Jump to content

Yarm

Coordinates:54°30′N1°21′W/ 54.5°N 1.35°W/54.5; -1.35
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yarm
Town and civil parish
Therailway viaductand the high street, centred uponthe town hall
Yarm is located in North Yorkshire
Yarm
Yarm
Location withinNorth Yorkshire
Population9,600 (small town, 2021 census)[1]
OS grid referenceNZ416124
Civil parish
  • Yarm
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townYARM
Postcode districtTS15
Dialling code01642
PoliceCleveland
FireCleveland
AmbulanceNorth East
UK Parliament
WebsiteYarmTC.org
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire
54°30′N1°21′W/ 54.5°N 1.35°W/54.5; -1.35

Yarm,also referred to asYarm-on-Tees,is amarket townandcivil parishin theBorough of Stockton-on-Tees,North Yorkshire,England. It is inTeesdalewith a town centre on a smallmeanderof theRiver Tees.To the south-east, it extends to theRiver Leven,to the south it extends into theKirklevington.

Yarm Bridgemarked the river's furthest tidal-flow reaching until abarrageopened to regulate the tide in 1995. It was previously the last bridge before the sea, having been superseded multiple times since. It was first superseded by a toll bridge in 1771, crossing intoStockton-on-Tees.

The town's historic county isYorkshire,theNorth Ridingsub-division. The three sub-divisions had gained separate county status in 1889 before these were abolished in 1974. It is in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees; first when the borough was acounty of Clevelanddistrict (1974–1996) and second (from 1996) in its presentunitary authoritystructure. The borough is a constituent member of theTees Valleycombined authority.

History

[edit]

The nameYarmis thought to be derived from theOld Englishgearum,dative plural ofgear,'pool for catching fish' (source of the modern dialect wordyairwith the same meaning), hence 'at the place of the fish pools'.[2]Yarm was first mentioned in theDomesday Bookof 1086, and was originally achapelryin theKirklevingtonparish in theNorth Riding of Yorkshire;it later became a parish in its own right.[3]

TheYarm helmetis ac. 10th-centuryViking Agehelmetthat was found in Yarm. It is the first relatively completeAnglo-Scandinavianhelmet found in Britain and only the second Viking helmet discovered in north-west Europe. It is displayed nearby inPreston Park Museum,Preston-on-Tees.[4]

DominicanFriars settled in Yarm about 1286, and maintained a friary and a hospital in the town, until 1583. Their memory is preserved in the names of Friarage and Spital Bank.[5]The Friarage was built on top of the cellars of a Dominican friary in 1770, for the Meynell family.[6]It is now at the centre ofYarm School.

Bishop SkirlawofDurhambuilt a stone bridge, which still stands, across the Tees in 1400. An iron replacement was built in 1805, but it fell down in 1806. For many years, Yarm was at the tidal limit and head of navigation on theRiver Tees.[7]

On 1 February 1643, during theFirst English Civil War,a smallRoundheadforce attempted to halt the progress of a large waggon-train of arms, landed atTynemouthand destined to bolster the Royalist war effort in Yorkshire and beyond. Heavily outnumbered and outflanked by Royalist ford crossings, the Parliamentarians were quickly routed and the Royalists gained the bridge, crossing into Yorkshire.[8]

On 12 February 1821, at theGeorge & Dragon Inn,the meeting was held that pressed for the third and successful attempt for a Bill to give permission to build theStockton & Darlington Railway,the world's first public railway.[9]

In 1890, Bulmer & Co listed twelveinnsin Yarm: Black Bull, Cross Keys, Crown Inn, Fleece, George and Dragon, Green Tree, Ketton Ox, Lord Nelson, Red Lion, Three Tuns, Tom Brown, and Union. Also listed was Cross Keys beside the Leven Bridge.[10]

In the 13th century, Yarm was classed as a borough, but this status did not persist. It formed part of theStokesley Rural Districtunder theLocal Government Act 1894,and remained so until 1 April 1974 when, under theLocal Government Act 1972,it became part of thedistrict of Stockton-on-Teesin the new non-metropolitancounty of Cleveland.Cleveland was abolished in 1996 under theBanham Review,with Stockton-on-Tees becoming aunitary authority.[11]

Geography

[edit]
A map of Yarm showing main roads and estates

Yarm is bordered by two rivers, theRiver Teesto the north, and theRiver Levento the east. The Leven is atributaryof the Tees.[12]Yarm was once the highest port on the Tees.[13]

Two road bridges cross the river,Yarm Bridgecrossing from the High Street toEaglescliffe,which is Grade II* listed,[14]and Leven Bridge crossing the Leven between Yarm andLow Leven,which is Grade II listed.[15]On 26 February 2010, Leven Bridge was closed after cracks appeared in it.[16]Repairs took less time than expected, and the bridge re-opened on 18 June 2010.[17]

Yarm Town Hall

Yarm Town Hallin the High Street was built in 1710 byThomas Belasyse, 3rd Viscount Fauconbergwho wasLord of the Manor.In a poll taken for theBBC's Breakfast programmeon 19 January 2007, Yarm's High Street was voted the 'Best High Street':[18]the street and its cobbled parking areas is fronted by manyGeorgian-style old buildings, with their red pantile roofs.

TheA67,which runs through High Street was previously classified as the A19 until a dual carriageway was built in the 1970s, about three miles (five kilometres) south of the town near the village ofCrathorne.[19]When the A19 ran through High Street, it was heavily congested. The road was used by heavy goods traffic as a shortcut toTeesside International Airport.[20]The classification of the road as an 'A'-road meant that it was difficult to place a ban on heavy goods vehicles; however the town council made efforts to come up with voluntary agreements with many haulage firms[20]until 2012, when all HGV traffic was banned from the route through Yarm and Egglescliffe.[21]

The Rookery

The Rookery is a public area by the River Tees situated at the bottom of Goose Pasture. Theash,sycamoreandlimewoodland is about 200 years old and owned by Yarm Town Council.[22]In 2002, a walkway was constructed around the wood to celebrate theGolden JubileeofQueen Elizabeth II.Within the woodland, close to the river,BMXriders have created numerous dirt ramps which are regularly used during summer months.

Areas of Yarm include the housing estatesLevendalein the southeast and Leven Park in the south.

Demographics

[edit]
Main article:Demographics of Tees Valley

Governance

[edit]

House of Commons

[edit]

Yarm is part of theStockton South Parliamentary Constituencywhich is represented in theHouse of Commonsof theUK Parliamentsince 14 December 2019 byMatt Vickers,aConservativeMP.[n 1]

It was represented from 8 May 2017 by DrPaul Williams(Labour), "a local GP" who lost his seat at the 2019 General Election.

From 2010 to 2017 the constituency was represented byJames Wharton(Conservative); He was elected on 6 May 2010[23]for Stockton South. James Wharton was re-elected with an increased majority on 7 May 2015. In August 2016 he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development.

From 1997 to 2010, the constituency was represented by Dari Taylor (Labour).[24]

House of Lords

[edit]

On the morning of 2 September 2020, the former MP, James Wharton, was createdJames Wharton, Baron Wharton of Yarm,after being nominated in Prime MinisterBoris Johnson's2020 Dissolution Honours List.[25]He was introduced on 10 September, becoming the youngest member of the House of Lords at 36, and the first member of the House of Lords to retrieve their title from the area.

Borough Council

[edit]

The Yarm ward of Stockton, which includesKirklevington,has three localcouncillorssitting onStockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

2007 Stockton on Tees Local Elections – Yarm Ward[citation needed]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Philip Addison 452 5.19%
Yarm Independents Association John Anderson 817 9.39%
Conservative Jennie Beaumont 1358 15.60%
Conservative Jackie Earl 1223 14.05%
Liberal Democrats Alan Kirby Judge 493 5.66%
Yarm Independents Association Christopher Neil 740 8.50%
Labour Victoria Eileen Parker 297 3.41%
Conservative Andrew Sherris 1268 14.57%
Yarm Independents Association Marjorie Simpson 1005 11.55%
Labour Simon Rogers Tranter 301 3.46%
Labour Eric Turton 294 3.38%
Liberal Democrats Mike Wade 455 5.23%

From 5 May 2011, Conservatives Mark Chatburn, Ben Houchen, and Andrew Sherris became the councillors on the Stockton on Tees Borough Council for the Yarm Ward.[citation needed]Mark Chatburn subsequently defected toUKIPon 22 March 2013.[citation needed]

2011 Stockton on Tees Local Elections – Yarm Ward[citation needed]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Chatburn 1721 15.52%
Liberal Democrats Natasha Craggs 186 1.68%
Conservative Ben Houchen 1556 14.03%
Yarm Independent Association Christopher Neil 1218 10.99%
Labour Vicky Parker 610 5.50%
Conservative Andrew Sherris 1829 16.50%
Yarm Independent Association Marjorie Simpson 1287 11.61%
Labour Simon Tranter 666 6.01%
Labour Eric Turton 620 5.59%
Yarm Independent Association Robert Wegg 1101 9.93%
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Wylie 152 1.37%
Liberal Democrats Lindsay Wylie 141 1.27%

Town council

[edit]

Yarm has atown councilwhich is responsible for certain aspects of the town's administration, includingallotmentsand the cemetery. It meets once a month in thetown hall.[26]

The council has eleven seats with a chairman who, for ceremonial purposes, is 'Mayor'. The Standing Orders of the Council restrict the chairman's period of office to two years in any four-year period. The 2015 chairman was Clr Jason Hadlow.[27]Elections for the council are held every four years.

December 2008 by-election

Aby-electionwas held for two vacant seats on the council after the resignation of one, and disqualification of another Conservative councillor.[citation needed]TheConservative Partyfielded two candidates against two Independent candidates who stood under the banner 'Former Councillor'.[citation needed]TheLabour PartyandLiberal Democratschose not to field any candidates, the former instead backing the Independents.[citation needed]Turnout for the election was low, with the Conservative candidates elected by a small margin.[citation needed]

December 2008 Yarm Town Council by-election[citation needed]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Philip Addison 498 24% n/a
Conservative Mike Hornby 538 26% n/a
Independent Peter Monck 491 24% n/a
Conservative Sarah Sherwood 546 26% n/a

October 2009 by-election

After the departure of a Conservative councillor, aby-electionwas held on 15 October 2009 for one seat on the town council. Peter Monck, a former town councillor andLiberal Democratcandidate forStockton Southin the 1997 general election stood as an independent candidate against Paul Smith, a Conservative party candidate.[citation needed]

October 2009 Yarm Town Council by-election[citation needed]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Peter Monck 579 46% n/a
Conservative Paul Smith 683 54% n/a

Transport

[edit]

Rail

[edit]
Yarmstation

TheYarm railway station,opened in 1996, is located on Green Lane nearConyers' School,about one mile (1.5 kilometres) south of Yarm High Street. Yarm is also serviced by theEaglescliffe railway station.

Viaduct

The 2,280-foot-long (690 m) railwayviaductwas built between 1849 and 1851 for theLeeds Northern Railway Company.Its designers wereThomas Graingerand John Bourne. It comprises seven million bricks, and has 43 arches, with the two that span the River Tees beingskewedand made of stone.[28][29]

Air

[edit]

Teesside International Airport(MME) between Yarm and Darlington, operates internal and external flights nearMiddleton St George.

Road

[edit]

North

The Viaduct for rail (higher) and Yarm road-and-foot bridge (lower), both crossing over the Tees

The high street of Yarm is currently numbered as theA67(formerly A19). North of Yarm High Street leads to a fork just outside the high street withA135(Yarm Road) heading north-east, toStockton-on-Tees,and A67/Durham Road going north-west, theA67goes to the airport andDarlington.Durham Road goes to theA19,this name separation is through a roundabout inEaglescliffe.

South

The south of the high street links to the currentA19.It also forks west as B1265 (Green Lane) leading to theA167andNorthallerton.The roundaboutA1044(Low Lane) and heads east to the Blue Bell roundabout inMiddlesbroughand west towardsRichmond.

Bus

# Serves
Arriva North East
7 Yarm Willey Flatts–Eaglescliffe–Stockton
12A Yarm–Hartburn–Stockton–Teesdale–Middlesbrough
X6 Yarm–Ingleby Barwick–Middlesbrough
WP & M Hutchinson
82 Yarm–Hutton Rudby–Stokesley
Leven Valley Coaches
507 Yarm–Hilton–Maltby–Thornaby–Stockton
551 Willey Flatts–Eaglescliffe–Stockton–Billingham–Low Grange
577 Yarm Willey Flatts–Eaglescliffe–Stockton
Stagecoach North East
6 Stockton-on-Tees High Street North - Ingleby Barwick, Yarm, Eaglescliffe, Teesside Airport, Middleton St George - Darlington Town Hall - Hurworth - Darlington Town Hall or Tubwell Row

Religion

[edit]
The parish church
Yarm Methodist Church.

Yarm Parish Churchis theAnglican parish church,dedicated toSt Mary Magdalene.It is situated on West Street, where there has been a church on the site since at least the 9th century. It was last rebuilt from the remains of the second, Norman, church in 1730. It is a Grade II* listed building.[30] TheRoman Catholic(RC) church ofSs Mary and Romuald,built in 1860, is at the south end of High Street. It is a Grade II listed building.[31] Yarm Methodist Church,anoctagonalchurch built in 1763, is on Chapel Yard, on the east side of the town by the river, and is the oldest octagonal church in current use in Methodism.[32]It is a Grade II listed building.[33]

Media

[edit]

Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC North East and CumbriaandITV Tyne Tees,the local television stationTalkTeessidealso broadcasts to the area. Television signals are received from theBilsdaleTV transmitter.[34]Local radio stations areBBC Radio Tees,Heart North East,Capital North East,Smooth North East,Greatest Hits Radio Teesside,Hits Radio Teessideand CVFM Radio, a community based radio station which broadcast from nearbyMiddlesbrough.[35]The town is served by the local newspapers,TeessideLiveandThe Northern Echo.[36]

Sport

[edit]

Yarm Rugby Club is based at Wass Way, Eaglescliffe. The club has grown significantly since forming in February 1998. They run teams and training sessions for most ages from youth to seniors. Currently playing inDurham/Northumberland 3.Yarm Wolves is a team of theNorth East Rugby League.

Yarm Cricket Club is situated on Leven Road, and has been in existence since 1814. It runs three senior teams in theNorth Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League,and four junior sides – under 11s, under 13s, under 15s and under 17s – who all play competitive cricket throughout the season. In recent years,[when?]Yarm's third team, who play on a Sunday, have been the most successful team in the club, winning the NYSD Sunday Division 1 on several occasions, along with the League and Cup double in 2008.[citation needed]

Yarm and Eaglescliffe FC play in theNorthern Football League,it was established in 2017. Other sports facilities within Yarm include 4G football pitch, located at Conyers' School. This facility is operated by the Go-Sport group and has been the home ground for local adult and youth football clubs, including Yarm FC and Yarm Town Juniors. In 2016, the Go-Sport group hosted an FA-accredited 11-a-side Midweek Football League, contested by various local clubs, including TIBS F.C. from Thornaby and Ingleby Barwick. The winners of this inaugural trophy were L&H F.C., who had a 3–1 victory in the final.[37]

Community and culture

[edit]

A charter to hold a weekly market was granted by King John in 1207. It is held on the second Sunday of each month.[38]Themarket chartergave Yarm its historic status as a town.

Fair

[edit]
Yarm Fair 2017

A fair is held in High Street in the third week in October. It starts on the Tuesday evening, and is officially opened on the Thursday. It lasts until Saturday night. It was once a commercial fair that traded in cheese and livestock, but is now primarily a funfair.[39]

Venues

[edit]

The Princess Alexandra Auditorium is a 750-seat venue opened in 2012 as a part ofYarm School’s redevelopment. A smaller Friarage Theatre is also on the site, with a 140-seat capacity.[40][41]

Education

[edit]

There are three primary schools in the town:

  • Levendale(single form entry)
  • Yarm Primary School[42](two form entry)
  • Layfield Primary School[43](single form entry)

Secondary education is provided atConyers' School,and the town is home to the independentYarm School.

Notable people

[edit]

Twinned towns

[edit]
Signage seen on entering Yarm.

Yarm istwinnedwith two other European towns:

There is also an agreement withOlkusz,inPoland.[49]

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.[citation needed]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by thefirst past the postsystem of election at least every five years.

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021".Retrieved3 August2021.
  2. ^"Etymology".Retrieved27 August2011.
  3. ^"YARM: Geographical and Historical information from the year 1890".Genuki.Retrieved27 January2007.
  4. ^"Britain's first ever Viking helmet discovered".Preston Park Museum.Retrieved9 August2020.
  5. ^Page, William (1974)."Friaries – The black friars of Yarm | A History of the County of York: Volume 3 (pp. 281–283)".British-History.ac.uk.Retrieved21 May2012.
  6. ^"Revealed: the miles and miles of secret tunnels beneath Yarm and Stockton".The Northern Echo.Retrieved6 April2020.
  7. ^Winn 2010,p. 66.
  8. ^"The Civil Wars".UK Battlefields Resource Centre.Retrieved4 November2020.
  9. ^Winn 2010,p. 67.
  10. ^Chrystal, Paul (2017).The Place Names of Yorkshire; Cities, Towns, Villages, Rivers and Dales, some Pubs too, in Praise of Yorkshire Ales(1 ed.). Catrine: Stenlake. p. 129.ISBN9781840337532.
  11. ^OPSI–The Cleveland (Further Provision) Order 1995
  12. ^"Leven from Tame to River Tees".environment.data.gov.uk.Retrieved1 December2018.
  13. ^"Yarm is a real jewel in the crown".The Journal Live.21 March 2011.Retrieved1 December2018.
  14. ^Historic England."Yarm Bridge over River Tees (1105658)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved25 June2017.
  15. ^Historic England."Leven Bridge (1052254)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved25 June2017.
  16. ^Morgan, Mike (1 March 2010)."Leven Bridge cracks cause chaos".GazetteLive.co.uk.Retrieved21 January2017.
  17. ^"Leven Bridge to reopen ahead of schedule".Gazette Live.16 June 2010.Retrieved16 June2021.
  18. ^"High Street Blues".BBC News.15 January 2007.Retrieved7 February2007.
  19. ^"A19 Trunk Road"(PDF).ciht.org.uk.p. 6.Retrieved9 December2018.
  20. ^abClerk to Yarm Town Council (Autumn 2006),Town Council Minutes,Yarm Town Council
  21. ^"Weight restrictions imposed to protect residential streets".Northern Echo.20 February 2012.ProQuest922204041.
  22. ^The information board erected at the entrance to the woodland.
  23. ^"James Wharton".JamesWharton.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2016.Retrieved21 January2017.
  24. ^"Everything you need to know about the Stockton South seat and its candidates ahead of the election".The Northern Echo.4 June 2017.Retrieved30 November2018.
  25. ^"Crown Office".The London Gazette.Retrieved2 February2021.
  26. ^"Yarm and Eaglescliffe History".Retrieved16 April2008.
  27. ^"Councillor Information".YarmTownCouncil.org.uk.Retrieved5 November2015.
  28. ^Barlow, R. (30 August 2007)."Yarm Viaduct".BBC.Retrieved19 January2010.
  29. ^"Yarm Railway Viaduct".Bridges on the Tees.Bridges on the Tyne. 2007.Retrieved19 January2010.
  30. ^Historic England."Church of St Mary Magdalene (1054686)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved25 June2017.
  31. ^Historic England."Roman Catholic church of St Mary and St Romuald (1425128)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved25 June2017.
  32. ^Winn 2010,p. 75.
  33. ^Historic England."Yarm Methodist Church (1373844)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved25 June2017.
  34. ^"Bilsdale (North Yorkshire, England) Full Freeview transmitter".UK Free TV.1 May 2004.Retrieved9 January2024.
  35. ^"CVFM Radio".Retrieved9 January2024.
  36. ^"The Northern Echo".British Papers.12 May 2014.Retrieved9 January2024.
  37. ^"Full-Time: Home".fulltime.thefa.
  38. ^"Yarm Fair axed for first time in 813 years - and cancellation speech didn't quite go to plan".22 October 2020.Retrieved13 August2021.
  39. ^"Yarm Fair".CalendarCustoms.Retrieved21 January2017.
  40. ^"Yarm gig venue gets makeover with new bar, lounge and changing rooms".Evening Gazette.Retrieved28 May2021.
  41. ^"Stockton's Princess Alexandra Auditorium obtains two industry standards".Northern Echo.Retrieved28 May2021.
  42. ^"Home".Archived fromthe originalon 28 March 2012.Retrieved9 September2011.
  43. ^"Yarm Layfield Primary school".Archived fromthe originalon 12 November 2011.Retrieved9 September2011.
  44. ^"Thomas Brown – The Soldier with the Silver Nose".Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.heritage.Stockton.gov.uk.Retrieved30 July2016.
  45. ^Smiles, Mieka (20 March 2017)."31 more people helping to forge a new Teesside - nominated by you".gazettelive.Retrieved17 January2023.
  46. ^"Iron Maiden fan auctions guitar for charity".Evening Chronicle.Newcastle upon Tyne.11 August 2011.Retrieved17 September2011....and has become friends with the band's guitarist, Janick Gers, who lives in Yarm, Teesside.
  47. ^"Warm welcome for German twin town visitors".Darlington & Stockton Times.10 July 2009.Retrieved10 April2020.
  48. ^"Yarm Twinning Association celebrates 25th anniversary".Teesside Live.2 July 2010.Retrieved10 April2020.
  49. ^"Welcome to Schwalbach am Taunus".Retrieved7 February2007.

Sources

[edit]
[edit]
  • Media related toYarmat Wikimedia Commons
  • Yarmtravel guide from Wikivoyage
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yarm&oldid=1250926899"