SCARBOROUGH, North Riding of Yorkshire, a market-town and sea-port, a municipal and parliamentary borough, and the seat of a Poor-Law Union, is situated on the shore of the German Ocean, in 54' 17' N. lat., 0° 22' W. long., distant 40 miles N.E. from York, 217 miles N. from London by road, and 253i miles by the Great Northern and York and North-Midland railways. The borough is governed by 6 aldermen and 18 conncillors, one of whom is mayor, and returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. The population of the borough in 1851 was 12,915. The livings are in the archdeaconry of the East Riding and the diocese of York. Scarborough Poor-Law Union comprises 33 parishes, with an area of 81,460 acres, and a population in 1831 of 24,615.
From its name, which signifies a fortified rock, the town appears to have been of Saxon origin, and there is reason to suppose that it was also a Roman settlement. It was incorporated by Henry IL The town was in ancient times defended by strong walls, a moat, and earthen mounds. The castle, which before the application of artillery must have been impregnable, was built in the reign of Stephen. Here Piers de Gaveaton, tho favourite of Edward IL, sought refuge from the exasperated barons, but was obliged to surrender for want of supplies, and was beheaded. During the civil wars the castle under went two sieges by the parliamentary forces, the first of which lasted twelve months. It was afterwards dismantled by order of the Parlia ment; but on the breaking out of the rebellion in 1745 received • temporary repair. Barracks for 120 soldiers, and three batteries to protect the town and harbour, have since been erected.
The town is situated in a semicircular bay open towards the south and south-west, and protected towards the north and north-east by a high and steep promontory, with the old castle on its summit. It has risen gradually from the sands up the acclivity in successive tiers of streets; the upper and more modern part of the town being well built and handsome, and the streets wide and well paved. It is lighted with gas, and is supplied with water from a recently-con structed reservoir, capable of containing a million of gallons. St. Mary's church forms part of • much larger edifice, of which portions of a os7pt and other remains appear in the churchyard. Christ church Is of modern gothic architecture, with a tower and pinnacles. There are • neat chapel of ease, and chapels for Independents, Wesleyan, Primitive, and Association Methodists, Baptists, Christian Brethren, Quakers, and Roman Catholics. There are • Grammar school (which bad 30 &choler. in 1854), • Isucaeterian school, National schools, a school of Industry, Denisoo's Charity schools, the Amicable Society's school for clothing and educating from 70 to 60 boys and girls, two Infant schools, and • Roman Catholio school. The town possesses two public libraries, a mechanics institute, and a philosophical society, with • museum illustrative of the geology and natural history of the North Riding. The Oddfellows Hall is a handsome structure of recent erection. Trinity House Hospital, the
Merchant Seamen's Hospital, and Wilson's Marine Asylum are spacious and ornamental buildings; besides which there are Sed man's, Taylor's, and St. Thomas's hospitals, the Spinsters' Asylum, and the Sea-Bathing Infirmary, supported by subscription, for the benefit of poor invalids. The other pnblio buildings are the town ball, an assembly-room, theatre, and custom-house, the borough jail, and the Union workhouse. One of the most remarkable objects at Scarborough is the Cliff Bridge, erected upon piers 75 feet high, over a chasm 400 fest wide, winch separates the town from the Spa, between which places the bridge now forms a delightful promenade.
The town owes its prosperity to its mineral baths, and its advan tageous position for aes-bathing. It has a beach of smooth sand, eloping gently to the sea, and the water, free from the influence of any large river, is of the greatest purity and strength. There are several excellent baths, and complete accommodation for marine bathing. The two mineral spring* are on the margin of the sea, beneath the cliff, and are protected by • massive sea-wall, on which a spacioue castellated saloon V erected ; and there are various walks and ornamental grounds. The springs comprise carbonate and sul phate of lime, magnesia, and oxide of iron ; they have a cooling and influence, and are found beneficial in ',stomach com plaints.
Scarborough Harbour is narrow at the entrance, but is easy of access, and commodious within. It has two piers, each 1200 feet long; at the end of one of the piers Is • lighthouse. Scarborough is a bonding port, and has large bonding warehouses. It has a consider able foreign trade, principally with the Baltic, Holland, and Portugal : the imports being timber deals, hemp, flax, iron, brandy, and wine. There is an *dim coasting trade in coal, corn, butter, bacon, and aalt &h. • Nearly 200 boats are employed here in the herring fishery in the season. Shipbuilding is carried on. Cordage and sad-cloth are manufactured. There are several coal-mines in neighbourhood.
The ships registered as belonging to the port on December 31st 1853 were—Under 50 tons 62, tonnage 1767; above 50 tons 134, tonnage 32,079. During the year 1853 there entered at the port 274 sailing vessels of 16,705 tons; and there cleared 27 sailing-vessels of 1657 tons, and 2 steam-vessels of 37 tons aggregate burden. A county court and quarter sessions are held in the town; and weekly petty sessions for the borough and the North Riding. Thursday is the market-day. Fairs, principally for cattle, are held on Holy Thursday and on Old Martinmas Day. The castle-hill, with an area of 19 acres, is more than 300 feet above the level of the sea, and terminates on three sides in a perpendicular rock, the fourth side towards the town being a steep rocky slope. The approach is defended by a wall, with a deep fosse. The keep of the castle is a square tower, nearly 100 feet high, with walls 12 feat thick.