Market Weighton
Town life in a country setting, and on top of that, you're within 20 miles of two cities – Hull and York; that’s the beauty of Market Weighton, where you really do get the best of all worlds.
A market town since 1251, this little community of just over 5,2000 residents lies at the heart of the East Riding. It’s a place which many pass but never visit, its by-pass removing most of the traffic problems which once beset the main street.
That said, it does bring in tourists through two unique attractions. One is the well-attended horse race at nearby Kiplingcotes, which is believed to be the oldest flat race in England.
The other is the Market Weighton Giant, aka William Bradley, a former resident who was 7ft 9ins tall and weighed 27 stones, and whose life is commemorated with an annual celebration.
The centre of Market Weighton has a well worn charm, the dominant tower of All Saints' Church providing a constant reminder of a history which goes back to Norman times.
There’s a good choice of local shops in this self-contained town, and a strong community spirit which is reflected in a wide range of leisure groups and activities.
And although it's an old town, it's also a young one, with an average residents’ age of 41.
Property in Market Weighton
Older properties in Market Weighton include red brick houses primarily built for workers in the agriculture industry, and traditional country cottage style homes.
New-builds here include quite a large estate to the south of the town which has attracted interest from families, many who commute to York or Hull.
Other recent developments include one- and two-bedroom apartments for the over 55’s. Built by McCarthy and Stone they are on the outskirts of the town on the main road to Beverley.
Market Weighton has a good selection of detached houses with around 40 per cent of total property stock being of this type. Flats, however account for only five per cent and social housing about nine per cent.
Sub Areas of Market Weighton
Goodmanham: Situated on the route of the Wolds Way long distance footpath, this is a small community in a rural setting just a couple of miles from busy Market Weighton.
Holme on Spalding Moor: With 2,948 residents this is a medium-sized village which is well-placed for commuters to Hull or York, each being less than 25 miles away. It is also five miles from Market Weighton and eight from Howden and the M62.
One thing you can’t miss in Holme is the church which stands high on a hilltop at the entrance to the village.
This is a popular place with a good mix of houses, reasonable shopping facilities, a bank and a post office. There are also restaurants, four pubs, a pharmacy and a medical surgery.
Holme on Spalding Moor has a good community spirit reflected in the Village Hall which is the centre of much local activity; it was built by volunteers in the 1950s.
Hotham: There are about 100 houses here, and a local pub and village hall. The village is twelve miles west of Hull and four miles from Market Weighton.
It's also just a few miles from the M62 which makes it ideally placed for commuters to Hull or Leeds.
Living here
Transport:
Road: The town is on the main A1079 and is by-passed. York and Hull are 20 miles away and are easily reached in 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic conditions.
Bus: Market Weighton has bus services to York, Hull and Beverley.
Shopping:
There is a good selection of local businesses offering a wide variety of goods, and the town has a Tesco supermarket which covers 25,000sq ft and has 200 parking spaces plus a filling station.
Leisure and entertainment:
Lots to do in a busy community which, among other things, has its own sports centre, civic society, angling association, bell ringers' group, drama society, Market Weighton AFC, judo club, young farmers' branch and an over-55s group.
There are several well known pubs (the town has six in all), some with home-cooked food and live entertainment.
Market Weighton also has two Chinese takeaways, an award winning brasserie, wine bar and bistro, and a coffee shop.