Cleethorpes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cleethorpes
Town
Kingsway Promenade
Cleethorpes
Area	9.4 km2 (3.6 sq mi)
Population	38,996 (2018-06-30 Estimate)
• Density	4,149/km2 (10,750/sq mi)
Language	English
OS grid reference	TA310081
• London	230 km (140 mi) South
Unitary authority	North East Lincolnshire
Ceremonial county	Lincolnshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CLEETHORPES
Postcode district	DN35
Dialling code	01472
Police	Humberside
Fire	Humberside
Ambulance	East Midlands
EU Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes
List of places UK England Lincolnshire 53°33′12″N 0°01′18″W / 53.5533°N 0.02155°W / 53.5533; -0.02155

Cleethorpes (/ˈkliːθɔːrps/) is a fun seaside town in Lincolnshire, England. It sits right where the Humber river meets the sea, which is called an estuary. In 2021, about 29,678 people lived here.

People have lived in Cleethorpes since the 6th century. It started as a fishing village. Later, in the 1800s, it became a popular holiday spot. Before it was one town, Cleethorpes was three small villages: Itterby, Oole, and Thrunscoe.

Did you know Cleethorpes is on the Greenwich Meridian? This is the imaginary line that divides the Earth into East and West. Also, it gets some of the lowest rainfall in the British Isles.

In 2021, a company called The Trainline said Cleethorpes beach was the second best seaside place in the UK to reach by train! Only Margate was better.

What's the History of Cleethorpes?

The name Cleethorpes probably comes from two old words. Clee means clay, and thorpes is an old word for villages. So, it means "clay villages."

Long ago, Cleethorpes was three small villages: Itterby, Oole, and Thrunscoe. These villages were part of a bigger area called Clee.

People have found signs of very old settlements here, from the Stone Age and Bronze Age. But people started living here all the time around the 6th century, when the Danes arrived.

In 1616, a charity bought land in Itterby. This charity helped students go to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. That's why many streets and parks in Cleethorpes have names linked to this charity.

Cleethorpes grew as a fishing village. By 1801, only 284 people lived here. In the 1820s, it started to become a holiday resort. People came to swim in the sea and drink special waters for their health. By 1831, the population grew to 497.

In 1842, new laws helped divide up land and build eight new roads. By 1848, Cleethorpes was known as a great place for bathing. It had clean air, nice views, and even a large hotel. Many people worked in oyster fishing.

The town really grew when the railway connected it to big industrial towns in Yorkshire. The Cleethorpes Pier opened in 1873, and the promenade (a walkway along the sea) opened in 1885. Cleethorpes became an official urban district in 1894.

In 1916, the area was officially named Cleethorpes. Its boundaries grew in the 1920s. In 1936, Cleethorpes became a municipal borough, which meant it had its own local government.

Cleethorpes managed to stay separate from its neighbour, Grimsby, for a long time. In 1996, Cleethorpes and Grimsby joined to form the unitary authority of North East Lincolnshire.

Local people often call Cleethorpes Meggies. The two biggest resorts on the Lincolnshire coast are known as 'Meggies' (Cleethorpes) and 'Skeggy' (Skegness). You might also hear people call Cleethorpes "down beach."

What's New in Cleethorpes?

Greenwich meridian marker

The Winter Gardens was a popular place for events. It was taken down in 2007 and replaced with flats. In the 1970s, it was one of the few places where famous bands like The Clash and AC/DC could play.

The mini steam railway along the seafront has been made longer and better. A cafe, taphouse, and art gallery have been added near the boating lake. Lots of ducks and geese live and breed at the boating lake, making it a lovely place to visit.

There's also a big outdoor show ground near the boating lake. It hosts live bands and special events, like when the London 2012 Olympic torch relay came through.

A new RNLI station is planned to be finished on the Central Promenade by 2025. This station helps rescue people at sea.

Does Cleethorpes Have a Twin Town?

Yes, Cleethorpes is twinned with Königswinter in Germany. This means they have a special friendship and often share cultural events.

Where is Cleethorpes Located?

Greenwich meridian marker

The Greenwich Meridian goes right through Cleethorpes. A special signpost shows how far away some famous places are. For example, the North Pole is 2,517 miles away, and London is 143 miles away.

Cleethorpes is a seaside resort and is connected to the nearby town of Grimsby. The old village of Old Clee and Weelsby are between the two towns.

The town was once made up of three separate areas. The main boundary crosses the A180 road at Park Street.

What is the Climate Like?

Like most of the British Isles, Cleethorpes has a maritime climate. This means it has mild summers and cool winters. The average yearly rainfall is one of the lowest in the British Isles.

How Do People Get Around Cleethorpes?

Trains at Cleethorpes station

Cleethorpes railway station is a busy place. Two train companies run services from here.

• TransPennine Express has hourly trains to places like Sheffield and Liverpool Lime Street.
• East Midlands Railway runs trains every two hours to Barton upon Humber.

You can also change trains at Doncaster to go to London King's Cross, Leeds, or Edinburgh. For Lincoln and Nottingham, you can change at Grimsby Town.

Bus services connect Cleethorpes to Grimsby, Immingham, and nearby villages. These are run by Stagecoach East Midlands. In the summer, there's even a bus to Skegness once a day on weekends.

Major roads serving the area include the A16, A46, and A180.

What About Schools and Learning?

Secondary schools in Cleethorpes include Cleethorpes Academy and Beacon Academy.

From 2011, the N.E. Lincolnshire School Sports Partnership was the only one left after government funding changes.

What Churches Are in Cleethorpes?

St Peter's Church

The main parish church is St Peter's, built in 1866. Other churches include St Francis of Assisi. Holy Trinity and St Mary's Church in Old Clee is the oldest building in the Grimsby area, built around 950 AD. Christ Church of Cleethorpes is also a large church.

What Sports and Fun Activities Are There?

Cleethorpes is home to Blundell Park, which is the stadium for Grimsby Town football club. It's interesting because the club is named after Grimsby, but their home ground is in Cleethorpes!

There's an athletics club and a Rugby Union Football Club in Cleethorpes.

The Cleethorpes cricket ground, called Cleethorpes Sports Ground, hosts professional games. It's located on Chichester Road.

Cleethorpes Town F.C. is another local football team. They play their home matches at the Linden Homes Club.

The old Cleethorpes bathing pool was replaced in the 1980s by a modern leisure centre. It has a big indoor wave pool, courts for badminton and squash, a gym, and a sports hall.

There was once a greyhound racing track here, which opened in 1981. It was on the site of the old Cleethorpes Marineland & Zoo, which closed in 1977. The greyhound racing stopped in 1986.

How is Cleethorpes Governed?

Cleethorpes Town Hall

Cleethorpes is part of the Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes area for the UK Parliament. This area also includes other towns like Immingham.

Here are the people who have represented Cleethorpes in Parliament since 1945:

Since 1996, Cleethorpes has been part of the unitary authority of North East Lincolnshire. Cleethorpes has three of the council's sixteen areas, called wards: Croft Baker, Haverstoe, and Sidney Sussex. Each ward elects three councillors. So, 9 out of 42 council members represent Cleethorpes.

Cleethorpes doesn't have its own town council. However, the nine councillors act as the Charter Trustees for the town.

Who Are the Local Councillors?

Cleethorpes town centre

Cleethopes Beach

North East Lincolnshire Council has three Council Wards in Cleethorpes. As of May 3, 2018, the councillors are:

Key: (L) = Labour Party (C) = Conservative Party

What About Local News and Media?

You can get local news and TV shows from BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and ITV Yorkshire. TV signals come from the Belmont TV transmitter.

Local radio stations include BBC Radio Humberside (95.9 FM), Hits Radio East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire (96.9 FM), Hits Radio Lincolnshire (formerly Lincs FM), and Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire (96.4 FM).

Local newspapers are the Grimsby Telegraph and the Grimsby & Cleethorpes Advertiser.

What Are the Famous Places in Cleethorpes?

Cleethorpes is a seaside resort on the Humber Estuary. At low tide, there are hundreds of metres of sand to explore.

From the seafront, you can watch ships going in and out of the Humber to ports like Grimsby and Hull.

You can also see two big old forts, the Humber Forts, in the mouth of the river. On a clear day, you might even spot the lighthouse on Spurn Point from the North Beach.

There's a Royal National Lifeboat Institution station near the pier. It works with the Coastguard to keep people safe. A new, bigger RNLI station is being built. Cleethorpes Rescue also helps protect the beach.

The boating lake

Cleethorpes has a large boating lake with many kinds of ducks, swans, and geese. There's also a 62.01-hectare (153.2-acre) local nature reserve called Cleethorpes Country Park. It's located between the resort and the village of Humberston. To the south, near Humberston, you'll find a yacht club.

Ross Castle

The Cleethorpes Leisure Centre opened in 1983. It replaced an old outdoor bathing pool that was damaged by storms. The leisure centre has a 33-metre pool with a water slide and a wave machine. It also has a gym and a sports hall.

Ross Castle is a mock castle ruin built in 1885 by a railway company. It was named after Edward Ross, who worked for the company. It sits on the highest point of the cliffs. After being closed for a while, it was fixed up and reopened in 2008.

In 2007, Cleethorpes won an award in the Royal Horticultural Society's Britain in Bloom competition for coastal towns.

A statue called the Boy with the Leaking Boot was given to the town in 1918. It was a gift from John Carlborn, a Swedish immigrant who had a successful shipping business. The statue is now in a pond in the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Gardens. It has been stolen and replaced a few times, but a new one with better security was put in place in 2012.

In 2019, a community alleyway on Kew Road was damaged. This alley is famous for winning awards in the Cleethorpes In Bloom competition.

Other Fun Places to Visit

Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Cleethorpes Pier

• Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: A fun miniature railway.
• The Signal Box Inn: Known as the smallest pub on the planet!
• Cleethorpes Pier: A long pier stretching out into the sea.
• Discovery Centre: A place to learn and explore.
• Floyd the Dragon: Cleethorpes' friendly mascot.
• Meridian Point: A spot marking the Greenwich Meridian.
• The Jungle Zoo: A small zoo with interesting animals.
• The Magical Castle: A fun play area.
• Classic Home Cinema: One of the few remaining shops that sells old film formats.

There was a special memorial, a roll of honour, at Matthew Humberston Foundation School. It remembered 42 former students who died in World War I. After the school closed, the memorial was stored away. As of November 2019, the council was still keeping it safe, hoping to display it in a new museum.

Was There a UFO Sighting?

Yes! On September 22, 1956, at 3 pm, a UFO was seen off the Cleethorpes coast for over an hour. It was also picked up by radar at RAF Manby. People described it as a large, clear, spherical object.

Who Are Some Famous People from Cleethorpes?

Many notable people have connections to Cleethorpes:

See also

In Spanish: Cleethorpes para niños