Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare shown within Somerset
Population	71,758
OS grid reference	ST324615
Unitary authority	North Somerset
Ceremonial county	Somerset
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WESTON-SUPER-MARE
Postcode district	BS22, BS23, BS24
Dialling code	01934
Police	Avon and Somerset
Fire	Avon
Ambulance	Great Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Weston-super-Mare
List of places: UK • England • Somerset

Coordinates: 51°20′55″N 2°58′12″W / 51.3485, -2.97

Weston-super-Mare is an English seaside resort town, and civil parish, in North Somerset – part of the ceremonial county of Somerset. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Bristol postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Axbridge, Banwell, Bristol, Cheddar, Clevedon The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Avon & Somerset Constabulary is the Home Office Police force in England responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Somerset and The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The Avon Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory FRS or Fire and Rescue Service covering the area of what used to be the County of Avon (1974-1996 The Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GWAS is UK National Health Service (NHS trust providing emergency and non emergency South West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Weston-super-Mare is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of cities, Towns Villages and hamlets in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A seaside resort is a Resort located on the Coast. Where a Beach is the primary focus for Tourists it may be called a beach resort A civil parish in the United Kingdom is a unit of local government. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Its population according to the 2001 census was 71,758.

The town is situated on the Bristol Channel approximately 18 miles (29 km) south west of Bristol and has spread along the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Worlebury Hill is the name given to an upland area lying between the flatlands of Weston-super-Mare and the Kewstoke area of North Somerset, England Bleadon Hill ( is a 1352 Hectare Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest just north of the village of Bleadon, North Somerset, It is well known for its sandy beaches, although at low tide the sea can be over a mile from the beach front. Weston-super-Mare is the most populous civil parish in England. A civil parish in the United Kingdom is a unit of local government.

The town's motto is "Ever Forward". It is twinned with Hildesheim, Germany. is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Early times 2.2 19th century 2.3 20th century 2.4 21st century 3 Geography 4 Transport 5 Industry 6 Culture 7 Sport 8 Tourism 9 Government and politics 10 Notable residents 11 References 12 See also 13 External links

Etymology

Weston comes from the Anglo-Saxon for the west tun or settlement. The descriptive part of its name is unusual because it is in medieval Latin and was first recorded by an unknown medieval church clerk, presumably to distinguish it from other Westons in the area. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It is a popular myth that the description was a later Victorian invention. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities It means literally "on sea". It is pronounced mair rather than mahrey. Also, the town's name should be pronounced with emphasis on the word "Mare", not the word "super" (i. e. "Weston-super-Mare", not "Weston-super-Mare"). Often people will spell the town's name "Weston-Super-Mare", this however is incorrect as "super" should always be spelt with a lowercase 's'.

History

Early times

Weston's oldest structure is Worlebury camp, on Worlebury Hill, dating from the Iron Age. Worlebury Hill is the name given to an upland area lying between the flatlands of Weston-super-Mare and the Kewstoke area of North Somerset, England This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. The medieval church of St John has been rebuilt but its preaching cross survives. The cellars of the adjoining former rectory are said to be 17th century. The Old Thatched Cottage restaurant on the seafront carries the date 1774; it is the surviving portion of a summer cottage built by the Revd. Leeves of Wrington. Wrington is a Village in North Somerset, England. It lies in the valley of the Congresbury Yeo river about east of Weston-super-Mare ^[1]

19th century

Early in the 19th century, Weston was a small windswept village of about 30 houses, located behind a line of sand dunes fronting the sea, which had been created as an early sea wall after the Bristol Channel floods of 1607. On 30 January, 1607 ( New style) the Bristol Channel floods resulted in the drowning of an estimated 2000 or more people with houses and ^[2] The Pigott family of Brockley, who were the local Lords of the Manor, had a summer residence at Grove House. Brockley is a village and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Weston owes its growth and prosperity to the Victorian era boom in seaside holidays^[3]. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Construction of the first hotel in the village started in 1808; it was called "Reeves" (now the Royal Hotel). ^[2] Along with nearby Burnham-on-Sea, Weston benefited from proximity to Bristol, Bath and South Wales. Burnham-on-Sea is a Town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales The first attempt at an artificial harbour was made in the late 1820s at the islet of Knightstone and a slipway built from Anchor Head towards Birnbeck Island. ^[2]

Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his family lived in Weston, at Swiss Villa (eastern corner of Alexandra Parade and Swiss Road), for a number of months whilst he was supervising the construction of the Bristol and Exeter Railway in the area. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS (9 April 1806 &ndash 15 September 1859 (ˈɪzəmbɑrd ˈkɪŋdəm brʊˈnɛl was a British Engineer. The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter. With the opening of the railway in 1841, thousands of visitors came to the town from Bristol, the Midlands and further afield, on works outings and Bank Holidays. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London This article is mainly about the English Midlands For other uses see Midlands (disambiguation. A bank holiday is a Public holiday in the United Kingdom and also in the Republic of Ireland. Also, many mining families came across the Bristol Channel from South Wales by paddle steamer. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving a Propeller To cater for them, Birnbeck Pier was completed in 1867, offering in its heyday amusement arcades, tea rooms, funfair rides and a photographic studio. Birnbeck Pier is a Pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. A video arcade (also known as an amusement arcade in the United Kingdom in Japan or as an "arcade" is a venue where people play arcade video games Traveling carnival A funfair or simply fair (eg " County fair" " state fair" is a small to medium sized traveling Fair Photography (fә'tɒgrәfi or fә'tɑːgrәfi (from Greek φωτο and γραφία is the process and Art of recording pictures by means of capturing However, it now stands in a derelict state and has recently been added to English Heritage's list of endangered buildings, but is still possible for visitors to marvel at the structure from behind the barbed wire. It was designed by Eugenius Birch with ironwork by the Isia Foundry of Newport, Monmouthshire. Eugenius Birch (1818-1884 was a 19th Century English naval Architect, Engineer and Pier builder Newport (Casnewydd is a city and principal area in Wales, in the United Kingdom. Monmouthshire, also known as the County of Monmouth (Sir Fynwy is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county It is a grade II* listed building. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance ^[4]

Large areas of land were released for development from the 1850s onwards. Large detached villas, for the middle classes, were built on the southern slopes of Worlebury Hill. Semi-detached and terraced housing were built on the low 'moorland', behind the sea front in an area known as South Ward. Many of these houses have now been turned into bedsits by their owners. A bedsit, also known as a bed-sitting room, is a form of rented accommodation common in Great Britain consisting of a single room with a shared bathroom and lavatory Most of the houses built in the Victorian era are built from stone and feature details made from local Bath Stone, influenced by local architect Hans Price. Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of Calcium carbonate. Hans Price (1835 - 1912 was the Architect responsible for much of the development of Weston-super-Mare, in North Somerset, England, during the

In 1885 the first transatlantic telegraph cable of the Commercial Cable Company was brought ashore and the company started a long association with the town, ending in 1962. The Commercial Cable Company was founded in the United States in 1884 by John William Mackay and James Gordon Bennett Jr

A second railway, the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway, opened on 1 December 1897, connecting Weston to Clevedon. The Weston Clevedon and Portishead Railway was conceived and built initially as a Tramway to link the three small North Somerset coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 1897 ( MDCCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Clevedon is a town in North Somerset, England.The name derives from the Saxon, 'Cleve' meaning Cleave or Cleft and 'don' meaning hill the town being The terminus station was at Ashcombe Road. The railway was extended to Portishead on 7 August 1907 but was closed on 18 May 1940. Portishead (pɔːtɪsˈhɛd is a coastal town in North Somerset, England, with a population of 21000 (Local council update July 24, 2007) Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

20th century

Local traders, unhappy that visitors were not coming as far as the centre of the town, began the construction of a new pier closer to the main streets. Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier is a Pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. Opened in 1904, and known as the Grand Pier, it was originally planned to be 1. Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier is a Pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. 5 miles (2. 4 km) long. ^[5] It still stands in truncated form today, although amusements and cafes have replaced the original music-hall theatre it supported, with the present building dating from 1933. Music hall is a form of British theatrical Entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960 Further development occurred after World War I, with the Winter Gardens and Pavilion (1927), the open air pool and an airfield all dating from the inter-war period. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A lido, in the United Kingdom, Portugal and some other countries refers to a public outdoor Swimming pool and surrounding facilities or part of a beach An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land Art Deco influences can be seen in much of the town's architecture from this period. Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial

During World War II many evacuees were accommodated in the town. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II were designed to save the population of urban or military areas from German aerial bombing Weston suffered several bombing raids, damaging parts of the town centre, particularly Orchard Street and Boulevard. War industries, such as aircraft and pump manufacture, were dispersed to the town. Many US troops were billeted in Weston. The troops and their equipment quickly vanished, in the run-up to D-Day. D-Day may also refer to Decimal Day in the United Kingdom. D-Day is a term often used in Military parlance to denote

Residential areas include the Oldmixon, Coronation, and Bournville estates, which exhibit many examples of early to late twentieth century architecture. Newer housing has since been built towards the east of the town in North Worle and Locking Castle, locations nearer to the M5 motorway. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5"

The town as a whole has expanded in size considerably and at one time in the 1980s was the fastest growing municipality in Europe. Building continues apace, with the population being close to 78,000 in 2006, although the south side of town towards Bleadon has avoided this. Bleadon is a village and Civil parish in the historic county of Somerset in England. Weston-super-Mare has expanded to include the established villages of Milton, Worle, Uphill, Oldmixon, West Wick and Wick St. Lawrence, as well as new areas such as St. Georges and Locking Castle. Worle is a village in North Somerset that is now totally absorbed by the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Uphill is a village on the edge of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. Oldmixon is a suburb of the town of Weston-super-Mare in the English county of Somerset. Wick St Lawrence is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of North Somerset. St Georges is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of North Somerset. Hutton, Locking, Bleadon and Kewstoke are under threat of urban sprawl from Weston-super-Mare. Hutton is a village and civil parish located on the western edge of the Mendip Hills, close to Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England Locking is a Village and Civil parish in a predominantly quiet residential area of North Somerset, England, 3 Bleadon is a village and Civil parish in the historic county of Somerset in England. Kewstoke is a Civil parish and village in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, located next to the strip of coast called Sand Bay.

21st century

A structure known as Silica has been installed at Big Lamp Corner during 2006. ^[6] It is a piece of public art, an advertising sign, a retail kiosk selling newspapers and hot food (waffles and so on), as well as a bus shelter. It has been criticised by some local residents who liken it to a carrot or a space ship, although it is meant to symbolise man's harmony with the sea. This was part of North Somerset Council's ongoing civic pride initiative that has sought to revitalise Weston-super-Mare's public spaces - which had suffered a period of decline. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered

Other public space improvements have been made throughout the town such as improvements to the street scene in Grove Park Village. There has been some controversy in the town over whether the silica enhanced the town or was a waste of money. However, this debate centred round a misunderstanding of the government funds used to pay for the sculpture. Many local residents did not realise that the money came from central government and had to be used on public art/improvements to the street scene environment. Althought a significant part of the funding also came from Weston Town Council and tourism budgets that could have been spent elsewhere. Much of this argument was covered by the Weston & Somerset Mercury and can be found on the the Mercury website. The Weston & Somerset Mercury is a weekly paid for newspaper that covers Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding areas of Somerset, England. Some residents considered that an attractive water fountain or garden would have been a better investment of this money.

Geography

The mainly flat landscape of Weston is dominated by Worlebury Hill which borders the entire northern edge of the town, and Bleadon Hill which together with the River Axe, and Brean Down at Uphill form its southern border. Worlebury Hill is the name given to an upland area lying between the flatlands of Weston-super-Mare and the Kewstoke area of North Somerset, England Bleadon Hill ( is a 1352 Hectare Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest just north of the village of Bleadon, North Somerset, The River Axe is a River in south west England. The river rises from the ground at Wookey Hole Caves in the Mendip Hills in Brean Down is a promontory off the coast of Somerset standing high and extending into the Bristol Channel between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham on Uphill is a village on the edge of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. In the centre of the town is Ellenborough Park a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the range of plant species found there. Ellenborough Park is a park situated in the centre of Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom.

The beach lies on the western edge of the town. The upper part is sandy but, as the sea retreats a long way with the tide exposing mud flats, the town is sometimes unkindly, yet undeniably accurately, known as "Weston-super-Mud". The tidal range in this part of the Bristol Channel is great, since the beach and mud flats are on a gentle slope. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset Consequently it is only at the part of the tide cycle where high tide is in the early morning and late afternoon that the sea comes well up the beach. Many day visitors see little of the sea because of this and also must be confused to see a long pier with little or no water under it. Attempting to reach the sea at these times is inadvisable as the sand gives way to mud which is very deep and has cost several people their lives over the years. Driving on the beach (which is permitted in certain areas) catches people out as they drive too close to the sea and break through the sand to the underlying mud and are then stuck.

The tidal rise and fall in the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel is the second largest in the world and can be as great as 15 m (49 ft). This tidal movement contributes to the deposition of natural mud in bays such as Weston. Despite the muddy brown appearance of the sea water, chemically the Bristol Channel is reasonably clean.

Transport

The main Weston-super-Mare railway station is close to the town centre less than ten minutes walk from the sea front. Weston-super-Mare railway station serves the town of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. Other stations are located at Weston Milton and Worle. Weston Milton railway station serves the Milton and Locking Castle areas of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset. Worle railway station serves Worle in North Somerset, England. Weston-super-Mare station has direct high speed train services to London Paddington including First Great Western's Bristolian express service, which only serves Weston-super-Mare in the London bound direction. London Paddington station, also known as London Paddington, or just simply Paddington, is a major National Rail and London Underground station The Bristolian is a named passenger train service from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. Weston-super-Mare main railway station also has direct services to stations such as Bristol, Taunton and Cardiff Central. Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest Railway station in Bristol, England Taunton railway station is a junction station on the London to Penzance Line, from London Paddington station. Cardiff Central railway station (Caerdydd Canolog is a major British railway station on Central Square in Cardiff, Wales.

Most bus services are provided by First Group, although some services are operated by acltravel and 1-Spin Travel operate 1 weston super mare town service and a night-Bus Service to Bristol. FirstGroup plc ( is a Scottish Transport company operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Canada, USA All services call at stops in the Regent Street/Big Lamp Corner area; a few services to Sand Bay, Wells, Burnham-on-Sea and Bristol International Airport start from or run via the main railway station. Sand Bay is a strip of coast in North Somerset bordered to the south by Worlebury Hill and to the north by Middle Hope (commonly referred to as Sand Point Wells is a small Cathedral city and Civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Burnham-on-Sea is a Town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Bristol International Airport is the commercial Airport serving the city of Bristol, England and the surrounding area Some bus services serve the main High Street.

Weston is close to Junction 21 of the M5 motorway. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5" In the 1990s a dual-carriageway relief road was opened from the motorway into the centre of the town. This replaced Locking Road as the designated A370 route and avoided some of the traffic congestion along that narrower urban road. The A370 is a primary Road in England running from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare and on to East Brent (near Brent Knoll) in

Industry

Since the 1970s Weston has suffered a large decline in popularity, like virtually all British seaside resorts. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The advent of cheap foreign holidays and the break-up of large industries like mining contributed, as working communities became less likely to holiday together. The town had become a centre of industries such as helicopter production, and maintenance at the GKN Westlands factory until its closure in 2002. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. GKN plc ( is a leading British Engineering company The Company was formerly known as Guest Keen and Nettlefolds and can tracing its origins back ^[7] Road transport links were improved with the M5 motorway running close by, and the town now supports several light industries and distribution depots, including Lidl's distribution centre for all its southern based stores, and functions partly as a dormitory town for Bristol. This article is about the M5 motorway in England See M5 for other roads numbered "M5" Lidl is a European discount Supermarket chain of German origin that operates 7000 stores A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential from which most of the Workforce commute out to earn their livelihood Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Philip Harris Ltd moved their production unit to the town in the 1970s to join their biological supplies division, which moved from Sheffield in 1965. Philip Harris Ltd was a company with a long pedigree that has now been subsumed into a succession of larger more anonymous Corporations In its heyday the company was known Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Some biological supplies work still continues under different owners. Two of the town's largest employers are the local council and Weston College, which has recently begun to offer university degrees as a secondary campus of Bath Spa University. Weston College is a Further education College situated in Weston-super-Mare, England. A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of Higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing Bath Spa University is a University based in and around Bath, England.

Culture

The town has a number of arts venues. The Playhouse serves both tourists and the local population. The Playhouse is a 658 seat theatre in Weston-super-Mare, England that hosts Opera, Ballet, Comedy, music and Pantomime performances The Winter Gardens on the seafront hosts shows, exhibitions and conferences. The Blakehay Theatre & Community Arts Centre is a small venue housed in a former Baptist church. The Blakehay Theatre, is a 220 seat theatre and arts centre in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England.

Weston-super-Mare has a couple of live music venues of note. Hobbit's on Carlton Street, caters mainly for young up and coming punk and pop acts: whilst the nearby Scally's bar [2] hosts local and national touring rock bands; Juicy Lucy, Alien Stash Tin and Dumpy's Rusty Nuts having performed at the venue in recent years, on the other side of town The Back Bar, The London, and the Imperial hold regular open mic nights which attract a wide array of local musicians, as well as artists from further afield. Juicy Lucy was a Blues - rock band formed in 1969. AFter the demise of Garage band The Misunderstood, Vocalist Ray Owen Alien Stash Tin are a multi-influenced space / Blues rock band based in Bristol, England. Dumpy's Rusty Nuts are a British rock band founded in 1981 by the lead singer "Dumpy" Some of these include: Ryan Inglis, Lenny Savage, Matt Wescott, who also have featured at the Underground Sounds Hush Night, which runs at various venues every month around Weston.

The town was the subject of a song Sunny Weston-super-Mare performed by local band, The Wurzels. Adge Cutler and The Wurzels, renamed The Wurzels after Cutler's death are a British Scrumpy and Western band

The historic newspaper in the town is the Weston & Somerset Mercury, which has been serving the population since 1843. The Weston and Worle News is a free weekly newspaper serving the local area. The Weston and Worle News is a free weekly newspaper in Weston-super-Mare and Worle, Somerset, England.

Sport

Football team Weston-super-Mare A.F.C. play in the Conference South at the purpose-built Woodspring Stadium, which opened in August 2004. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Weston-super-Mare Association Football Club (also known as The Seagulls) are an English semi-professional football club based in Weston-super-Mare Conference South (currently billed as Blue Square South for sponsorship reasons is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking Woodspring Stadium is home to Conference South semi-professional football club Weston-super-Mare A

There are two Rugby clubs in the town; Weston-super-Mare RFC, formed in 1875, and Hornets RFC, formed in 1962. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short They play in South West Division One and South West Division Two (West) respectively.

Somerset County Cricket Club played First Class and One-Day matches for one week a season on a pitch prepared at Clarence Park, near the Sea Front. Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic Cricket structure representing the historic county This began in 1914 and continued until the last “festival” in 1996.

The town is well known amongst motocross enthusiasts for staging the Weston Super Mare beach race every Autumn. Motocross is a form of Motorcycle sport or All-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed Off road circuits Beach racing is an offshoot of Enduro and Motocross racing As the name implies riders on solo Motorcycles, quad bikes, or Sidecar Over 900 riders take part in the annual event, with crowds approaching 20,000 spectators. In addition, races are also held for youth riders, sidecarcross riders and quad bike competitors. Sidecar-Cross racing, also known as Sidecar Motocross, is very similar to regular "solo" Motocross but with a different type of Motorcycle The most recent winner of the Weston Beach Race was reigning World Motocross Champion Steve Ramon of Belgium. Steve Ramon (born December 29, 1979 in Bruges) is a Belgian Motocross racer The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those

Tourism

Weston-super-Mare is still a tourist destination, with attractions such as the long sandy beach, the The Helicopter Museum, the Grand Pier, the SeaQuarium aquarium and the Weston Miniature Railway, which is situated on the Beach Lawns, as well as a putting green, gift shop and café. The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare, England, is a dedicated museum featuring a collection of more than 80 Rotorcraft from around the world both Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier is a Pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a Vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which Water -dwelling Plants A ridable miniature railway (USA 'riding railroad' or ' grand scale railroad' is a ground-level large scale model railway that hauls passengers using Locomotives Minigolf, or miniature golf, is a miniature version of the Sport of Golf. Trains on the railway are pulled by steam or petrol locomotives. Also on site is a Drive It Yourself Train. The Paddle Steamer Waverley and MV Balmoral offer day sea trips from Knightstone Island to various destinations along the Bristol Channel and Severn estuary, tickets for which are on sale at the resort's Tourist Information Centre. History The Waverley was built in 1946 as a replacement for an earlier PS Waverley of 1899 that took part in the WW II war effort as a minesweeper The Motor Vessel Balmoral was built by J I Thornycroft at Woolston Southampton in 1949 commissioned by the Southampton Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co Ltd The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset For other rivers named "Severn" see Severn River. The River Severn ( Welsh: Afon Hafren, Latin A visitor center, centre (see Spelling differences) or visitor information centre may be A visitor center at a specific attraction Museums include the North Somerset Museum

The T4 on the Beach concert, hosted by Channel 4 youth programme T4, is a recent addition. The North Somerset Museum is in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England. Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began T4 (presumably meaning Teenage 4) is a scheduling slot on Channel 4 ( UK) from about 9 a Many well known bands and singers perform up to three of their hits. A musical ensemble is a group of two or more Musicians who perform instrumental or vocal Music. However, many of the vocals are mimed as the event is being produced for live TV broadcast. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. ^[8]

International HeliDays is usually staged at the beach lawns over a long weekend around the end of July, where helicopters from around the world are displayed, in association with the The Helicopter Museum. There is also an annual display by the Red Arrows, usually held around the same time as the HeliDays event. The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the Aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Scampton

Weston Beach Race is an annual Motorcross Enduro event in October, first held in 1982. Motocross is a form of Motorcycle sport or All-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed Off road circuits Enduro is a form of Motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly Off-road. In 2005 it attracted 1,400 competitors and around 80,000 spectators. There are a number of races for quad bikes, sidecars and children in addition to the main event. An all-terrain vehicle (ATV is defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires with a seat that is straddled by A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a Motorcycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle

Weston is also the final event on the November West Country Carnival circuit, when a large number of brightly illuminated floats parade through the streets. The West Country Carnival is an annual celebration featuring a Parade of illuminated floats (termed "carts" locally in the English

Some of the town's attractions are now past their best.

• Birnbeck Pier, to the north of the town is now derelict, although Manchester-based company Urban Splash who purchased the pier in 2006 will soon announce plans for its restoration. Birnbeck Pier is a Pier in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. Urban Splash, is a British company set up in 1993, which regenerates decaying industrial Warehouses mills victorian terraced houses and other
• Knightstone Island historically housed a theatre, swimming pool and sauna. After years of disrepair and dereliction, the area is being redeveloped by Redrow Homes. Redrow plc is a British housebuilding and general construction company based in Flintshire. During 2006/2007, luxury apartments and commercial outlets will be completed at this site. Consideration has been taken due to the listed building status of much of the site. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance Boat trips from here include the Waverley and Balmoral (see Tourism Section) and trips to Steep Holm Island as well as short trips around Weston Bay.
• The Tropicana located half way along the sea front is now derelict, but once provided an outdoor swimming pool (Lido) complex. A lido, in the United Kingdom, Portugal and some other countries refers to a public outdoor Swimming pool and surrounding facilities or part of a beach A private developer, Henry Boot, has been selected to take forward the re-development of the Tropicana. Contracts for the new Life Station@Tropicana development were exchanged in March 2007 and will include a 96 bedroom hotel, indoor pool, cinema, bowling alley, restaurants and bars. Re-development of the Tropicana has been beset by delays and controversy,^[9] Plans will now be submitted in Autumn 2007 with opening due in Spring 2010. ^[10]

Before contracts were placed a group of local residents challenged the council over its decision to appoint Henry Boot and asked to put forward their own proposals for the site. ^[11]

Hockey Ever year Weston plays host to the world renowned Western Hockey festival where Hockey teams from far a field and locally compete in a tournament over the Easter weekend, there is also some drinking involved although this aspect of the tour is discouraged. Hockey is any of a family of Sports in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver a Ball, or a hard round rubber or heavy plastic disc called a puck

Government and politics

Made an urban district in 1894, Weston-super-Mare became a municipal borough in 1937. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of Local government district that covered an Urbanised area Municipal boroughs were a type of Local government which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974 in Northern Ireland from 1840 to In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, it was merged into the Woodspring district of the County of Avon, and became a Charter Trustees town. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered The former County of Avon was a non-metropolitan county and ceremonial county in the west of England, named after the River Avon, which In England and Wales, Charter Trustees are set up to maintain the continuity of a Town charter or City charter after a district with the status

Before 1974, Weston-super-Mare was in the County of Somerset. Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county When Avon was split up in 1996, it became the administrative headquarters of North Somerset, one of the successor authorities. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Weston-super-Mare regained a town council in 2000, becoming a civil parish.

The MP for the Weston-super-Mare parliamentary constituency is John Penrose of the Conservative Party, who won the seat in the 2005 General Election. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Weston-super-Mare is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. John David Penrose (born June 22, 1964) is the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP for Weston-super-Mare. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Results Overview For events leading up to the date of the election see article Pre-election day events of the United Kingdom general

Notable residents

Well-known former residents of the town include:

• A. V. Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Hillsborough – Minister of Defence in the Attlee government, raised in Weston-super-Mare. Albert Victor Alexander 1st Earl Alexander of Hillsborough, KG, CH, PC (1 May 1885&ndash11 January 1965 was a British Labour and The Secretary of State for Defence is the senior United Kingdom government minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence. Clement Richard Attlee 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC ( 3 January 1883 &ndash 8 October 1967
• Jeffrey Archer – author, politician and convicted perjurer
• Ritchie Blackmore – guitarist for Deep Purple and Rainbow
• John Cleese – actor and member of Monty Python
• Roald Dahl – author, journalist
• Jill Dando – broadcaster and journalist
• Arthur Stanley Eddington – one of the foremost astrophysicists of the early twentieth century, grew up in the town. Jeffrey Howard Archer Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare (born 15 April 1940 is an English Author and former Politician. For the rugby league footballer of the same name see Richie Blackmore (rugby league Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore (born Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 Rainbow was a Hard rock and heavy metal band formed by former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975. John Marwood Cleese (ˈkliːz born 27 October, 1939) is a British Actor, Comedian, Writer, Film producer Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) is the collective name of the six creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British Television Roald Dahl ( 13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British Novelist Short story Writer Jill Wendy Dando ( 9 November 1961 &ndash 26 April 1999) was an English journalist and television presenter who worked Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington, OM (28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944 was an English Astrophysicist of the early 20th century Historically Astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky while Astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena
• Rupert Graves – actor
• Sean Martin – writer and film director
• Mandy Miller – actress
• Con O'Neill – actor
• Dr Sir John Polkinghorne – particle physicist and theologian
• Hans Price – architect
• Paul Radmilovic – Olympic gold medal winner
• Gareth Taylor – Tranmere Rovers footballer (previously with Sheffield United, Burnley and Nottingham Forest)

References

See also

• Weston-super-Mare (UK Parliament constituency)
• Weston General Hospital

External links

• The Weston & Somerset Mercury
• Weston-super-Mare town council
• Official Weston-super-Mare tourism website
• Weston-super-Mare at the Open Directory Project
• Weston Miniature Railway
• Winter Gardens
• Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Railway
• Weston-super-Mare in old postcards
• Photos of Weston-super-Mare in 3D (Anaglyphs)
• Weston-super-Mare Chamber of Trade and Commerce
• Weston Rugby Club
• Hornets Rugby Club
• Photo Tour of the abandoned Birnbeck Pier
• Weston-super-Mare Forum

Weston-super-Mare is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Weston General Hospital is an NHS district general hospital in the town of Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England operated by Weston The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory

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