Yarmouth, Isle of Wight facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yarmouth |
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 Yarmouth town centre |
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 Yarmouth
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| Population | 865 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SZ356896 |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | YARMOUTH |
| Postcode district | PO41 |
| Dialling code | 01983 |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Isle of Wight |
| Ambulance | Isle of Wight |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Yarmouth is a small town and port located on the west side of the Isle of Wight. This island is off the south coast of England. The town gets its name because it sits at the mouth of a small river called the Western Yar. Yarmouth grew up around a place where people could cross the river. This crossing was first a ferry, but a road bridge was built there in 1863.
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History of Yarmouth
Yarmouth has been a settled place for over 1,000 years. It is one of the oldest towns on the Isle of Wight. The first time Yarmouth was written about was in 991. This was in a record by King Ethelred the Unready about a tax called the Danegeld. At that time, it was called Eremue, which means "muddy estuary" (where a river meets the sea).
The Normans (people from Normandy, France) designed the streets in a grid pattern. You can still see this street plan today. The town grew quickly and was given its first official document, called a charter, in 1135. This charter made it an official town. For many years, Yarmouth was also a parliamentary borough. This meant it could send two members to the English Parliament until 1832.
Before Yarmouth Castle was built, French attackers often raided the town. In 1544, it was said that the town was burned down. There's a story that the church bells were even taken away to France.
Yarmouth Castle was built in 1547. Today, English Heritage looks after it. The castle was mainly a platform for cannons. King Henry VIII built it to protect the Solent (the sea strait between the Isle of Wight and mainland England) from invasions.
For a long time, Yarmouth was home to the Governor of the Island. The Yarmouth Town Hall was built in 1763.
Inside St. James's Church, you can find a monument to Sir Robert Holmes. He was an admiral in the 1600s. He got this monument in a raid on a French ship. He found an unfinished statue of King Louis XIV of France. Sir Robert made the sculptor finish it with his own head instead of the king's!
In 1784, most of Yarmouth's old charters were lost. A ship's captain stole what he thought was a case of wine. When he found out it was a case of books, he threw them into the sea.
Yarmouth Pier first opened in 1876. It was given a special Grade 2 listed status in 1975. This means it's an important historical building. The pier was originally 685 feet (207.5 meters) long. Now it is 609 feet (186 meters) long. It is still the longest wooden pier in England that is open to the public. It's also a place where boats like the MV Balmoral and PS Waverley can dock.
Some special nature areas are close to Yarmouth. These include Yar Estuary SSSI and Bouldnor And Hamstead Cliffs SSSI. SSSI stands for "Site of Special Scientific Interest."
Yarmouth's Businesses
As a port and market town, Yarmouth has always been important for local business. It still has some places that build and fix boats, called boat yards. It also has shops that sell boating supplies, called chandlery. Even though Yarmouth is quite small, it has many shops, hotels, pubs, and restaurants. These businesses are supported by people using the ferry and by visitors who come on their own boats.
Getting Around Yarmouth
The Wightlink car ferry travels from Yarmouth to Lymington in Hampshire. This ferry takes cars and people across the water.
Southern Vectis runs bus services from Yarmouth bus station. This is a small building near the ferry. The main bus route is Route 7. It goes to places like Totland, Alum Bay, Freshwater, Newport, and Shalfleet. To reach Yarmouth, Route 7 uses a road called Pixley Hill. Some local people have worried that this road is too small for buses. This concern started in 2008 when another bus route began using the lane.
In spring and summer, Southern Vectis also runs a fun open-top bus. It's called "The Needles Breezer." This bus goes through Freshwater Bay to Alum Bay. Then it travels to the Needles Battery on a road only for buses and walkers. It returns to Yarmouth through Totland and Colwell. If you like walking, Yarmouth is also on the Isle of Wight Coastal Path.
Yarmouth once had its own train station, Yarmouth railway station. Trains used to go to Newport. Passenger train services stopped in 1953. The train tracks have been removed. The old track path between Yarmouth and Freshwater is now a path for horses and bikes. In August 2014, the old railway station building was turned into a restaurant.
Size and People
Yarmouth is one of the smallest towns in the United Kingdom. In 2011, a count of the population showed that 865 people lived in Yarmouth parish. In 2001, the population was 791. This is similar to the population of about 600 people at the start of the 1800s.
Yarmouth Today
Yarmouth used to host a popular festival called the Old Gaffers Festival. This event happened every two years and included many days of fun and shows. However, in September 2018, it was announced that the festival would no longer take place.
Yarmouth marina is also the starting point for the Royal Navy's Solent Amphibious Challenge. This event happens every June.
See also
In Spanish: Yarmouth (isla de Wight) para niños
