Yarm
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| Yarm | ||
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| Statistics | ||
| Population: | 8,700 (2001 census) | |
| Ordnance Survey | ||
| OS grid reference: | NZ416124 | |
| Administration | ||
| Unitary authority: | Stockton-on-Tees | |
| Region: | North East England | |
| Constituent country: | England | |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom | |
| Other | ||
| Ceremonial county: | North Yorkshire | |
| Historic county: | Yorkshire (North Riding) | |
| Services | ||
| Police force: | Cleveland Police | |
| Fire and rescue: | Cleveland Fire Brigade | |
| Ambulance: | Yorkshire | |
| Post office and telephone | ||
| Post town: | YARM | |
| Postal district: | TS15 | |
| Dialling code: | 01642 | |
| Politics | ||
| UK Parliament: | Stockton South | |
| European Parliament: | North East England | |
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Yarm is a small town in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees, and thus for ceremonial purposes is in North Yorkshire. Yarm marked the end of the tidal section of the River Tees until the Tees Barrage was built in Stockton. The oldest part of the town around the high street is situated in a loop of the river, and the newer parts of the town extends to the point where the River Leven meets the Tees.
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[edit] History
The name of the town is thought to be derived from the old norse word yarum meaning an enclosure to catch fish. Yarm was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and was originally a chapelry in the Kirklevington parish in the North Riding of Yorkshire; it became a separate parish early. At one point it was a borough; this status did not persist. It formed part of the Stokesley Rural District under the Local Government Act 1894, and remained so until on April 1, when, under the Local Government Act 1972 it became part of the district Stockton-on-Tees in the new non-metropolitan county of Cleveland. [1] Cleveland was abolished in 1996 under the Banham Review, with Stockton-on-Tees becoming a unitary authority.
[edit] Local government
The Yarm ward of Stockton (which includes Kirklevington) has three local councillors sitting on Stockton borough council all of which are Conservatives. As of 2006 they are: Jennifer Beaumont, Brian Jones, and Andrew Sherris.
The town has a town council which is responsible for certain aspects of the town's administration, including allotments and the cemetery. They meet once a month in the Town Hall[2].
[edit] Geography
Yarm is divided into five estates, and the peninsular area where the town centre is situated. The estates are Willey Flatts, Layfield Farm, The Kebbell (signed as Spitalfields), Leven Park, and Levendale (or rarely known as Ingleby Grange).
[edit] Rivers
Yarm is bordered by two rivers. The River Tees is located to the north, and the Leven to the east. The Leven is a tributary of the Tees. In the past, Yarm was the highest port on the river Tees, with merchant vessels travelling up the tidal river to Yarm from the North Sea to unload their cargo.
[edit] High Street
The small Town Hall - situated in the high street - was built in 1710 by Thomas Belasyse who was Lord of the Manor.
[edit] Churches
Yarm Parish Church is the Anglican parish church, dedicated St Mary Magdalene. It is situated on West Street, where there has been a church on the site since at least the 9th Century. The Catholic church of St Mary and St Romuald is at the south end of the High Street. John Wesley's "favourite chapel"[citation needed], the unique octagonal Methodist Church is to be found on Chaple Yard, on the east side of the town by the river.
[edit] Woodland
Yarm has multiple areas of woodland. Most of these woodlands are part of private estates.
The Rookery is a public area of woodland next to the River Tees situated at the bottom of Goosepasture. The Ash, Sycamore, and Lime woodland is estimated to be about 200 years in age and is owned by Yarm Town Council. In 2002 a walkway was constructed around the wood to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
[edit] Viaduct and railway stations
The imposing 2,280ft long railway viaduct was built between 1849 and 1851 for the Leeds Northern Railway company. Its designers were Thomas Grainger and John Bourne. It comprises 7 million bricks, and has 43 arches. The original Yarm railway station, now closed, used to be situated on the Eaglescliffe side of the river at the north end of the viaduct. The current un-manned modern station, opened in 1996, is located to the south of Yarm off Green Lane.
[edit] Location
- Grid reference: NZ421124*
- Latitude and longitude: (54.50, −1.35)
- Road access: A67 from north and south, B1264 from west, A1044 from east.
- Rail access: Yarm Station
- Nearest airport: Durham Tees Valley Airport
[edit] Events
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Many events are held in the town each year such as a fair and a 5km fun run.
[edit] Fair
A fair is held in the High Street in the third week in October. It starts on the Tuesday evening and last until Saturday night. It was once a commercial fair that traded in cheese and livestock, but is now primarily a fun fair. Travellers still attend the fair, and ride horses up and down the street on the Saturday. The travellers have to wait outside the town until 6:00PM on the Tuesday, at which point they are allowed to cross the bridge over the River Tees into the town.
[edit] Fun Run
Yarm has an annual Fun Run. The 5km run starts at Conyers School, and ends on Snaiths Field. It used to end outside Yarm Parish Church, but this changed some time around 1998.
[edit] Charities Fair
Yarm and District Lions Club run a Charities Fair on the High Street every year. This mostly takes a market like approach.
[edit] Lighting of the Christmas tree
A ceremony takes place each advent to light up the town's Christmas tree. Carols are sung, and the high street is temporarily closed for the event.
[edit] Schools
Yarm has five schools. Three state primary, and one state secondary, as well as the private Yarm School.
[edit] State
There are three primary schools in the town - Levendale, Yarm Primary, and Layfield Schools - and one secondary school - Conyers Secondary School. Conyers also has a sixth form. Conyers is a specialist school for Maths and Computing, this status was awarded in or around 2000.
[edit] Fee Paying
The town is home to Yarm School, the senior school being situated at the Friarage and the Preparatory School, Pre-Prep and Nursery at the old Yarm Grammar School (the school was formed after the closure of the grammar school).
The school has plans to re-locate within the next decade to a site near to their playing fields on Green Lane, south of the town. This is subject to planning permission being granted for the sale of the listed Friarage site for development. [citation needed]
[edit] People
People associated with the town include John Wesley, founder of Methodism, Tom Brown, hero in the Battle of Dettingen.
[edit] Twinned towns
Yarm is twinned with two other European towns:
- Schwalbach am Taunus in Germany
- Vernouillet in France
On 2 July 2005, two trees were planted to the north of the town hall to mark the 20th anniversary of the twinning between Yarm and the two towns. The trees were marked with plaques.
| Towns and Villages in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees |
|
Aislaby | Billingham | Carlton | Cowpen Bewley | Eaglescliffe | Egglescliffe | Elton | Fairfield | Grindon | Hartburn | High Leven | Hilton | Longnewton | Maltby | Norton | Port Clarence | Redmarshall | Stockton | Stillington | Thornaby | Thorpe Thewles | Urlay Nook | Whinney Hill | Whitton | Wolviston | Yarm |
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Youngs, Volume 2
- ^ Yarm and Eaglescliffe History
