129-533: The North Euston Hotel is a hotel in Fleetwood , Lancashire , England. It was built between 1840 and 1841, to a design by Decimus Burton . During the second half of the 19th century, the building was used by the War Department as a School of Musketry; by the end of the century, it had reverted to its original purpose. The hotel has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage . Fleetwood
258-403: A Roman road running from Ribchester to Kirkham (12 miles (19 km) southeast of Fleetwood) which then makes a sharp turn to the northwest. Together, these suggest that Fleetwood may well have been the location of this Roman port. No direct evidence of the port has been found, but in 2007, an Iron Age settlement was discovered at Bourne Hill, just south of present-day Fleetwood, suggesting
387-557: A longhouse in Stöðvarfjörður that may date to as early as 800. Swedish Viking explorer Garðar Svavarsson was the first to circumnavigate Iceland in 870 and establish that it was an island. He stayed during the winter and built a house in Húsavík . Garðar departed the following summer, but one of his men, Náttfari , decided to stay behind with two slaves. Náttfari settled in what is now known as Náttfaravík, and he and his slaves became
516-464: A shield volcano with a magma chamber underneath). Several classifications of the systems exist, for example there is one of 30 systems, and one of 34 systems, with the later currently being used in Iceland itself. The climate of Iceland's coast is subarctic . The warm North Atlantic Current ensures generally higher annual temperatures than in most places of similar latitude in the world. Regions in
645-528: A summit in Reykjavík in 1986 between United States President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev , during which they took significant steps towards nuclear disarmament . A few years later, Iceland became the first country to recognise the independence of Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania as they broke away from the USSR. Throughout the 1990s, the country expanded its international role and developed
774-536: A volcanic plateau with sand and lava fields , mountains and glaciers , and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands . Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate , despite a latitude just south of the Arctic Circle . Its latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, and most of its islands have a polar climate . According to the ancient manuscript Landnámabók ,
903-444: A 32 percent increase in Iceland's gross national income between 2002 and 2007. In 2003–2007, following the privatisation of the banking sector under the government of Davíð Oddsson , Iceland moved towards having an economy based on international investment banking and financial services. It was quickly becoming one of the most prosperous countries in the world, but was hit hard by a major financial crisis . The crisis resulted in
1032-454: A children's play area and picnic area, cenotaph memorial, duck pond, football pitches (on the site of the old boating lake) and tennis courts. Fleetwood Pier , also known as 'Victoria Pier', was a feature of the town from its construction in 1910 until it was destroyed by fire in September 2008. Built at the end of the 'golden age' of pier building, it was the last pleasure pier to be built in
1161-634: A convicted child sex offender. Snap elections in October 2017 brought to power a new coalition consisting of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party, and the Left-Green Movement , headed by Katrín Jakobsdóttir . After the 2021 parliamentary election , the new government was, just like the previous government, a tri-party coalition of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party, and
1290-636: A defence agreement was signed with the United States. American troops returned to Iceland as the Iceland Defence Force and remained throughout the Cold War . The US withdrew the last of its forces on 30 September 2006. Iceland prospered during the Second World War. The immediate post-war period was followed by substantial economic growth , driven by the industrialisation of the fishing industry and
1419-460: A famine that killed nearly a quarter of the island's population. In addition, the eruption caused dust clouds and haze to appear over most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa for several months afterwards, and affected climates in other areas. Iceland has many geysers , including Geysir , from which the English word is derived, and the famous Strokkur , which erupts every 8–10 minutes. After
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#17328515798721548-589: A foreign policy orientated towards humanitarian and peacekeeping causes. To that end, Iceland provided aid and expertise to various NATO-led interventions in Bosnia , Kosovo , and Iraq . Iceland joined the European Economic Area in 1994, after which the economy was greatly diversified and liberalised. International economic relations increased further after 2001 when Iceland's newly deregulated banks began to raise great amounts of external debt , contributing to
1677-704: A fully sovereign and independent state in a personal union with Denmark. The Government of Iceland established an embassy in Copenhagen and requested that Denmark carry out on its behalf certain defence and foreign affairs matters, subject to consultation with the Althing. Danish embassies around the world displayed two coats of arms and two flags: those of the Kingdom of Denmark and those of the Kingdom of Iceland . Iceland's legal position became comparable to those of countries belonging to
1806-466: A low- silica lava associated with effusive volcanism as has occurred also in Hawaii . Iceland, however, has a variety of volcanic types (composite and fissure), many producing more evolved lavas such as rhyolite and andesite . Iceland has hundreds of volcanoes with about 30 active volcanic systems. Surtsey , one of the youngest islands in the world, is part of Iceland. Named after Surtr , it rose above
1935-406: A phase of inactivity, Geysir started erupting again after a series of earthquakes in 2000 . Geysir has since grown quieter and does not erupt often. With the widespread availability of geothermal power and the harnessing of many rivers and waterfalls for hydroelectricity , most residents have access to inexpensive hot water, heating, and electricity. The island is composed primarily of basalt ,
2064-620: A popular holiday destination. In 2016, Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson resigned after being implicated in the Panama Papers scandal. Early elections in 2016 resulted in a right-wing coalition government of the Independence Party , the Reform Party and Bright Future . This government fell when Bright Future quit the coalition due to a scandal involving then-Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson 's father's letter of support for
2193-429: A republic in 1944, ending the remaining formal ties to Denmark. Although the Althing was suspended from 1799 to 1845, Iceland nevertheless has a claim to sustaining one of the world's longest-running parliaments. Until the 20th century, Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture. Industrialization of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid after World War II brought prosperity, and Iceland became one of
2322-465: A retail centre, and housing has been built at the north end of the marina. In July 2007, a new "Masterplan" for revitalising the waterfront and town centre was submitted to the Wyre Borough Council. In 1996, Fleetwood could be seen in "A High Profile", an episode of Hetty Wainthropp Investigates . Several buildings along The Esplanade were used, one of Fleetwood's churches and others. Since
2451-479: A society where subsistence depended almost entirely on agriculture. The Black Death swept Iceland twice, first in 1402–1404 and again in 1494–1495. The former outbreak killed 50% to 60% of the population, and the latter 30% to 50%. Around the middle of the 16th century, as part of the Protestant Reformation , King Christian III of Denmark began to impose Lutheranism on all his subjects. Jón Arason ,
2580-649: A total of forty-four buildings listed in the National Heritage List for England , all at Grade II. Fleetwood Weekly News covers the town and the North Fylde Area. The newspaper was founded in 1984 as a successor to the Fleetwood Chronicle , which had ceased publication several weeks earlier. The Chronicle itself, founded in 1843, was the oldest newspaper in the Fylde. Daily newspaper coverage
2709-476: A total of fifty councillors), nine of Fleetwood's councillors belong to Labour two to Conservatives. Prior to 1974, Fleetwood had been a municipal borough since 1933, and from 1894 to 1933, an urban district . The town is divided into five wards , Mount, Pharos, Warren, Park and Rossall. A Fleetwood parish council (known as Fleetwood Town Council) was established following a referendum in June 2009. The boundaries of
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#17328515798722838-661: A transport terminus obsolete. Burton designed two lighthouses for the town: The Upper Lighthouse, usually referred to as the Pharos (after the Pharos of Alexandria in Egypt, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ), can be seen for 13 miles (21 km) and Beach Lighthouse is visible for 9 miles (14 km). Both opened in 1840. A third lighthouse, Wyre Light , built in 1839–40 by blind engineer Alexander Mitchell , offshore on
2967-446: Is Lofthouse's of Fleetwood Ltd., manufacturers of Fisherman's Friend —a menthol lozenge popular worldwide and especially in Japan . In July 2007, a new "Masterplan" for revitalizing the town around a "vibrant waterfront and a revitalised town centre" was submitted to the Wyre Borough Council. Some of the funding would come from an EU cash grant. The Masterplan was funded by Wyre Council,
3096-553: Is a sitka spruce planted in 1949 in Kirkjubæjarklaustur ; it was measured at 25.2 m (83 ft) in 2013. Algae such as Chondrus crispus , Phyllphora truncata and Phyllophora crispa and others have been recorded from Iceland. The only native land mammal when humans arrived was the Arctic fox , which came to the island at the end of the ice age, walking over the frozen sea. On rare occasions, bats have been carried to
3225-616: Is a charity festival featuring local bands that was set up by Daz Rice of Kiss of the Gypsy and is a legacy for his three-year-old son Yuto Rice who died in 2012 after battling a heart condition. Iceland Iceland ( Icelandic : Ísland , pronounced [ˈistlant] ) is a Nordic island country between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans , on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe . It
3354-496: Is also where most settlements are situated. The island's interior, the Highlands of Iceland , is a cold and uninhabitable combination of sand, mountains, and lava fields . The major towns are the capital city of Reykjavík , along with its outlying towns of Kópavogur , Hafnarfjörður , and Garðabær , nearby Reykjanesbær where the international airport is located, and the town of Akureyri in northern Iceland. The island of Grímsey on
3483-453: Is built of ashlar with slate roofs. It has a curved plan, with a front façade that stretches approximately 300 yards (270 m). The north and south wings have two regular storeys with a mansard roof, and dormers providing accommodation on the third floor. The central portion has three full storeys. The north wing, which faces along the Esplanade, curves almost a full 90 degrees, while
3612-456: Is closer to continental Europe than to mainland North America, although it is closest to Greenland (290 kilometres; 155 nautical miles), an island of North America. Iceland is generally included in Europe for geographical, historical, political, cultural, linguistic and practical reasons. Geologically, the island includes parts of both continental plates. The closest bodies of land in Europe are
3741-515: Is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the region's westernmost and most sparsely populated country . Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík , which is home to about 36% of the country's roughly 380,000 residents (excluding nearby towns/suburbs which are separate municipalities). The official language of the country is Icelandic . Iceland is on a rift between tectonic plates , and its geologic activity includes geysers and frequent volcanic eruptions . The interior consists of
3870-557: Is in decline. While Wyre Borough in general has a lower unemployment rate than the rest of the United Kingdom, Fleetwood's is considerably higher. Using figures indicating benefit claimants as a percentage of total population (usually considered to be about half the 'actual' unemployment rate) the figures for August 2007 are: Average household income in August 2007 was as follows: The town's largest and most prominent single employer
3999-530: Is in the northwest corner of the Fylde coastal plain, 8 miles (13 km) north of Blackpool , on the western side of the mouth of the River Wyre. The town is on a peninsula, almost 2 miles (3 km) wide, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea , to the north by Morecambe Bay and to the east by the River Wyre estuary. Access to Fleetwood is thus restricted, and for many years there were only two roads into and out of
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4128-580: Is provided by ITV Granada , the ITV franchise holder for the North West region. BBC North West is the regional BBC station serving Fleetwood. Fylde Folk Festival is held each year at the Marine Hall and other venues in the town. It is a festival of traditional and contemporary folk music , song and dance. The festival has been held continuously since 1971. The opening concert was staged each year onboard Jacinta ,
4257-690: Is provided by the Blackpool Gazette . Both papers are published by Johnston Press , as is the Lancashire Evening Post , a daily newspaper covering the county of Lancashire . Fleetwood falls within the coverage area of BBC Radio Lancashire . Commercial radio stations serving the area include Greatest Hits Radio , Hits Radio Lancashire and Greatest Hits Lancashire based in Preston and Smooth North West and Heart North West broadcasting from Greater Manchester . Independent television service
4386-513: Is the surface expression of the Iceland Plateau , a large igneous province forming as a result of volcanism from the Iceland hotspot and along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge , the latter of which runs right through it. This means that the island is highly geologically active with many volcanoes including Hekla , Eldgjá , Herðubreið , and Eldfell . The volcanic eruption of Laki in 1783–1784 caused
4515-521: The Althing , one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. After a period of civil strife , Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century. In 1397, Iceland followed Norway's integration into the Kalmar Union along with the kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden, coming under de facto Danish rule upon its dissolution in 1523. The Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism by force in 1550, and
4644-575: The Beeching cuts, and the passenger terminus was moved to Wyre Dock railway station . That, in turn, was closed in 1970, as the branch line from Poulton was taken out of service. Additional light industry developed along the former railway route. The rise of package holidays abroad led to fewer visitors to British resort towns. As Blackpool expanded its attractions, fewer day visitors came to Fleetwood, and as transport became more efficient, more overnight visitors became day visitors. The Hillhouse plant
4773-517: The Blackpool North and Fleetwood parliamentary constituency . During that time the seat was held by Labour 's Joan Humble . Prior to 1997, Fleetwood was part of the constituencies of Fylde North and Wyre , whose boundaries more closely matched those of Wyre Borough, and which consistently returned a Conservative member. In the 2015 general election a majority vote saw Fleetwood become a Labour town once again, represented by Cat Smith . Fleetwood
4902-456: The Boreal Kingdom . Plantlife consists mainly of grassland, which is regularly grazed by livestock. The most common tree native to Iceland is the northern birch ( Betula pubescens ), which formerly formed forests over much of Iceland, along with aspens ( Populus tremula ), rowans ( Sorbus aucuparia ), common junipers ( Juniperus communis ), and other smaller trees, mainly willows. When
5031-448: The Church of England , which intended to set up a boarding school as a North of England equivalent of Marlborough School . Under the auspices of Rev. St. Vincent Beechey , the vicar of Fleetwood, it was to become Rossall School . Virtually bankrupt, Hesketh-Fleetwood retired to Brighton , giving up his parliamentary obligations in 1847. Meanwhile, Kemp's influence expanded. He had set up
5160-583: The Faroe Islands (420 km; 225 nmi); Jan Mayen Island (570 km; 310 nmi); Shetland and the Outer Hebrides , both about 740 km (400 nmi); and the Scottish mainland and Orkney , both about 750 km (405 nmi). The nearest part of Continental Europe is mainland Norway, about 970 km (525 nmi) away, while mainland North America is 2,070 km (1,120 nmi) away, at
5289-475: The Irish Sea fishing grounds first fished in the 1840s, to the haddock grounds of the North Atlantic Ocean . At this time, all the fishing vessels out of Fleetwood were sail-powered fishing smacks, few being over 40 tons deadweight . The Fleetwood Docks Act of 1864 enabled the construction of a dock and embankment for both fishing and general cargo. Work on what was to become Wyre Dock began in 1869 but
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5418-456: The Isle of Man , Ardrossan and Belfast . 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 m) of stone quays were built along the river front, and the railway line was extended to the steamer pier opposite Queen's Terrace, where the imposing new railway station was built in 1883. The port was still mainly a cargo terminal at this time, but the fishing industry began to grow as vessels expanded their catchment area from
5547-582: The Little Ice Age , and overgrazing by sheep imported by settlers caused a loss of critical topsoil due to erosion . Today, many farms have been abandoned. Three-quarters of Iceland's 100,000 square kilometres (39,000 sq mi) is affected by soil erosion; 18,000 km (6,900 sq mi) is affected to a degree serious enough to make the land useless. Only a few small birch stands now exist in isolated reserves. The Icelandic Forest Service and other forestry groups promote large-scale reforestation in
5676-650: The Local Government Act 1972 , effective 1 April 1974, Fleetwood has been part of the Borough of Wyre , together with the neighbouring communities of Thornton Cleveleys and Poulton-le-Fylde , the Over Wyre villages and Garstang . The administrative headquarters is in Poulton-le-Fylde. The borough is a constituent part of Lancashire County Council . Although Wyre Council has a Conservative majority (thirty out of
5805-524: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge , a ridge along which the oceanic crust spreads and forms new crust. This part of the mid-ocean ridge is located above a mantle plume, causing Iceland to be subaerial (above the surface of the sea). The ridge marks the boundary between the Eurasian and North American Plates , and Iceland was created by rifting and accretion through volcanism along the ridge. Many fjords punctuate Iceland's 4,970-km-long (3,088-mi) coastline, which
5934-547: The Northwest Development Agency and English Heritage . The plan has three main areas for development: The town's most prominent feature is the Mount, a 7-acre (2.8 ha) park facing the sea-front, laid out by Decimus Burton, and built on a large sand dune originally known as Tup's Hill. It is surmounted by a pavilion built in 1904 incorporating a clock added in 1919. The 13 hectares of Fleetwood Memorial Park
6063-686: The Treaty of Kiel formally ceded Iceland to Denmark in 1814. Influenced by ideals of nationalism after the French Revolution , Iceland's struggle for independence took form and culminated in the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union in 1918, with the establishment of the Kingdom of Iceland , sharing through a personal union the incumbent monarch of Denmark . During the occupation of Denmark in World War II, Iceland voted overwhelmingly to become
6192-456: The Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. Lakes and glaciers cover 14.3% of its surface; only 23% is vegetated. The largest lakes are Þórisvatn reservoir: 83–88 km (32–34 sq mi) and Þingvallavatn : 82 km (32 sq mi); other important lakes include Lagarfljót and Mývatn . Jökulsárlón is the deepest lake, at 248 m (814 ft). Geologically, Iceland is part of
6321-575: The War Department used it as a School of Musketry; later, with additional buildings, it was converted into Euston Barracks. In 1898, the North Euston reverted to its original use. On 26 April 1950, English Heritage designated the hotel a Grade II listed building . The Grade II designation—the lowest of the three grades—is for buildings that are "nationally important and of special interest". The hotel overlooks Euston Gardens, which sits between North Albert Street and The Esplanade. The hotel
6450-521: The settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD, when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the island's first permanent settler. In the following centuries, Norwegians , and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians , immigrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls (i.e., slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin. The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the native parliament,
6579-468: The 1830s, when the principal landowner Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood , High Sheriff and MP, conceived an ambitious plan to re-develop the town to make it a busy seaport and railway spur. He commissioned the Victorian architect Decimus Burton to design a number of substantial civic buildings, including two lighthouses. Hesketh-Fleetwood's transport terminus schemes failed to materialise. The town expanded greatly in
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#17328515798726708-534: The 1840s, there was no railway over the Lake District hills and passengers would be able to disembark at Fleetwood before taking a boat to Scotland. A hotel was a vital part of this plan, and since rail passengers would be embarking at London Euston , Hesketh-Fleetwood decided to name it the North Euston Hotel. Burton designed the hotel as a focal point in the town. Construction started in 1840, and it opened
6837-609: The 1850s under the leadership of Jón Sigurðsson , based on the burgeoning Icelandic nationalism inspired by the Fjölnismenn and other Danish-educated Icelandic intellectuals. In 1874, Denmark granted Iceland a constitution and limited home rule. This was expanded in 1904, and Hannes Hafstein served as the first Minister for Iceland in the Danish cabinet. The Danish–Icelandic Act of Union , an agreement with Denmark signed on 1 December 1918 and valid for 25 years, recognised Iceland as
6966-535: The 1920s, the salt works, by then owned by the United Alkali Company (after 1926, part of ICI ), was considerably expanded, and became an ammonia -processing plant. ICI built an adjacent chemical processing plant, known as ICI Hillhouse . ICI became the town's third-largest employer, after the fishing and tourism industries. The first fully automated telephone exchange in Britain was put into operation to serve
7095-481: The 1960s in the lower-lying parts of the town. The soil is broadly sandy, but there is considerable marshland to the south and east, by the river. The town itself encompasses an area of just under 4 square miles (10 km ). In common with the rest of the coastal areas of the UK, Fleetwood has a maritime climate . Prevailing winds and weather patterns are northwesterly, leading to a slightly higher average precipitation than
7224-488: The 1971 figures, at a time when the overall population of the Borough of Wyre rose by 11%. At the 2001 census, Wyre Borough is 98.8% White in ethnic makeup. The remainder is split between South Asian (0.4%), Mixed race (0.4%) Black (0.1%) and Other (0.3%). In June 2020 a meeting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement was planned. However, after an online backlash from Wyre Alliance councillors and locals
7353-570: The Allen family by the time of Henry VIII . The Allens were prominent Roman Catholics , and Henry VIII repossessed the land. Cardinal William Allen was born at the manor house in 1532. It was ultimately sold to Thomas Fleetwood, comptroller of the Royal Mint , whose son Edmund, expanded the house into Rossall Hall. The land remained in the Fleetwood family for 300 years. By the 1830s, the house and estate
7482-494: The Arctic Circle contains the northernmost habitation of Iceland, whereas Kolbeinsey contains the northernmost point of Iceland. Iceland has three national parks : Vatnajökull National Park , Snæfellsjökull National Park , and Þingvellir National Park . The country is considered a "strong performer" in environmental protection, having been ranked 13th in Yale University 's Environmental Performance Index of 2012. A geologically young land at 16 to 18 million years old, Iceland
7611-423: The Commonwealth of Nations, such as Canada, whose sovereign is King Charles III . During World War II, Iceland joined Denmark in asserting neutrality. After the German occupation of Denmark on 9 April 1940, the Althing replaced the King with a regent and declared that the Icelandic government would take control of its own defence and foreign affairs. A month later, British armed forces conducted Operation Fork ,
7740-450: The Fleetwood Estates Company to manage the land, and the North Lancashire Steam Navigation Company in 1843 to manage the expanding steamer trade. However, by the late 1850s, the combination of the new western railway route and the rise of neighbouring Blackpool as a prominent seaside resort signalled a decline in the town's fortunes. From the 1860s Fleetwood expanded its port activities. Steamers began pleasure and commercial services to
7869-404: The Fleetwood Salt Co. Ltd, using salt mined in Preesall , across the river. By the early 1890s, the construction and expansion of rival cargo ports in the North West and the building of the Manchester Ship Canal heralded the decline of Fleetwood's prominence as a cargo port. However, at the same time this was more than offset by a period of rapid expansion of the fishing industry, signalled by
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#17328515798727998-503: The Left-Green Movement, headed by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir. In April 2024, Bjarni Benediktsson of the Independence party succeeded Katrín Jakobsdóttir as prime minister. Iceland is at the juncture of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The main island is entirely south of the Arctic Circle , which passes through the small Icelandic island of Grímsey off the main island's northern coast. The country lies between latitudes 63 and 68°N , and longitudes 25 and 13°W . Iceland
8127-514: The US Marshall Plan programme, through which Icelanders received the most aid per capita of any European country (at US$ 209, with the war-ravaged Netherlands a distant second at US$ 109). Vigdís Finnbogadóttir assumed Iceland's presidency on 1 August 1980, making her the first elected female head of state in the world. The 1970s were marked by the Cod Wars —several disputes with the United Kingdom over Iceland's extension of its fishing limits to 200 nmi (370 km) offshore. Iceland hosted
8256-460: The United Kingdom built in the middle of the street. It now forms a traffic roundabout. The North Euston Hotel, opened in 1841, is still the largest hotel in Fleetwood. Queen's Terrace was completed in 1844 and is regarded as an outstanding example of classical architecture. Now mostly used for offices and private flats, at various times it has been used as a school, hospital, railway offices and wartime consulates for European nations. The town contains
8385-457: The United Kingdom, other than a 1957 pier built in Deal, Kent , to replace a structure damaged in the Second World War . At 164 yards (150 m) in length, it was one of the shortest piers in the country. At various times, it was an amusement complex, bar and dance hall . In 1952 the pier was badly damaged in a fire which started in the cinema, and it did not reopen until 1958. The pier was closed again in 2006, and plans were drawn up to convert
8514-461: The area around the old railway station was developed into a container port facility, with P & O operating a container service to Larne in Northern Ireland . In 1975, this became a Roll-on/roll-off service. This development led indirectly to some renewal of the then largely derelict Dock Street area, and improved road access to the town to support the container traffic. Twice-daily container service continued until 2004 when Stena Line bought
8643-406: The area was populated in pre-Roman times. There is evidence that the eastern side of the River Wyre was occupied during the Danish invasions of the 9th and 10th centuries. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the land on which Fleetwood now stands was part of the Hundred of Amounderness . A manor house at present-day Rossall , in the southwest of the town, was in the possession of
8772-416: The commercial centre of the town. Fleetwood is the only town in Britain with trams running the full length of its main street, sharing road-space with cars. The docks were expanded in 1908 with the construction of the Fish Dock, accessible through Wyre Dock and still used today for the inshore fleet. Plans for a pier were first made in the 1890s but building did not start until 1909 and it was opened in 1910. It
8901-409: The copper-roofed St Nicholas , on Poulton Road, designed by Laurence King and completed in 1962. Numerous other buildings designed by Decimus Burton remain in the town. Prominent are the Pharos and Lower Lighthouses , opened in 1840 and still in operation. Ships sailing down the Wyre channel line up the two lights, one above the other, to guide them. The Pharos is the only functioning lighthouse in
9030-413: The country as a whole, although the absence of high ground in the immediate vicinity moderates this. As with most coastal areas, frost and snow are uncommon. Temperatures are close to the national average. At the 2011 Census , Fleetwood had a population of 25,939. This is a decline of 3.3% over the previous census figure (2001) of 26,840. The 2001 population registered a further decline of about 6% from
9159-466: The country's climate continued to grow colder, resulting in mass emigration to the New World , particularly to the region of Gimli , Manitoba in Canada, which was sometimes referred to as New Iceland . About 15,000 people emigrated, out of a total population of 70,000. A national consciousness arose in the first half of the 19th century, inspired by romantic and nationalist ideas from mainland Europe. An Icelandic independence movement took shape in
9288-416: The country's total exports. Birds, especially seabirds, are an important part of Iceland's animal life. Atlantic puffins , skuas , and black-legged kittiwakes nest on its sea cliffs. Commercial whaling is practised intermittently along with scientific whale hunts. Whale watching has become an important part of Iceland's economy since 1997. Around 1,300 species of insects are known in Iceland. This
9417-417: The country. Due to the reforestation efforts, the forest cover of Iceland increased six-fold since the 1990s. This helps to offset carbon emissions, prevent sand storms and increase the productivity of farms. The planting of new forests has increased the number of trees, but the result does not compare to the original forests. Some of the planted forests include introduced species . The tallest tree in Iceland
9546-513: The eruption, known as the Mist Hardships ( Icelandic : Móðuharðindin ), over half of all livestock in the country died. Around a quarter of the population starved to death in the ensuing famine . In 1814, following the Napoleonic Wars , Denmark-Norway was broken up into two separate kingdoms via the Treaty of Kiel , but Iceland remained a Danish dependency. Throughout the 19th century,
9675-622: The events known locally as the Turkish Abductions , in which hundreds of residents were taken into slavery in North Africa and dozens killed; this was the only invasion in Icelandic history to have casualties. The 1707–08 Iceland smallpox epidemic is estimated to have killed a quarter to a third of the population. In 1783 the Laki volcano erupted, with devastating effects. In the years following
9804-433: The fire. Fleetwood has two prominent retail locations. Affinity Lancashire (formally Freeport Fleetwood) opened in 1995. It is a waterfront outlet shopping village , on the site of the former Wyre Dock, with 45 shops in a marina setting. Freeport was re-branded and re-launched in 2006 at a cost of £8.6m. Fleetwood Market on Victoria Street is one of the largest covered markets in the North West, with over 250 stalls. It
9933-463: The first half of the 20th century with the growth of the fishing industry, and passenger ferries to the Isle of Man , to become a deep-sea fishing port. Decline of the fishing industry began in the 1960s, hastened by the Cod Wars with Iceland , though fish processing is still a major economic activity in Fleetwood. The town's most significant employer today is Lofthouse of Fleetwood , manufacturer of
10062-415: The first permanent residents of Iceland to be documented. The Norwegian-Norse chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson built his homestead in present-day Reykjavík in 874. Ingólfr was followed by many other emigrant settlers, largely Scandinavians and their thralls , many of whom were Irish or Scottish . By 930, most arable land on the island had been claimed; the Althing , a legislative and judicial assembly
10191-523: The fishing industry cost Fleetwood some 8,000 jobs, employment in fishing-related industries falling from 9,000 to less than 1,000, mostly in the fish-processing sector. The closure of the ICI Hillhouse works cost the region a further 4,500 jobs. Industrial and commercial development has been at a standstill for fifteen years and only a single commercial employer based in the town has more than 200 employees. The stock of both commercial and residential property
10320-415: The following year. A regatta was held in celebration of the hotel's opening in August 1841. The hotel's first manager was a Corsican man called Xenon Vantini. By the 1850s, a direct rail route to Scotland had been built, ending Hesketh-Fleetwood's hopes of Fleetwood becoming a major transport hub. The town's tourist industry was failing and the North Euston was sold to the government. Between 1861 and 1867,
10449-459: The gathering was cancelled. Fleetwood's economy still revolves around the traditional areas of fishing, tourism, port activity and light industry, but since the early 1970s the town has continued to struggle economically. A government report in 2006 stated that three of the town's five wards fall into the 5% to 10% most deprived wards in England. The same government report noted that the demise of
10578-463: The greatest migration from Iceland since 1887, with a net emigration of 5,000 people in 2009. Iceland's economy stabilised under the government of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir and grew by 1.6% in 2012. The centre-right Independence Party was returned to power in coalition with the Progressive Party in the 2013 election. In the following years, Iceland saw a surge in tourism as the country became
10707-476: The invasion and occupation of the country, violating Icelandic neutrality . In 1941, the Government of Iceland, friendly to Britain, invited the then-neutral United States to take over its defence so that Britain could use its troops elsewhere. On 31 December 1943, the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union expired after 25 years. Beginning on 20 May 1944, Icelanders voted in a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate
10836-523: The island was first settled, it was extensively forested, with around 30% of the land covered in trees. In the late 12th century, Ari the Wise described it in the Íslendingabók as "forested from mountain to sea shore". Permanent human settlement greatly disturbed the isolated ecosystem of thin, volcanic soils and limited species diversity . The forests were heavily exploited over the centuries for firewood and timber. Deforestation , climatic deterioration during
10965-440: The island was then called Garðarshólmur, which means "Garðar's Isle". Then came a Viking named Flóki Vilgerðarson ; his daughter drowned en route, then his livestock starved to death. The sagas say that the rather despondent Flóki climbed a mountain and saw a fjord ( Arnarfjörður ) full of icebergs, which led him to give the island its new and present name. The notion that Iceland's Viking settlers chose that name to discourage
11094-604: The island with the winds, but they are not able to breed there. No native or free-living reptiles or amphibians are on the island. The animals of Iceland include the Icelandic sheep , cattle , chickens , goats , the sturdy Icelandic horse , and the Icelandic Sheepdog , all descendants of animals imported by Europeans. Wild mammals include the Arctic fox, mink , mice, rats, rabbits, and reindeer . Polar bears occasionally visit
11223-415: The island, travelling from Greenland on icebergs, but no Icelandic populations exist. In June 2008, two polar bears arrived in the same month. Marine mammals include the grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) and harbour seal ( Phoca vitulina ). Many species of fish live in the ocean waters surrounding Iceland, and the fishing industry is a major part of Iceland's economy, accounting for roughly half of
11352-437: The last Catholic bishop of Hólar , was beheaded in 1550 along with two of his sons. The country subsequently became officially Lutheran, and Lutheranism has since remained the dominant religion. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Denmark imposed harsh trade restrictions on Iceland. Natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions and disease, contributed to a decreasing population. In the summer of 1627, Barbary Pirates committed
11481-508: The launch in 1891 of the first steam powered trawler , the Lark . All the other major fishing ports in Britain, Hull , Grimsby and Aberdeen , were on the east coast, so there was a competitive advantage for a west-coast port with good rail links. By the start of the 20th century, Fleetwood's position as one of the three major fishing ports in England was cemented. James Marr brought a fleet of steam trawlers to Fleetwood and actively started to change
11610-552: The lozenge Fisherman's Friend which is exported around the world. Ptolemy 's Geographia in the 2nd century AD records a tribe known as the Setantii living in what is believed to be present-day West Lancashire, and a seaport built by the Romans called PORTVS SETANTIORVM ('the port of the Setantii') abutting Moricambe Aestuarium (presumably Morecambe Bay ). There is also evidence of
11739-576: The museum themselves. The museum also operates the Jacinta , the town's "heritage trawler", stationed in the Wyre Dock Marina and open for public viewing throughout the year. Built in 1972, it was moved to Hull in 1982, before being handed over to the Jacinta Charitable Trust in 1995 when restoration work began on the trawler. Unfortunately Jacinta was too badly off for Economical Repair &
11868-526: The northeast corner of North Wharf, was the first screw pile lighthouse to be built in Great Britain . Fleetwood is the only town in the United Kingdom to possess three lighthouses and the two within the town itself remain fully operational. Wyre Light has now fallen into a state of disrepair. Fleetwood Market , still a prominent permanent market, was established in 1840. By 1838, Hesketh-Fleetwood had run into serious financial difficulties, with costs for
11997-472: The northeastern hinterland. The temperature records for Reykjavík are 26.2 °C (79.2 °F) on 30 July 2008, and −24.5 °C (−12.1 °F) on 21 January 1918. The entire country is in a single ecoregion , the Iceland boreal birch forests and alpine tundra . Some areas are covered by glaciers . Phytogeographically , Iceland belongs to the Arctic province of the Circumboreal Region within
12126-410: The northern tip of Labrador . Iceland is the world's 18th-largest island , and Europe's second-largest island after Great Britain and before Ireland. The main island covers 101,826 km (39,315 sq mi), but the entire country is 103,000 km (40,000 sq mi) in size, of which 62.7% is tundra . Iceland contains about 30 minor islands, including the lightly populated Grímsey and
12255-401: The ocean in a series of volcanic eruptions between 8 November 1963 and 5 June 1968. Only scientists researching the growth of new life are allowed to visit the island. The country has around 30 active volcanic systems. Within each are volcano-tectonic fissure systems and many, but not all of them, also have at least one central volcano (mostly in the form of a stratovolcano , sometimes of
12384-458: The parish are coterminous with the boundary of the five borough council wards of Fleetwood and the town council has thirteen councillors. In the 2010 General Election , Fleetwood was joined with Lancaster and some Over Wyre locations to form the new Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency . Conservative member Eric Ollerenshaw was elected in a tight race. From 1997 to 2010, Fleetwood was included with Thornton and parts of Blackpool, as part of
12513-507: The personal union with Denmark, abolish the monarchy, and establish a republic. The vote was 97% to end the union, and 95% in favour of the new republican constitution. Iceland formally became a republic on 17 June 1944, with Sveinn Björnsson as its first president. In 1946, the US Defence Force Allied left Iceland. The nation formally became a member of NATO on 30 March 1949, amid domestic controversy and riots . On 5 May 1951,
12642-577: The port by selectively fishing for hake , which until then had been treated as a much less desirable catch. Many of the houses in the old area of town around the Mount and Lord Street were built in the 1890s. In keeping with the thriving economy, these terraced houses were large for their era. An electric tramway link to Blackpool was constructed in the 1890s and remains operational to this day. The trams were routed along East Street and West Street (now Lord Street and North Albert Street) rather than Dock Street, and commercial trade followed, making those streets
12771-511: The prominent architect Decimus Burton , whose work in St Leonard's-on-Sea he had admired, to lay out what would be the first planned town of the Victorian era . The plans were complete by 1835, and construction of the first buildings and the railway line began in 1836. Burton's plan was to use the largest of the sand-dunes on the north-facing shore as the focus of a half-wheel street layout. This
12900-402: The rail corridor on the eastern side of the town, and a number of unrelated industries also moved to the area to take advantage of the availability of labour. By the 1960s, however, Fleetwood had begun to decline economically. The last ferry to the Isle of Man sailed in 1961, although the sailings have been revived periodically since. The main railway station was closed in 1966 as a result of
13029-480: The railway in particular ultimately exceeding £300,000. He had numerous financial arguments with Frederick Kemp, who borrowed against the estate revenues to finance the expansion of the town, and was suspected of taking financial advantage of Sir Peter. Hesketh-Fleetwood became short of cash and was forced to mortgage his properties. Depressed, he gradually withdrew from the project, and by 1844 he had been obliged to sell much of his estate. He leased Rossall Hall itself to
13158-540: The remainder of the Fylde, the land is extremely flat, the highest point being the Mount, the large sand dune in the northern part of the town, from which the original street plan radiated. Parts of Fleetwood, especially to the north and west, are barely above sea level at high tide, and a large retaining sea wall runs along much of the western edge of the town. Nevertheless, Fleetwood was flooded in 1927 and again in 1977. The latter flood, although much smaller, affected more properties as there had been considerable development in
13287-399: The route and increased the service to three times a day. In December 2010, Stena Line announced that the service would be withdrawn at the end of 2010, with the loss of 140 jobs. Since the 1970s, there have been several attempts to enhance Fleetwood's economic profile, In 1995, the now-deserted Wyre Dock was developed into a marina. The derelict dock landing area was developed into Freeport,
13416-621: The settlement of their verdant isle is most likely a myth. According to both Landnámabók and Íslendingabók , monks known as the Papar lived in Iceland before Scandinavian settlers arrived, possibly members of a Hiberno-Scottish mission . An archaeological excavation has revealed the ruins of a cabin in Hafnir on the Reykjanes peninsula . Carbon dating indicates that it was abandoned sometime between 770 and 880. In 2016, archaeologists uncovered
13545-652: The signing of the Old Covenant in 1262, which ended the Commonwealth and brought Iceland under the Norwegian crown. Possession of Iceland passed from the Kingdom of Norway (872–1397) to the Kalmar Union in 1415, when the kingdoms of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden were united. After the break-up of the union in 1523, it remained a Norwegian dependency, as a part of Denmark–Norway . Infertile soil, volcanic eruptions, deforestation, and an unforgiving climate made for harsh life in
13674-470: The smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing army , possessing only a lightly armed coast guard . The Sagas of Icelanders say that a Norwegian named Naddodd (or Naddador) was the first Norseman to reach Iceland; in the ninth century, he named it Snæland or "Snowland" because it was snowing. Following Naddodd, the Swede Garðar Svavarsson arrived, and so
13803-463: The south coast is warmer, wetter, and windier than the north. The Central Highlands are the coldest part of the country. Low-lying inland areas in the north are the aridest. Snowfall in winter is more common in the north than in the south. The highest air temperature recorded was 30.5 °C (86.9 °F) on 22 June 1939 at Teigarhorn on the southeastern coast. The lowest was −38 °C (−36.4 °F) on 22 January 1918 at Grímsstaðir and Möðrudalur in
13932-455: The south wing is shorter, curving roughly 45 degrees. At the front of the building there is a porte-cochère (porch) supported by fluted Roman Doric columns . Fleetwood Fleetwood is a coastal town in the Borough of Wyre in Lancashire , England, at the northwest corner of the Fylde . It had a population of 25,939 at the 2011 census . Fleetwood acquired its modern character in
14061-473: The structure into a flats complex. However, the pier was again heavily damaged by fire in the early hours of 9 September 2008. On 26 September 2008, Wyre Borough Council announced that the pier would be completely demolished, and two weeks later confirmed that the pier would not be rebuilt. The pier site remains undeveloped many years later, as plans for flats or apartments have come to nothing. The site remains an eyesore and remains fenced off, many years after
14190-485: The town (three since 1979). A large sandbank, the North Wharf, extends some 2 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (3.6 km) north into Morecambe Bay, and is exposed at low tide. The river channel forms the eastern boundary of the bank. Together with the larger Bernard Wharf on the other side of the river, this makes navigation of the river difficult. Conversely, the port is highly sheltered from the prevailing westerly winds. Like
14319-402: The town in 1982 and now only inshore fishing boats use the port, although trawlers registered in other places can still be seen taking advantage of the fish market. Fish is still a big industry in the town, though the jobs are mainly in processing rather than fishing. A pair of bronze figures on the promenade by the pier depicts the idea of families welcoming back the fishermen from sea. In 1973,
14448-441: The town on 15 July 1922. The town was hit by a huge flood in October 1927, which put 90% of the area of the town under water. Only the higher areas around the Mount escaped. Additional housing was built in the 1920s and 1930s in the less-developed central areas of the town, and a further development boom occurred in the 1960s, in the lower lying western portion of the town (Larkholme). Many industries related to fishing grew up along
14577-407: The town's heritage trawler, however due to the vessels general poor state of repair, this is no longer the case. Another annual music festival, originating in 2005, is Fleetwoodstock, named after the famous New York Woodstock Festival and held in the autumn. The usual venue is the Marine Hall. The now annual Yuto Fest, which was first held in 2011, also takes place at the Marine Hall. Yuto Fest
14706-519: The town's museum in 1992. The museum tells the story of the fishing industry in the town. In January 2006, the museum was threatened with closure by owners Lancashire County Council (LCC). However, volunteers helped re-launch the museum in April 2007, setting up the Fleetwood Museum Trust to run the museum in partnership with LCC for twelve months with the intention of the trust eventually running
14835-552: The town. The crown jewel was the North Euston Hotel , built in 1841, a fine semi-circular building overlooking the bay and the river's estuary. The hotel was built to serve overnight guests making the railway journey from Euston , and was close to the point of departure for the steamers to Scotland. This journey was made by Queen Victoria in 1847, but by the mid-1850s the completion of the western railway link between London and Scotland over Shap Fell rendered Fleetwood's role as
14964-420: The transfer point between the railway and the steamers to Scotland, and set about encouraging a railway link from Preston . With a new career in parliament to prepare for, he engaged Frederick Kemp as his agent. He originally considered naming the new town Wyreton or New Liverpool , but after changing his name to Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood in 1831, he settled on the name Fleetwood . After some delays, he recruited
15093-534: The world with similar climates include the Aleutian Islands , the Alaska Peninsula , and Tierra del Fuego , although these regions are closer to the equator. Despite its proximity to the Arctic, the island's coasts remain ice-free through the winter. Ice incursions are rare, with the last having occurred on the north coast in 1969. The climate varies between different parts of the island. Generally speaking,
15222-680: The world's wealthiest and most developed nations. In 1994 it became a part of the European Economic Area , further diversifying its economy into sectors such as finance, biotechnology, and manufacturing . Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes , compared to other OECD countries, as well as the highest trade union membership in the world . It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education . Iceland ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom. It has
15351-457: Was Cut up for Scrap in June / July / Aug 2019 . Fleetwood's parish church, St Peter's , designed by Decimus Burton in 1841, stands at the corner of Lord Street and North Albert Street. It formerly had a spire, but this was demolished in 1904. St Mary's , the town's main Roman Catholic church, stands nearby. Built in 1867, it was designed by E. W. Pugin . A more modern church of interest is
15480-403: Was a 19th-century planned town , developed by local landowner Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood . Inspired by southern English seaside resorts like St Leonards-on-Sea , Hesketh-Fleetwood employed architect Decimus Burton to lay out his new town and design the main buildings. Hesketh-Fleetwood intended that Fleetwood would be an important stop for rail passengers travelling from London to Scotland, for in
15609-507: Was adopted by consensus around 999–1000, although Norse paganism persisted among segments of the population for some years afterward. The Icelandic Commonwealth lasted until the 13th century when the political system devised by the original settlers proved unable to cope with the increasing power of Icelandic chieftains. The internal struggles and civil strife of the Age of the Sturlungs led to
15738-506: Was developed out of the earlier Warrenhurst Park, itself an early-C20 park designed by Thomas Lumb of Blackpool. In 1917 the park was renamed "Memorial Park" in memory of those who died in the First World War . The memorial statue was added a few years later and memorial trees planted by the children who lost relatives. In the early 1900s the park was home to a boating lake and the current facilities include three crown green bowling greens,
15867-464: Was first opened in 1840, although the present stone building dates from 1892. Fleetwood Museum stands on Queen's Terrace. The building, designed by Decimus Burton, was completed in 1836 and is the oldest surviving building in Fleetwood. It was originally the Customs House, and from 1889 to 1974 it served as Fleetwood Town Hall, until local government activity was moved to Poulton. It was designated as
15996-417: Was heavily cut back and was finally closed in 1999. Most serious, however, was the collapse of the fishing industry, which was largely destroyed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by the Cod Wars , a dispute over fishing rights between Iceland and the UK. As Fleetwood's trawlers mainly fished the North Atlantic in search of cod, the loss of the fishing grounds hit the town hard. The last deep-sea trawler left
16125-399: Was in the ownership of Edmund's descendant Peter Hesketh , High Sheriff of Lancashire and MP for Preston . A man of somewhat liberal views for his time, Hesketh believed that the sheltered harbour and views over Morecambe Bay gave the area the makings of a busy seaport and popular resort for the less-affluent. With no rail link between London and Scotland , he envisaged Fleetwood as
16254-539: Was initiated to regulate the Icelandic Commonwealth . The lack of arable land also served as an impetus to the settlement of Greenland starting in 986. The period of these early settlements coincided with the Medieval Warm Period , when temperatures were similar to those of the early 20th century. At this time about 25% of Iceland was covered with forest, compared to 1% in the present day. Christianity
16383-403: Was landscaped, and became known as the Mount . It served as the hub of Burton's half-wheel design, the main residential streets acted as the spokes, and the main commerce area of Dock Street was the rim of the wheel. The oldest surviving building in the town, once the custom house, later the town hall and latterly Fleetwood Museum , dates from 1836 and housing from as early as 1838 still exists in
16512-409: Was suspended for financial reasons. A second Act in 1871 gave construction authority to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, under chief engineers Sir John Hawkshaw and Harrison Hayter . Construction itself, by John Aird & Sons, was completed in 1877. Heavy industry came to the area in the late 1880s with the construction of a salt-processing works on the southeastern edge of the town by
16641-444: Was the last new seaside pier to be built in the United Kingdom. By the 1920s, the fishing industry was at its height, employing over 9,000 people. Over the next few years, the sea front along the north shore was developed in resort fashion, to encourage visitors for whom the brashness of Blackpool was too daunting. The Marine Hall entertainment complex (1935), golf course (1931) and Model Yacht Pond (1932) all date from that era. In
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