On The Waterfront

- Geoff Palmer

For years, those who didn’t know much about Hull dismissed it as a place to avoid. And to be fair, the plain name doesn’t help – its proper name is Kingston upon Hull, which gives a better hint to its rich history – it was first named ‘Kings Town’ by Edward I. But this year it’s suddenly getting more attention, as it is the 2017 UK City of Culture, so I went to see what all the fuss was about.

Coastal heritage

The spirit of the sea runs through Hull like writing through a stick of rock. This was once a great trading port – becoming wealthy by the 17th century – and many buildings survive from that period. Originally, the town huddled around the mouth of the river Hull but in Georgian times large docks were constructed to the west. These have been converted into a yacht-filled marina, so you never feel far from water, as the modern-day centre of the city is just to the north of it, with elegant piazza like spaces and buildings redolent of 19th-century civic pride – a grand City Hall, Maritime Museum and the Ferens Art Gallery, alongside the strikingly modern Princes Quay shopping centre.