Hedon
Encyclopedia
Hedon is a small town and civil parish in Holderness
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
. It is situated approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Hull city centre
. It lies to the north of the A1033 road at the crossroads of the B1240 and B1362 roads.
It is particularly noted for the parish church of St. Augustine, known as the 'King of Holderness', which is a Grade I listed building.
According to the 2001 UK census
, Hedon parish had a population of 6,322.
Hedon is not mentioned in the Domesday Book
which leads to the belief that it is a new town created by the Normans
as a port. Hedon was at its most prosperous in the 12th and 13th centuries and at one time was the 11th largest port in England. The decline of the port came with the development of the port of Hull
and the building of larger ships which were unable to get down the small river to Hedon.
Hedon was given its first charter by Henry II
in 1158 and was granted improved ones by King John
in 1200 and Henry III
in 1248 and 1272. Edward III
granted the most important charter which gave the town the right to elect a mayor.
The town was a parliamentary borough
until it was disenfranchised under the Reform Act 1832
. It still enjoyed its borough status granted by its charters until 1974 when it was removed in a reorganisation of local government.
To the west of the town, there used to be a racecourse which boasted the longest 'straight' in the country at the time. After popularity waned, it was developed into an aerodrome in 1910. This was closed in both world war
s but many famous pilots including Amy Johnson
landed there. After the Second World War it was developed into a speedway
track for a short time but is now home to cattle.
The Hull and Holderness Railway
opened in 1854 which ran from Victoria Dock in Hull to Withernsea
going through Hedon. The station was built to the north of the town and it proved a vital part of Hedon's transport system for a century. In 1964, Hedon lost the railway line when British Rail
ways appointed Lord Beeching
to stop losses and decided to close all branch lines that weren't making a profit.
Hedon became the subject of national media attention in August 2000 when a freak mini-tornado in the Humber Estuary
caused flash floods and even hailstones to drop on parts of the town.
Hedon was also affected by the widespread floods that occurred in the UK in the summer of 2007
. The areas of Hedon affected included the Inmans Estate and most areas near the Burstwick drain. The nearby village of Burstwick
was the worst affected place in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
There have recently been plans to create a country park around the Hedon Haven to the south of the town.
The English potter
, Dorothy Marion Campbell
was born here.
Holderness
Holderness is an area of the East Riding of Yorkshire, on the east coast of England. An area of rich agricultural land, Holderness was marshland until it was drained in the Middle Ages. Topographically, Holderness has more in common with the Netherlands than other parts of Yorkshire...
in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Hull city centre
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
. It lies to the north of the A1033 road at the crossroads of the B1240 and B1362 roads.
It is particularly noted for the parish church of St. Augustine, known as the 'King of Holderness', which is a Grade I listed building.
According to the 2001 UK census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Hedon parish had a population of 6,322.
Hedon is not mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
which leads to the belief that it is a new town created by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
as a port. Hedon was at its most prosperous in the 12th and 13th centuries and at one time was the 11th largest port in England. The decline of the port came with the development of the port of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
and the building of larger ships which were unable to get down the small river to Hedon.
Hedon was given its first charter by Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
in 1158 and was granted improved ones by King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
in 1200 and Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
in 1248 and 1272. Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
granted the most important charter which gave the town the right to elect a mayor.
Parliamentary borough
Parliamentary boroughs are a type of administrative division, usually covering urban areas, that are entitled to representation in a Parliament...
until it was disenfranchised under the Reform Act 1832
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
. It still enjoyed its borough status granted by its charters until 1974 when it was removed in a reorganisation of local government.
To the west of the town, there used to be a racecourse which boasted the longest 'straight' in the country at the time. After popularity waned, it was developed into an aerodrome in 1910. This was closed in both world war
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s but many famous pilots including Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson CBE, was a pioneering English aviator. Flying solo or with her husband, Jim Mollison, Johnson set numerous long-distance records during the 1930s...
landed there. After the Second World War it was developed into a speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
track for a short time but is now home to cattle.
The Hull and Holderness Railway
Hull and Holderness Railway
The Hull and Holderness Railway was a branch line in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which connected the city of Kingston upon Hull with the North Sea coast at Withernsea.-Background:...
opened in 1854 which ran from Victoria Dock in Hull to Withernsea
Withernsea
Withernsea is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, and forms the focal point for a wider community of small villages in Holderness. Its most famous landmark is the white inland lighthouse, rising around above Hull Road...
going through Hedon. The station was built to the north of the town and it proved a vital part of Hedon's transport system for a century. In 1964, Hedon lost the railway line when British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways appointed Lord Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
to stop losses and decided to close all branch lines that weren't making a profit.
Hedon became the subject of national media attention in August 2000 when a freak mini-tornado in the Humber Estuary
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
caused flash floods and even hailstones to drop on parts of the town.
Hedon was also affected by the widespread floods that occurred in the UK in the summer of 2007
2007 United Kingdom floods
The 2007 United Kingdom floods were a series of destructive floods that occurred in various areas across the country during the summer of 2007. The most severe floods occurred across Northern Ireland on 12 June; East Yorkshire and The Midlands on 15 June; Yorkshire, The Midlands, Gloucestershire,...
. The areas of Hedon affected included the Inmans Estate and most areas near the Burstwick drain. The nearby village of Burstwick
Burstwick
Burstwick is a village and civil parish in the Holderness region of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated about east of Hull city centre...
was the worst affected place in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
There have recently been plans to create a country park around the Hedon Haven to the south of the town.
The English potter
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, Dorothy Marion Campbell
Dorothy Marion Campbell
Dorothy Marion Campbell was an English potter.Early in 1954 Marion replied to Hornsea Pottery’s advertisement in the Hull Daily Mail for ‘a modeller in clay’ and was invited to work for the Rawson brothers...
was born here.