Spa Town of Harrogate, England
This evening I am posting information on the spa town of Harrogate in Yorkshire, northern England. Harrogate is about 23 miles due west of the city of York and is home to a population of c.75,000. The name has a fascinating etymology. It is of Scandinavian (Old Norse) origin and translates as 'Place at the road to the cairn or heap of stones'. Mineral waters were discovered here in 1571 subsequent to which the town rose to prominence as a major Spa destination in Britain, attracting many wealthy patrons. However, later in the 20th century scientific developments surpassed the need for water treatments and the baths were closed for medical use in 1969. However, there is a strong legacy of times past and Turkish Baths are still in operation. Here is the front of the former Royal Baths building which dates from 1897 and now houses a Chinese restaurant. This is the front of the intriguing Royal Hall which dates from 1903 and benefited from a GBP10.8M restoration program...