Thanks to a Brummie

One look at Filey’s Crescent and you will feel uplifted, especially on a sunlit morning with the ornamental gardens in the foreground.

But it could have been vastly different in the early 1800s if a Birmingham solicitor had not seen the potential of this area.

Residents and visitors owe a great debt to John Wilkes Unett, who considered that the proposed New Town was worthy of its position and should be developed and built to the very highest standards.

The Crescent Gardens were an integral part of his plan and were laid out to enhance the view from the Crescent boarding house and hotel windows and to create some attractive open spaces in which to stroll.

For years, only those living or staying on or close to The Crescent were entitled to enter the gardens.

Cast-iron railings prevented random entry as did the gates and entry booths which were positioned at various points along the gardens during the summer.

In Victorian and Edward-ian times a small group of musicians played in the gardens. This tradition continued into the 1950s and has recently been revived by Filey Town Council.

The noted English composer Frederick Delius stayed as a boy on The Crescent with his family in 1876 and 1877.

In later life he recalled the pleasure, time spent on the Brigg and playing cricket at Hunmanby and Gristhorpe.

It is known that some of his most evocative music was composed with Filey in mind.