Famous as a seaside holiday resort, Scarborough was believed to have
been established by Norsemen around 966 ad, although the area had been
attacked several times before the Norman Conquest. Indeed, a century
later the King of Norway, Harold Hardrada, and his army waded ashore,
burning and pillaging as they went, and totally destroyed Scarborough.
The town did not even appear in the Domesday Book of 1086.South beach is
the most commercialised, due to the proximity of the railway station,
and the harbour also lies on this side. In its heyday, it was an
important port for fishing boats that would discharge their cargos on
the west pier, the oldest part of the harbour. This fascinating selction
of images old and new will surprise and delight anyone who knows and
loves Scarborough.