Quirky Facts about Yorkshire

Highest mountain: Mickle Fell – 2591’
Longest river: River Aire – 88 miles
Largest natural lake: Hornsea Mere – 467 acres
Highest waterfall: Hardraw Force – 100’
Highest earth filled dam: Scammonden – 242’
Most inland port: Selby – 66 miles from the North Sea
Highest sea-cliff: Boulby, nr Staithes – 666’
Largest river drainage area: River Dervent – 758 sq miles
Highest inn (in England): Tan Hill – 1,732’

Oldest inn (in England): Bingley Arms, Bardsey – 905 AD
Oldest school (in England): St Peter’s, York – AD627
Longest single-word place-name: Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe – 27 letters
Most northerly place: Holwick in Upper Teesdale
Most southerly place: Totley, nr. Sheffield
Most easterly place Kilnsea , Spurn Head
Most westerly place: Low Bentham

Famous Yorkshire inventions and discoveries:

Catseyes : Percy Shaw, Halifax
The Lock, Hydraulic Press and Beer Pump: Joseph Bramah, Stainborough
The Glider: Sir George Cayley, Brompton
The properties of Oxygen: Joseph Priestley, Fieldhead, Bristall
The Mechanical Wool Comb: Samuel Cunliffe-Lister, First Baron of Masham
Stainless Steel: Harry Brearley, Sheffield, 1913
The Steam Locomotive: Matthew Murray, Leeds 1790

Famous Yorkshire Folk:

Frederick Delius (1862 – 1934) composer
Guy Fawkes (1570 – 1606) conspirator
Dick Turpin (1706 1739) highwayman
Thomas Chippendale (1718 – 1779) cabinet-maker
Captain James Cook (1728 – 1779) navigator and explorer
William Wilberforce (1759 –1833) anti-slavery reformer

Famous Yorkshiremen/women in literature and the arts :

W H Auden, Janet Baker, John Barry, Alan Bennett, John Braine, Anne, Emily and Charlotte Bronte, Lesley Garrit, Willis Hall, Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney, Ted Hughes, Keith Waterhouse, John Barry

Famous Yorkshiremen/women in sport, theatre and entertainment:

Mel B (Scary Spice), Sean Bean, Dickie Bird, Ian Carmichael, Jarvis Cocker, Jeremy Clarkson, Brian Clough, Judi Dench, Brian Glover, Darren Gough, Ray Illingworth, Kevin Keegan, James Mason, Adrian Moorhouse, Prince Naseem, Michael Parkinson, Wilfred Pickles, Don Revie, Diana Rigg, Brian Rix, Jimmy Saville, David Seaman, Fred Trueman, Ernie Wise, Gareth Gates

Information courtesy Yorkshire Tourist Board