The Spa, Scarborough
Encyclopedia
The Spa, Scarborough known officially as the Scarborough Spa Complex is located in Scarborough’s South Bay and is a venue for conferences, exhibitions, entertainment and events on the Yorkshire
Coast. Originally built around the source of Scarborough's spa
waters, it is currently owned and managed by Scarborough Borough Council.
The complex includes:
A Victorian Cliff Tramway links the Spa complex with the South Cliff district, 200 feet above the South Bay.
The Spa Complex is currently undergoing a £3 million refurbishment to make improved facilities available, including a wireless internet facility.
waters were discovered by Mrs Thomasin Farrer, the wife of one of Scarborough’s leading citizens, John Farrer. She found natural spring water bubbling out beneath the cliff to the south of the town. These waters, which stained the rocks a russet colour, tasted slightly bitter and were said to cure minor ailments. She told her friends and neighbours about the medicinal effects and soon drinking the Spa waters became an accepted medicine. Later thousands of visitors flocked to benefit from their supposed medicinal qualities. The southern part of Scarborough became very popular. The pre-cursor to the present Scarborough Spa building became a fashionable attraction. The Spa water was declared unfit for human consumption in the 1930s and the spa tap room was sealed off.
The Spa was easily accessible by a short walk along the South Bay seafront for visitors to Scarborough Castle, Scarborough Harbour, and other attractions near to the town centre, however, there was quite a steep descent to the sea-front from the St. Nicholas Cliff area of Scarborough. In 1826 the newly formed Cliff Bridge Company, leased the Spa from the corporation and in order to maximise the number of paying customers proceeded to erect an iron footbridge to span the valley from St Nicholas Cliff to the Spa. It was 75’ from the valley below, 414’ long and 13.5’ wide. The bridge was formally opened on 19 July 1827 and crowds flocked to see a mail coach and horses gallop at full speed across the bridge.The bridge became a fashionable promenade and provided wonderful views and an excellent link from the town centre to its more southerly attractions. It proved so popular that a toll-booth was put up at the St. Nicholas Cliff end of the bridge. Season tickets were sold giving access to the bridge and Spa for one, two or four week periods.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
Coast. Originally built around the source of Scarborough's spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
waters, it is currently owned and managed by Scarborough Borough Council.
The complex includes:
- The Spa Grand Hall which seats nearly 2,000 and hosts live entertainment including the Scarborough Spa Orchestra and an annual Jazz Festival, which is the fifth biggest in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
- The Spa Theatre which is a 600 seat Victorian Theatre and is home to Summer Season Shows and Christmas Pantomimes.
- The Spa Ocean Room, used for dances, conferences and other events.
A Victorian Cliff Tramway links the Spa complex with the South Cliff district, 200 feet above the South Bay.
The Spa Complex is currently undergoing a £3 million refurbishment to make improved facilities available, including a wireless internet facility.
History
In the 17th century Scarborough SpaSpa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
waters were discovered by Mrs Thomasin Farrer, the wife of one of Scarborough’s leading citizens, John Farrer. She found natural spring water bubbling out beneath the cliff to the south of the town. These waters, which stained the rocks a russet colour, tasted slightly bitter and were said to cure minor ailments. She told her friends and neighbours about the medicinal effects and soon drinking the Spa waters became an accepted medicine. Later thousands of visitors flocked to benefit from their supposed medicinal qualities. The southern part of Scarborough became very popular. The pre-cursor to the present Scarborough Spa building became a fashionable attraction. The Spa water was declared unfit for human consumption in the 1930s and the spa tap room was sealed off.
The Spa Bridge