Bridlington is a town of two parts, which have grown to form a whole. Bridlington Quay grew up around the harbour. Bridlington Old Town, about a mile inland, grew up around the Priory and, until the C19th, was a much more important settlement than Bridlington Quay. It was the major trading area for many of the surrounding villages which were dependent on the goods and products sold here. When the railway arrived in in the 1840s, economic activity moved to the harbour area. The two only joined up in the C20th when the town grew rapidly. They still preserve their individual character, and I have written more detailed reviews for both.
Bridlington is still a popular east coast seaside resort with two long sandy beaches. The north beach has the fun fair, arcades and cafes. The south beach is quieter and the place for long tramps along the sand. The two are separated by the harbour, which is still a working harbour as well as being used by pleasure craft. It is also popular with families for crabbing.
The shopping area and market is behind the harbour. High Street in the Old Town still retains many of its original buildings from the C17th with bow fronted shop windows. It is like stepping back into the past and was used as the film set for the 2016 remake of “Dad’s Army’. It is a conservation area and there is a very good “town trail.”:https://www.bridlingtonoldtown.com/docs/bridlington-old-town-trail-yorkshire.pdf
The Priory was once one of the wealthiest Augustinian Priories in Yorkshire but much of the building was pulled down and used as building stone after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The nave is now the parish church and gives some indication of how grand the original church must have been.
The area between the Bridlington Quayside and the Old Town does tend to be ignored which is a shame as there is plenty to stop and look at as you walk between them. Don’t miss the small arcade of shops on Quay Road, still with their cast iron canopy. Bridlington Town Hall is a splendid William and Mary style building dating from 1931 and an example of civic pride. A marble staircase led from the entrance hall to the panelled council chamber and a ballroom. Now retitled Bridlington Customer Service centre, it still contains the council offices as well as the Job Centre. In front is a formal garden with grass and bedding displays. To the rear are Queen Victoria Gardens.
St John’s Burlington Methodist Church with its Russian onion domes, was built as a Wesleyan Chapel in 1884 in response to the increasing number of holiday makers when existing chapels were described as ‘inadequate’. (Burlington was the old name used by local residents for the Old Town until the 1930s.)
Bridlington makes a good centre for a holiday. The “Spa Complex”:https://www.bridlingtonoldtown.com/docs/bridlington-old-town-trail-yorkshire.pdf still hosts a range of activities and there is a “Leisure Centre”:https://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/discover/things-to-do/east-riding-leisure-bridlington-p1284621 for when it is too wet to go on the beach.
Museums include the “Bayle Museum of Local History”:http://www.baylemuseum.co.uk
and the “Harbour Museum.”:https://www.bridlington.net/bridlington-business-detail.php?Bridlington-Harbour-Heritage-Museum-236. There is “Bondville Model Village”:https://bondvillemodelvillage.com/ complete with tea room. “Bridlington Birds of Prey and Animal Park”:https://bridlingtonanimalpark.co.uk/ is also popular with families.
A “pirate ship”:https://www.facebook.com/ThePirateShipBridlington/ gives short trips along the bay, or for those wanting a longer trip, there is the “Yorkshire Belle.”:https://www.yorkshire-belle.co.uk/our-cruises
Near by, and reached by the land train, is “Sewerby Hall and Gardens”:https://www.sewerbyhall.co.uk/ which even has a small zoo.
There is Flamborough Head with a tiny sandy beach at North Landing, “lighthouse”:https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouse-visitor-centres/flamborough-lighthouse-visitor-centre and “Living Sea Centre.”:https://www.ywt.org.uk/welcome-living-seas-centre-flamborough
“Bempton Cliffs”:https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/bempton-cliffs/ are only a short drive and the place for bird watching.
A bit further afield is “Burton Agnes Hall,”:https://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/travel-product/attraction/140586-burton-agnes-hall a lovely Tudor Manor House surrounded by attractive grounds.
“Scarborough”:https://www.sloweurope.com/community/threads/scarborough-north-yorkshire.5689/ and “Filey”:https://www.sloweurope.com/community/threads/filey-a-seaside-resort.5730/ aren’t very far either if you want a change of scene.
