Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough is a town and district in North-East England, with a resident population in 2001 of 134,855. 2005 mid-year estimates suggest a population of 144,823. However, the total un-official population for the Middlesbrough urban area (including the greater Eston area) is closer to 190,000.

Middlesbrough today

Middlesbrough is not naturally abundant in ancient buildings, and the townscape is largely workaday. There are however some relatively old buildings still to be found, such as Acklam Hall which was built c.1680 by Sir William Hustler and is a Grade I listed building. Ormesby Hall a Palladian mansion was largely built around 1740, but an older wing dating from around 1599, still exists. The Town Hall, a Grade II Listed Building, is equally a most imposing structure, while the Old Town Hall of 1864 has undeniable charm. The Empire Theatre next to the Town Hall is also a very grand building, and the Little Theatre in Linthorpe was the first new theatre built in England after World War II. There are some interesting churches for example at Acklam, Marton and Stainton (c.12th century), a modern Roman Catholic Cathedral at Coulby Newham, and some of the modern schools are worthy of note. The city can also boast this country’s only public sculpture by the celebrated modern American artist Claes Oldenburg; the structure is bottle-shaped and relates to Captain James Cook. Based alongside it today in the town's Central Gardens is the town's art gallery (The Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art) and education suite. The Dorman Long office on Zetland Street is the only commercial building ever designed by Philip Webb, the great architect who worked for Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell.

Related Topics:
Acklam Hall - 1680 - William Hustler - Grade I - Ormesby Hall - 1740 - 1599 - 1864 - World War II - 12th century - Roman Catholic - Cathedral - Coulby Newham - Claes Oldenburg - Captain James Cook - Art gallery - Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art - Dorman Long - Philip Webb

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Middlesbrough is no longer a heavy industrial town, though there are areas around which still support chemical, fertiliser and iron and steel production. It has a large and comprehensive shopping district made up of several separate shopping centres, which include 'The Mall Cleveland' renamed in 2005 from 'Cleveland Shopping Centre', 'Dundas Street Shopping' renamed in 2005 from 'Dundas Shopping Arcade', 'Hill Street Shopping Centre' and 'Captain Cook Square'. Linthorpe Road is home to several independent and national fashion shops, most notably the multi-award winning Psyche, regularly scooping accolades over the likes of the Selfridges, Harvey Nichols & Libertys stores in London, and hence regarded as one of the finest of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Related Topics:
Shopping centre - Selfridges - Harvey Nichols - Libertys - London - United Kingdom

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The town's centre has been undergoing a modernising makeover in recent years, including the addition of 'Spectra-txt', a 10 metre high interactive tower of metal and fibre-optics inspired by Blade Runner. 'Spectra-txt' allows the public to send an SMS (text) message via mobiles phones to change the colours of the lights. Texting various codes, such as 'Chromapop' produce a display of changing colour lights. Accompanying cultural attractions include the century-old Dorman Museum on Linthorpe Road and the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Marton.

Related Topics:
Blade Runner - SMS - Marton

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