A VANISHING YORKSHIRE VILLAGE. 
By J. BACKHOUSE, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 
HROUGHOUT the length and breadth of Yorkshire it 
would be difficult, perhaps impossible, to find a district 
more historically interesting, more full of charm to Scientist as 
well as to Antiquary, than that part known as Holderness, and 
nowhere in Holderness can compare in these respects with that 
part of it known as The Spurn, and its immediate neighbourhood 
on the mainland. 
If you can imagine a squarish piece of glass, which at its right 
hand bottom corner has been melted and pulled out into a narrow 
point curving inwards at the tip where it becomes rather wider, 
you have some idea of this strange Yorkshire “ Ultima Thule.” 
On the outer side is the North Sea, on the inner the Humber, 
over whose entrance Spurn stands sentinel. Hull itself lies 20 
miles up stream ; Withernsea, a small watering-place, 14 miles 
along the North Sea shore. Opposite to the Head, across the 
Humber, is Grimsby in Lincolnshire. On the inside of the Point 
when the tide is low are enormous mud flats, several square miles 
in extent, the home of wild-fowl and innumerable eels. 
Spurn Point lies in what was formerly a territory inhabited by 
the Parisi, to whom belonged Petuaria and Portus Felix, which 
may possibly have been at Beverley and Bridlington Quay 
respectively. 
A Roman road has been traced according to Dr. Stukeley, from 
Falkirk to Patrington, but it would seem likely that it should 
have been continued to the actual coast near Spurn for transport 
purposes, though this cannot now be definitely ascertained; but of 
this we shall speak later. 
D 
