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{{For|other places named Yarmouth|Yarmouth (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country = England
|motto = Rex et Nostra Jura{{spaces|2}}([[Latin]])
"The King and Our Rights"
|latitude = 52.606
|longitude = 1.729
|official_name = Great Yarmouth
|label_position = left
|population = 47,288
|area_total_km2 = 26.54
|population_ref = (2010 True Knowledge census)
|static_image_name = Great Yarmouth Town Hall.jpg
|static_image_caption = Great Yarmouth Town Hall, Hall Quay
|shire_district = [[Great Yarmouth (borough)|Great Yarmouth]]
|region = East of England
|shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
|constituency_westminster = [[Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Great Yarmouth]]
|post_town = GREAT YARMOUTH
|postcode_district = NR30 (north), NR31 (south)
|postcode_area = NR
|dial_code = +44 (0)1493
|os_grid_reference = TG5207
}}
'''Great Yarmouth''', often known to locals as '''Yarmouth''', is a [[coastal]] [[town]] in [[Norfolk]], England. It is located at the mouth of the [[River Yare]], {{convert|20|mi|km}} east of [[Norwich]].
Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.
It has been a [[seaside resort]] since 1760, and is the gateway from the [[Norfolk Broads]] to the sea. For hundreds of years it was a major fishing port, depending mainly on [[herring]] fishery, but its fishing industry suffered a steep decline and has now all but disappeared.
{{cite news |title=Town's last fishing boat fights tide and time|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date= 14 January 2008 |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1575561/Towns-last-fishing-boat-fights-tide-and-time.html}}
The discovery of [[North Sea oil|oil]] in the [[North Sea]] in the 1960s led to a flourishing oil rig supply industry, and today it services offshore [[natural gas]] rigs. More recently, the development of renewable energy sources, especially offshore wind power, has created further opportunities for support services. A [[Wind power in the United Kingdom|wind farm]] of 30 generators is within sight of the town on the [[Scroby Sands Wind Farm|Scroby Sands]].
The town has a [[beach]] and two [[pier]]s.
==Geography and demography==
The town itself is on a thin [[spit (landform)|spit]] sandwiched between the [[North Sea]] and River Yare. Its well known features include the historic rows (narrow streets) and the main tourist sector on the seafront. The area is linked to [[Gorleston]], Cobholm and Southtown by Haven Bridge and to the [[A47 road (Great Britain)|A47]], [[A149 road|A149]] and [[A12 road (Great Britain)|A12]] by the Breydon Bridge.
The unparished urban area that makes up the town of Great Yarmouth has an area of {{convert|21.5|km2|abbr=on}} and according to the [[Office for National Statistics]] in 2002 had a population of 47,288. It is the main town in the larger [[Great Yarmouth (borough)|Borough of Great Yarmouth]].
Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved 2 December 2005.
The ONS identify a Great Yarmouth Urban Area, which has a population of 66,788, including the sub-areas of [[Caister-on-Sea]] (8,756) and Great Yarmouth (58,032). The wider borough of Great Yarmouth has a [[population]] of around 92,500.
==History==
Great Yarmouth (Gernemwa, Yernemuth) lies near the site of the [[Roman fort]] camp of [[Gariannonum]] at the mouth of the River Yare. Its situation having attracted fishermen from the [[Cinque Ports]], a permanent settlement was made, and the town numbered 70 [[burgess (title)|burgesses]] before the [[Norman Conquest]]. [[Henry I of England|Henry I]] placed it under the rule of a [[Reeve (England)|reeve]].
[[File:Britannia Monument.jpg|right|thumb|190px|The 133 foot-tall [[Britannia Monument]], built in 1817.]]
The [[charter]] of [[John of England|King John]] (1208), which gave his burgesses of Yarmouth general liberties according to the customs of [[Oxford]], a gild merchant and weekly hustings, was amplified by several later charters asserting the rights of the borough against Little Yarmouth and Gorleston. A thirteenth century charter was granted by [[Henry III of England|Henry III]] (1207–1272) to the town of Great Yarmouth. The town is bound to send to the sheriffs of Norwich every year ''one hundred herrings, baked in twenty four pasties'', which the sheriffs are to deliver to the lord of the manor of East Carlton who is then to convey them to the King.
{{cite book|last=Nuttall|first=P Austin|title=A classical and archæological dictionary of the manners, customs, laws, institutions, arts, etc. of the celebrated nations of antiquity, and of the middle ages|year=1840|location=London|page=555|url=http://www.google.co.uk/books?id=V-gDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA555&dq=Yarmouth+pasties&as_brr=1}}
In 1552 [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth]] granted a charter of admiralty jurisdiction, later confirmed and extended by [[James VI of Scotland and I of England|James I]]. In 1668 [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] incorporated Little Yarmouth in the borough by a charter which with one brief exception remained in force until 1703, when [[Anne of Great Britain|Anne]] replaced the two [[bailiff]]s by a [[mayor]]. In the early 18th Century Yarmouth, as a thriving herring port, was vividly and admiringly described several times in [[Daniel Defoe]]'s travel journals, in part as follows:
Daniel Defoe, ''A tour thro' the whole island of Great Britain, divided into circuits or journies'' (1724), Letter 1, Pt 3. Defoe's several descriptions may be accessed on the [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/index.jsp Vision of Britain website]
Yarmouth is an antient town, much older than Norwich; and at present, tho' not standing on so much ground, yet better built; much more compleat; for number of inhabitants, not much inferior; and for wealth, trade, and advantage of its situation, infinitely superior to Norwich.
It is plac'd on a peninsula between the River Yare and the sea; the two last lying parallel to one another, and the town in the middle: The river lies on the west-side of the town, and being grown very large and deep, by a conflux of all the rivers on this side the county, forms the haven; and the town facing to the west also, and open to the river, makes the finest key in England, if not in Europe, not inferior even to that of Marseilles itself.
The ships ride here so close, and as it were, keeping up one another, with their head-fasts on shore, that for half a mile together, they go cross the stream with their bolsprits over the land, their bowes, or heads, touching the very wharf; so that one may walk from ship to ship as on a floating bridge, all along by the shore-side: The key reaching from the drawbridge almost to the south-gate, is so spacious and wide, that in some places 'tis near one hundred yards from the houses to the wharf. In this pleasant and agreeable range of houses are some very magnificent buildings, and among the rest, the custom-house and town-hall, and some merchants houses, which look like little palaces, rather than the dwelling-houses of private men.
The greatest defect of this beautiful town, seems to be, that tho' it is very rich and encreasing in wealth and trade, and consequently in people, there is not room to enlarge the town by building; which would be certainly done much more than it is, but that the river on the land-side prescribes them, except at the north end without the gate....
A [[grammar school]] was founded in 1551, when the great hall of the old hospital, founded in the reign of [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] by Thomas Fastolfe, was appropriated to its use. It was closed from 1757 to 1860, was re-established by the charity trustees, and settled in new buildings in 1872.
From 1808 to 1814 the Admiralty in London could communicate with its ships in the port of Great Yarmouth by a [[Semaphore line|shutter telegraph chain]].
The town was the site of a bridge disaster and drowning tragedy on 2 May 1845 when a suspension bridge crowded with children collapsed under the weight killing 79. They had gathered to watch a clown in a barrel being pulled by geese down the river. As he passed under the bridge the weight shifted, causing the chains on the south side to snap, tipping over the bridge deck.
{{cite web| url=http://www.jeron.je/anglia/learn/sec/history/yarmouth/page03.htm| title=The Fall of Yarmouth Road| publisher=AngliaCampus| accessdate=11 October 2009}}
Great Yarmouth had an [[Great Yarmouth Corporation Tramways|electric tramway system]] from 1902 to 1933.
During [[World War I]] Great Yarmouth suffered the first aerial bombardment in the UK, by [[Zeppelin]] ''L3'' on 19 January 1915. That same year on 15 August, [[Ernest Martin Jehan]] became the first and only man to sink a steel submarine with a sail rigged [[Q-ship]], this off the coast of Great Yarmouth. It was also [[Bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft|bombarded by the German Navy]] on 24 April 1916.
[[File:Greatyarmouth.jpg|thumb|alt=Britannia Pier in 1930.|[[Britannia Pier]] in 1930.'']]
The town suffered [[Luftwaffe]] bombing during [[World War II]] as it was the last significant place German bombers could drop bombs before returning home, but much is left of the old town including the original 2000m protective mediaeval wall, of which two-thirds has survived. Of the 18 towers, 11 are left. On the South Quay is a 17th century Merchant's House, as well as [[Tudor dynasty|Tudor]], [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] and [[Victorian era|Victorian]] buildings. Behind South Quay is a maze of alleys and lanes known as [[Great Yarmouth Row Houses|"The Rows"]]. Originally there were 145. Despite war damage, several have remained.
The northern section of the two-mile (3 km) [[A47 road|A47]] Great Yarmouth Western Bypass opened in March 1986, and the southern section in May 1985. It is now the [[A12 road (Great Britain)|A12]].
More recently [[flooding]] has been a problem, the town [[flooding]] four times in 2006. In September 2006 the town suffered its worst flooding in years. Torrential [[rain]] caused drains to block as well as an [[Anglian Water]] pumping station to break down and this resulted in [[flash flood]]ing around the town in which 90 properties were flooded up to 5 ft.
{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/5378080.stm |title=England | Norfolk | Homes under water in flash floods |publisher=BBC News |date=25 September 2006 |accessdate=29 January 2010}}
The town was badly affected by the [[North Sea flood of 1953]]. On 9 November 2007 the town braced itself for more flooding as a result of a [[tidal surge]] and [[high tide]]s but disaster was avoided and only a small area was under water.
{{cite web|last=Turner |first=Andrew |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/7086419.stm |title=England | Norfolk | Residents ride out storm surge |publisher=BBC News |date=9 November 2007 |accessdate=29 January 2010}}
==Sights==
[[File:Greatyarmouthpanorama.JPG|250px|thumb|Panorama of Hall Quay seen from Southtown. This shows the Town Hall and Star Hotel. Historic South Quay continues to the right of the image.]]
The Tollhouse, with [[dungeon]]s, dates from the late 13th century and is said to be the oldest civic building in [[Great Britain|Britain]]{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}. It backs on to the central library.
The [[Market]] place is one of the largest in England, and has been operating since the 13th century. It is also home to the town's shopping sector and the famous Yarmouth chip stalls. The smaller area south of the market is used as a performance area for community events and for access to the town's shopping centre, [[Market Gates Shopping Centre|Market Gates]]. In November 2008, a new section of Market Gates opened, including high street retailers such as [[Debenhams]], [[New Look (clothing retailer)|New Look]] and [[Starbucks]].
[[Great Yarmouth railway station]], which serves the town, is the terminus of the [[Wherry Lines]] from Norwich. Before the [[Beeching Axe]] the town had a number of [[railway station]]s and a direct link to London down the east coast. The only remaining signs of these stations is the coach park where Beach Station once was and the [[A12 road (Great Britain)|A12]] relief road which follows the route of the railway down into the embankment from Breydon Bridge.
[[File:Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth - May 2012.jpg|thumb|250px|Britannia Pier, May 2012]]
Yarmouth has two [[pier]]s, [[Britannia]] Pier and [[Wellington Pier]]. The theatre building on the latter of the two was demolished in 2005 and is currently being rebuilt as a family entertainment centre. Britannia Pier is home to the Britannia Theatre which during the summer months features well known acts including; [[Jim Davidson (comedian)|Jim Davidson]], [[Jethro (comedian)|Jethro]], [[Basil Brush]], [[Cannon and Ball]], [[Chubby Brown]], [[Chuckle Brothers]] and [[The Searchers (band)|The Searchers]]. The theatre is one of a few end of the pier theatres left in England.
The [[Grade II listed]] [[Winter Gardens, Great Yarmouth|Winter Gardens]] building sits next to the [[Wellington Pier.|Wellington Pier]]. The [[cast iron]] framed glass structure was shipped by barge from [[Torquay]] in 1903. It is said this was done without the loss of a single pane of glass. Over the years, it has been used as [[ballroom]], [[roller skating]] rink and [[beer garden]]. In the 1990s it was converted into a [[nightclub]] by comedian Jim Davidson. Today, The Winter Gardens are used as a family leisure venue, although its future is under threat owing to the cost of repairing the aging framework. During the winter of 2005 there were worries that building might collapse, and during high winds it was often closed.
Great Yarmouth's seafront, known as "The Golden Mile" attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to its sandy beaches, Joyland, outdoor attractions and amusement arcade. Great Yarmouth's Marine Parade has 12 Amusement Arcades located within {{convert|2|sqmi|km2}}, including: Atlantis, The Flamingo, Circus Circus, The Golden Nugget, The Mint, Leisureland, The Majestic, The Silver Slipper, The Showboat, Magic City, Quicksilver and The Gold Rush, opened in 2007.
The South Denes area is home to the Grade I listed Norfolk Naval Pillar, known locally as Nelson's Monument or Nelson's Column. This tribute to [[Lord Nelson|Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson]] was completed in 1819, 24 years before the completion of [[Nelson's Column]] in London. The monument, designed by William Wilkins, shows [[Britannia]] standing atop a [[globe]] holding an [[olive branch]] in her right hand and a [[trident]] in her left.There is a popular assumption in the town that the statue of Britannia was supposed to face out to sea but now faces inland due to a mistake during construction, although it is thought she is meant to face Nelson's birthplace at [[Burnham Thorpe]]. The monument was originally planned to mark Nelson's victory at the [[Battle of the Nile]], but fund-raising was not completed until after his death and it was instead dedicated to England's greatest Naval hero. It is currently surrounded by an industrial estate but plans are in place for the improvement of the area. The Norfolk Nelson Museum on South Quay houses the Ben Burgess collection of Nelson Memorabilia and is the only dedicated Nelson museum in Britain other than [[Monmouth Museum|one]] in [[Monmouth]]. Its several galleries look at Nelson's life and personality as well as what life was like for the men who sailed under him.
[[File:Fishing boat YH 671 - geograph.org.uk - 1067992.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Small boat at the Time and Tide museum]]
[[File:Great Yarmouth beach near the Winter Gardens.JPG|right|thumb|250px|Central Beach close to the Jetty]]
[[Charles Dickens]] used Yarmouth as a key location in his novel ''[[David Copperfield (novel)|David Copperfield]]''. The author stayed at the Royal Hotel on the Marine parade while writing David Copperfield. [[Anna Sewell]] (1820–1878), the author of ''[[Black Beauty]]'', was born in a 17th century house in Church Plain. The house is currently being used as a restaurant after being renovated in 2007.
The [[Time and Tide Museum]] on Blackfriars Road which is managed by Norfolk Museums Service was nominated in the UK Museums Awards in 2005. It was built as part of the regeneration of the south of the town in 2003. Its location in an old [[herring]] [[smokery]] harks back to the town's status as a major fishing port. Sections of the historic [[town wall]] are located outside the museum.
The Maritime Heritage East partnership, based at the award winning Time and Tide Museum aims to raise the profile of maritime heritage and museum collections.
==Wildlife==
The Yarmouth area is home to a number of rare and unusual species. The area between the piers is home to one of the largest roosts of [[Mediterranean Gull]]s in the UK. [[Breydon Water]], just behind the town, is a major wader and waterfowl site, with winter roosts of over 100,000 birds. This and the surrounding [[Halvergate Marshes]] are specially protected, and the majority of the area is now owned by conservation organisations, principally the [[RSPB]].
The North Denes area of the beach is an [[SSSI]] due to its dune plants, and is home to numbers of [[Skylark]]s and [[Meadow Pipit]]s. It also hosts one of the largest [[Little Tern]] colonies in the Uk each summer, as well as a small colony of [[Greyling]] butterflies. Other butterflies found here include [[Small Copper]] and [[Common Blue]].
The near-by cemetery is renowned as a temporary roost for spring and autumn migrants. [[Redstart]] and [[Pied Flycatcher]] are often seen here during migration. It has also been the site for the first records of a number of rare insects, blown in from the continent.
[[Grey Seal]] and [[Common Seal]] are frequently seen off-shore, as are sea-birds such as [[Gannet]], [[Little Auk]], [[Common Scoter]], [[Razorbill]] and [[Guillemot]].
==Sports and leisure==
The main local [[association football|football]] club is [[Great Yarmouth Town F.C.|Great Yarmouth Town]], also known as the Bloaters, who play in the [[Eastern Counties Football League|Eastern Counties League]]. Currently managed by [[Mike Derbyshire]], their ground is at [[Wellesley Recreation Ground]] (named after [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Sir Arthur Wellesley]]). They have a strong [[East Anglian Derby|East Anglian rivalry]] with [[Gorleston F.C.|Gorleston]]. The club has enjoyed limited success in the past. Local football clubs are served by the [[Great Yarmouth and District League]].
Yarmouth has a [[Great Yarmouth Racecourse|horse-racing track]] which features a chute allowing races of one mile (1.6 km) on the straight.
[[Motorcycle speedway|Speedway]] racing was staged in Great Yarmouth before and after the [[Second World War]]. The meetings were staged at the [[greyhound racing|greyhound stadium]] in Caister Road. The post war team were known as the [[Yarmouth Bloaters]] (after the [[bloater (herring)|smoked fish]]). [[Banger racing|Banger and Stock car racing]] is also staged at this stadium.
The main [[Leisure Centre]] is the Marina Centre. Built in 1981 the centre has a large [[swimming pool]], [[conference hall|conference facilities]] and live entertainment including their famous Summer [[Pantomime]]s and Summer [[Variety Show]]s produced by local entertainers Hanton & Dean. The centre is run by the Great Yarmouth Sport and leisure Trust. The Trust was set up in April 2006 to run the building as a charitable non profit making organisation.
At the beginning of the 2008 summer season a worlds first [[Segway PT|Segway]] Grand Prix was opened at the [[Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach|Pleasure Beach]] gardens.
===Pop Beach===
In 2003 and 2004 [[T4 (Channel 4)|T4]] hosted their [[T4 on the Beach]] music festival in the town. It attracted around 20,000 people to the town but was moved to [[Weston-super-Mare]] in 2005.
[http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/t4/microsites/P/popbeach/eventinfo/eventinfo.html Event Info] Pop Beach Website; Retrieved 20 November 2010]
==Transport==
===Rail===
Great Yarmouth is connected to [[Norwich railway station|Norwich]] by the [[Wherry Lines]] from [[Great Yarmouth railway station]], it is served by an hourly service provided by [[Greater Anglia]] via [[Acle railway station|Acle]] or, less frequently, via [[Reedham (Norfolk) railway station|Reedham]].
[http://www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com/travel_information/train_timetables/current_timetable__2/(station)/GYM National Express East Anglia Timetables]. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
It is the only remaining station of the three once in the town.
The town was adversely affected by the [[Beeching Axe]]. There were previously four railway lines coming into the town; from the north the line came down the coast from [[Melton Constable railway station|Melton Constable]] into the terminus at [[Yarmouth Beach railway station|Beach station]]. From the south-west came the line from [[London Liverpool Street station|London]] via [[Beccles railway station|Beccles]] and from the south the line from [[Lowestoft railway station|Lowestoft Central]] via [[Hopton railway station|Hopton]] and [[Gorleston-on-Sea railway station|Gorleston]]; both of which terminated at [[Yarmouth South Town railway station|South Town station]].
[http://www.systemed.net/atlas/ New Adlestrop Railway Atlas] Retrieved 20 November 2010
The only existing terminal is [[Great Yarmouth railway station|Vauxhall station]] which is now simply referred to as 'Great Yarmouth station'. Whereas once the town had 17 stations within the [[Great Yarmouth (borough)|borough]] limits it now only has one.
===Bus===
The bus station in Great Yarmouth is the major hub for local routes and is located under [[Market Gates Shopping Centre]]. The [[First Eastern Counties route X1|X1]] route operated by [[First Eastern Counties]] provides a long-distance link between [[Peterborough]] and [[Lowestoft]] via [[Norwich]] and [[King's Lynn]]. Other local bus services link the [[suburban]] areas of [[Martham]], [[Hemsby]], [[Gorleston]], [[Bradwell]] and [[Belton]]/ These are mostly operated by [[First Eastern Counties]] and services to towns further afield such as [[Beccles]], [[Southwold]], [[Acle]] and [[Diss]] are mostly operated by [[Anglian Bus]].
[[File:Haven Bridge Lifted.jpg|thumb|Haven Bridge; one of the two main links to the town in the upright position to allow boats to pass underneath.]]
===Port and River===
{{seealso|Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour}}
The [[River Yare]] cuts off Great Yarmouth from other areas of the borough such as [[Gorleston]] and Southtown and so the town's two bridges have become major transport links. Originally Haven Bridge had been the only link over the river but in the late 1980s Breydon Bridge was built to take the A12 over [[Breydon Water]] replacing the old railway bridge; the [[Breydon Viaduct]].
[http://www.ourgreatyarmouth.org.uk/page_id__454_path__0p44p63p.aspx Building the Breydon Bridge, June 1985] Our Great Yarmouth, Retrieved 20 November 2010
both bridges can open to allow river traffic underneath which can result in traffic tailbacks. The phrase "the bridge was up" has become synonymous in the town with being late for appointments.
A ferry had been provided between the southerly tip of Great Yarmouth and [[Gorleston]], it provided a way of getting between the factories on South Denes and the mostly residential areas of Gorleston without taking a long detour over the bridge. However; due to increased running costs and the decline of industrial activity in the town it was closed in the early 1990s.
[http://www.ourgreatyarmouth.org.uk/page_id__472_path__0p44p75p.aspx Great Yarmouth Ferry Crossings] Our Great Yarmouth; Retrieved 20 November 2010
Since 2006, the restored pleasure [[steamboat|steamer]] the ''Southern Belle'' has provided regular river excursions from the town's Haven Bridge. Built in 1925 for the [[Earl of Mount Edgcumbe]]. Today, she is owned by the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Steam Packet Company Limited.
[http://www.angliawebsites.com/southern-belle-ferry-great-yarmouth.html The Southern Belle]. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
Construction work on the [[Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour]] began in June 2007 and was completed by 2009, it is a deep-water harbour on the [[North Sea]]. Originally there were plans for a [[Roll-on/roll-off|ro-ro]] ferry link with [[IJmuiden]] which has failed to materialise, similarly despite the installation of two large cranes in 2009 plans for a container terminal have also been scrapped.
{{cite news| url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/great_yarmouth_outer_harbour_s_7m_cranes_to_go_1_722070| title=Great Yarmouth outer harbour’s £7m cranes to go| date=10 November 2010| author=Stephen Pullinger| publisher=Eastern Daily Press| accessdate=20 November 2010}}
====Lifeboat station====
{{Main|Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat station}}
There has been a lifeboat in Great Yarmouth since at least 1802. The early boats were privately operated until 1857 when the [[RNLI]] took over.
[http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/east/stations/GreatYarmouthandGorlestonNorfolk/history RNLI history of Great Yarmouth & Gorleston lifeboat station]
The lifeboat station is located on Riverside Road ({{Coord|52.5754192|N|1.7320392|E|display=inline|type:landmark_scale:1000_region:GB-NFK}}) from where are operated the Trent class lifeboat ''Samarbeta'' and the B class (inshore) lifeboat ''Seahorse IV''.
{{cite web|url=http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/east/stations/GreatYarmouthandGorlestonNorfolk/fleet |title=Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Fleet |publisher=RNLI|date= |accessdate=29 January 2010}}
[[File:Aerial View of Great Yarmouth.jpg|thumb|left|The view from the top of the Atlantis Tower showing the Golden Mile and, in the distance, the [[Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour|Outer Harbour]]]]
===Road===
The [[A12 road (Great Britain)|A12]] terminates in the town as do the [[A143 road|A143]] and the [[A47 road (Great Britain)|A47]] roads. The relief road was built along the path of the old railway to carry the A12 onwards to [[Lowestoft]] and London. Congestion is a major problem in the town and [[roundabout]]s, junctions and bridges can become gridlocked at [[rush hour]].
====Proposed third river crossing====
Plans have been put forward for the construction of a third river crossing in Great Yarmouth which would link northern [[Gorleston]] with the South Denes and the [[Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour|Outer Harbour]] avoiding the congested town centre. A public consultation took place in mid-2009 over the four possible proposals but as of late-2010 the plans are stalled by a lack of funding and the closure of the container terminal.
[http://www.eastcoastlive.co.uk/news/info.php?news=Cash+concerns+over+third+crossing&refnum=2188 "Cash concerns over third crossing"] East Coast Live; Retrieved 20 November 2010
===Air===
The [[Great Yarmouth – North Denes Airport|North Denes Heliport]] is located to the north of the town and currently operated by [[CHC Helicopter]] but it is planned to close in 2011 with operations being moved to [[Norwich International Airport]].
[http://www.eastcoastlive.co.uk/news/info.php?news=Town%92s+heliport+to+close+next+year&refnum=2279 "Town’s heliport to close next year"] East Coast Live; Retrieved 20 November 2010]
==First Responders==
There is an East of England Ambulance Service First Responder group setup to cover the Great Yarmouth area. A First Responder scheme is made up of a group of volunteers who within the community in which they live or work, have been trained to attend emergency 999 calls by the NHS Ambulance Service.
{{cite web|url=http://www.gyresponders.org |title=Great Yarmouth First Responders|publisher=Great Yarmouth First Responders|date= |accessdate=22 June 2010}}
==Residents==
Notable residents include:
* [[Sir John Fastolf]] (1378?-1459) the prototype for [[Falstaff]] lived mainly at [[Caister-on-Sea]] but his family had lived at Great Yarmouth for generations
*Vice-[[Admiral Horatio Nelson]] (1758–1805)
*[[James Beeching]] (1788–1858) was a shipbuilder in the town, and his firm continued after his death well into the 20th century.
*Oscar winning cinematographer [[Jack Cardiff]] (1914–2009)
*English physician and writer [[Thomas Girdlestone|Dr Thomas Girdlestone]] (1758–1822)
*Captain [[George William Manby]] (1765–1854), inventor of marine lifesaving equipment
*[[William Hovell]] (1786–1875), explorer of Australia was born in Great Yarmouth.
*[[James Paget|Sir James Paget]] (1814–99), Victorian Surgeon who had the [[James Paget Hospital]] named in his honour.
*[[Anna Sewell]] (1820–78), author of ''[[Black Beauty]]''
*Leading English Independent Minister [[William Bridge]] (c1600-70)
*Alternative rock band [[Catherine Wheel]] were from Great Yarmouth
*[[Rebecca Nurse]] ( 1621-1692 ) celebrated victim of the [[Salem Witch Trials]], was born in Great Yarmouth.
*[[Jason Statham]] (Born 12 September 1967, age 44), Actor, lived in Great Yarmouth during the majority of his childhood and attended the local Grammar School.
*[[Ed Graham]] (born 20 February 1977 in Great Yarmouth, England), Drummer with the rock band [[The Darkness (band)]].
The slang word ''yarco'' means a [[chav]] from Great Yarmouth. The term is sufficiently established that it has entered dictionaries, and is even a legal word in [[Scrabble]].
==Twinning==
Great Yarmouth is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with [[Rambouillet]], France
==See also==
*[[Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach]]
*[[St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth]]
*[[Lydia Eva (steam drifter)|Lydia Eva]] the last surviving steam drifter of the Great Yarmouth herring fishing fleet
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==Further reading==
*Ferry, Kathryn (2009) "'The maker of modern Yarmouth': J. W. Cockrill", in: Ferry, Kathryn, ed. ''Powerhouses of Provincial Architecture, 1837-1914''. London: Victorian Society; pp. 45-58
==External links==
{{Commons category|Great Yarmouth}}
*[http://www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk Official website of Great Yarmouth Borough Council]
{{Norfolk}}
{{Lifeboat Stations in Norfolk}}
{{Hanseatic League}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2010}}
[[Category:Great Yarmouth| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Coastal settlements in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Seaside resorts in England]]
[[Category:Tourism in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Norfolk]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the North Sea]]
[[Category:Marinas in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Staple ports]]
[[Category:Trading posts of the Hanseatic League]]
{{usedwp}}