CHECKPOINT 6
North Wharf (behind ASK Italian)
A medieval port
As one of the earliest ports along the East Coast, there has been a harbour of some sort in Scarborough since medieval times. Residents made a living from transporting coal, herring and salt to other port towns such as Newcastle, Hartlepool and Hull, as well as corn and wool from the vale of Pickering. The Royal Charter of 1253 included the development of a new port in Scarborough - so that vessels could berth at both high and low tides.
Early imports came from across the North Sea - including timber from the Baltic. Exports of Scarborough pottery (known as Scarborough Ware) has been discovered in port towns of Scandinavia, France and Iceland. The town had established far-reaching trade links by the 14th century. By the 17th and 18th century, goods came from every corner of the world, in particular India and China. Common imports included tobacco, tea, board games, silk, indigo dye and liquor.
The Crown has long appreciated the strategic importance of Scarborough, with many Kings providing grants for regenerating and upkeep of the quay and harbour areas from as early as 1225. King Richard III stationed warships in the harbour, and Queen Elisabeth I provided a £500 grant to strengthen the outer pier (as well as tons of timber and iron). Much of Scarborough's early prosperity was built upon the trade of herring in the 12th century, and it has a vast fishing history. Read on to find out more...
A fishing town
Have a quick look around - you'll likely notice the presence of numerous fishing ropes and lobster pots, making it evident how deeply the fishing industry influences this town. However, Scarborough's transformation into a bustling fishing hub primarily occurred during the mid-1800s.
While fishing has been a longstanding activity in Scarborough for centuries - as early as the 1100s, its expansion was finally made possible by the Victorian railways, which opened up the city of York as a market. Before this development, the demand for fish was mostly limited to the local population of this small town - and with the nearest major city located more than 50 miles away, the market for their catch was constrained.
By the time the railways started bringing a multitude of visitors to Scarborough in 1845, a trade route to York had emerged, leading to a sudden boom in the fishing industry.
In 1875, the first steam trawler was launched, and with the new railway network, fish could be transported swiftly and affordably throughout the country.
However, during World War 1, the trawlers faced a grim fate when eleven of them were bombed by the German U-boat U-57 on a fateful night. This incident marked the decline of the fishing industry in Scarborough. Although fishing continued in the town, it never fully recovered to its pre-war levels, and the ports of Grimsby and Hull overshadowed Scarborough's success.
As technology advanced throughout the 20th century, Russian factory ships equipped with Purse Seine nets overfished the vast herring shoals in the North Sea. These extensive nets would capture entire shoals of herring, some of which could be as large as 7 miles long and 5 miles wide, leaving nothing for regeneration. Due to limited regulations, this overfishing led to the rapid depletion of the herring species in a relatively short period - almost to extinction!
Boxing Day traditions
Firemen vs Fishermen Football Match
Since 1893, Scarborians have come out in their thousands on Boxing Day, to join in the fun on South Bay. First set up to raise money for the orphans and widows after the vessel Evelyn & Maud was lost at sea in a brutal storm, this tradition has continued for well over a century - and the Fishermen and Firemen's charity still exists in the town.
Firstly, a football match on the beach is played - with fishermen against firemen (firemen in the 19th century worked on the steam powered boats). Fancy dress is encouraged, and the losers are dunked in the sea at full time.
Then a raft race takes place in the harbour - with home made vessels, crew in fancy dress, and a flour and egg fight beforehand, raising money for local charities.
A comedy band plays, and there is also a tradition of leaving a mile of pennies along the pavement on Foreshore Road.
If you've never been to Scarborough on Boxing Day make sure you visit - it is a spectacle worth seeing, and a fun day for the whole family!
CHECK POINT NAVIGATION
This section will be repeated at the bottom of every check point page, so if you want to skip ahead, or go back at any time, you can easily get to the check point page of your choice by clicking the corresponding button.
Lost your map? No problem - just download the pdf document again using the map icon, or view and download the map image at the bottom of the navigation section.
