87-600: 51°20′46″N 2°58′37″W / 51.346°N 2.977°W / 51.346; -2.977 Weston-super-Mare ( / ... ˈ m ɛər / ... MAIR ), also known simply as Weston , is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary authority area in the county of Somerset , England. It lies by the Bristol Channel 20 miles (32 km) south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill . Its population at
174-486: A 4.2% higher percentage of older people (60+ female, 65+ male) than the rest of England and Wales. This disparity increases with age with the percentage of the population over 75 years almost 30% higher than the national average, resulting in a relatively aged population. In 2001 there were 134,132 people of working age living in North Somerset and 91,767 were in employment; an economic activity rate of 68.4%. This
261-696: A gentle slope, it is inadvisable to try to reach the sea at low tide, as the sand gives way to deep mud which has often resulted in loss of life over the years. Driving on the beach is permitted in certain areas, but occasionally the drivers are caught unawares as they drive too close to the sea and break through the sand into the underlying mud, and are then stuck. The tidal rise and fall in the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel can be as great as 14.5 m (48 ft), second only to Bay of Fundy in Eastern Canada . This tidal movement contributes to
348-678: A large amount of farmland and livestock during a flood in the Bristol Channel area of the UK. The known tide heights, probable weather, extent and depth of flooding, and coastal flooding elsewhere in the UK on the same day all point to the cause being a storm surge rather than a tsunami . On 30 January 1607, around noon, the coasts of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary experienced coastal and tidal flooding in many counties. Pre-dating any modern flood defence construction low-lying land in Devon , Somerset , Gloucestershire , and across South Wales
435-409: A resident population of 193,000 (1.4% BME) living in 85,000 households. The population of North Somerset has doubled since the 1950s and is predicted to rise by 6,184 or 3.0% to 2011 and by 17% to 2026. Whilst the proportion of people in North Somerset who are under 45 is lower than the national average, population growth is predicted to be strongest in the 2034 age group. Conversely North Somerset has
522-485: A seasonal amusement park and ice rink . In July 2011, North Somerset Council gave planning approval to the £50 million Leisure Dome , a 210-metre (690 ft) indoor ski slope to be built on the site of RAF Locking . In 2015 the future of the project was in doubt because of the need for additional funding, and no mention of the LeisureDome proposals appear on the information provided by St. Modwen Properties ,
609-405: A significant reduction in the number of rehabilitation facilities in the town, with the number of patient beds having nearly halved. A structure known as Silica was installed at Big Lamp Corner during 2006. It is a piece of public art, an advertising sign, a retail kiosk selling newspapers and hot food, as well as a bus shelter. It has been criticised by local residents who liken it to a carrot or
696-472: 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. Other public space improvements have been made throughout the town such as improvements to the street scene in Grove Park Village. On 28 July 2008,
783-429: A tsunami hypothesis underestimate the volume of water and coastal damage involved in storm surges, and fail to account for flooding on the opposite side of the country on the same day. There is also a lack of evidence for the event affecting West Wales , Cornwall , or southern Ireland . Their tsunami modelling showed that it would not be possible for a tsunami not to affect these areas, while causing flooding elsewhere in
870-429: Is Ellenborough Park a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the range of plant species found there. The beach of Weston Bay lies on the western edge of the town. The upper part is sandy, but the sea retreats a long way at low tide, exposing large areas of mud flats (hence the colloquial name of Weston-super-Mud). The tidal range in this part of the Bristol Channel is great, and since beach and mud flats are on
957-541: Is Latin for "above the sea" and was added to distinguish it from the many other settlements named Weston in the Diocese of Bath and Wells . Prior to 1348 it was known as Weston-juxta-Mare ("beside the sea"). The name was changed by Ralph of Shrewsbury , who was the Bishop of Bath and Wells . Between the 14th and 17th centuries the "super Mare" part of the name disappeared and it was just known as Weston, although in 1610 it
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#17327803307951044-547: Is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Somerset , England. The council is based in Weston-super-Mare , the area's largest town. The district also contains the towns of Clevedon , Nailsea and Portishead , along with a number of villages and surrounding rural areas. Some southern parts of the district fall within the Mendip Hills , a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The district
1131-522: Is also covered by civil parishes , which form a second tier of local government. The area comprises the parliamentary constituencies of Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset . The principal towns in the district are the coastal towns of Weston-super-Mare , Portishead , Clevedon and Nailsea . North Somerset's natural environment and coastal towns attract visitors from nearby cities. Notable geographical features include: Notable religious sites include Woodspring Priory . North Somerset's economy
1218-710: Is notable for fully retaining many Art Deco features both internally and externally, and retaining its original theatre organ , a Compton from 1935. It is believed to be the only cinema organ in the West Country left working in its original location and is still in regular use. Other organs by Compton in Weston-super-Mare can be found at Victoria Methodist Church and All Saints' Church by George Bodley (modelled on that in Downside Abbey ). Local traders, unhappy that visitors were not coming as far as
1305-604: Is noted for the large volume of car imports. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of North and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire at current basic prices (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. ^1 Components may not sum to totals due to rounding ^2 includes hunting and forestry ^3 includes energy and construction ^4 includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured North Somerset covers an area of around 145 square miles (380 km ) and has
1392-581: Is thought to have been caused by a high astronomical spring tide combined with severe weather, namely low atmospheric pressure bringing strong winds and a storm surge. The spring tide in the Bristol Channel on 30 January 1607 reached a height of 7.86 metres (25 ft 9 in). This occurred in combination with a severe south-westerly gale with peak winds measured at Barnstaple from 3am to noon, and coastal flooding in East Anglia at night on
1479-593: Is traditionally based on agriculture, including sheep raised for wool on the Mendip Hills and dairy farming in the valleys. This is celebrated at the annual North Somerset Show . During the Georgian era tourism became a significant economic sector in the coastal towns, most notably Weston-super-Mare which grew from a small village to a large resort town. Though tourism declined in the mid to late-20th century, in common with most British coastal resorts, this sector of
1566-508: Is very close to the economic activity rate of the West of England sub-region which was 68.8% in the 2001 census. The 2001 census stated that 1.38% of North Somerset residents identified themselves as belonging to a visible ethnic group and a further 1.27% identified themselves as 'white other'. As of 2023 , North Somerset Council is associated with 72 primary schools and 18 secondary schools. There are also four independent (private) schools in
1653-508: The Banham Review , the county of Avon was abolished in 1996, with the area being divided into unitary authorities responsible for both district and county-level functions. Woodspring became one of the unitary authorities, and the government gave the district the new name "North West Somerset" as part of the reforms. The area was also transferred back to Somerset for the ceremonial purposes of lieutenancy and shrievalty . In July 1995
1740-663: The Luftwaffe . The first bombs fell in June 1940, but the worst attacks were in January 1941 and in June 1942. Large areas of the town were destroyed, particularly Orchard Street and the Boulevard. On 3 and 4 January 1941, incendiary bombs fell on the town. The Air Ministry set up a " Q-station " decoy at Bleadon in an attempt to divert the bombers to an unpopulated area. In all 110 civilians lost their lives through enemy action in
1827-548: The Member of Parliament (MP), John Penrose during his maiden speech in the House of Commons in 2005. By 2009, Weston was home to around 11% of drug rehabilitation places in the UK, and North Somerset Council proposed an accreditation system examining the quality of counselling, staff training, transparency of referral arrangements, along with measures of the treatment's effectiveness and site inspections. By 2012, there had been
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#17327803307951914-555: The Midlands and further afield, on works outings and bank holidays . Mining families also came across the Bristol Channel from South Wales by paddle steamer . To cater for them, Birnbeck Pier was completed in 1867, offering in its heyday amusement arcades , tea rooms, amusement rides and a photographic studio. It is now in a derelict state and has been added to English Heritage 's Buildings at Risk Register , but visitors can still admire its structure from behind barbed wire. It
2001-589: The Poppy Appeal . The Bristol and Exeter Railway arrived in Weston-super-Mare on 14 June 1841. This was not the route that serves today's Weston-super-Mare railway station , but rather a single-track branch line from Weston Junction , midway between the present day Worle and Uphill junctions, which terminated at a small station in Regent Street close to the High Street. A second larger station
2088-778: The Queen's Flight . Residential areas outside the town centre include Ashcombe and the Oldmixon, Coronation, and Bournville housing estates , built in the mid to late 20th century. In 1986, Weston General Hospital was opened on the edge of Uphill village, replacing the Queen Alexandra Memorial Hospital on The Boulevard, which was opened in 1928. Around 2000, the town saw a growth in residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation treatment centres, with attendant crime and social problems. These problems were highlighted by Weston's councillors and newspapers, and by
2175-552: The River Axe is at the south end of the beach. To the north of the town is Sand Point which marks the upper limit of the Bristol Channel and the lower limit of the Severn Estuary . In the centre of the town is Ellenborough Park , which is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the range of plant species found there. Weston comes from the Anglo-Saxon for the west tun or settlement; super mare
2262-516: The West Midlands . Weston was found to attract two distinct groups: "grey tourists" over the age of 60 and families with young children. The Art Deco Tropicana , once a very popular lido on the beach, suffered years of neglect before closing to the public in 2000, and despite a number of attempts to reopen it, permission was given to demolish it in 2012. However, the complex reopened in 2015 and now serves as an events space, primarily hosting
2349-485: The 1970s, Weston has suffered a decline in popularity as a holiday destination, as have most British seaside resorts, due to the advent of cheap foreign holidays and the demise of the traditional "works holidays" of heavy and manufacturing industries elsewhere in UK. The town had become a centre of industries such as helicopter production, and maintenance at the GKN Westland factory until its closure in 2002, however
2436-510: The 2021 census was 82,418. The area around the town has been occupied since the Iron Age . It was still a small village until the 19th century when it developed as a seaside resort. A railway station and two piers were built. In the second half of the 20th century it was connected to the M5 motorway but the number of people holidaying in the town declined and some local industries closed, although
2523-486: The 30th, both of which are consistent with a storm tracking eastwards. It has been demonstrated that the tide and weather event that occurred on this date were capable of generating a storm surge consistent with the observed inundation. A 2002 research paper, following investigations by Professor Simon Haslett of Bath Spa University and Australian geologist Ted Bryant of the University of Wollongong , suggested that
2610-473: The Bristol Channel in the spring of 1897, from Penarth (near Cardiff) to Brean Down (just south west of Weston, on the other side of the River Axe ). A second railway, the Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway , opened on 1 December 1897, connecting Weston to Clevedon . The terminus station was at Ashcombe Road. The railway was extended to Portishead on 7 August 1907 but was closed in 1940. Much of
2697-578: The Grand Pier in the top ten free attractions in England. However, as of 2014, the pier charges for admission. On the Beach Lawns was a miniature railway operated by steam and diesel locomotives, which closed in 2012. The Paddle Steamer Waverley and MV Balmoral offer day trips from Knightstone Island to various destinations along the Bristol Channel and Severn estuary . Since the 1970s
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2784-708: The Helicopter Museum, are staged at the beach lawns over a long weekend around the end of July, when up to 75 helicopters from Europe fly in for a static display. There are frequent Helicopter Air Experience flights from the Museum heliport. There is also an annual display by the Red Arrows . Weston Bike Nights are motorcycle meetings on the Promenade each Thursday during the summer. They are organised by The Royal British Legion Riders Branch to raise money for
2871-577: The Manor, had a summer residence at Grove House. Weston owes its growth and prosperity to the Victorian era boom in seaside holidays. Construction of the first hotel in the village started in 1808; it was called "Reeves" (now the Royal Hotel). Along with nearby Burnham-on-Sea , Weston benefited from proximity to Bristol , Bath and South Wales . The first attempt at an artificial harbour was made in
2958-505: The Trees, and so were like to perish for want of succour. Othersame, sate in the tops of high Trees as aforesaid, beholding their wives, children, and servants, swimming (remediles of all succour) in the Waters. Other some sitting in the tops of Trees might behold their houses overflowne with the waters. some their houses caryed quite away: and no signe or token left there of them. The flooding
3045-535: The administration of Somerset County Council . When Avon was split up in 1996, it became the administrative headquarters of the unitary authority of North Somerset , one of the successor authorities, which remains part of the ceremonial county of Somerset. There are 11 electoral wards in Weston. The MP for the Weston-super-Mare parliamentary constituency is Dan Aldridge of the Labour Party , who won
3132-452: The area. Weston College is the main provider of further education in the area. University Centre Weston offers higher education courses in conjunction with Bath Spa University and the University of the West of England . 51°23′N 2°48′W / 51.39°N 2.80°W / 51.39; -2.80 Bristol Channel floods, 1607 The Bristol Channel floods of 30 January 1607 drowned many people and destroyed
3219-529: The borough. In the later part of the war, United States Army troops were billeted in the area, but they were relocated in the run-up to D-Day . RAF Weston-super-Mare was opened in 1936 by No. 24 Group, with a single tarmac runway. It served as a flying candidates selection and initial training facility, and as a relief airport during World War II , latterly as the Polish Air Force Staff College from April 1944 to April 1946. After
3306-551: The centre of the town, built a new pier closer to the main streets. Opened in 1904, and known as the Grand Pier , it was designed to be 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long. Further development occurred after World War I , with the Winter Gardens Pavilion in 1927, the open air pool , with its arched concrete diving board, and an airfield dating from the inter-war period. Art Deco influences can be seen in much of
3393-735: The character of the buildings in the town derives from the use of local stone, much of it from the Town Quarry. Notable among the architects working in the 19th century was Hans Price (1835–1912). Many examples of his work are still to be seen: the Town Hall , the Mercury Office, the Constitutional Club (originally the Lodge of St Kew), villas and numerous other domestic dwellings. The Odeon Cinema by Thomas Cecil Howitt
3480-553: The coasts of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary , local economies suffered greatly as a result of the flooding. The coast of Devon and the Somerset Levels as far inland as Glastonbury Tor , 14 miles (23 km) from the coast, were also affected. The sea wall at Burnham-on-Sea gave way, and the water flowed over the low-lying levels and moors. Thirty villages in Somerset were affected, including Brean which
3567-542: The company still retains a design office under the name GKN Aerospace Engineering Services at the Winterstoke Road site. Road transport links were improved with the M5 motorway running close by, and the town now supports light industries and distribution depots, including Lidl 's distribution centre for its southern based stores, and is also a dormitory town for Bristol . Vutrix, one of the largest semiconductor and video/audio distribution equipment companies in
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3654-467: The council resolved to change the name to "North Somerset" with effect from when the reforms came into effect on 1 April 1996. Some years later the government identified that the council's decision to rename in 1995 may not have been technically valid, and so in 2005 the council passed another resolution formally changing the name to put the matter beyond doubt. North Somerset Council provides both county-level and district-level services. The whole area
3741-405: The country. Contemporary sources also indicate the flooding proceeded for a period of five hours, which is consistent with a storm surge rather than a tsunami. The risk of coastal flooding is highlighted in the UK's National Risk Register [1] . While the risk of similar events in the foreseeable future is considered to be low, thanks to advances in defences and flood warning, it is estimated that
3828-556: The deposition of natural mud in bays such as Weston. There has been concern about pollution levels from industrial areas in Wales and at the eastern end of the Bristol Channel; however this tends to be diluted by the Atlantic waters. There are measurable levels of chemical pollutants, and little is known about their effects. Of particular concern are the levels of cadmium and to a lesser degree residual pesticides and hydrocarbons. Just to
3915-465: The developers about their plans for Locking Parklands as the site is now known. It was planned to include a 40-metre (130 ft) climbing wall , a vertical wind tunnel for indoor skydiving , indoor surfing, a BMX track, a health and fitness club , and a number of shops and restaurants. The ski slope will be the longest in the United Kingdom. 'International HeliDays', in association with
4002-449: The economy has stabilised. In the 19th century the major port city of Bristol found that modern ships had outgrown the narrow river approach and the Port of Bristol company began seeking locations for new docks on the coast. The first of these was Portishead Dock , which handled coal from South Wales, though this too has seen shipping outgrow its facilities. The newer Royal Portbury Dock
4089-604: The established villages of Worle , Uphill , and West Wick, as well as new areas such as Locking Parklands and Haywood Village. Municipal history began in 1842 when a Local Act was obtained for "paving, lighting, watching, cleansing and otherwise improving the Town of Weston-super-Mare in the County of Somerset and for establishing a Market therein" under the jurisdiction of eighteen appointed Commissioners. Town Commissioners gave way to an Urban District Council in 1894, and then in 1937
4176-479: The flood were written by people such as the Puritan pamphleteer, William Jones: as soon as the people of those Countries, perceived that it was the violence of the Waters of the raging Seas, and that they began to exceede the compasse of their accustomed boundes, and making so furiously towardes them. happy were they that could make the best, and most speed away, many of them, leaving all their goods and substance, to
4263-407: The flooding may have been caused by a tsunami, after the authors had read some eyewitness accounts in the historical reports which described the flood. The British Geological Survey has suggested that, as there is no evidence of a landslide off the continental shelf, a tsunami would most likely have been caused by an earthquake on a known unstable fault off the coast of southwest Ireland, causing
4350-563: The houses built in the Victorian era are built from stone and feature details made from Bath Stone , influenced by local architect Hans Price . 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. Guglielmo Marconi , the inventor of wireless telegraphy, successfully transmitted radio signals across
4437-461: The late 1820s at the islet of Knightstone and a slipway built from Anchor Head towards Birnbeck Island. Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his family lived in Weston, at Swiss Villa (towards the north end of Trevelyan road), while he was supervising the construction of the Bristol and Exeter Railway in the area. With the opening of the railway in 1841, thousands of visitors came to the town from Bristol,
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#17327803307954524-493: The lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west. According to the United Kingdom Census 2011 , the population of Weston-super-Mare is 76,143. This makes it the largest settlement in North Somerset, which has a total population of 188,564. 20.1% of the town's population are aged 65 or over, compared with the national average of 16.5%. By 2017 the population was estimated at 88,000. 96.5% of
4611-458: The local trains between Taunton, Bristol and Cardiff, but during the peak periods London trains call at both stations. Weston Milton station is on the single track loop and therefore has only one platform, while Worle is on the main line and has two side platforms. The Weston loop diverges just to the southwest of Worle station, and the junction is therefore known as Worle Junction. North Somerset Download coordinates as: North Somerset
4698-554: The locality. Over a three-year period the Heritage Action Zone aimed to boost economic growth and researched Weston's heritage and urban development, by reviewing Weston's listed buildings, using aerial photographs , undertaking a historic characterisation of Weston-super-Mare, its land and sea environs and a report on the architecture of the town, which culminated with the publication of a new book Weston-super-Mare The town and its seaside heritage . In November 2021, it
4785-471: The merciles Waters, being glad to escape away with life themselues: But so violent and swift were the outragiouse waves, that pursued one an other, with such vehemencie, and the Waters multiplying so much in so short a time, that in lesse then five houres space most part of those cuntreys (and especially the places which lay lowe) were all over flowen, and many hundreds of people both men women, and children were then quite devoured, by these outragious waters, such
4872-548: The north of the town is Sand Point which marks the lower limit of the Severn Estuary and the start of the Bristol Channel . It is also the site of the Middle Hope 84.1-hectare (208-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest . The town's suburbs include Ashcombe, Bournville, Coronation, Ebdon, Haywood Village, Hutton , Locking , Locking Parklands, Mead Vale, Milton, Oldmixon, St. Georges , Uphill , West Wick, Worle and Worlebury . Along with
4959-636: The number of day visitors has risen. Attractions include the Grand Pier , Weston Museum and The Helicopter Museum . Cultural venues include The Playhouse , the Winter Gardens and the Blakehay Theatre . The Bristol Channel has a large tidal range ; the low tide mark in Weston Bay is about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the seafront. The beach is sandy but low tide reveals areas of thick mud which are dangerous to walk on. The mouth of
5046-494: The number of visitors staying for several nights in the town has decreased, but the numbers of day visitors has increased. In 1995 there were 4 million visitors but by 2005 this had risen to 5.3 million. In 2007 69% of visitors to the resort were day visitors, compared to 58% in 2005. The 2005 survey showed that day visitors stay in Weston-super-Mare for an average of six hours whilst overnight visitors stay for an average of five nights. The largest percentage of visitors (22%) were from
5133-455: The parish was estimated as £5,000 (equivalent to £1.4 million in 2023). The flood was commemorated in a contemporary pamphlet entitled God's warning to the people of England by the great overflowing of the waters or floods , by William Jones. On the 400th anniversary, 30 January 2007, BBC for the Somerset area looked at the possible causes and asked whether it could happen again in
5220-482: The pavilion at the end of the Grand Pier was completely destroyed by a fire. Eleven fire engines and 80 firefighters could not contain the blaze, which is believed to have started in the north-east tower of the Pavilion. A competition was held to design a new pavilion, and the project was awarded to the winning architect Angus Meek Architects of Bristol. Construction work began on the pier and new pavilion in 2009, and it
5307-431: The population are white, compared with 86% nationally. In 1831 the town population was 1,310, and in 1801 just 138. In 2001, the town comprised 34,441 households, while in 1829 it comprised just 250. The vast majority (96.5%) of the population described themselves as white in the 2011 census. 58.2% are Christian, with 32.4% describing themselves as having no religion. No other religious groups achieved as much as 0.5%. Since
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#17327803307955394-409: The potential cost caused by comparable flooding to residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural property could range from £7 billion to £13 billion at 2007 insured values. There has also been concern that the nuclear power stations at Hinkley Point and Oldbury could be endangered. A number of commemorative plaques still remain, up to 8 feet (2.4 m) above sea level, showing how high
5481-416: The rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around 900 mm (35 in). About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have
5568-528: The rest of South West England , Weston has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. The annual mean temperature is approximately 11 °C (52 °F ). Seasonal temperature variation is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are the warmest with mean daily maxima of approximately 22 °C (72 °F). In winter mean minimum temperatures of 2–3 °C (36–37 °F) are common. In
5655-458: The sea front. It has direct services to London Paddington operated by Great Western Railway , and also trains to stations such as Bristol Temple Meads , Taunton , Severn Beach and Cardiff Central . CrossCountry services run to Birmingham and the North. The station has two platforms . Other stations are located at Weston Milton and Worle . During the middle of the day they are served by
5742-464: The seafront carries the date 1774; it is the surviving portion of a summer cottage built by the Revd. William Leeves of Wrington . Early in the 19th century, Weston was a small 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 . The Pigott family of Brockley , who were the local Lords of
5829-469: The seat from John Penrose of the Conservative Party in the 2024 general election . The mainly flat landscape of Weston is dominated by Worlebury Hill , 109 metres (357 ft), which borders the entire northern edge of the town, and Bleadon Hill , 176 metres (577 ft) which together with the River Axe , and Brean Down at Uphill form its southern border. In the centre of the town
5916-478: The summer the Azores high pressure affects the south-west of England, however convective cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600 hours. In December 1998 there were 20 days without sun recorded at Yeovilton. Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by Atlantic depressions or by convection . Most of
6003-436: The television broadcasting industry, is based in the town. 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-super-Mare is a tourist destination, with its long sandy beach, Helicopter Museum , Weston Museum , Grand Pier and seasonal Wheel of Weston. A 2009 survey by Visit England placed
6090-632: The town received its Royal Charter as a municipal borough . In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , it was merged into the Woodspring district of the Avon County Council , and became a Charter trustees town. Weston-super-Mare regained its town council in 2000, becoming a civil parish . The island of Steep Holm is part of the civil parish of Weston-super-Mare. Before 1 April 1974, Weston-super-Mare came under
6177-406: The town's architecture from this period. During World War II over 10,000 official evacuees were accommodated in the town, however only 130 spent four or more years in the town. The area was also home to war industries, such as aircraft and pump manufacture, and a Royal Air Force station at RAF Locking . The town was also on the return route of bombers targeting Bristol and was itself bombed by
6264-470: The vertical displacement of the sea floor. One contemporary report describes an earth tremor on the morning of the flood; however, other sources date this earthquake to a few months after the event. Haslett and Bryant's evidence for the tsunami hypothesis included massive boulders that had been displaced up the beach by enormous force; a layer up to 8 inches (20 cm) thick composed of sand, shells and stones within an otherwise constant deposit of mud that
6351-491: The war it served as a logistics supply station, with helicopter makers Westland Helicopters on site until closure in 1987. Today there is an operational heliport on site used occasionally by the RAF Search and Rescue service. The former Westland site, which closed in 2002, houses the Helicopter Museum featuring examples of Westland aircraft. Pride of place is given to an immaculate Westland Wessex HCC Mk.4, formerly of
6438-568: The waters rose on the sides of surviving churches. The one inside the Church of St Mary Magadalene at Goldcliff, Newport is a small brass plaque, inside on the north wall near the altar, today about 3 feet (0.9 m) above ground level, marking the height of the flood waters. The plaque records the year as 1606 because, under the Julian calendar in use at that time, the new year did not start until Lady Day , 25 March. The resultant financial loss in
6525-430: The work, a scour protection apron and splash wall were added as part of flood prevention measures. In March 2017 Weston-super-Mare was chosen as one of the 10 successful bids for the first phase of the creation of Heritage Action Zones (HAZ) a scheme where Historic England works with local partners in places with significant historic environment to use that heritage to help build economic growth and other opportunities in
6612-403: Was "swallowed up" and where seven out of the nine houses were destroyed with 26 of the inhabitants dying. For ten days the Church of All Saints at Kingston Seymour , near Weston-super-Mare , was filled with water to a depth of 5 feet (1.5 m). A chiselled mark remains showing that the maximum height of the water was 7.74 metres (25 feet 5 inches) above sea level. Contemporary accounts of
6699-609: Was announced that North Somerset Council had agreed to purchase Birnbeck Pier from its owners and planned to restore it with additional funding from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Historic England , and others. Newer housing has since been built towards the east of the town in North Worle, Milton, Locking Parklands, Weston Village, Haywood Village and West Wick, nearer to the M5 motorway . Weston-super-Mare has expanded to include
6786-438: Was constructed in 1866 to replace this, when planning permission was gained to create a loop station from the main line. After legal action was taken by residents along the proposed new route through issues of planning blight, the station on the current site was constructed in 1881. Today, the station, which is on a short loop off the Bristol to Exeter line , is situated close to the town centre and less than ten minutes walk from
6873-457: Was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 , covering four former districts and part of a fifth, which were all abolished at the same time: The whole area had been part of Somerset prior to the 1974 reforms, but was transferred to the new county of Avon. The new district was named Woodspring after Woodspring Priory , an isolated medieval church near the coast in the parish of Kewstoke , north of Weston-super-Mare. Following
6960-417: Was demolished in 1824 and rebuilt on the same site, though a stump of the medieval preaching cross survives by the exterior south wall. The former rectory is a 17th-century structure with later additions. Though it remains adjacent to the church, it has not been a parsonage house since the end of the 19th century. Today it is known as Glebe House and is divided into flats. The Old Thatched Cottage restaurant on
7047-560: Was designed by Eugenius Birch with ironwork by the Isca Foundry of Newport , Monmouthshire . It is a grade II* listed building . 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 was built on the low "moorland" behind the sea front in an area known as South Ward. Many of these houses have now been converted into bedsits . Most of
7134-658: Was flooded. The devastation was particularly severe on the Welsh side, extending from Laugharne in Carmarthenshire to above Chepstow in Monmouthshire . Cardiff was the most badly affected town, with the foundations of St Mary's Church destroyed. The impact was extensive: it is estimated that 2,000 or more people were drowned; houses and villages were swept away; and an estimated 200 square miles (51,800 ha) of farmland and livestock were destroyed. Along
7221-405: Was formed in 1974 as the Woodspring district of the county of Avon . Avon was abolished in 1996, when the district was renamed North Somerset and its council took on county-level functions from the abolished county council. The district is on the coast, facing the Bristol Channel to the west. The neighbouring districts are Bristol , Bath and North East Somerset and Somerset . The district
7308-522: Was found in boreholes from Devon to Gloucestershire and the Gower Peninsula ; and rock erosion characteristic of high water velocities throughout the Severn Estuary . However, because of high wave energy conditions it is not methodologically possible to distinguish between storm and tsunami boulder deposits on North Atlantic coasts. In attributing the flood to a storm surge in their 2006 paper, Horsburgh and Horritt show that those proposing
7395-621: Was recorded as Weston on the More; môr being the Welsh word for sea. Weston's oldest structure is Worlebury Camp , on Worlebury Hill , dating from the Iron Age . Castle Batch was a castle that once stood overlooking the town. The present site has an earthwork mound of 160 feet (50 m) in diameter which is believed to be the remains of a motte . The parish was part of the Winterstoke Hundred . The medieval church of St John
7482-518: Was scheduled to reopen in July 2010, after a £39 million rebuilding programme. After continuing problems and setbacks, with the pier not opening until a formal opening ceremony on 23 October 2010, the overall costs reached £51 million. During the same period there was a £34 million redevelopment of the promenade, including refurbishment of the Marine Lake and pedestrianisation of Pier Square. As part of
7569-523: Was the furie of the waves, of the Seas, the one of them dryving the other forwardes with such force and swiftnes, that it is almost incredible for any to beleeve the same....Many there were which fled into the tops of high trees, and there were inforced to abide some three daies, some more, and some lesse, without any victuals at all, there suffring much colde besides many other calamities, and...through ever much hunger and cold, some of them fell down againe out of
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