Scarborough and its harbour area are steeped in history:
The History of the Harbour
The port of Scarborough has been owned and managed by Scarborough Borough Council since the earlier Harbour Commissioners relinquished their responsibilities in the late 1940’s.
It is located in Scarborough’s South Bay, adjacent to the popular tourist beach and at the foot of Scarborough Castle Hill.
The harbour consists of three piers enclosing an outer and inner harbour. The outer harbour is used mainly by leisure vessels and the inner harbour by fishing and passenger vessels. The outer harbour is tidal and almost dries out at low water.
Piers
The three piers which form these two harbours are:
The West Pier, completed shortly after 1325
The East Pier, measuring 420.6M was completed shortly after 1811
The Vincent Pier, completed in 1752
All three piers are listed structures.
The port’s layout is such that all the piers, wharves, slipways, and landings, with the exception of the North Wharf and a section of the West Pier, are readily accessible to both the general public and the various industries using it.
The North Wharf and the adjacent section of the West Pier are used exclusively by the fishing industry.
The Lighthouse
This is located on the Vincent Pier. The first reference to a lighthouse on this location occurs in 1804. A signal flag was displayed by day and a light by night when depth of water was not less than 3.7M.
In 1914 the lighthouse was seriously damaged during the bombardment of Scarborough by German cruisers and the tower had to be dismantled. It was rebuilt in 1931.
The History of Scarborough
Two Icelandic Vikings, Thorgills Ogmundarson and his brother Kormak, began raiding around the coast of Britain in 966. They founded the stronghold called 'Skarthaborg' which took its name from a nickname of Thorgills - 'Skarthi' meaning hare-lip. His stronghold enjoyed some permanency as a fishing community and raider's base.
However, evidence dating back 10,000 years to the Stone Age, has been discovered in the Scarborough area along with evidence of an Iron Age settlement on the Castle headland. The earliest visible remains are those of a Roman Signal Station, which was abandoned soon after its construction in 370 A.D.
William Le Gross, Earl of Albermarle, built the first Castle on Scarborough headland in 1140 but was appropriated by King Stephen in 1154. The Castle has undertaken five sieges, in 1312, 1536, 1557, 1644-45 and 1648. In the Civil War, Scarborough was ultimately the only royalist port on the East Coast, and it was not until 1645, with the garrison worn out and stores exhausted that the Castle surrendered to Parliament.
More recently, in 1914, during the Great War, the German fleet bombarded the town and Castle. The keep was damaged and the 17th century barracks almost entirely destroyed.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Scarborough was one of the principal ship building centres on the East Coast. From 1785 to 1810, 209 ships were built with a tonnage of 35,683 tons.
Today, Scarborough is a popular holiday destination, with visitors able to enjoy both the natural beauty and rich historical significance of the area.
Further Historical Information
For further historical information we recommend you contact:
Wood End Museum
The Crescent
Scarborough
YO11 2PW
Tel: 01723 367326
Email: museuminfo@scarborough.gov.uk
Website: Museum and Galleries Website (external website)
The Rotunda Museum
Vernon Road
Scarborough
YO11 2PW
Tel: 01723 374839
Website: Rotunda Museum Website