Harrogate (or
Harrogate Spa) is a
spa townA spa town — or simply a spa — is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
in
North YorkshireNorth Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county, located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in that region and also partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest ceremonial...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The town is a popular tourist destination; its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens and Betty's tearooms are world famous visitor attractions. The town originated in the 17th century, with High Harrogate and Low Harrogate as two separate settlements. It lies close to
KnaresboroughKnaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
and is in the
Nidd valleyThe River Nidd is a tributary of the River Ouse in the English county of North Yorkshire.The Nidd rises in Nidderdale in the Yorkshire Dales. In its first few miles it is dammed twice to create Angram Reservoir and Scar House Reservoir, which attract around 150,000 visitors a year.The first major...
.
Harrogate spa water contains
ironIron is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a group 8 and period 4 element and is therefore classified as a transition metal. Iron and iron alloys are by far the most common metals and the most common ferromagnetic materials in everyday use...
, sulphur and common
saltA salt, in chemistry, is an ionic compound, and can result from the neutralization reaction of acids and bases. Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries especially, these '
chalybeateChalybeate waters, also known as ferruginous waters, are mineral spring waters containing salts of iron.-Name:The word "chalybeate" is derived from the Latin word for steel, "chalybs", which follows from the Greek word "khalups"...
' waters (i.e. containing iron) were a popular health treatment, and the influx of wealthy but sickly visitors contributed significantly to the wealth of the town.
Harrogate railway stationHarrogate railway station serves the town centre of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds City station. Northern Rail operate the station and provide all passenger train services except a daily NXEC service to London Kings Cross.-Facilities:There...
and
Harrogate bus stationHarrogate bus station serves the town of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. The bus station is managed by the Harrogate & District.The bus station is situated in Harrogate Town Centre just off Station Parade less than 100 metres away from the the rail station...
in the town centre provide transport connections.
Leeds Bradford International AirportLeeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of central Leeds. It is locally referred to as Yeadon Airport. It serves the cities of Leeds and Bradford, as well as the wider Yorkshire region, and is the largest airport within Yorkshire...
is south west of Harrogate. The main road through the town is the
A61The A61 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Derby to Thirsk in North Yorkshire. From Derby, it heads north via Alfreton, Clay Cross, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon...
, connecting Harrogate to
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
and
RiponRipon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
. Harrogate is also connected to
WetherbyWetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
and the A1, by the
A661The A661 is an A road running between Wetherby and Harrogate in West and North Yorkshire, England. The road is approximately in length....
. The town of Harrogate on its own had a population of 71,594 at the 2001 UK census; the urban area comprising Harrogate and nearby
KnaresboroughKnaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
had a population of 85,128, while the figure for the much wider
Borough of HarrogateHarrogate is a local government district and borough of North Yorkshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Harrogate but it also includes surrounding towns and villages...
, comprising Harrogate, Knaresborough,
RiponRipon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
and a large rural area, was 151,339.
The town motto is
Arx celebris fontibus, which means "a citadel famous for its springs."
History
Prior to the discovery of its naturally
ironIron is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a group 8 and period 4 element and is therefore classified as a transition metal. Iron and iron alloys are by far the most common metals and the most common ferromagnetic materials in everyday use...
and
sulphurSulfur or sulphur is the chemical element that has the atomic number 16. It is denoted with the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Sulfur, in its native form, is a yellow crystalline solid. In nature, it can be found as the pure element and as sulfide and sulfate minerals...
rich water, Harrogate was two minor villages (High Harrogate and Low Harrogate) close to the historic town of
KnaresboroughKnaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
. The first mineral spring in Harrogate was discovered in 1571 by William Slingsby, who found that water from the Tewitt Well possessed similar properties to that from the springs of the Belgian town of
SpaSpa is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège. It is situated in a romantic valley amid hills which form part of the Ardennes chain, some 35 km southeast of Liège, and 45 km southwest of Aachen. As of 1 January 2006, Spa had a total population of...
, which gave its name to
spa townA spa town — or simply a spa — is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
s. The medicinal properties of the waters were more widely publicised by one Edmund Deane, whose book,
Spadacrene Anglica, or the English Spa Fountain was published in 1626. Following this Harrogate developed considerable fame as a spa town.
Today the site of the Tewitt Well is marked by a dome within the Stray. Other wells can be found in Harrogate's Valley Gardens and the Royal Pump Room museum.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Harrogate was extremely popular among the English élite and was frequented by nobility from around Europe . Its popularity declined after
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
. During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, however, Harrogate's large hotels accommodated government offices that had been evacuated from London. This paved the way for the town's current function as a commercial, conference, and exhibition centre.
Notable former employers in Harrogate were
ICIICI or Ici may mean:* ICI programming language, a computer programming language developed in 1992* Ici , an alternative weekly newspaper in Montreal, Canada* Iodine monochloride, a chemical compound with formula ICl...
, who occupied offices and laboratories at Hornbeam Park, the Central Electricity Generating Board, (
CEGBThe Central Electricity Generating Board was the cornerstone of the British electricity industry for almost 40 years; from 1957, to privatisation in the 1990s....
), and the
Milk Marketing BoardThe Milk Marketing Board was a government agency established in 1933 to control milk production and distribution in the United Kingdom. It functioned as buyer of last resort in the British milk market, thereby guaranteeing a minimum price for milk producers...
. ICI's Hornbeam Park laboratories at Hornbeam Park were the location of the invention of
CrimpleneCrimplene is a thick, yarn used to make a fabric of the same name. The resulting cloth is heavy, wrinkle-resistant and retains its shape well...
in the 1950s, named after the nearby Crimple Valley and Beck.
The town hosted the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest in the conference centre.
In 2007, two
metal detectorA metal detector is a device which uses electromagnetic induction to detect metal.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
ists found the
Harrogate hoardThe Vale of York Hoard, also known as the Harrogate Hoard and the Vale of York Viking Hoard, is a 10th century Viking hoard of more than 617 silver coins and other items. It was found undisturbed in 2007 near the town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England...
, a 10th century
VikingA Viking is one of the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the late eighth to the early eleventh century. These Norsemen used their famed longships to travel as far east as Constantinople and the Volga River in Russia, and as far...
treasure
hoardIn archaeology, a hoard is a collection of valuable objects or artifacts, sometimes purposely buried in the ground. This would usually be with the intention of later recovery by the hoarder; hoarders sometimes died before retrieving the hoard, and these surviving hoards may be uncovered by...
, near Harrogate. The hoard contains almost 700 coins and other items from as far away as
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
. The hoard was described by the
British MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture situated in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from...
as the most important find of its type in Britain for 150 years.
Geography
The town acts, to some extent, as a dormitory town for commuters working in the cities of
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
and
BradfordBradford is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
. Harrogate is very prosperous and as such has some of the highest property prices in England with many properties in the town and surrounding villages valued at £1 million or more.
Climate
Harrogate is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, with the Vale of York to the East and the upland Yorkshire Dales to the West and Northwest. It has a dry and mild climate, typical of places in the
rain shadowA rain shadow is an area of land that has suffered desertification from proximity to mountain ranges. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them.-Description:...
of the
PenninesThe Pennines are a low-rising mountain range in northern England and southern Scotland. They separate the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East....
. Covering an altitude of between 100 and 200 metres, Harrogate is considerably higher than many English settlements. Harrogate has an average minimum temperature in January of slightly below 0°C and an average maximum in July and August of 20°C.
Places of interest
There are many fine examples of building and architecture about the town, including the Royal Hall theatre, a Grade II
listed building designed by
Frank MatchamFrank Matcham was a famous English theatrical architect. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery.-Early career:...
. As the only surviving
KursaalKursaal is an original novel written by Peter Anghelides and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
in Britain, the Royal Hall is an important national heritage building. Restoration work was completed in 2007, and the Hall was formally opened on 22 January 2008, by
The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1952, he has been heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. After earning a bachelor of arts from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with Royal Navy...
.
Harrogate is now one of Europe's largest exhibition and conference centres including the
Harrogate International CentreThe Harrogate International Centre is a convention and exhibition centre in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.It was first opened in 1982 and was notable as the host of the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest and had expanded overtime to include a 2,000 seat conference auditorium and eight exhibition...
and has many guest houses, hotels and restaurants catering for the regular influx of visitors. Harrogate also hosts the
Great Yorkshire ShowThe Great Yorkshire Show is an agricultural show which takes place on the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in the North of England annually from the second Tuesday of July until the following Thursday...
annually.
Two military installations are both located to the immediate west of Harrogate, the
Army Foundation CollegeThe Army Foundation College in Harrogate AFC trains future soldiers from all cap badges except the Royal Military Police. School leavers aged between 16 and 17 years and one month of age are eligible to join, the AFC offers young men and women the opportunity to learn as you earn...
and
RAF Menwith HillRAF Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station near Harrogate, North Yorkshire which provides communications and intelligence support services to the United Kingdom and the United States of America...
, an electronic monitoring station.
Shopping and leisure
Harrogate's main shopping district is focussed on Cambridge Street, Oxford Street, Beulah Street and James Street where most of the high street shops can be found. There is however a wide range of boutique and designer shopping on Parliament Street and in the Montpellier Quarter, as well as independent shopping around Commercial Street.
Eating out is popular in Harrogate, with the town well served for restaurants. Parliament Street and Cheltenham Parade are lined with many independent and chain restaurants, while there is also a concentration of chain restaurants on John Street and Albert Street.
Montpellier Quarter
Bettys Tea RoomsBettys is Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, an Anglo-Swiss family company with seven locations in North Yorkshire, England. Bettys Café Tea Rooms are traditional tea rooms serving traditional meals with influences both from Switzerland and Yorkshire. Taylors is a family tea and coffee merchant...
are regionally renowned. They are owned by Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate - the same company that makes the nationally well-known
Yorkshire TeaYorkshire Tea is a black tea blend produced by Taylors of Harrogate, one of the few remaining family tea and coffee merchants in the United Kingdom.The company was founded in 1886 by Yorkshire tea merchant Charles Taylor...
. Bettys has a second tea room at the Harlow Carr Gardens.
The Mercer Art Gallery is home to Harrogate district's fine art collection which consists of some 2,000 works of art, mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection includes works by
William Powell FrithWilliam Powell Frith , was an English painter specialising in portraits and Victorian era narratives, who was elected to the Royal Academy in 1852. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery London W10.-Life and career:...
, Atkinson Grimshaw, Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Dame Laura Knight,
Alan DavieJames Alan Davie is a Scottish painter and musician.He was born in Grangemouth, near Edinburgh, and studied at Edinburgh College of Art in the late 1930s. An early exhibition of his work came through the Society of Scottish Artists...
and many more.
The Montpellier Quarter is also the centre of the town's nightlife, which is mainly centred on the renovated Royal Baths development.
Church of England
- St. Robert's Church, Pannal
- Christ Church, High Harrogate
Christ Church, High Harrogate is a parish church in the Church of England located in Harrogate.-History:The history of Christ Church starts in 1749 when a Chapel of St John was built as a chapel-of-ease to the mother church of St John the Baptist at Knaresborough. Although known as ‘St John's...
- St. James' Church, Birstwith
- St. John's Church, Bilton
- St. Luke's Church
- St. Mark's Church
- St. Peter's Church, Harrogate
St. Peter's Church, Harrogate is a parish church in the Church of England located in Harrogate.-History:The church was formed out of the parish of Christ Church, High Harrogate....
- St. Wilfrid's Church, Harrogate
St Wilfrid's Church, Harrogate is an Anglican parish church in the town of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It is a Grade 1 listed building, the only such building in Harrogate. It was designed by the architect Temple Lushington Moore and is his most famous work...
Methodist
- Bar and Grove Road Methodist
- Killinghall Methodist
- Pannal Methodist
- Starbeck Methodist
- Trinity Methodist
- Wesley Methodist
- Woodlands Methodist
Roman Catholic
- St. Aelred's Church, 71 Woodlands Drive
- St. Joseph's Church
- St. Robert's Church
Other
- Harrogate Synagogue, Montpellier
- Mayfield Community Church
- Elim Pentecostal Church
- Harrogate New Life Church
- Life Destiny Church
- Society of Friends Meeting House, Queen Parade
- Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, Skipton Road
Awards
Harrogate was the winner of the 2003
Britain in BloomBritain in Bloom is a horticultural competition in the United Kingdom. It was first held in 1963, initiated by the British Tourist Board based on the example set by Fleurissement de France. It has been organised by the Royal Horticultural Society since 2002 and is currently sponsored by Shredded...
in the category of 'Large Town'. From there it went on to win the European
Entente FloraleThe Entente Florale is an international horticultural competition established to recognise municipalities and villages in Europe for excellence in horticultural displays. Trophies are presented annually by tourist boards and horticultural societies of European countries...
competition in 2004. This reprises its win in the first ever Entente Florale competition in 1977.
In 2005, a
Channel 4Channel 4 is a UK public-service television broadcaster which began working on November 2, 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station owned now and operated by the Channel Four Television...
TV show listed Harrogate as the UK's 3rd best place to live. In 2006 it came 4th in the same league; the programme claimed that it placed lower due to "a slight dip in exam results", though presenter
Phil SpencerPhil Spencer is an English media personality, journalist and businessman, who appears with Kirstie Allsopp in a variety of home-buying programs on Channel 4 including Location, Location, Location and Relocation, Relocation...
noted that it was his personal favourite.
Sport
- Rugby union
Rugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
, footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
, cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, cricket had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being...
, ultimate frisbee, water poloWater polo is a team water sport. It is the oldest continuous Olympic team sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper with a maximum of six substitutes. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Gameplay involves swimming, players passing the ball...
and hockeyField hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team's goal. Its official name is simply hockey, and this is the common name for it in many countries...
are popular sports in Harrogate played at plenty of schools and local clubs.
- Harrogate Town FC
Harrogate Town Football Club is an English semi-professional football club from Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The club was founded in 1914 and currently competes in the Conference North division of the Football Conference.-History:...
situated on Wetherby Road play in the Conference NorthThe Conference North is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of the English football league system...
division and finished 6th in the season. They have a natural, good-natured rivalry with newly promoted Harrogate Railway Athletic F.C.Harrogate Railway Athletic F.C. is an English football club based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The club was founded in 1935 and continues on today. It currently plays in the Northern Premier League Division One North.-History:...
, of the Northern Premier League First DivisionThe Northern Premier League First Division was a football league covering the north of England. From the 2004-05 season it sat at step 4 of the National League System....
, located at Station View.
- Harrogate RUFC is a National 2 division team and based at The County Ground, Claro Road.
- Harrogate District Swimming Club Is a very successful amateur level swimming club that has had teams compete at National level and come home with medals. There are many different squads within the club with over 150 total members.
- Bilton Cricket Club, situated off Bilton Lane provides opportunities for players of all ages to play in Local League Cricket, Bilton Cricket Club have a good natured rivalry with Harrogate Cricket Club with Bilton defeating Harrogate in their last clash at St Georges Road in the Black Sheep Trophy in 2006. Harrogate cricket club is one of the strongest clubs in the Yorkshire league. Until 1995 the town hosted one Yorkshire county game per year at the St George's cricket ground.
- Running is also a popular sport at Harrogate Harriers, who run from Harrogate Squash Club on Harlow Hill and at Nidd Valley Road Runners, who share the premises of Harrogate Railway Athletic FC. Members compete in road races, cross-country and fell races or simply run for fun and to keep fit.
Parks and gardens
Harrogate is a well known inland resort for its parks and gardens. The main park in the town is
Valley Gardens, in Low Harrogate. The park covers much of the area originally known as 'Bogs Field', an area where a number of springs were discovered. Valley Gardens has a number of attractions including the Ice Cream Parlour and Children's Play Area with Outdoor Paddling Pool. The Sun Pavilion skirting the northern edge of the park can be privately hired for events such as wedding receptions. A golf course, crazy golf, tennis courts and bowling green can be found towards the western end of the park.
The Stray is an area of open parkland some 200 acres (800,000 m²) in size that runs through the centre of the town. The Harrogate Stray was created in 1778 by an
act of ParliamentAn act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament....
. The act fixed the size of the Stray at , and even now when part of it is removed, due to road expansion etc, it must be replaced elsewhere. During the Victorian period, part of the Stray hosted a racecourse (horses). It was created to link together most of Harrogate's springs in one protected area. There is an annual funfair that comes twice a year in the summer and more milder part of the year which attracts a variety of tourists.
RHS Harlow Carr gardens are a privately owned collection of award winning themed gardens on the outskirts of Harrogate.
Crescent Gardens is a small open area in central Harrogate. It is surrounded by some of the towns main tourist attractions including the Royal Pump Room, Royal Baths and Royal Hall, as well as the Town Hall. Hall M of the Harrogate International Centre also fronts onto Crescent Gardens.
A number of smaller parks and gardens can be found throughout the town, including Jubilee Gardens and Victoria Gardens on the eastern side of central Harrogate.
Transport
The town is served by four railway stations:
HarrogateHarrogate railway station serves the town centre of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds City station. Northern Rail operate the station and provide all passenger train services except a daily NXEC service to London Kings Cross.-Facilities:There...
(for town centre),
Hornbeam ParkHornbeam Park railway station is located in the southern suburbs of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England on the Harrogate Line, operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Services:...
,
PannalPannal railway station serves the village of Pannal, including Burn Bridge, in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line north of Leeds City Station and operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services...
(towards Leeds) and
StarbeckStarbeck railway station is located in the eastern suburbs of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Harrogate Line 2.25 miles east of Harrogate and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services.-Background:...
on the
Harrogate LineThe Harrogate Line is the name given to a passenger rail service through parts of North Yorkshire and the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England connecting Leeds to York by way of Harrogate and Knaresborough. The service is operated by Northern Rail, with a few additional workings by...
to Knaresborough and York. Trains are operated by
Northern RailNorthern Rail is a train operating company that has operated local passenger services in the north of England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-NedRailways, is a consortium formed of NedRailways and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
, with one daily service to London Kings Cross operated by
National Express East CoastNational Express East Coast is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running high speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, as part of the East Coast passenger franchise...
. Trains run every half hour to Leeds and Knaresborough, and every hour onto York. There are extra non-stop commuter services at peak times between Harrogate and Leeds. The former railway lines to
RiponRipon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
and
WetherbyWetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
(see
Wetherby railway stationWetherby railway station can refer to three railway stations in Wetherby, West Yorkshire:*Wetherby railway station - The last operating railway station in the town*Wetherby railway station - The first railway station in the town...
) were dismantled in the 1960s. A prospective railway company,
First Harrogate Trains|}First Harrogate Trains was a proposed open-access UK train operating company. They planned to run regular direct rail services between Harrogate and London....
plans to run trains from London King's Cross to Harrogate. If their plans are realised, the first direct trains will begin running in summer 2009.
Buses are every 20 minutes between Harrogate and
RiponRipon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
, and Harrogate and
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
(via
HarewoodHarewood is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England. The A61 runs through the village, from Leeds city centre in the south to Harrogate in the north...
,
MoortownMoortown is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England in the LS17 postcode area. It is a civil parish and electoral ward in the north of the city. It is situated between Roundhay and Brackenwood on the east and Weetwood on the west, with Chapel Allerton to the south, and Alwoodley to the north...
and
Chapel AllertonChapel Allerton is an inner suburb of Leeds, north-east of the city centre, West Yorkshire, England. The Chapel Allerton electoral ward includes areas otherwise referred to as Chapeltown and Potternewton - the suburb is generally considered to be only the northern part of this...
) on Harrogate and District route 36. The 770 route also runs to Leeds via
WetherbyWetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
,
Boston SpaBoston Spa is a village and civil parish in City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England, south of Wetherby, on the banks of the River Wharfe...
and
SeacroftSeacroft is an outer-city suburb consisting mainly of council estate housing covering an extensive area of east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is east of Leeds city centre and lies in the LS14 Leeds postcode area....
as well as other parts of semi-rural Leeds. There are further services to
Leeds Bradford International AirportLeeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of central Leeds. It is locally referred to as Yeadon Airport. It serves the cities of Leeds and Bradford, as well as the wider Yorkshire region, and is the largest airport within Yorkshire...
,
OtleyOtley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Wharfe. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town has a total resident population of 14,124.-History:...
,
BradfordBradford is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
,
KnaresboroughKnaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
and
Pateley BridgePateley Bridge is a small market town in Nidderdale in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd.Originally a settled as a lead mining village, it takes its name from an 'Pate' - an old Yorkshire dialect word for 'Badger'....
, and in April 2008 a new service to York was commenced under the branding Yorkshire Connect
Harrogate is strongly connected to
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
, in both rail and road transport. This is also evident in the volume of high school students coming from Leeds to Harrogate everyday. The strong transport connection is very important for some of the Harrogate schools, especially
Rossett SchoolRossett School is a coeducational, specialist Mathematics and Computing College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. Students come from Harrogate, neighbouring towns and villages, and nearby Leeds. The current roll is around 1300, including 214 in the sixth form...
. Road transport to Leeds is via the
A61The A61 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Derby to Thirsk in North Yorkshire. From Derby, it heads north via Alfreton, Clay Cross, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon...
(north and central Leeds),
A658The A658 is a road in the UK running from Bradford, West Yorkshire to Knaresborough, North Yorkshire passing along the way Leeds Bradford International Airport, where it runs through a tunnel directly under the main runway, towards, but not into Harrogate, where it acts as the South Harrogate and...
(north west Leeds/
Leeds Bradford International AirportLeeds Bradford International Airport is located at Yeadon, Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, northwest of central Leeds. It is locally referred to as Yeadon Airport. It serves the cities of Leeds and Bradford, as well as the wider Yorkshire region, and is the largest airport within Yorkshire...
) and
A661The A661 is an A road running between Wetherby and Harrogate in West and North Yorkshire, England. The road is approximately in length....
(for north east Leeds). The A61 also continues northwards to Ripon, while the A658 connects to Bradford after passing through north west Leeds. The A658 also forms the Harrogate Bypass that skirts the South and East of the town, joining the A59 linking
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
and the A1(M) to the east and
SkiptonSkipton is a civil parish and historic market town in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England...
to the west with Harrogate.
Governance
The MP for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency is
Phil WillisGeorge Philip Willis is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough. Although from Burnley, he has lived in the Yorkshire area for many years.-Early life:...
, a
Liberal DemocratThe Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems or just Liberals, are a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by a merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party; the two parties had been in alliance for seven years, from shortly after the formation of...
. He was elected in 1997, ousting the
ConservativesThe Conservative and Unionist Party, more commonly known as the Conservatives, the Conservative Party, or Tory Party is a conservative political party in the United Kingdom...
who had won the seat at the previous three general elections.
Education
- Ashville College
Ashville College is an independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 4–18 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It was founded as a Methodist boarding school for boys in 1877, and subsequently merged with Elmfield College and New College in the 1930s...
- Harrogate College
Harrogate College is a further education college in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It can trace its origins to the University Extension movement which began in 1873 under the auspices of Cambridge University...
, (became part of Leeds Metropolitan UniversityLeeds Metropolitan University is a British university with two campuses in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It gained official university status in 1992; prior to this date it was known as Leeds Polytechnic. The number of students is listed by the HESA 2007/08 data as the largest in Britain,...
until 1 August 2008, when it transferred to Hull CollegeHull College is a further education College in Hull, England. The enrollment was 28,000students -Notable alumni:*Alfred Harker , noted geologist in the speciality of petrology*Jamie McKeller, actor and director- External links :...
)
- Harrogate Grammar School
Harrogate Grammar School is a specialist Language and Technology College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It has about 1700 pupils and there are about 400 pupils in the sixth form...
- Harrogate High School
Harrogate High School is a secondary school in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It has about 1,000 students on roll and approximately 85 full-time teaching staff. The school has been awarded specialist Sports College status...
, a specialist Sports CollegeSports Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, PE, sports and dance. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Sports...
- Harrogate Ladies College
- Harrogate Tutorial College
Harrogate Tutorial College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England is a small co-educational independent school.HTC specialises in preparing students for university and teaches GCSE and A-level qualifications in tutorial classes...
- Rossett School
Rossett School is a coeducational, specialist Mathematics and Computing College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. Students come from Harrogate, neighbouring towns and villages, and nearby Leeds. The current roll is around 1300, including 214 in the sixth form...
- St. Aidan's C of E High School
St. Aidan's Church of England High School is a mixed Church of England School in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It currently houses over 1800 students of both lower school and sixth form age...
, a specialist Language and Science College.
- St. John Fisher Catholic High School, a specialist arts and Humanties college.
- St. Aidan's & St. John Fisher Associated Sixth Form
The St. Aidan's & St. John Fisher Associated Sixth Form was created in 1973 as a venture in ecumenical education. The two schools, St. Aidan's C of E High School and St...
, a large sixth form shared across the Protestant and Catholic schools.
Location grid
Areas of Harrogate
Like all large towns, Harrogate has many suburbs. These include;
- Central Harrogate is bounded by 'The Stray' to the south and west, and borders High Harrogate and Duchy to the east and north respectively. It is a district centre for retail with the Victoria Shopping Centre housing a number of major chains. Pedestrianised Cambridge Street and Oxford Street are the main high streets in the town, with Harrogate Theatre on Oxford Street. Parliament Street, Montpellier and James Street offer designer shopping and some of the upmarket department stores. An ODEON cinema can be found on the edge of central Harrogate, as can an Asda and Waitrose Supermarket. Marks and Spencer have a large food hall in their department store on Oxford Street. A number of bars and restaurants can be found on Cheltenham Mount and John Street, while the Royal Baths and Parliament Street are the centre of the town's nightlife. The southern end of central Harrogate consists largely of detached houses that have been converted to offices although Harrogate Magistrates Court and Harrogate Central Library can be found on Victoria Avenue. A bowling alley and some upmarket boutiques can be found along the Stray in central southern Harrogate, including the highly praised food emporium 'Weetons'.
- Oatlands, is a wealthy suburb in the south of Harrogate. The suburb includes 2 schools, Oatlands Primary School and Oatlands Infant School, and a set of allotments.
- Woodlands, is a large area of the town covering a part of the south east of Harrogate. Neighbouring the districts of Starbeck/Knareborough Road. It is home to Harrogate town football club, Woodlands primary school, Morrisons and Sainsburys supermarkets as well as the Woodlands pub.
- Bilton
Bilton is a place in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, historically part of the West Riding. It is a suburb of Harrogate, situated to the north of the town centre.The Red Cat Cottage , a Grade II listed building is located in the town.Situated close to the Nidd Gorge, average...
, is a very large area of Harrogate with many churches, stores and schools situated in Bilton. One of the best areas for schooling, Richard Taylor School, Woodfield and Bilton Grange. The Poet's Corner is known for its 'poetic' names and expensive housing. On the first May Bank Holiday each year the Bilton GalaThe Bilton Gala takes place in Bilton, Harrogate, North Yorkshire on the first Bank Holiday in May each year.The first Bilton Gala took place in 1977 to mark the Queen’s Silver Jubilee...
takes place. The first Gala was held in 1977 and the event raises money for local groups and organisations within the local community.
- Jennyfields, is a large, modern area of Harrogate, it has one school, a primary school called Saltergate. The town's main public swimming pool is located on the edge of Jennyfield, as is 'The Academy' Health Club and Gym.
- Duchy, is an affluent area close to central Harrogate where most of the houses are large detached homes or large detached homes converted into apartments. There are several private schools in this area, most notably Harrogate Ladies College. There is also a golf club and open countryside for walks etc.
- Starbeck, is a large suburb to the east of Harrogate. There are several shops along the local High Street, as well as a station with trains to Harrogate onto Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
, KnaresboroughKnaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
and YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
. A high frequency bus service links Starbeck to Harrogate and KnaresboroughKnaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
. A number of schools, churches, and convenience stores are situated in Starbeck
- Pannal, is to the south of Harrogate, off the A61 road. It retains much of its village character, although is considered a suburb of Harrogate by the majority. A commuter station links it to Harrogate onto York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
and KnaresboroughKnaresborough is an historic market town, spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located on the River Nidd, four miles east of Harrogate.-History:...
, and LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
.
- High Harrogate, is an inner suburb to the east of the town centre. It is focussed on Westmoreland Street and the A59 road, where a number of shops and cafes are located. Expensive terraced houses line The Stray, which stops in High Harrogate. The 4* Victorian Shannon Court Guest House is the only hotel in High Harrogate http://www.shannoncourtguesthouse.co.uk.
- Low Harrogate, is an inner suburb to the west of the town centre. It is traditionally the focus of most the tourist activity in the town, with the Royal Pump Room, Mercer Art Gallery and Valley Gardens.
- Harlow Hill, is a suburb to the west of the town, accessed by Otley Road. It has a number of new developments, and an office park. It is most well known for Harlow Carr Gardens. Harrogate Spa bottling plant is also on Harlow Hill, as is a water treatment centre.
- New Park, is a small area to the north of Harrogate, known for its primary school. There are a number of terraced houses in this area, as well as some light industrial and commercial premises.
- Wheatlands, is a wealthy suburb to the south of The Stray. It is exclusively residential, with the exception of 2 high-performing schools, St. Aidan's and St. John Fisher.
- Knox joined to Bilton by a pedestrian bridge over Oak Beck. Originally, a ford allowed road access via Bilton, however now, road access is via the A61 road.
- Hornbeam Park is a small, recently developed area of Harrogate accessed only by Hookstone Chase.It was originally developed as an office park and retains many offices, but it is now also the focus of Harrogate College (a campus of Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University is a British university with two campuses in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It gained official university status in 1992; prior to this date it was known as Leeds Polytechnic. The number of students is listed by the HESA 2007/08 data as the largest in Britain,...
), a Canons health club, Travel Inn and restaurant, hospice and some small warehouses. It is served by Hornbeam Park railway station to Harrogate and Leeds.
Town twinning
Harrogate is
twinnedSister cities, also known as town twinning, is an agreement between towns, cities and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties...
with:
- Luchon,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
(Since 1952) -
WellingtonWellington is the capital of New Zealand, at the southwestern tip of the North Island between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. The Wellington urban area is the major population centre of the southern North Island and is New Zealand's third most populous urban area with residents. There are ...
,
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
-
HarrogateHarrogate is a city in Claiborne County, Tennessee, United States. The community has been known as "Harrogate" since the 1800s, but did not incorporate as a city by that name until 1993....
,
TennesseeTennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 6,214,888, an increase of nearly 9.5% since 2000. Tennessee is the 14th fastest growing state in the US and is ranked 17th by population. It is ranked 36th by total land area. In...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Other
- The town's newspaper is the Harrogate Advertiser, part of Ackrill Media Group.
- The local radio stations are BBC Radio York
BBC York is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of North Yorkshire.- Early history :The station was launched at 6:30am on 4 July 1983 - a launch featured on the cover of the Radio Times...
on 104.3 & 103.7 FM and Stray FM97.2 Stray FM is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to the towns of Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Wetherby and Boroughbridge as well as a large number of other areas in North and West Yorkshire, England...
on 97.2 FM.
- Harrogate is a flavour of Mackintosh's Toffee
Mackintosh's Toffee is a candy created by John Mackintosh.Mackintosh opened up his sweets shop in Halifax, Yorkshire, England in 1890, and the idea for Mackintosh's Toffee, not too hard and not too soft, came soon after...
.
- Harrogate Nights
Harrogate Nights is an alcoholic beverage or cocktail made with vodka, archers , malibu, fresh orange juice fresh pineapple juice and fresh cranberry juice.-Origin:...
, is a popular alcoholic beverage, which was created in Harrogate.
- Alongside Runnymede
Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Surrey, and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of the Magna Carta, and as a consequence is the site of a collection of memorials.-Topography:The name Runnymede is used...
, SurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford...
, people in Harrogate drink alcohol to more hazardous levels than anywhere else in the UK.
- Harrogate is home to the headquarters of Rural Insurance Group Ltd, an agricultural insurance specialist, located at Hornbeam Park.
- Harrogate was the 'birthplace' of Crimplene, named after Crimple valley, which is a piece of land between Hornbeam Park and the Woodlands area.
See also
- Association of Harrogate Apprentices
-Introduction:The Association of Harrogate Apprentices, whose spiritual home is at Harrogate in England, exists to re-unite people in any way associated with the Army Apprentices School, Harrogate which was renamed the Army Apprentices College, Harrogate in 1965...
- Eurovision Song Contest 1982
The Eurovision Song Contest 1982 was the 27th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on April 24 1982 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. The presenter was Jan Leeming. The opening of the contest showed a map of Europe, with the translation "Where is Harrogate?" popping up on-screen from...
- Harrogate (Stonefall) Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery
Harrogate Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of World War I and World War II located on the outskirts of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England....
- List of spa towns in the United Kingdom
External links
- Harrogate Borough Council
- Harrogate Advertiser, local newspaper
- Harrogate Confidential.com, local online magazine about Harrogate
- Harrogate Golf Club
- Harrogate Rugby Union Football Club
- Harrogate Hockey Club
- Harrogate Karate Club
- Harrogate Theatre
- Harrogate People, Places, Events, Historical Brochures, etc.
- Bilton Historical Society
- Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain...
etext of Edmund Deane's Spadacrene Anglica
- Norwood College, Harrogate
- Harrogate Weather Station