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Weston Super Mare Care Homes
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About Weston Super Mare - show infohide info
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort in the West of England. It has a population of 71,758 as of 2001. The town lies on the Bristol Channel, and has spread along the coast, so that it now stretches between Worlebury Hill and Brean Down. Weston-super-Mare is known for its long, sandy beaches. The name Weston-super-Mare is derived from the Saxon words for west tun (meaning west settlement). The descriptive part of its name is unusual in that it is medieval Latin, and was first recorded by an unknown church clerk, presumably to distinguise it from all the other Weston's in the area. Mare means "on sea". Weston-super-Mare owes its popularity to the Victorian-era boom in seaside holidays which saw most seaside resorts in the UK undergo massive growth. Weston-super-Mare benefited from the proximity of towns such as Bath and Bristol, as well as the railway. The railway brought thousands of holidaymakers on works outings and bank holiday trips. Many also arrived on steamers from Wales, particularly miners and their families. In 1867, Birnbeck Pier was completed, offering amusement arcades, tea rooms, funfair rides and a photographic studio The town was also involved with a number of commercial enterprises; the first ever trans-Atlantic cable laid across the floor of the ocean surfaced at Weston-super-Mare, and the Commercial Cable Company, who laid it, maintained an association with the town until 1962, when the use of the underwater cables ceased. a number of chemical companies are also based in the town, including Philip Harris Ltd, which moved from Sheffield in 1965, and even today is an important name in school science lessons! A second pier was built in Weston-Super-Mare by local traders who were unhappy that visitors were not venturing to the centre of the town. The pier was opened in 1904, and was originally 1.2 miles. The Grand Pier is still in situ today, although it is not as long as it was. After WWI, a number of new developments occured in Weston-super-Mare, including a new swimming pool, the Winter Gardens theatre and an airfield. Art Deco influences can be seen in a number of buildings dating from this period. During WWII a number of evacuees were moved to Weston-super-Mare, and the town suffered from several bombing raids. After the war, Weston-super-Mare, along with numerous seaside resorts, went into decline thanks to cheap foreign holidays and the decline in large industries such as mining. As a result, Weston-super-Mare has become a centre for light industry as well as a commuter town for Bristol, thanks to connections via rail and the M5 motorway. Weston -super-Mare sees rail services to several destinations, including Cardiff, Taunton, Exeter, Bristol, Plymouth and Cheltenham. The town also sees some services direct to London at peak times. Nearby towns to Weston-super-Mare include Bristol, Barry, Cardiff, Taunton, Bridgwater, Bath, Street, Shepton Mallet and Trowbridge.
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