Yorkshire coast timeline - Scarboroughs maritime heritage

c657 Whitby abbey founded by Abbess Hild on the east cliff.
c867 Whitby Abbey ravaged by Danes.
966 Supposed founding of raiders base on Scarborough shore by Scarthi.
c1033 King Canute gave Archbishop of York an interest in Patrington.
1066 Norman conquest.
c1078 Whitby Abbey refounded by Reinfrid.
1066 Supposed raid on Scarborough coast by Norwegian king & Earl Tosti.
c1106 King Henry I granted burgage and seaport to Whitby Abbey
c1118 Walter de Ghent gave manor & port of Bridlington to a new Priory
1122 Whitby and Filey fishermen's tithe agreement
c1140 William of Aumale gave a Hedon toft to St Leonards Hospital at York
1143 William of Aumale seized Bridlington Priory
1151-3 King Eystein of Norway raided Hartlepool, Whitby & Scarborough bay.
1154 King Stephen destroyed Drax castle as a threat to Ouse river trade.
1156 Abbot of St Mary's York had toll on shipping at port of Hornsea
c1158 Hanseatic League of Merchants formed at Lubeck
1158 William of Aumale evicted from Scarborough castle by King Henry II who rebuilt the castle and chartered a borough.
1167-70 William of Aumale granted burgage to Hedon
1175 Three Scarborough men sold wool to Flemings
1179-80 Whitby area villages fined for concealing a Norwegian ship wreck.
c1189 Scarborough men fishing at Dogger Bank.
1193 Money gathered at Hull river mouth to pay Richard I's ransom.
1198 Meaux abbey bought property in Wyke and Myton near river Hull.
1201 King John visited Scarborough castle.
1201 King John granted charter to Grimsby.
1203-4 A taxation on merchant wealth yielded £60 Hedon; nearly £43 from Yarm; £20 Scarborough;Coatham 16s11d; 4s Whitby and £345 from Hull.
1204 Kings wine for York landed at Hull.
1215-16 King John at Scarborough with royal galleys.
1215 Saltburn hermitage given to Whitby Abbey.
1218-19 Four merchants soldl illegal wine at Bridlington
1221 Market granted at Filey.
1225 Scarborough granted 40 oaks and tolls for 3 years on ships, for harbour repair.
c1235 Supposed date of founding Ravenser -Odd on a bank cast up by sea.
1231 Tithe agreement between Bridlington Priory & Filey fishermen.
1239 Byland Abbey sought arrears of Tees haven's haddock rents from Peter de Brus
1245 Robert de Brus claimed toll on ships, probably at Coatham.
1248 Whitby Abbey agreed to pay 3000 herring yearly to York Hospital.
1250-1 Thursday market and 7-21 September fair granted to Ravenser Odd.
1252-3 New liberties granted to Scarborough including a 45 day fair.
1252 Henry granted patent for new Scarborough harbour of timber and stone.
1253-4 Market and fair granted in Manor of Lythe, perhaps at Sandsend.
1253 East coast floods.
1257 St Laurence fair granted at salt ings port of Coatham.
1267 Peter de Brus licenced Fountains abbey to buy fish at Coatham/Redcar.
1267 Agreement for Flamborough fish tithes.
1268 Douai ship laden in Flanders robbed near Whitby.
1273 Scarborough borough taken into the kings hands.
1275 National customs levies introduced.
1279 Abbot of Meaux granted market and fair at Wyke on Hull.
1280 Dispute regarding royal fishes at Filey.
1290 Grimsby complained of competition from Ravenser Odd.
1292 Wednesday market secured at Coatham.
1293 King Edward I bought port of Wyke on Hull which became Kingston upon Hull.
1294 Crown Ships to be built at York, Grimsby, Scarborough, Ravenser, and Hull.
1296 Friesland cogs driven into Scarborough.
1297 Grant of quayage to Ravenser-Odd.
1298 Scarborough trader shipped wheat and oats to Newcastle.
1298 Scarborough quay badly damaged.
1299 Hull given charter as a free borough.
1301 Scarborough ordered to sent two ships against Scots.
1302 Kings quay built at Hull.
1303 Filey ship master hung in a Norwegian port.
1303 New roads made to Hull.
1306-7 Grant of quayage to Whitby Abbey.
1311 Market & fair granted to Archbishop at Patrington.
1312 PiersGaveston arrived by sea and was beseiged in Scarborough castle.
1315 New Hithe reported at Skipsea.
1318 Wreck at Castleburn (later called Bridlington quay).
1320 Customs collectors on wool appointed for Scarborough.
1322 Whitby ship at Newcastle for Scots war.
1325 Man fell from ship at Selby on Ouse and drowned.
1327 Whitby merchant Peter de Lincoln's ship grounded and plundered.
1327 Ravenser Odd burgess left a rent from 2 shops on Whitby bridge.
1327 Hull merchants lent vast sums to King Edward.
1327 Two Scots friars sought sanctuary at Scarborough when ship wrecked.
1336-7 Sea coal delivered to Scarborough Castle.
1338 Withernsea market and fair established.
1341 Wool ship laden at Turnhead river port , for Hull.
1341 Whitby quay damaged and fresh grant of quayage made.
1341 Bridlington Priory sent ship with wool beyond the seas.
1343 Hull pardoned for taking a royal whale.
1346 Ravenser reported to be falling into the sea.
1346 York,Yarm,Hull and Scarborough ships at Calais.
1346 Smuggling of wool outwards reported from Holderness.
1348 King's treasure ship ashore at Flamborough.
1348 Smuggling reported between Scarborough and Berwick.
1349 Hull-Scarborough mutual toll exemption agreement.
1350-1 Flooding along rivers Hull and Humber.
1353 Zealand ship with 33 last of herring seized at Whitby.
1355 Ravenser churchyard washed away.
1357 Statute of herring fixed maximum prices, but was abandoned in 1362.
1359 Hull supplied 16 ships for French expedition.
1366-7 Flemish coal ship wrecked at Filey Brigg.
1367 Hedon ships charged with smuggling wool to Zealand.
1369 Guild of the Holy Trinity founded at Hull. (later Trinity House).
1378 Nicholas Pennock robbed of salt & nets by Whitby Abbey monks.
1378 Scot John Mercer ‘s son raided shipping in Scarborough harbour.
1379 Scarborough ships ransomed by French.
1379 Duties placed on Newcastle-London coal trade.
1381-2 "Peasants revolt" disorders at Scarborough.
1382 Robert de Rillington of Scarborough allowed an enemy landing.
1389 Weigh house built at Hull.
1391 Scarborough pier broken.
1393 Great shoals of herring reported off Whitby, attracting many fishermen.
1394 Official appointed to survey herring working at Whitby and Scarborough.
1394-6 Newcastle coal imported to Whitby.
1398 Some Scarborough ships licenced to attack pirates off the coast.
1399 Henry of Lancaster landed at Spurn on his way to claim English throne.
1400 Robert Constable bequeathed £40 to Flamborough pier.
1400 Skipsea Hithe reported lost to the sea.
1400 Whitby man and two Hull merchants licenced as pirivateers.
1405 Scarborough man seized a Hamburg ship.
1405 Scarborough and Whitby shipped victuals to Berwick.
c1410-15 Whitby & Scarborough ships voyaged to Iceland for stock fish.
c1415 Whitby, Scarborough, Selby, Filey & York ships in the fleet off Normandy.
c1416 Dutch introduced improved fishing methods with drift nets from busses.
1425-27 Scarborough fish tithes recorded in detail.
1426-7 Sea banks heightened at Patrington.Timber brought from cawood.
1427 Hermit of Spurn allowed passing dues in order to complete a light house.
1439 Robert Thomson, pannierman at Middlesbrough.
1440 Two Scarborough men charged with seizing foreign ships.
1444 Withernsea church abandoned, due to coast erosion.
1451 French fleet captured at Whitby.
1454 Ship "Peter" worked from Withernsea.
1455 Mayor of Hull appointed Admiral of the Humber.
1457 Hull Holy Trinity and Shipmans Guild incorporated.
1464 Hull granted tolls to deal with warping up of haven.
1471 King Edward IV landed at Spurn on returning from exile.
1472 Scarborough granted to Richard Dukeof Gloucester.
1474 Scarborough ships seized Hanse vessels.
1484 King Richard III visited Scarborough.
1485 Richard III made Scarborough a county with a new charter briefly.
1488 Scarbrough Corporation started charging for ships built or repaired at the Botehill.
1497 Cabot voyage westwards with William Strickland of Marske on board.
1499 John Taverner built unusually large ship at Hull.
1514 Hull Trinity House given charter.
1512 Pirate Robin Barton was active off the Yorkshire coast.
1517 Fish shambles built at Hull.
1520 Whitby Cliff quarry and grindstones leased to mason John Sparrow.
1526 French pirates sold Danzig prize to Whitby Abbot & burgesses.
1527 Hull floods.
1530-1 John Ledum made bequest for a Whitby pier.
1537 Rumours that King of France had landed near Scarborough.
1539 Whitby Abbey and Bridlington Priory surrendered to the crown.
1539 Sixteen Staithes fishermen summoned to a muster.
1539-45,Bridlington quay repaired by Crown.
1541 King Henry VIII visited Hull and ordered construction of fortifications.
1542-5 French and Scots vessels threatened Hull and Scarborough.
1542 Gun battery built at Paull on Humber.
1542 Aberdeen vessel sunk off Scarborough.
1544 Robin Hoods Bay archers fought two Scots ships in the bay.
1546 Scarborough Harbour Act imposed pier duties.
1547 Beacons alerted for foreign fleet seen off Flamborough.
1549-50 Timber stolen from Hornsea quay.
1557 Thomas Stafford seized Scarborough castle, briefly.
1558 Thomas Fletcher panneirman at Robin Hoods bay.
1559 Customs quay established at Bridlington.
1561 Mary Queen of Scots anchored off Flamborough.
1562 Bridlington and Robin Hoods Bay piers decayed.
1565-6 Royal grants made towards Scarborough peir repairs.
1564 Hull and Bridlington chosen for licenced export of malt, grain and pulses.
1566 Sir Martin Frobisher called at Scarborough harbour.
1570 Hull imported quantities of flax.
1575 -6, Sir Martin Frobisher sailed to find the north-west passage.
1577 Moscow ambassador arrived at Scarborough.
1584 Scarborough men worked on Dover harbour.
1588 .Spanish Armada sailed up Yorkshire coast pursued by Sir Francis Drake.
1598 Hull sent a vessel to the whale fishery.
1601 Scarborough Corporation leased saltpans to local men.
1602 Scarborough society of ship owners, & master mariners formed.
1608 Runswick fish delivered to Malton fish cross.
1609 Hornsea pier enquiry.
1614 Duty allowed on Tyne - Wear coal shipments for benefit of Whitby piers.
1614 Similar duties allowed for Scarborough piers.
1620 Pilgrim fathers sailed to Leyden.
1627 Three ships built at Whitby for other ports.
1635 Duch captain defeated Dunkirk man of war in Scarborough harbour.
1642 Hull closed its gates against King Charles I.
1643 Queen Henrietta Maria landed at Bridlington.
1644-45 Seige of royalists in Scarborough castle ,120 vessels taken in harbour.
1646 Sir William Constable occupied Whitby.
1648 Colonel Boynton held Scarborough Castle for the king.
1649 Scarborough warned warship in Humber that the pirate Denton was at sea.
c1649-52 Saltwick alum works activated.
1653 Dutch fleet under de Wittt attacked colliers in Scarborough bay.
1656 Scarborough meetings to relieve distress of seamen.
1666 Agreement for management of Whitby alum works.
1663-6 Whitby men built Tangier pier.
1665 London ships at Whtiby quarenteened for the plague.
1665 Admiral Sir John Lawson left £100 for Scarborough poor.
1669 Collier fleets of 200 vessels sailed north off the coast.
1685 Ocean going vessels built at Scarborough by Mr.Cockerill.
1671 Board of Customs formed.
1673 Sir Hugh Cholmley licenced to built new port near Whtiby.
1674 High and low lights erected on Spurn at mouth of river Humber.
1676 Seaman's Hospital founded at Whitby.
1680 Customs Quay appointed at Middle Sandgate in Scarborough.
1690 Porters appointed to attend vessels unloading at Patrington haven.
1701 Yorkshire Customs Officer force was expanded.
1702 Whitby Harbour Act.
1703 Fish pickle spillage in Grape lane, Whitby.
1708 Whitby alum works closed.
1732 Scarborough Harbour Act to enlarge harbour.
1733 Scarborough pier begun at Ramsdale scar.
1734-5 Whitby Harbour Act.
1737 Scarborough spa wells briefly lost in landslip.
1747 National merchant seamans fund launched.
1752 Scarborough Merchant Seaman's Hospital founded.
1752 Scarborough Harbour Commissioners formed.
1753 Start of Whitby whale fishery.
1755 Eight large polar bears landed at Whitby.
1763 Heavy gales broke through Scarborough old pier.
1766 Whitby Bridge widened.
1769 Dragoons posted to Yorkshire coast against smuggling.
1773 John Tindall , Scarborough ship builder ,died.
1774 Act for establishing Hedon Haven commissioners.
1774 Ship "Diligence" 300 tons built at Whitby for Wm Herbert.(later the "Discovery").
1775 Scarborough Shipwrights Society founded.
1775-9 Wet dock built at Hull.
1776 Whitby ship bought to take Omiah to Otaheite.
1776 Two new lighthouses by John Smeaton built at Spurn.
1777 Scarborough whaling ship Brittania sailed for Greenland.
1777 Whitby customs house haul of 650 gallons of gin.
1777 American sea captain John Paul Jones off the Yorkshrie coast.
1777 Smuggler Andrews supposedly active at Saltburn.
1779 Robin Hoods Bay haul of 200 casks of brandy and gin.
1779 Battle between John Paul Jones and English ships off Yorkshire coast.
1780-81 Whitby Harbour Act.
1780 Part of a Robin Hoods Bay street slid into the sea.
1781 Scarborough vessel "Emerald" on transport service lost at Yorktown, America.
1783 Hull Customs house sold vast quantity of smuggled brandy.
1786 Compulsory ship registration introduced.
1787 1500 seamen registered at Scarborough.
1788 A smuggler's vessel taken at Baywas brought into Scarborough.
1789 Whitby Improvement Act.
1793 Whitby riots against the Press gang.
1794 Scarborough Volunteers were raised, Col James Tindall commanding.
1796 Signal station set up at Spurn head.
1795 Selby swivel bridge built.
1796 Whitby Harbour Act.
1797 "Filey bay fight ".
1798 Gun batteries built at Spurn.
1799 Scarborough Friendly Marine Insurance Society formed.
1800 Heavy waves washed away part of Scarborough old pier end.
1800 Engineer William Chapman appointed to built Scarborough outer pier.
1801 Christopher Smith built a Scarborough lifeboat.
1803 Signal station set up at Spurn Head.
1803 Crew of Scarborough ship Johnston taken prisoner by the French.
1803 Corps of Riflemen raised at Peak, (Ravenscar).
1803 Filey corps of "sea fencibles" raised.
1804 Barracks buitl at Spurn.
1806 William Scoresby of Whitby in Resolution reached 81deg. 30min. north.
1807 Gun battery built at Paull.
1808 Tindall ship Alfred captured by the French.
1810 Lifeboat established at Spurn.
1811 Project to link Scarborough north and south bays by a tunnel to clear sand.
1812 HMS Anson built at Paul
1814 Napleon deposed. and Scarborough seamen were freed from French prisons.
1816 Unemployed poor used to excavate sand from Scarborough harbour.
1816 Semaphore station built at Hornsea.
1822 Preventive Water Guard watch house set up at Spurn.
1822 Scarborough West pier replaced two island piers.
1823 Smuggler shot a man at Burniston.
1826 North easterly gale drove 13 ships ashore at Filey.
1826 Kilnsea church lost to the sea.
1827 Scarborough Cliff Bridge built.
1827 Andrews the smuggler supposedly caught at Hornsea.
1828 Stockton and Darlington railway extended to Middlesbrough.
1830 First coal laden ships left Middlesbrough.
1831 William Chapman Scarborough port engineer died.
1828 Robert Tindall, ship builder died at Scarborough.
1828 The Tindal barque "Morning Star" was taken by pirates.
1831 Whitby west pier light house built.
1832 Scarborough Trinity House rebuilt.
1832 Scarborough vessel "Mary" at Crouch, Sussex, seized fof smuggling.
1833 Scarborough man Robert Skelton built first Yorkshire yawl, the "Integrity".
1834 Whitby Stone Company formed.
1835 Plans drawn for new town at Filey.
1836 Light house built at Paull.
1836 Horse and carriage railway from Pickering reached Whitby.
1836 Richard Wilson built Wilson's Mariners Asylum at Scarbroough.
1837 Boiler of " Union" steam packet exploded in Hull dock.
1840 Thomas Turnbull took over Larpool shipyard at Whitby.
1840 Hull -Selby railway opened.
1842 Middlesbrough docks opened.
1845 Railways reached Scarborough.
1846 Victoria dock built at Hull.
1847 Steam railway reached Whitby.
1847 Royal Yorkshire Yacht club founded.
1849 Preventive Service given steam cutters.
1850 Floating dock company formed for Scarborough.
1849 Fireball struck a Boston vessel off Robin Hoods Bay.
1852 First paddle steamer "Transit "arrived at Scarborough.
1853 Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay Steam Packet Company formed.
1855 Queen's Hotel opened at Withernsea by Railway company.
1858 Whitby East pier lightouse built.
1859 Blands Cliff swimming baths opened at Scarborough.
1860, 9th June. Filey lost 13 of its 22 yawls.
1860 Middlesbrough & St Petersburg Shipping Company started.
1860-61 Stockton Darlington railway extended from Marske to Saltburn.
1861 A gun battery was built at Paull.
c1861 Naked bathing was banned on Scarborough beaches.
1862 Tindall's shipyard was sold at Scarborough ending large ship building.
1862 Rock salt discovered near Middlesbrough.
1863 Sea Fisheries Commission took evidence at Scarborough.
1866 Scarborough Harbour Commissioners bought the tug "Kate".
1866-9 Scarborough North bay promenade pier was built.
1866-9 Bridlington sea wall built.
1869-70-71 Edward Prince of Wales made visits to Scarborough.
1870 Prince Napoleon visited Scarborugh in his yacht.
1871 Beach groynes built at Withernsea.
1871 First telegraphic message reached Scarborough post office.
1874 The Lords of the Admiralty in a yacht and the Channel Fleet visited Scarborough.
1877 Withernsea pier built.
1879 Whitby Harbour Act.
1877-9 Scarborough Forehore road built.
1880 28-29 October . Many ships driven ashore on the Yorkshire coast.
1883 Scarborough Sandside coffee house opened.
1883 Whitby Harbour Act.
1885 Mammoth tusk found at Atwick near Skipsea.
1890 Castle hill landslip at Scarborough.
1894 Filey sea wall completed.
1895 New light house built at Spurn.
1898 Cochranes ship builders moved to Selby.
1901 Dec,4 Schooner "Satellite" grounded opposite Grand Hotel Scarborough.
1901 Scarborough roadside quay built.
1903 Channel fleet visited Scarborough.
1904 Whitby Urban District Council acquired harbour.
1905 Act to extend Whitby east and west piers.
1907 Scarborough reported as fifth port in country for herring landings.
1908-9 Whitby bridge rebuilt.
1908 Scarborough Marine Drive opened around castle.
1912 18 men worked 13 fishing boats out of Eastington ER.
1913 Whitby piers extended and fish quay built.
1914 October. SS Rohilla hospital ship wrecked off Saltwick Nab.
1914 16 December.German battlecruisers bombarded Scarborough & Whitby.
1915 Scarborough Sea Scouts school started in St Thomas church.
1915-16 Anti Zepplin patrols from Scarborough.
1917 Howden based airships on coastal escort duty.
1917 RNAS had Sopwith aircraft at Hornsea mere.
1917 Several ships torpedoed off Filey brigg.
1917 4 September.Uboat bombarded Scarborough.
1917 U boat attack on Scarborough yawl "Susie".
1918 Scarborough Graham sea training school moved to Paradise.
1920 September 4 SS "Jack Johnson" struck a mine.
1921 Scarborough Pure Ice & Cold Storage Company opened.
1927 Scarborough dredging recovered remains of four earlier piers.
1928 Scarborough north wharf built.
1929 Whitby speedboat championships.
1935 Forty tunny landed at scarborough by British Tunny club.
1939 9 September.Evacuees arrived at Scarborough .A.R.P stations established .
1940 May Scarborough Home Guard formed. Beach defences erected.
1940 15 August.Staxton Wold radar station detected German air fleet before coast.
1940 10 October.Parachute mine dropped on Scarborough.
1941 SS "Aguila" sunk in Convoy for Gibraltar by U boats.
1941 18 March .Incendiary bombing of Scarborough.
1941 Winston Churchill thanked Scarborough Signal Station for contributing to sinking the German battleship Bismarck.
1942 62 air raid alerts at Scarborough.
1942 26 February Incendiary bombs dropped on Filey.
1943 29 air raid alerts at Scarborough.
1944 Many Yorkshire men in invasion landings at Normandy.
1944 Steelwork for Mulberry harbour made in Scarborough.
1945 May Victory in Europe celebrations.
1945 Tunny club revived.
1946 Arrival of oil powered trawlers.
1948 Scarborough Corporation took over harbour from Commissioners.
1952 Scarborough purchased the dredger "Scarthi".
1953 Storm exposed footings of Saltwick alum works.
1961 New Fish market buildings erected at Scarborough.
1965 "Ocean Prince" oil rigg drilling off scarborough.
1966-7 Radio 270 priate radio station off Scarborough.
1974 Graham Sea Training School closed at Scarborough.
1974-5 Radar tower built at Spurn.
1990 Sealife and Marine sanctuary opened at Scarborough.
1992-3 Garry Marshall excavated Saltwick alum works.
2002 Minkie whale washed up at Hunmanby gap.
2003-4 Scarborough sea defences renewed.


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