Yarm
Yarm is a small town in North Yorkshire, England, which grew up at the tidal limit of the River Tees. Between 1974 and 1996 it was part of a new county, Cleveland, along with neighbouring Stockton-on-Tees. When that was abolished, Stockton was re-assigned to County Durham; but it still governs Yarm even though they're in separate counties. The winding river marks the boundary - just north of it (in County Durham) is the village of Egglescliffe, which has mutated into Eaglescliffe, also described here. They're both effectively suburbs of Stockton, and commuter-belt for Middlesbrough; in 2011 the population of Yarm was 8384 and of Eaglescliffe was 10,449.
Get in
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1 Teeside Airport (MME IATA) is five miles west of Yarm. It has flights from Amsterdam, Aberdeen, London City and Belfast City - see Darlington for more information.
Transpennine Express trains run hourly from Manchester Airport, Piccadilly and Victoria via Huddersfield, Leeds, York, Thirsk and Northallerton to Yarm, continuing to Thornaby, Middlesbrough and Redcar. From London and the south, change at York.
2 Yarm station is on Green Lane at the south edge of town, 1 km from the centre. It's just a platform halt.
3 Eaglescliffe station is more convenient for anywhere north of the river. It's on a separate line (the world's first), with Northern Rail trains every 30 min M-Sa from Darlington via Allens West (which is slightly closer to Yarm). These continue east to Thornaby, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea. A couple of direct trains run M-Sa from London Kings Cross via York to Eaglescliffe, continuing to Hartlepool and Sunderland.
Arriva Bus 7 runs every 20 min from Stockton-on-Tees via Eaglescliffe to Yarm, taking 25 min.
Arriva Bus X17 is a commuter service M-F, around 07:00 from Eaglescliffe and Yarm to Thornaby and Middlesbrough, and returning around 17:00.
The world's first public railway, the Stockton & Darlington Railway, passed through Eaglescliffe with a spur to Yarm. It opened on 27 Sept 1825, hauled by Stephenson's steam locomotive No 1 "The Locomotion". After the grand opening, steam haulage was reserved for coal - much more lucrative - and passenger trains were horse-drawn until 1833.
Get around
The town is compact though you might have a mile to walk from the railway station.
See
- Yarm High Street is a broad, part-cobbled thoroughfare with many preserved Georgian buildings; the dinky little Town Hall was built in 1710. Pity about the traffic: heavy vehicles are banned but it's still the busy A67.
- Yarm Castle wouldn't repel any invader for long. It's almost 3 foot tall, and it's simply a garden ornament at 52 West Street. There was a real Jarum Castle in Norman times at the top of High Street, but no trace remains of that, or of the friary.
- 1 Yarm Viaduct, completed in 1852, carries the railway across the River Tees. It has 43 arches.
- 2 Yarm Methodist Church, Chapel Yard, Yarm TS15 9AJ. Octagonal church built in 1763 - as a "Preaching House" since only Anglicans were allowed to have churches at that date. John Wesley himself was involved in its design; he recorded preaching here in 1764, and commended it as the pattern for other Houses to follow. Among other advantages, "there are no corners for the devil to hide in."
- 3 Preston Park Museum, Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe TS18 3RH, ☏ +44 1642 527375, prestonhall@stockton.gov.uk. Tu-Su 10:00-16:00. In a Georgian manor, once the residence of industrial magnate Robert Ropner, the museum displays the history of Teesside, including a street from 1895. Adult £5, child / conc £3.
- See Northallerton for Mount Grace Priory.
Do
- Princess Alexander Auditorium and Friarage Theatre are within Yarm School, Box Office +44 1642 792587.
- There's a spa and leisure centre within the Parkmore Hotel, see Sleep. The minimum membership period is one month for £40.
- Eaglescliffe Golf Club, Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe TS16 0DQ (opposite Eaglescliffe railway station), ☏ +44 1642 780238, admin@eaglescliffegolfclub.co.uk. 6289 yard 18-hole course, par 72.
Buy
- The Farmers Market has moved to Preston Park from Yarm High Street, but it's still held on the second Sunday of each month.
- Strickland & Holt, 44 High St, Yarm TS15 9AE, ☏ +44 1642 790011. M-Sa 09:00-17:30. Small department store established in 1854, has a bit of everything including gift cards, stationery and food, and there's a good cafe in the back. The Post Office is nowadays in here and the branch on Fairfax Court has closed.
Eat
- The Waiting Room, 9 Station Road, Eaglescliffe TS16 0BU (next to Eaglescliffe railway station), ☏ +44 1642 780465, eat@the-waiting-room.co.uk. Tu-Su 11:30-14:30, 18:00-23:00. Long-standing vegetarian restaurant, licensed, lots of vegan choice.
- Framboisette next to Eaglescliffe railway station is a licensed restaurant and pub with rooms.
Drink
- The Black Bull, 40 High Street, Yarm TS15 9BH, ☏ +44 1642 791251. M-F 12:00-00:00, Sa Su 11:00-00:00. Friendly pub does bar meals.
- Osbournes, 24 High St, Yarm TS15 9AE, ☏ +44 1642 781012, Yarm@osbourneleisure.co.uk. M-Sa 09:30-00:00, Su 12:00-00:00. Good High Street pub, often has live music and dancing.
- 1 The Golden Jubilee, Healaugh Park, Yarm TS15 9XN (junction A67 and A1044), ☏ +44 1642 789555. Daily 12:00-23:00. Slick friendly pub does decent bar food.
- 2 The Pot & Glass, 6 Church Rd, Egglescliffe TS16 9DQ, ☏ +44 1642 651009. M 18:00-23:00, Tu-F 12:00-14:30, 18:00-23:00, Sa 12:00-00:00, Su 12:00-23:00. Traditional but friendly village pub just north of the river. The walk up to it gives great views over Yarm High Street and the River Tees.
- Saints Row is a small brewery in Eaglescliffe. They don't offer tours.
Sleep
- Yarm Guest House, 110-112 High Street, Yarm TS15 9AU, ☏ +44 1642 791226. Friendly clean B&B on Yarm High Street. B&B double £90.
- Yarm View Guesthouse at 82a High Street is actually self-catering.
- 1 Parkmore Hotel (Best Western), 636 Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe TS16 0DH, ☏ +44 333 003 4268. Simple BW hotel, clean enough but facilities are worn. Dogs welcome £15 / night. B&B double from £85.
- 2 Judges (Kirklevington Hall), Thirsk Rd, Kirklevington TS15 9LW, ☏ +44 1642 789000. Grand 19th century mansion, but long a family home, and it was only in the 1970s and 80s that it was lodging for circuit judges presiding at Middlesborough. It's now a smart elegant hotel with great dining, often booked for weddings. Assistance dogs only. B&B double from £150.
- 3 Crathorne Hall Hotel, Crathorne TS15 0AR (By A19 / A67 junction), ☏ +44 1642 700398. Splendid Edwardian mansion, now an upscale hotel. B&B double from £200.
Connect
As of July 2020, Yarm has a good mobile and 4G signal from O2 and Vodafone, and a weak signal from EE and Three. 5G has not reached this area.
Go next
- Go north to County Durham, and especially the charming city of Durham.
- Explore Whitby and the rugged North Yorkshire coast beyond.
- York has ancient city walls and many visitor attractions.
| Routes through Yarm |
| Middlesbrough ← | N  S |
→ Northallerton → York |