Filey is an Edwardian English seaside town and holiday resort with a friendly
family atmosphere.
Filey is the perfect place for those who want an active holiday, a
short weekend break or for those who just prefer to relax with the restful
background of fishermen mending their nets along the quaint
harbour side.
Filey is a small town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England.
Historically part of the East Riding of Yorkshire, it is part of the
borough of Scarborough between Scarborough and Bridlington on the
North Sea coast. Although it was a fishing village, it has a large
beach and became a popular tourist resort.
The oldest building In Filey is the 12th century Parish
Church of St Oswald, on Church Hill in the North of the town.
Nicholas Pevsner said "This is easily the finest church in the
North East corner of the East Riding Buildings of England". The
English composer, Frederick Delius, stayed as a boy on the Crescent
with his family at Miss Hurd's boarding house at number 24, in 1876
and 1877 and then also at Mrs.Colley's in 1897. In 1931 the spire of a
church was damaged by the Dogger Bank earthquake.
Filey remained a small village until
the 18th century when visitors from Scarborough arrived seeking the
peace and quiet that Filey offered. Then in 1835 a Birmingham
solicitor called John Wilkes Unett bought 7 acres of land and built
the Crescent, later known as the Royal Crescent. It was opened in the
1850s and for 100 years it was the most fashionable address in the
North of England.
The five-mile stretch of award winning sandy beach is protected by
the rocky grandeur of Filey Brigg, a haven for a variety of birds and
wildlife. All generations of families can enjoy the nature trail along
Filey Brigg as they explore the many rock pools in search of sea
creatures. Surfing, fishing, yachting, golf, walking and bird watching
are just a few of the activities, which are here to be enjoyed.
Filey is at the eastern end of the
Cleveland Way, a long-distance walking footpath. Starting in Helmsley
and skirts the North York Moors, it was the second National Trail
opened in 1969. It is also the northern end of the Yorkshire Wolds Way
National Trail which starts at Hessle and crosses the Yorkshire Wolds.
Filey is also the finishing point for Great Yorkshire Bike Ride, a
70-mile ride that begins at Wetherby Racecourse.
Filey has a railway station on the
Yorkshire Coast Line. Previously, Filey also had a second station,
called the Filey Holiday Camp railway station to the south of the
town, serving the former holiday camp of Butlins. For more than 40
years Butlins Holiday camp was a major factor in Filey's economy.
Building work began in 1939 and continued through the war during which
it became the Royal Airforce station known as R.A.F. Hunmanby Moor. In
1945 it became a very popular holiday resort complete with its own
railway station and by the late 1950s it catered for 10,000 holiday
makers. It closed in 1984, causing a decrease in the holiday makers
visiting Filey. Butlins holiday camp has now been re-developed into
housing.
Places to visit from Filey:
Filey Brigg
The North side of
the Brigg with its sheer cliffs is quite popular with anglers. They
stand on ledges on the cliffs and fish over the edges. If you're on
top of the Brigg you might notice a rope going off the edge. That's
where they scramble down, and there's an iron ladder fastened into the
cliff to help them. If you look carefully at the picture on the right
you can see a couple of them. Wouldn't recommend exploring the area
though as it's a bit of a walk on the wild side. Lying on the South
side of Filey Bay on Yorkshire's North Sea Coast, Filey Brigg is a
natural rock promontory with a long history from Roman times only.
With interesting geology, marine life and surrounded by hundreds of
wrecks, 'the Brigg' and a rock built underwater structure on its South
side 'The Spittals', has always fascinated and mystified.
Cleveland Way
Wolds Way and Centenary Way meet
above the famous Filey Brigg. Rich in history and heritage. Filey
Brigg, thrusting out into the unique environment of Filey Bay, home to
a variety of seabirds and marine life, full of fossils of a bygone era.
