrs.
Alumni
Early drawing of Ushaw designed (1804–1808) by James Taylor
The Death of St Bede; the monastic clergy are wearing surplices over their cowls (original painting at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw)
See also: Category:Alumni of Ushaw College
Clergy
Nicholas Cardinal Wiseman – first Archbishop of Westminster
Francis Cardinal Bourne – Archbishop of Westminster
Arthur Cardinal Hinsley – Archbishop of Westminster
William Cardinal Godfrey – Archbishop of Westminster
John Carmel Cardinal Heenan – Archbishop of Westminster
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta – Cardinal Secretary of State
Charles Petre Eyre – Archbishop of Glasgow.
Louis Charles Casartelli – 4th Bishop of Salford
Hugh Lindsay – 10th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
James Chadwick – 2nd Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
Alexander Goss – Bishop of Liverpool
Thomas Grant – Bishop of Southwark
Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury
John Lingard – author of The History Of England, From the First Invasion by the Romans to the Accession of Henry VIII
Bernard Łubieński - Redemptorist missionary priest
John Furniss – English Roman Catholic priest, known for his mission to children
James Nugent – Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool
Nicholas Rigby – English Roman Catholic priest and author of The Real Doctrine of the Church on Scripture
Constantine Scollen – Irish Roman Catholic missionary priest and outstanding linguist in Canada in the mid- to late 19th century and author of Thirty Years among the Indians of the Northwest
Paul Swarbrick - Bishop of Lancaster
Lay
George Goldie – nineteenth-century ecclesiastical architect
Edward Goldie – nineteenth- and twentieth-century ecclesiastical architect
Alexander Martin Sullivan – Irish lawyer and defence counsel in the trial of Roger Casement
Charles Napier Hemy – artist and Royal Academician
Francis Thompson – English poet
Joseph Gillow – author of Bibliographical Dictionary of the English Roman Catholics
William Shee – first Roman Catholic to sit as a judge in England and Wales since the Reformation
Francis Joseph Sloane (aka Francesco Giuseppe Sloane) - born 1794, died October 23, 1871, tutor at Ushaw and lifelong friend of Nicolas (later Cardinal) Wiseman, responsible for reviving the Montecatini Val di Cecina copper mine, which was the largest in Europe[15]
Paul Goggins – Labour Member of Parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East and junior minister in the Northern Ireland Office.
Joseph Scott – attorney in Los Angeles, founder of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, vice-president of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
A.J. Hartley bestselling novelist and Shakespeare scholar
Lafcadio Hearn (also known as Koizumi Yakumo) – author, best known for his books about Japan
Francis Petre - prominent New Zealand-born architect designed the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch
Peter Paul Pugin – English architect
James Joseph Foy – Ontario Attorney General and political figure
Myles William Patrick O'Reilly – Roman Catholic soldier and politician
Archibald Matthias Dunn – Roman Catholic ecclesiastical architect
Joe Tasker - Himalayan climber
Charles Bruzon – Gibraltarian government minister and curate[16]
List of presidents
1794–1810 Thomas Eyre
1811–1828 John Gillow
1828–1833 Thomas Youens
1833–1836 John Briggs
1836–1837 Thomas Youens
1837–1863 Charles Newsham
1863–1876 Robert Tate
1876–1877 Francis Wilkinson
1877–1878 James Chadwick
1878–1885 William Wrennall
1885–1886 William Dunderdale
1886–1890 James Lennon
1890–1909 Thomas Wilkinson
1909–1910 Joseph Corbishley
1910–1934 William Brown
1934–1950 Charles Corbishley
1950–1967 Paul Grant
1967–1977 Philip Loftus
1977–1984 Peter Cookson
1984–1991 Peter Walton
1991–1997 Richard Atherton
1997–2003 James O’Keefe
2003–2008 Terence Drainey
2008–2011 John Marsland
County Durham (/ˈdʌrəm/ (About this soundlisten) DURR-əm) is a ceremonial county in North East England.[2] The county town is Durham, a cathedral city. During the Middle Ages, the county was an ecclesiastical centre, due largely to the presence, of St Cuthbert's shrine in Durham Cathedral, and the extensive powers granted to the Bishop of Durham as ruler of the County Palatine of Durham.
The historic county's boundaries stretched between the rivers Tyne and Tees. Historic borders were shared with 4 counties: Northumberland to the north, now along with the county of Tyne and Wear; North Riding of Yorkshire to the south, now North Yorkshire; Westmorland and Cumberland, latter two to the west and both now Cumbria.
Within the Durham County Council area, the largest settlements are Durham, Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe. The largest ceremonial settlement is Darlington, closely followed by Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees. The North East Combined Authority region includes the towns of Gateshead, Jarrow, South Shields and the city of Sunderland. The ceremonial and combined authority overlapped roughly correspond to historic boundaries.[3]
The county has a mixture of mining, farming and heavy railway heritage, with the latter especially noteworthy in the southeast of the county, in Darlington, Shildon and Stockton.[4] In the centre of the city of Durham, Durham Castle and Cathedral are UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites.
Etymology
Many counties are named after their principal town, and the expected form here would be Durhamshire, but this form has never been in common use. The ceremonial county is officially named Durham,[3] but the county has long been commonly known as County Durham and is the only English county name prefixed with "County" in common usage (a practice common in Ireland). Its unusual naming (for an English shire) is explained to some extent by the relationship with the Bishops of Durham, who for centuries governed Durham as a county palatine (the County Palatine of Durham), outside the usual structure, of county administration in England.
The situation regarding the formal name in modern local government is less clear:
The 2009 structural change legislation[5] created the present unitary council (that covers a large part – but not all – of the ceremonial county) refers to "the county of County Durham" and names the new unitary district "County Durham" too.
Later amendment to that legislation[6] refers to the "county of Durham" and the amendment allows for the unitary council to name itself "The Durham Council".
The council retains the name as Durham County Council. With either option, the name does not include County Durham.
The former postal county was named "County Durham" to distinguish it from the post town of Durham.
Politics
Parliament
Main article: List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham
The county boundaries used for parliamentary constituencies are those used between 1974 and 1996 (i.e. consisting of only the area governed by Durham County Council and the Borough of Darlington). This area of the county elects seven Members of Parliament. As of the 2019 General Election, four of these MPs are Conservatives and three MPs are Labour. The rest of the ceremonial county is included in constituencies in the Cleveland parliamentary constituency area.
2019 General Election Results in County Durham
PartyVotes%Change from 2017SeatsChange from 2017
Conservative123,11240.6%Increase4Increase4
Labour122,54740.4%Decrease3Decrease4
Brexit25,4448.4%new00
Liberal Democrats21,3567.0%Increase00
Greens5,9852.0%Increase00
Others4,7251.6%Increase00
Total303,260100.07
Local government
Flag of Durham County Council since 1974, based on the council's coat of arms. This flag was used as an unofficial flag of County Durham until 2013.
The ceremonial county of Durham is administered by four unitary authorities. The ceremonial county has no administrative function, but remains the area to which the Lord Lieutenant of Durham and the High Sheriff of Durham are appointed.
County Durham (governed by Durham County Council): the unitary district was formed on 1 April 2009 replacing the previous two-tier system of a county council providing strategic services and seven district councils providing more local facilities. It has 126 councillors. The seven districts abolished were:[7][8]
Chester-le-Street, including the Lumley, Pelton and Sacriston areas
Derwentside, including Consett and Stanley
City of Durham, including Durham city and the surrounding areas
Easington, including Seaham and the new town of Peterlee
Borough of Sedgefield, including Spennymoor and Newton Aycliffe
Teesdale, including Barnard Castle and the villages of Teesdale
Wear Valley, including Bishop Auckland, Crook, Willington, Hunwick, and the villages along Weardale
The Borough of Darlington: before 1 April 1997, Darlington was a district in a two-tier arrangement with Durham County Council.[9]
The Borough of Hartlepool: until 1 April 1996 the borough was one of four districts in the relatively short-lived county of Cleveland, which was abolished.[3][10]
The part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees that is north of the centre of the River Tees. Stockton was also part of Cleveland until that county's abolition in 1996.[10] The remainder of the borough is part of the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire.[3]
Civil parishes
The county is partially parished.
Emergency services
Durham Constabulary operate in the area of the two unitary districts of County Durham and Darlington.[11] Ron Hogg was first elected the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner for the force on 15 November 2012. The other areas in the ceremonial county fall within the police area of the Cleveland Police.
Fire service areas follow the same areas as the police with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service serving the two unitary districts of County Durham and Darlington and Cleveland Fire Brigade covering the rest. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service is under the supervision of a combined fire authority consisting of 25 local councillors: 21 from Durham County Council and 4 from Darlington Borough Council.[12]
The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust are responsible for providing NHS ambulance services throughout the ceremonial county, plus the boroughs of Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland, which are south of the River Tees and therefore in North Yorkshire, but are also part of the North East England region.
Air Ambulance services are provided by the Great North Air Ambulance. The charity operates three helicopters including one at Teesside International Airport covering the County Durham area.
Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team, are based at Sniperly Farm in Durham City and respond to search and rescue incidents in the county.
History
Anglian Kingdom of Bernicia
Main article: Bernicia
Around AD 547, an Angle named Ida founded the kingdom of Bernicia after spotting the defensive potential of a large rock at Bamburgh, upon which many a fortification was thenceforth built.[13] Ida was able to forge, hold and consolidate the kingdom; although the native British tried to take back their land, the Angles triumphed and the kingdom endured.
Kingdom of Northumbria
Main article: Kingdom of Northumbria
In AD 604, Ida's grandson Æthelfrith forcibly merged Bernicia (ruled from Bamburgh) and Deira (ruled from York, which was known as Eforwic at the time) to create the Kingdom of Northumbria. In time, the realm was expanded, primarily through warfare and conquest; at its height, the kingdom stretched from the River Humber (from which the kingdom drew its name) to the Forth. Eventually, factional fighting and the rejuvenated strength of neighbouring kingdoms, most notably Mercia, led to Northumbria's decline.[13] The arrival of the Vikings hastened this decline, and the Scandinavian raiders eventually claimed the Deiran part of the kingdom in AD 867 (which became Jórvík). The land that would become County Durham now sat on the border with the Great Heathen Army, a border which today still (albeit with some adjustments over the years) forms the boundaries between Yorkshire and County Durham.
Despite their success south of the river Tees, the Vikings never fully conquered the Bernician part of Northumbria, despite the many raids they had carried out on the kingdom.[13] However, Viking control over the Danelaw, the central belt of Anglo-Saxon territory, resulted in Northumbria becoming isolated from the rest of Anglo-Saxon Britain. Scots invasions in the north pushed the kingdom's northern boundary back to the River Tweed, and the kingdom found itself reduced to a dependent earldom, its boundaries very close to those of modern-day Northumberland and County Durham. The kingdom was annexed into England in AD 954.
City of Durham founded
Main article: Durham, England
In AD 995, St Cuthbert's community, who had been transporting Cuthbert's remains around, partly in an attempt to avoid them falling into the hands of Viking raiders, settled at Dunholm (Durham) on a site that was defensively favourable due to the horseshoe-like path of the River Wear.[14] St Cuthbert's remains were placed in a shrine in the White Church, which was originally a wooden structure but was eventually fortified into a stone building.
Once the City of Durham had been founded, the Bishops of Durham gradually acquired the lands that would become County Durham. Bishop Aldhun began this process by procuring land in the Tees and Wear valleys, including Norton, Stockton, Escomb and Aucklandshire in 1018. In 1031, King Canute gave Staindrop to the Bishops. This territory continued to expand, and was eventually given the status of a liberty. Under the control of the Bishops of Durham, the land had various names: the "Liberty of Durham", "Liberty of St Cuthbert's Land" "the lands of St Cuthbert between Tyne and Tees" or "the Liberty of Haliwerfolc" (holy Wear folk).[15]
The bishops' special jurisdiction rested on claims that King Ecgfrith of Northumbria had granted a substantial territory to St Cuthbert on his election to the see of Lindisfarne in 684. In about 883 a cathedral housing the saint's remains was established at Chester-le-Street and Guthfrith, King of York granted the community of St Cuthbert the area between the Tyne and the Wear, before the community reached its final destination in 995, in Durham.
Following the Norman invasion, the administrative machinery of government extended only slowly into northern England. Northumberland's first recorded Sheriff was Gilebert from 1076 until 1080 and a 12th-century record records Durham regarded as within the shire.[16] However the bishops disputed the authority of the sheriff of Northumberland and his officials, despite the second sheriff for example being the reputed slayer of Malcolm Canmore, King of Scots. The crown regarded Durham as falling within Northumberland until the late thirteenth century.
County Palatine of Durham
Main article: County Palatine of Durham
Durham palatinate plaque
Matters regarding the bishopric of Durham came to a head in 1293 when the bishop and his steward failed to attend proceedings of quo warranto held by the justices of Northumberland. The bishop's case went before parliament, where he stated that Durham lay outside the bounds of any English shire and that "from time immemorial it had been widely known that the sheriff of Northumberland was not sheriff of Durham nor entered within that liberty as sheriff. . . nor made there proclamations or attachments".[17] The arguments appear to have prevailed, as by the fourteenth century Durham was accepted as a liberty which received royal mandates direct. In effect it was a private shire, with the bishop appointing his own sheriff.[15] The area eventually became known as the "County Palatine of Durham".
Sadberge was a liberty, sometimes referred to as a county, within Northumberland. In 1189 it was purchased for the see but continued with a separate sheriff, coroner and court of pleas. In the 14th century Sadberge was included in Stockton ward and was itself divided into two wards. The division into the four wards of Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Easington and Stockton existed in the 13th century, each ward having its own coroner and a three-weekly court corresponding to the hundred court. The diocese was divided into the archdeaconries of Durham and Northumberland. The former is mentioned in 1072, and in 1291 included the deaneries of Chester-le-Street, Auckland, Lanchester and Darlington.
The term palatinus is applied to the bishop in 1293, and from the 13th century onwards the bishops frequently claimed the same rights in their lands as the king enjoyed in his kingdom.
Early administration
Overview
The historic boundaries of the county shown in John Speed's map of the county in his Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, c. 1611. These boundaries remained in use for administrative purposes until the local government reforms starting in the 1960s. A depiction of the city of Durham is inset in the top right.
The historic boundaries of County Durham included a main body covering the catchment of the Pennines in the west, the River Tees in the south, the North Sea in the east and the Rivers Tyne and Derwent in the north.[18][19] The county palatinate also had a number of liberties: the Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire[20] and Norhamshire[21] exclaves within Northumberland, and the Craikshire exclave within the North Riding of Yorkshire. In 1831 the county covered an area of 679,530 acres (2,750.0 km2)[22] and had a population of 253,910.[23] These exclaves were included as part of the county for parliamentary electoral purposes until 1832, and for judicial and local-government purposes until the coming into force of the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, which merged most remaining exclaves with their surrounding county. The boundaries of the county proper remained in use for administrative and ceremonial purposes until the 1972 Local Government Act.
The Early English and Norman period
Following the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror appointed Copsig as Earl of Northumbria, thereby bringing what would become County Durham under Copsig's control. Copsig was, just a few weeks later, killed in Newburn.[24] Having already being previously offended by the appointment of a non-Northumbrian as Bishop of Durham in 1042, the people of the region became increasingly rebellious.[24] In response, in January 1069, William despatched a large Norman army, under the command of Robert de Comines, to Durham City. The army, believed to consist of 700 cavalry (about one-third of the number of Norman knights who had participated in the Battle of Hastings),[24] entered the city, whereupon they were attacked, and defeated, by a Northumbrian assault force. The Northumbrians wiped out the entire Norman army, including Comines,[24] all except for one survivor, who was allowed to take the news of this defeat back.
Following the Norman slaughter at the hands of the Northumbrians, resistance to Norman rule spread throughout Northern England, including a similar uprising in York.[24] William The Conqueror subsequently (and successfully) attempted to halt the northern rebellions by unleashing the notorious Harrying of the North (1069–1070).[25] Because William's main focus during the harrying was on Yorkshire,[24] County Durham was largely spared the Harrying.[26] The best remains of the Norman period include Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, and several parish churches, such as St Laurence Church in Pittington. The Early English period has left the eastern portion of the cathedral, the churches of Darlington, Hartlepool, and St Andrew, Auckland, Sedgefield, and portions of a few other churches.
11th to 15th centuries
Until the 15th century, the most important administrative officer in the Palatinate was the steward. Other officers included the sheriff, the coroners, the Chamberlain and the chancellor. The palatine exchequer originated in the 12th century. The palatine assembly represented the whole county, and dealt chiefly with fiscal questions. The bishop's council, consisting of the clergy, the sheriff and the barons, regulated judicial affairs, and later produced the Chancery and the courts of Admiralty and Marshalsea.[citation needed]
The entrance to Durham Castle, the bishops' palace until 1832 when it moved to Auckland Castle
The prior of Durham ranked first among the bishop's barons. He had his own court, and almost exclusive jurisdiction over his men. A UNESCO site describes the role of the Prince-Bishops in Durham, the "buffer state between England and Scotland":[27]
From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England’s northern frontier.
A report states that the Bishops also had the authority to appoint judges and barons and to offer pardons.[28]
There were ten palatinate barons in the 12th century, most importantly the Hyltons of Hylton Castle, the Bulmers of Brancepeth, the Conyers of Sockburne, the Hansards of Evenwood, and the Lumleys of Lumley Castle. The Nevilles owned large estates in the county. John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby rebuilt Raby Castle, their principal seat, in 1377.
Edward I's quo warranto proceedings of 1293 showed twelve lords enjoying more or less extensive franchises under the bishop. The repeated efforts of the Crown to check the powers of the palatinate bishops culminated in 1536 in the Act of Resumption, which deprived the bishop of the power to pardon offences against the law or to appoint judicial officers. Moreover, indictments and legal processes were in future to run in the name of the king, and offences to be described as against the peace of the king, rather than that of the bishop. In 1596 restrictions were imposed[by whom?] on the powers of the chancery, and in 1646 the palatinate was formally abolished. It was revived, however, after the Restoration, and continued with much the same power until 5 July 1836, when the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 provided that the palatine jurisdiction should in future be vested in the Crown.[29][30]
15th century to the modern era
During the 15th-century Wars of the Roses, Henry VI passed through Durham. On the outbreak of the Great Rebellion in 1642 Durham inclined to support the cause of the Parliament, and in 1640 the high sheriff of the palatinate guaranteed to supply the Scottish army with provisions during their stay in the county. In 1642 the Earl of Newcastle formed the western counties into an association for the King's service, but in 1644 the palatinate was again overrun by a Scottish army, and after the Battle of Marston Moor (2 July 1644) fell entirely into the hands of the parliament.
In 1614, a bill was introduced in parliament for securing representation to the county and city of Durham and the borough of Barnard Castle. The bishop strongly opposed the proposal as an infringement of his palatinate rights, and the county was first summoned to return members to parliament in 1654. After the Restoration of 1660 the county and city returned two members each. In the wake of the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned two members for two divisions, and the boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland acquired representation. The bishops lost their secular powers in 1836.[31] The boroughs of Darlington, Stockton and Hartlepool returned one member each from 1868 until the Redistribution Act of 1885.
'Durham Castle and Cathedral' is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.[32] Other attractions in the County include; Auckland Castle, North of England Lead Mining Museum and Beamish Museum. [33]
Modern local government
See also: History of local government districts in Durham
High Force waterfall on the River Tees
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 reformed the municipal boroughs of Durham, Stockton on Tees and Sunderland. In 1875, Jarrow was incorporated as a municipal borough,[34] as was West Hartlepool in 1887.[35] At a county level, the Local Government Act 1888 reorganised local government throughout England and Wales.[36] Most of the county came under control of the newly formed Durham County Council in an area known as an administrative county. Not included were the county boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland. However, for purposes other than local government, the administrative county of Durham and the county boroughs continued to form a single county to which the Crown appointed a Lord Lieutenant of Durham.
Over its existence, the administrative county lost territory, both to the existing county boroughs, and because two municipal boroughs became county boroughs: West Hartlepool in 1902[35] and Darlington in 1915.[37] The county boundary with the North Riding of Yorkshire was adjusted in 1967: that part of the town of Barnard Castle historically in Yorkshire was added to County Durham,[38] while the administrative county ceded the portion of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in Durham to the North Riding.[39] In 1968, following the recommendation of the Local Government Commission, Billingham was transferred to the county borough of Teesside, in the North Riding.[40] In 1971, the population of the county—including all associated county boroughs (an area of 2,570 km2 (990 sq mi)[23])—was 1,409,633, with a population outside the county boroughs of 814,396.[41]
In 1974, the Local Government Act 1972 abolished the administrative county and the county boroughs, reconstituting County Durham as a non-metropolitan county.[36][42] The reconstituted County Durham lost territory[43] to the north-east (around Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland) to Tyne and Wear[44][45] and to the south-east (around Hartlepool) to Cleveland.[44][45] At the same time it gained the former area of Startforth Rural District from the North Riding of Yorkshire.[46] The area of the Lord Lieutenancy of Durham was also adjusted by the Act to coincide with the non-metropolitan county[47] (which occupied 3,019 km2 (1,166 sq mi) in 1981).[23]
In 1996, as part of 1990s UK local government reform by Lieutenancies Act 1997, Cleveland was abolished. Its districts were reconstituted as unitary authorities. Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees (north Tees) were returned to the county for the purposes of Lord Lieutenancy.[48] Darlington also became a third unitary authority of the county. The Royal Mail abandoned the use of postal counties altogether, permitted but not mandatory being at a writer wishes.[49][3][50]
As part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England initiated by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the seven district councils within the County Council area were abolished. The County Council assumed their functions and became the fourth unitary authority. Changes came into effect on 1 April 2009.[51][5]
On 15 April 2014, North East Combined Authority was established under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 with powers over economic development and regeneration.[52] In November 2018, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Borough Council, and Northumberland County Council left the authority. These later formed the North of Tyne Combined Authority.[53]
Modern national government
Further information: List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham
Tourism
Landmarks
Durham Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Construction began in 1093.
The Angel of the North in Gateshead
Tyne bridge between Gateshead and Newcastle, Northumberland
The Transporter Bridge between Port Clarence and Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle
The Penshaw Monument.
Yarm Viaduct between Eaglescliffe and Yarm, Yorkshire
Bishop Auckland
An October 2019 article in The Guardian referred to Bishop Auckland as a "rundown town ... since the closure of the mines" but predicted that the re-opening of Auckland Castle would transform the area into a "leading tourist destination".[54] After renovations by the Auckland Project, the castle re-opened on 2 November 2019, operated by the Auckland Castle Trust, started by the owner of the castle, Jonathan Ruffer. In 2012 Ruffer had purchased the property and all of its contents, including the artwork, with works by Francisco de Zurbarán.[55][56][57]
Other projects in the town include the Mining Art Gallery, which opened in 2017 (thanks to support provided to the Castle Trust by Bishop Auckland and Shildon AAP and Durham County Council),[58] a viewing tower, an open-air theatre show (Kynren) depicting "An Epic Tale of England", and the Bishop Trevor Gallery at the Castle (which started displaying the National Gallery's "Masterpiece" touring exhibit in October 2019). In a few years[when?], other attractions were expected[by whom?] to open at or near the Castle: a display of Spanish art, a Faith Museum, a site that will feature the works of Francisco de Zurbarán, a boutique hotel and two additional restaurants.
Reports suggest that the revival of the area, dubbed "the Auckland Project", will eventually cost a total of about £150m.[59][60] According to The Guardian,[60]
"The aim is to make the town – the heart of the abandoned Durham coalfields – a tourist destination that holds people for a day or two rather than just a couple of hours. The scheme will create hundreds of entry-level jobs in a county that suffers high unemployment and has some of the most deprived areas in northern Europe".
A Financial Times report in early November 2019 stated that "Kynren [theatre] has attracted 250,000 people and the Auckland Project, even with the castle closed, welcomed 35,500 visitors in the past year" to this community.[61]
A September 2019 report identified Bishop Auckland as one of the towns designated to receive up to £25 million in funding from a new Towns Fund intended "to improve industrial areas that have not benefitted from economic growth in the same way as more prosperous areas". Durham County Council's Cabinet member for economic regeneration said that the funds would help the partners in Bishop Auckland to regenerate the town center area.[62]
Geography
Geology
Main article: Geology of County Durham
County Durham is underlain by Carboniferous rocks in the west. Permian and Triassic strata overlie these older rocks in the east. These sedimentary sequences have been cut by igneous dykes and sills.
Climate
County Durham
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
56 61
39 71
51 92
52 113
50 156
55 179
45 2011
61 2011
58 179
57 136
62 93
59 72
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [63]
Imperial conversion
The following climate figures were gathered at the Durham weather station between 1981 and 2010:
Green belt
Further information: North East Green Belt
County Durham contains a small area of green belt in the north of the county, surrounding primarily the city of Durham, Chester-le-Street and other communities along the shared county border with Tyne and Wear, to afford a protection from the Wearside conurbation. There is a smaller portion of belt separating Urpeth, Ouston, Pelton, and Perkinsville from Birtley in Tyne and Wear. A further small segment by the coast separates Seaham from the Sunderland settlements of Beckwith Green and Ryhope. It was first drawn up in the 1990s.[68]
North Pennines
The county contains a sizeable area of the North Pennines, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, primarily west of Tow Law and Barnard Castle. The highest point (county top) of historic County Durham is the trig point (not the summit) of Burnhope Seat, height 746 metres (2,448 ft), between Weardale and Teesdale on the border with historic Cumberland in the far west of the county. The local government reorganisation of 1974 placed the higher Mickle Fell south of Teesdale (the county top of Yorkshire) within the administrative borders of Durham (where it remains within the ceremonial county), although it is not generally recognised as the highest point of Durham.
The two main dales of County Durham (Teesdale and Weardale) and the surrounding fells, many of which exceed 2,000 feet (610 m) in height, are excellent hillwalking country, although not nearly as popular as the nearby Yorkshire Dales and Lake District national parks. The scenery is rugged and remote, and the high fells have a landscape typical of the Pennines with extensive areas of tussock grass and blanket peat bog in the west, with heather moorland on the lower slopes descending to the east. Hamsterley Forest near Crook is a popular recreational area for local residents.
Biology
Birds
152 species of birds are recorded as breeding; however, not all are considered regular breeders.[69]
Demography
Population
Further information: List of settlements in County Durham by population
The Office for National Statistics estimated in 2016 that the Durham County Council area had a population of 522,100, the Borough of Darlington a population of 105,600, the Borough of Hartlepool a population of 92,800, and the part of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham (the other part being in North Yorkshire) a population of 137,300[note 1]. This gives the total estimated population of the ceremonial county at 857,800.[71][72]
At the 2001 Census, Easington and Derwentside districts had the highest proportion (around 99%) in the county council area of resident population who were born in the UK.[73] 13.2% of the county council area's residents rate their health as not good, the highest proportion in England.[74] This table shows the historic population of the current remit of Durham County Council between 1801 and 2001.
96.6% of County Durham's residents are indigenous White British, with other white groups making up a further 1.6% of the population. The largest non-white ethnic group is formed by those of Chinese descent, at around 1,600 people (0.3%), most of whom living in and around Durham itself, and with many of those studying at the university. Around 77% of the county's population are Christian whilst 22% have no religion, and around 1% come from other religious communities. These figures exclude around 6% of the population who did not wish to state their religion.
Settlements
Further information: List of places in County Durham and List of civil parishes in County Durham
Changes in the 1900s
Since the Local Government Act 1972 historic county boundaries now lie within other administrative counties. These include:
Tyne and WearSouth Tyneside, City of Sunderland and metropolitan borough of Gatesheadadministratively removed in 1974
North Riding of YorkshireSmall number of settlements south of the Tees, such as Startforth,administratively added to county control in 1974.
Cleveland countyHartlepool boroughadministratively removed from historic county control in 1974, added to ceremonial county control in 1996.
Cleveland countyStockton-on-Tees (North Tees) boroughTwo previous separate administrative partial removals from historic county control in 1968 and 1974, added to ceremonial county control in 1996.
Changes in the 1800s
Further information: Exclaves
Throughout the 1800s exclaves, of the historic county, each were given back to surrounding shires and lands they were closer associated with:
East Riding of YorkshireHowdenshire
North Riding of Yorkshire (now North Yorkshire)Allertonshire
NorthumberlandBedlingtonshire, Islandshire (included Berwick-upon-Tweed)
Employment
The proportion of the population working in agriculture fell from around 6% in 1851 to 1% in 1951; currently less than 1% of the population work in agriculture.[23] There were 15,202 people employed in coal mining in 1841, rising to a peak of 157,837 in 1921.[23] As at 2001, Chester-le-Street district has the lowest number of available jobs per working-age resident (0.38%).[75]
Economy
Economic history
Graph showing unadjusted gross value added (GVA) in County Durham across 3 industries at current basic prices from 1995 to 2004.
Legend
Agriculture, hunting and forestry
Industry, including energy and construction
Service activities
Total
Source:[76]
County Durham has long been associated with coal mining, from medieval times up to the late 20th century.[77] The Durham Coalfield covered a large area of the county, from Bishop Auckland, to Consett, to the River Tyne and below the North Sea, thereby providing a significant expanse of territory from which this rich mineral resource could be extracted.
King Stephen possessed a mine in Durham, which he granted to Bishop Pudsey, and in the same century colliers are mentioned at Coundon, Bishopwearmouth and Sedgefield. Cockfield Fell was one of the earliest Landsale collieries in Durham. Richard II granted to the inhabitants of Durham licence to export the produce of the mines, the majority being transported from the Port of Sunderland complex which was constructed in the 1850s.[citation needed]
Among other early industries, lead-mining was carried on in the western part of the county, and mustard was extensively cultivated. Gateshead had a considerable tanning trade and shipbuilding was undertaken at Sunderland, which became the largest shipbuilding town in the world – constructing a third of Britain's tonnage.[citation needed]
The county's modern-era economic history was facilitated significantly by the growth of the mining industry during the nineteenth century. At the industry's height, in the early 20th century, over 170,000 coal miners were employed,[77] and they mined 58,700,000 tons of coal in 1913 alone.[78] As a result, a large number of colliery villages were built throughout the county as the industrial revolution gathered pace.
The railway industry was also a major employer during the industrial revolution, with railways being built throughout the county, such as The Tanfield Railway, The Clarence Railway and The Stockton and Darlington Railway.[79] The growth of this industry occurred alongside the coal industry, as the railways provided a fast, efficient means to move coal from the mines to the ports and provided the fuel for the locomotives. The great railway pioneers Timothy Hackworth, Edward Pease, George Stephenson and Robert Stephenson were all actively involved with developing the railways in tandem with County Durham's coal mining industry.[80] Shildon and Darlington became thriving 'railway towns' and experienced significant growths in population and prosperity; before the railways, just over 100 people lived in Shildon but, by the 1890s, the town was home to around 8,000 people, with Shildon Shops employing almost 3000 people at its height.[81]
However, by the 1930s, the coal mining industry began to diminish and, by the mid-twentieth century, the pits were closing at an increasing rate.[82] In 1951, the Durham County Development Plan highlighted a number of colliery villages, such as Blackhouse, as 'Category D' settlements, in which future development would be prohibited, property would be acquired and demolished, and the population moved to new housing, such as that being built in Newton Aycliffe.[83] Likewise, the railway industry also began to decline, and was significantly brought to a fraction of its former self by the Beeching cuts in the 1960s. Darlington Works closed in 1966 and Shildon Shops followed suit in 1984. The county's last deep mines, at Easington, Vane Tempest, Wearmouth and Westoe, closed in 1993.
Boosting tourism
An October 2019 article in The Guardian referred to town of Bishop Auckland as a "rundown town ... since the closure of the mines" but predicted that the re-opening of Auckland Castle would transform the community into a "leading tourist destination".[84] The castle re-opened on 2 November 2019 after renovations by the Auckland Project, operated by the Auckland Castle Trust, started by the owner of the castle, Jonathan Ruffer.[85][86][87]
The interior had been fully restored, including the bishops' "palatial" apartments. The Faith Museum of world religion and a huge glass greenhouse were under construction.[88]
Other attractions already operating include the Mining Art Gallery which opened in 2017,[89] an open-air theatre, Kynren, depicting "An Epic Tale of England", and the Bishop Trevor Gallery at the Castle; the latter started displaying the National Gallery's Masterpiece touring exhibit in October 2019. In a few years, other attractions were expected to open at or near the Castle: a display of Spanish art, the Faith Museum (already being built), a site that will feature the works of Francisco de Zurbarán, a boutique hotel and two restaurants, in addition to the Bishop's Kitchen café. According to The Guardian,[90]
The aim is to make the town – the heart of the abandoned Durham coalfields – a tourist destination that holds people for a day or two rather than just a couple of hours. The scheme will create hundreds of entry-level jobs in a county that suffers high unemployment and has some of the most deprived areas in northern Europe.
Economic output
The chart and table summarise unadjusted gross value added (GVA) in millions of pounds sterling for County Durham across 3 industries at current basic prices from 1995 to 2004.
Gross Value Added (GVA) (£m)
199520002004
Agriculture, hunting and forestry453348
Industry, including energy and construction1,7511,8271,784
Service activities2,2822,8693,455
Total4,0784,7295,288
UK640,416840,9791,044,165
Post markings
Postal Rates from 1801 were charged depending on the distance from London. Durham was allocated the code 263 the approximate mileage from London. From about 1811, a datestamp appeared on letters showing the date the letter was posted. In 1844 a new system was introduced and Durham was allocated the code 267. This system was replaced in 1840 when the first postage stamps were introduced.
Culture
Mining and heavy industry
John Wilson Carmichael A View of Murton Colliery near Seaham, County Durham, 1843
A substantial number of colliery villages were built throughout the county in the nineteenth century to house the growing workforce, which included large numbers of migrant workers from the rest of the UK.[77] Sometimes the migrants were brought in to augment the local workforce but, in other cases, they were brought in as strike breakers, or "blacklegs". Tens of thousands of people migrated to County Durham from Cornwall (partly due to their previous experience of tin mining) between 1815 and the outbreak of the First World War, so much so that the miners' cottages in east Durham called "Greenhill" were also known locally as "Cornwall", and Easington Colliery still has a Cornish Street.[91] Other migrants included people from Northumberland, Cumberland, South Wales, Scotland and Ireland.[92][93] Coal mining had a profound effect on trade unionism, public health and housing, as well as creating a related culture, language, folklore and sense of identity that still survives today.[78]
The migrants also were employed in the railway, ship building, iron, steel and roadworking industries, and the pattern of migration continued, to a lesser extent, up until the 1950s and 1960s. Gateshead was once home to the fourth-largest Irish settlement in England,[92] Consett's population was 22% Irish[94] and significant numbers of Irish people moved to Sunderland, resulting in the city hosting numerous events on St. Patrick's Day due to the Irish heritage.[95]
Durham Miners' Gala 2008
The culture of coal mining found expression in the Durham Miners' Gala, which was first held in 1871,[96] developed around the culture of trade unionism. Coal mining continued to decline and pits closed. The UK miners' strike of 1984/5 caused many miners across the county to strike. Today no deep-coal mines exist in the county and numbers attending the Miners' Gala decreased over the period between the end of the strike and the 21st century. However recent years have seen numbers significantly grow, and more banners return to the Gala each year as former colliery communities restore or replicate former banners to march at the Gala parade.[96][97]
Art
In 1930, the Spennymoor Settlement (otherwise known as the Pitman's Academy) opened. The settlement, initially funded by the Pilgrim Trust, aimed to encourage people to be neighbourly and participate in voluntary social service.[98] The settlement operated during the Great Depression, when unemployment was widespread and economic deprivation rife; Spennymoor was economically underprivileged. The settlement provided educational and social work, as well as hope; this included providing unemployed miners with on outlet for their creativity, a poor person's lawyer service, the town's first library and the Everyman Theatre. The output included paintings, sewing, socially-significant plays, woodwork and sculptures. Several members went on to win adult scholarships at Oxford University[98] when such a route would normally be closed to the underprivileged. Former members include artists Norman Cornish and Tom McGuinness, writer Sid Chaplin OBE and journalist Arnold Hadwin OBE. The Spennymoor Settlement at its home in the Everyman Theatre (Grade 2 listed) is still operating, administered by the current trustees, offering community events and activities, including Youth Theatre Group, an Art Group and various classes, as well as offering community accommodation facilities.
Several Durham miners have been able to turn their former mining careers into careers in art. For example, Tom Lamb, as well as the aforementioned Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish. Their artworks depict scenes of life underground, from the streets in which they lived and of the people they loved; through them, we can see, understand and experience the mining culture of County Durham.
In 2017, The Mining Art Gallery opened in Bishop Auckland in a building that was once a bank.[99] Part of the Auckland Project, the gallery includes the work of artists from within County Durham and beyond, including such other North-Eastern mining artists as Robert Olley, as well as contributions from outside the region. It features three permanent areas and a temporary exhibition area; the gallery's Gemini Collection includes 420 pieces of mining art. [100] Much of the artwork was donated, by Dr Robert McManners and Gillian Wales, for example.[101]
In 2019, 100 years after his birth, a permanent tribute to the work of the artist Norman Stansfield Cornish MBE was opened within the Town Hall, and a Cornish Trail around the town was established to include areas of the town depicted in Cornish's artwork.
Music
As with neighbouring Northumberland, County Durham has a rich heritage of Northumbrian music, dating back from the Northumbrian Golden Age of the 7th and 8th centuries. Bede made references to harp-playing, and abundant archeological evidence has been found of wooden flutes, bone flutes, panpipes, wooden drums and lyres (a six-string form of harp).[13] North-East England has a distinctive folk music style that has drawn from many other regions, including southern Scotland, Ireland and the rest of northern England, that has endured stably since the 18th century.[102] Instruments played include, in common with most folk music styles, stringed instruments such as the guitar and fiddle, but also the Northumbrian smallpipe, which is played and promoted by people including the Northumbrian Pipers' Society throughout the North East, including County Durham, with the society having an active group in Sedgefield.[103] Contemporary folk musicians include Jez Lowe and Ged Foley.
In 2018, The Arts Council funded the Stories of Sanctuary project in the city of Durham. The project aims to assist people living in the city to share their stories about seeking sanctuary in the North East through photography, stories, poetry and music. The art is based on a history of sanctuary in Durham, from St Cuthbert's exile, through to the miners' strike of 1984, and to refugees escaping civil war in the Middle East. The music produced as part of the project includes contributions from singer-songwriter Sam Slatcher and viola player Raghad Haddad from the National Syrian Orchestra.[104]
Other notable performers/songwriters who were born or raised in the county include Paddy McAloon, Eric Boswell, Jeremy Spencer, Alan Clark, Martin Brammer, Robert Blamire, Thomas Allen, Zoe Birkett, John O'Neill, Karen Harding and Courtney Hadwin.
Flag
Main article: Flag of County Durham
County Durham flag
County Durham has its own flag, registered with the Flag Institute on 21 November 2013.[105]
Katie, Holly and James Moffatt designed the flag and entered their design into a competition launched by campaigner Andy Strangeway, who spoke of the flag as "free, public symbol for all to use, especially on 20th March each year, which is not only County Durham Day but also St Cuthbert’s birthday.”[106]
The flag consists of St Cuthbert's cross counterchanged with the county's blue and gold colours.
Education
Further information: University of Durham and List of schools in County Durham
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington
Durham LEA has a comprehensive school system with 36 state secondary schools (not including sixth form colleges) and five independent schools (four in Durham and one in Barnard Castle). Easington district has the largest school population by year, and Teesdale the smallest with two schools. Only one school in Easington and Derwentside districts have sixth forms, with about half the schools in the other districts having sixth forms.
The University of Durham is based in Durham city and is sometimes held to be the third oldest university in England.[107]
Places of interest
Key
AP Icon.svgAbbey/Priory/Cathedral
Accessible open spaceAccessible open space
Themepark uk icon.pngAmusement/Theme Park
CL icon.svgCastle
Country ParkCountry Park
EH icon.svgEnglish Heritage
Forestry Commission
Heritage railwayHeritage railway
Historic houseHistoric House
MosqueMosques
Museum (free)
MuseumMuseum (free/not free)
National TrustNational Trust
Drama-icon.svgTheatre
Zoo icon.jpgZoo
Apollo Pavilion, Peterlee, controversial piece of concrete art designed by Victor Pasmore in 1969.
Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland Historic house
Barnard Castle English Heritage Historic house Castle
Beamish Museum, in Stanley Accessible open space Museum (charges for entry) Heritage railway
Binchester Roman Fort Museum (charges for entry)
Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle Museum (charges for entry) Historic house
Castle Eden, a castle with adjoining village, famous for the Castle Eden Brewery.
Castle Eden Dene, Nature reserve with coal mining heritage.
Causey Arch, near Stanley
County Hall
Crook Hall and Gardens
Durham Cathedral and Castle, a World Heritage Site Cathedral Castle
Durham Dales
Durham Light Infantry Museum, Aykley Heads, Near Durham Museum (charges for entry)
Escomb Saxon Church, near Bishop Auckland
Finchale Priory, near Durham city English Heritage
Hamsterley Forest
Hardwick Hall Country Park, near Sedgefield Country Park
High Force and Low Force waterfalls, on the River Tees Accessible open space
Ireshopeburn – oldest Methodist chapel in the world to have held continuous services. Site of the 'Weardale Museum'
Killhope Wheel, part of the North of England Lead Mining Museum in Weardale Museum (charges for entry)
Kynren, night show in Bishop Auckland, depicting British History.
Longovicium Roman Fort, Lanchester – ruined auxiliary fort.
North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Newcastle
Oriental Museum, Durham City – Asian artefacts and information.
Raby Castle, near Staindrop Castle
The Raby Hunt in Summerhouse, the only 2-Michelin Star restaurant in North East England.
Seaham Hall
Sedgefield – St Edmund's Church has notable Cosin woodwork. Home to Sedgefield Racecourse.
Locomotion railway museum, in Shildon Heritage railway Museum (free entry)
Spennymoor - Jubilee park
Tanfield Railway, in Tanfield Heritage railway
Ushaw College, Catholic Seminary of great religious heritage.
Weardale Railway, at Stanhope, County Durham, Wolsingham and Bishop Auckland Heritage railway
Monochrome, Ushaw College, County Durham, England. Ushaw College (formally St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw), is a former Catholic seminary near the village of Ushaw Moor, County Durham, England, which is now a heritage and cultural tourist attraction. The College is known for its Georgian and Victorian Gothic architecture and listed nineteenth-century chapels. The College now hosts a programme of art exhibitions, music and theatre events, alongside tearooms and a café.
It was founded in 1808 by scholars from the English College, Douai, who had fled France after the French Revolution. Ushaw College was affiliated with Durham University from 1968 and was the principal Roman Catholic seminary for the training of Catholic priests in the north of England.
In 2011, the seminary closed, due to the shortage of vocations. It reopened as a visitor attraction, marketed as Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels & Gardens in late 2014 and, as of 2019, receives around 50,000 visitors a year. The County Durham Music Service and Durham University Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring are based at the college and buildings at the college are also used by Durham University Business School.[2][3]
History
Founding
The English College, Douai was founded in 1568 but was forced to leave France in 1795 following the French Revolution. Part of the college settled temporarily at Crook Hall near Lanchester, northwest of Durham. In 1804 Bishop William Gibson began to build at Ushaw Moor, four miles west of Durham. These buildings, designed by James Taylor, were opened as St Cuthbert's College in 1808. There was a steady expansion during the nineteenth century with new buildings put up to cater for the expanding number of clerical and secular students. In 1847, the newly built chapel, designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was opened.[4] This was followed by the Big Library and Exhibition Hall designed by Joseph Hansom, 1849–1851.[5] The Junior House, designed by Peter Paul Pugin, was added in 1859. St Cuthbert's Chapel, designed by Dunn and Hansom, was opened in 1884, replacing AWN Pugin's 1847 chapel which the seminary had outgrown. The Refectory was designed and built by E. W. Pugin. The final development came in the early 1960s with the opening of a new East wing, providing additional classrooms and single bedrooms for 75 students. The main college buildings are Grade II listed, the College Chapel is Grade II* and the Chapel of St Michael is Grade I.
University of Durham
Although independent, Ushaw College had a close working relationship with Durham University. The college became a Licensed Hall of Residence of the University of Durham in 1968. It was independent of the university but offered courses validated by the university, and both Church and lay students studied at the college. The Junior House closed in 1972, its younger students being transferred to St Joseph's College, Up Holland in Lancashire.
21st Century
In 2002, the college rejected a report from the Roman Catholic hierarchy that it should merge with St Mary's College, Oscott, near Birmingham.[6] However, in October 2010 it was announced that the college would close in 2011 due to the shortage of vocations in the Roman Catholic Church, and that the site might be sold.[7] Following a detailed feasibility study by the college's Trustees and Durham University, and with support from Durham County Council and English Heritage,[8][9] it was announced in January 2012 that Durham Business School would temporarily relocate to the college during rebuilding of the school's buildings in Durham. This was seen as the first step in a long-term education-based vision for the site.[10]
The university also agreed to catalogue and archive the Ushaw library and inventory the other collections to ensure their preservation and specialist conservation,[11] with a view to creating a proposed Ushaw Centre for Catholic Scholarship and Heritage.[8] In March 2019, an uncatalogued early charter of King John was found in the library manuscript collection.[12]
In 2017, Durham University announced plans to develop an international residential research library at Ushaw College, with the aim of attracting scholars from around the world to work on the collections of Ushaw, Durham University and Durham Cathedral. The university has also confirmed that it has extended the agreement to lease the east wing of the college (used by the Business School) to 2027.[13] The college is also used for numerous musical events and for the Ushaw Lecture Series, organised by the university's Centre for Catholic Studies.[14]
In 2018, Durham University's Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) moved into the east wing of the college, previously used by the Business School.[3]
Heraldry
The college armorial bearings are "Per pale dexter Argent a Cross Gules on a Canton Azure a Cross of St Cuthbert proper sinister impaling Allen Argent three Rabbits couchant in pale Sable."
Various emblems on shield represent the college's history and foundation, for example:-
Three coneys are from the family coat of arms of William Allen, the founder of English College, Douai. See Three hares.
The small cross of St Cuthbert represents the college's patron saint (it is modelled on St Cuthbert's own pectoral cross, which is kept in the Treasury at Durham Cathedral).
The large cross of St George honours the English Roman Catholic Martyrs.
Alumni
Early drawing of Ushaw designed (1804–1808) by James Taylor
The Death of St Bede; the monastic clergy are wearing surplices over their cowls (original painting at St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw)
See also: Category:Alumni of Ushaw College
Clergy
Nicholas Cardinal Wiseman – first Archbishop of Westminster
Francis Cardinal Bourne – Archbishop of Westminster
Arthur Cardinal Hinsley – Archbishop of Westminster
William Cardinal Godfrey – Archbishop of Westminster
John Carmel Cardinal Heenan – Archbishop of Westminster
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta – Cardinal Secretary of State
Charles Petre Eyre – Archbishop of Glasgow.
Louis Charles Casartelli – 4th Bishop of Salford
Hugh Lindsay – 10th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
James Chadwick – 2nd Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle
Alexander Goss – Bishop of Liverpool
Thomas Grant – Bishop of Southwark
Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury
John Lingard – author of The History Of England, From the First Invasion by the Romans to the Accession of Henry VIII
Bernard Łubieński - Redemptorist missionary priest
John Furniss – English Roman Catholic priest, known for his mission to children
James Nugent – Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool
Nicholas Rigby – English Roman Catholic priest and author of The Real Doctrine of the Church on Scripture
Constantine Scollen – Irish Roman Catholic missionary priest and outstanding linguist in Canada in the mid- to late 19th century and author of Thirty Years among the Indians of the Northwest
Paul Swarbrick - Bishop of Lancaster
Lay
George Goldie – nineteenth-century ecclesiastical architect
Edward Goldie – nineteenth- and twentieth-century ecclesiastical architect
Alexander Martin Sullivan – Irish lawyer and defence counsel in the trial of Roger Casement
Charles Napier Hemy – artist and Royal Academician
Francis Thompson – English poet
Joseph Gillow – author of Bibliographical Dictionary of the English Roman Catholics
William Shee – first Roman Catholic to sit as a judge in England and Wales since the Reformation
Francis Joseph Sloane (aka Francesco Giuseppe Sloane) - born 1794, died October 23, 1871, tutor at Ushaw and lifelong friend of Nicolas (later Cardinal) Wiseman, responsible for reviving the Montecatini Val di Cecina copper mine, which was the largest in Europe[15]
Paul Goggins – Labour Member of Parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East and junior minister in the Northern Ireland Office.
Joseph Scott – attorney in Los Angeles, founder of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, vice-president of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
A.J. Hartley bestselling novelist and Shakespeare scholar
Lafcadio Hearn (also known as Koizumi Yakumo) – author, best known for his books about Japan
Francis Petre - prominent New Zealand-born architect designed the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Christchurch
Peter Paul Pugin – English architect
James Joseph Foy – Ontario Attorney General and political figure
Myles William Patrick O'Reilly – Roman Catholic soldier and politician
Archibald Matthias Dunn – Roman Catholic ecclesiastical architect
Joe Tasker - Himalayan climber
Charles Bruzon – Gibraltarian government minister and curate[16]
List of presidents
1794–1810 Thomas Eyre
1811–1828 John Gillow
1828–1833 Thomas Youens
1833–1836 John Briggs
1836–1837 Thomas Youens
1837–1863 Charles Newsham
1863–1876 Robert Tate
1876–1877 Francis Wilkinson
1877–1878 James Chadwick
1878–1885 William Wrennall
1885–1886 William Dunderdale
1886–1890 James Lennon
1890–1909 Thomas Wilkinson
1909–1910 Joseph Corbishley
1910–1934 William Brown
1934–1950 Charles Corbishley
1950–1967 Paul Grant
1967–1977 Philip Loftus
1977–1984 Peter Cookson
1984–1991 Peter Walton
1991–1997 Richard Atherton
1997–2003 James O’Keefe
2003–2008 Terence Drainey
2008–2011 John Marsland
County Durham (/ˈdʌrəm/ (About this soundlisten) DURR-əm) is a ceremonial county in North East England.[2] The county town is Durham, a cathedral city. During the Middle Ages, the county was an ecclesiastical centre, due largely to the presence, of St Cuthbert's shrine in Durham Cathedral, and the extensive powers granted to the Bishop of Durham as ruler of the County Palatine of Durham.
The historic county's boundaries stretched between the rivers Tyne and Tees. Historic borders were shared with 4 counties: Northumberland to the north, now along with the county of Tyne and Wear; North Riding of Yorkshire to the south, now North Yorkshire; Westmorland and Cumberland, latter two to the west and both now Cumbria.
Within the Durham County Council area, the largest settlements are Durham, Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe. The largest ceremonial settlement is Darlington, closely followed by Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees. The North East Combined Authority region includes the towns of Gateshead, Jarrow, South Shields and the city of Sunderland. The ceremonial and combined authority overlapped roughly correspond to historic boundaries.[3]
The county has a mixture of mining, farming and heavy railway heritage, with the latter especially noteworthy in the southeast of the county, in Darlington, Shildon and Stockton.[4] In the centre of the city of Durham, Durham Castle and Cathedral are UNESCO-designated World Heritage Sites.
Etymology
Many counties are named after their principal town, and the expected form here would be Durhamshire, but this form has never been in common use. The ceremonial county is officially named Durham,[3] but the county has long been commonly known as County Durham and is the only English county name prefixed with "County" in common usage (a practice common in Ireland). Its unusual naming (for an English shire) is explained to some extent by the relationship with the Bishops of Durham, who for centuries governed Durham as a county palatine (the County Palatine of Durham), outside the usual structure, of county administration in England.
The situation regarding the formal name in modern local government is less clear:
The 2009 structural change legislation[5] created the present unitary council (that covers a large part – but not all – of the ceremonial county) refers to "the county of County Durham" and names the new unitary district "County Durham" too.
Later amendment to that legislation[6] refers to the "county of Durham" and the amendment allows for the unitary council to name itself "The Durham Council".
The council retains the name as Durham County Council. With either option, the name does not include County Durham.
The former postal county was named "County Durham" to distinguish it from the post town of Durham.
Politics
Parliament
Main article: List of Parliamentary constituencies in County Durham
The county boundaries used for parliamentary constituencies are those used between 1974 and 1996 (i.e. consisting of only the area governed by Durham County Council and the Borough of Darlington). This area of the county elects seven Members of Parliament. As of the 2019 General Election, four of these MPs are Conservatives and three MPs are Labour. The rest of the ceremonial county is included in constituencies in the Cleveland parliamentary constituency area.
2019 General Election Results in County Durham
PartyVotes%Change from 2017SeatsChange from 2017
Conservative123,11240.6%Increase4Increase4
Labour122,54740.4%Decrease3Decrease4
Brexit25,4448.4%new00
Liberal Democrats21,3567.0%Increase00
Greens5,9852.0%Increase00
Others4,7251.6%Increase00
Total303,260100.07
Local government
Flag of Durham County Council since 1974, based on the council's coat of arms. This flag was used as an unofficial flag of County Durham until 2013.
The ceremonial county of Durham is administered by four unitary authorities. The ceremonial county has no administrative function, but remains the area to which the Lord Lieutenant of Durham and the High Sheriff of Durham are appointed.
County Durham (governed by Durham County Council): the unitary district was formed on 1 April 2009 replacing the previous two-tier system of a county council providing strategic services and seven district councils providing more local facilities. It has 126 councillors. The seven districts abolished were:[7][8]
Chester-le-Street, including the Lumley, Pel