Market Weighton

East Riding of Yorkshire

Market Weighton is a small town in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The town is a thriving place in the heart of the Yorkshire Wolds, even though it is now quite often missed by those on the main roads which now by-pass the town.

Market Weighton occupies the site of a Roman settlement, but the town of today has mostly buildings of Georgian and Victorian origin along its High Street and Market Place.

The town is situated mid-way between the cities of York and Hull, each about 17 miles away as the crow flies.

Looking into Market Place is a statue commemorating Market Weighton's most famous character, the giant William Bradley.

The son of a local tailor, he lived from 1787 to 1820, and grew to be England's tallest man at 7ft 9in tall (2.36 metres). Although recorded in the town as England's tallest-ever man, there have been claims of an English man and a woman having exceeded that height since his death.

The Parish Church of All Saints is a grade one listed building and has traces of 11th century Saxon stonework among that of various ages of rebuilding.

Inns in the town include The Londesborough Arms which was built in the 1780s as the main coaching inn for the area by the 5th Duke of Devonshire.

Town features

Market Weighton is on the Yorkshire Wolds Way long-distance trail, a 79-mile hiking trail with the Humber Bridge at Hessle and Filey at its end points. Market Weighton is on an alternative route of the trail.

Market Weighton has an old parish church.

Market Weighton has a good range of independent shops. Market Weighton offers bakery goods, butchers, flowers, gifts, jewellery and other goods.

The town has a Post Office branch.

Market Weighton has a building society agency.

The town has a pharmacy.

Market Weighton has a choice of pubs.

Cafe and pub food is available in Market Weighton.

Takeaway food outlets in the town include fish and chips, chinese, curries, pizzas, sandwiches.

The town has a library.

Market Weighton has a community centre.

There are public toilets in the town with limited hours of use.

Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, other.

Places to stay in Market Weighton include inn, holiday home accommodation.

Travel

Bus travel

The town has a bus service.

Places to visit

Beverley Minster

Minster Yard, Beverley
Beverley Minster is built on the site of a monastery founded in the 8th century by John, Bishop of York, who died in Beverley in 721. He is credited with founding Beverley. He became St John of Beverley after he was canonised more than 300 years after his death and the church is built around his tomb which was a place of pilgrimage. Work started on the present church after the collapse of the tower of the Norman church on the site in 1214. Saved by wealthy businessmen from destruction in the 16th century, the Minster saw restorations in the 18th and 19th century. Around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries more than 100 statues were placed on the west towers and other statuettes inside the minster. New stained glass windows were also added. The first of the staues, in 1897, was of Queen Victoria, to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee.
More information at the

Beverley Minster website.

Skidby Mill

Beverley Road, Skidby

Skidby Mill is a listed windmill with its original outbuildings at the edge of the village of Skidby. The mill was restored to full working order in the 1970s and renovated again around 2008. While normally milling flour, its four sails have recently been removed for a further renovation and the mill tower closed, but the Skidby Mill Museum and Museum of East Riding Rural Life remain open, providing an insight into the mill and agriculture in the area. There is also an independent cafe at the mill. A roadside car park is about 100 metres from the mill courtyard, where there is no parking available. The museum is open on selected Saturdays and Sundays in 2025. See website for details.

Find out more at this East Riding Museums - Skidby Mill webpage.

Arctic Corsair

CLOSED since August 2019 for relocation & restoration.
Reopening at North End Shipyard now expected in 2025.
The Arctic Corsair, a sidewinder trawler, was built at Beverley Shipyard in 1960 and spent its days going to sea from Hull, where it now remains as a museum exhibit. Tours can be booked at the Museums Quarter reception at High Street in Hull on certain days. The trawler was involved in the 'Cod Wars' with Iceland in the 1970s and retired from fishing in 1987.

Find out more at this Hull City Council - Arctic Corsair webpage.

Emergency services

Humberside Police

Humberside Police website.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service website.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust website.

Local government

Civil parish council

Market Weighton Town Council
Provides some local services in the area.
Link to council website:

Market Weighton Town Council

Unitary authority

East Riding of Yorkshire Council
The East Riding of Yorkshire Council is now a unitary district rather than a county authority but the least changed of any of the historic Ridings of Yorkshire.

It does now cover a small part of the former West Riding, while it has lost portions of the historic East Riding to North Yorkshire and York.

County Hall, BeverleyBeverley is the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire and the location of its County Hall.

Other towns in the East Riding include Bridlington Driffield Goole Market Weighton Hedon Hornsea Howden Pocklington Snaith and Withernsea.

The authority covers a near full range of council services, except the limited services handled by the various civil parish/town councils which exist throughout its area.

The 26 wards in the authority each elect one, two or three councillors to make up a 67 member council. An election for the entire council is held every four years with the most recent election in 2019.

Link to East Riding of Yorkshire Council website .

Political composition after May 2023 election:

2922943 YP
67 members YP = Yorkshire Party

County strategic authority

Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority
Launched in 2025, the mayoral combined authority covers combined services including public transport and decisions about house-building and economic development across Hull and East Riding unitary authorities.
Elected mayor: ❚ Luke Campbell Reform UK

Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority website.

Police and Crime Commissioner

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside
Oversees Humberside Police covering an area made up of the unitary authority councils of East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Hull and, south of The Humber, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.
Elected P&CC: ❚ Jonathan Evison Conservative

Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside website.

Fire Authority

Humberside Fire Authority
The fire authority is made up of elected members of each of the four unitary authorities served by the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service - East Riding of Yorkshire, Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire.

Humberside Fire Authority website.

Parliamentary constituency

Bridlington and The Wolds
Elected MP: ❚ Charlie Dewhirst Conservative

National government region

Yorkshire and the Humber

Ceremonial county

East Riding of Yorkshire

Historic

-1889 East Riding of Yorkshire (historic admistrative division)
1889-1974 East Riding of Yorkshire (county authority)
1974-1996 Part of a borough within the artificially-created county of Humberside

Also in Yorkshire.guide

Places in East Riding Yorkshire attractions