Beverley Town Council

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Beverley

A Potted History  

The most popular derivation of the name Beverley is the Anglo-Saxon “Beoferlic” or “Beaver Clearing in the Woods” – quite probably a reference to the beavers that used to dwell on and around the River Hull as it passed Beverley.  Although the beavers have long since gone, the town’s crest depicting such an animal by water still remains.  

When John, Bishop of York, retired to Beverley in 718 AD, he lived in his own monastery “in the wood of Deira” – this being an ancient name for East Yorkshire.  The monastery is generally regarded as the direct ancestor of Beverley Minister and in turn helped to develop the town as a whole.  Over the centuries since then, numerous events and changes have occurred, many as a result of national developments.
John himself became renowned for performing several miracles and after his death and subsequent canonisation as Saint John of Beverley, the first tourism boom for the town started, in terms of being a place of pilgrimage and sanctuary.  His bones now lie in Beverley Minster and his legacy is remembered at the annual St John of Beverley Festival.

Royal charters under various monarchs continued to develop the town, giving it the right to hold fairs, market days and an array of traditions.  Our thriving market traders on a Saturday and Wednesday are still governed and guided by an ancient royal charter.

Dominant over all is the gothic majesty of the Minster.  It was not until 1220 that the current building was begun, with various Minsters before it falling foul of a range of disasters, such as destruction by Vikings and a fiery fate due to a dreadful blaze that swept the town in 1188

The Minster is not alone, as the main stretch of central Beverley is bounded by both the great Minster and the equally beautiful St Mary’s Church.  We also have the medieval North Bar, the Market Cross, ancient alms houses, the free pastures including Westwood, the Guildhall, the Friary, Beverley Beck… the list goes on, but each is as special and unique as the next.

The reformation of the church had a considerable impact on the town in terms of a loss of economy and during the Civil War, Charles I placed his headquarters in Beverley as he repeatedly attempted siege on Hull.  In 1665 the plague arrived claiming many local lives, with the plague pit located where the railway stations stands today. 

In the eighteenth century the town became prosperous once more, after the economic disasters endured under the Tudors and Stuarts.  Large houses were built in streets like Newbegin, Keldgate, Hengate and Lairgate: most smaller houses in the centre were rebuilt in brick and pantile.  The winding streets, the constant changes of roof lines, the mixture of open and narrow spaces, continue to delight visitors from all around the world.

The Bribery Commission reported corrupt election practices in the town in 1857, ’59, ‘60, ‘65 and ‘68… this is one tradition that is happily not upheld!  In the midst of this controversy, the acclaimed novelist Anthony Trollope unsuccessfully stood in Beverley for Parliament in 1868.  He was so upset at losing, that he infamously described Beverley as "that uninteresting town"! 

The Great War saw many local lads sent over seas not to return.  However, it was during the Second World War that Beverley found itself in the direct line of fire.  The most devastating event took place on August 3rd 1942, when a bomb was dropped on Flemingate, resulting in several deaths and injuries.  Thanks to the latest “Old Mother Riley” film showing at the Marble Arch Cinema on Butcher Row that day, lives were saved, as many Flemingate residents had gone to see it.

And as national socio-economic trends have changed, Beverley has lost its once thriving industrial heartland, which included a ropery, wool dying, a shipyard and tannery.  These areas have undergone much regeneration and are now residential and retail areas.  Over the coming months major work will commence on the Clariant factory site, marking the end of the last large-scale industrial business in Beverley.  The Beverley Beck is a prime example of how an area that was once bursting with industry became moribund and run down, but has now found a new lease of life with housing and businesses, making it a thriving community once again.

A unique and much loved area of Beverley is Westwood.  This common pasture land has been under the guardianship of the Pasture Masters for generations, alongside the other common lands of Swinemoor and Figham Pasture.  Beverley is very lucky to have such unspoilt areas accessible to all residents and visitors and of course Westwood also houses the racecourse.  Horse racing has taken place in the town since the sixteenth century and it continues to play a vital part in the area’s current economic sustainability. 

Festivals are also playing an increasingly important role within the town, by providing opportunities for creative and cultural events that all add to the social and economic vitality.  These include the Beverley Literature Festival, Early Music Festival, Puppet Festival, the Festival of Christmas and the now legendary Beverley and East Riding Folk Festival.  Beverley Town Council is also leading the way with such events, having in past years organised the Battle of Beverley and a town-wide celebration acknowledging the 50th anniversary of V.E. Day.  The Town Council is working towards a major Food Festival in October 2007. 

 

Beverley is a wonderful town in which to live.  From the gothic majesty of the Minster and the rolling grasslands of the Westwood, to the regeneration of old industrial areas and community spirit that is evident throughout all quarters of the town.  Beverley Town Council is proud to be part of this rich history and will continue to play a positive and active role within it for many years to come.