Harrogate is a town rich in culture and history so it’s not surprising that there are some interesting facts that not everyone knows.
How many of these quirky facts are you aware of?
1. How did Harrogate get its name?
The name “Harrogate” was first recorded back in the 1330s as Harwegate, Harougat, and Harrowgate. However the origin of the name remains a mystery. It’s thought the name could come from the Old Norse word for 'a heap of stones, cairn' and the word for 'street'. In that case, the city’s name could be literally translated as 'the way to Harlow'. Photo: Archives
2. Harrogate once hosted the Eurovision song contest
The town hosted the 27th Eurovision contest back in 1982. Germany were crowned the winners, while Great Britain finished in 7th place. Photo: Archives
3. Inventor lit and heated the town
Back in 1870, Samson Fox was working on a method to create water gas and his home was the first house in Yorkshire to have gas lighting and heating. Photo: Archives
4. Harrogate used to be two villages
In the 17th century, Harrogate was once two separate villages. One was called High Harrogate and the other was Low Harrogate. Eventually the two villages grew together with the discovery of 88 springs, which brought in more visitors. Photo: Gerard Binks