Picture above – View north-west through gap in the hedge from west end of Westfield Rd., Barton.
Although not always relevant to the topic of density of population, the alternating ‘densities’ along both banks of the Humber Estuary are interesting. Starting near the mouth of the Humber on the south bank stands the seasonal high density at the caravan park and the much more interesting ‘Fitties’ bungalow site at Humberston. Up-Estuary these merge into the seaside resort and town of Cleethorpes (population 30,000+), this in-turn merging into a large area of bye-law housing within Grimsby followed by the Grimsby Docks and associated industries. Opposite, on the north bank of the Humber is the contrasting rural area of south Holderness with few distinguishable landmarks (from the south bank) except Patrington church spire and the 19th century lighthouse on Spurn Point – what has happened to the plans by East Yorkshire council to convert this to a visitor centre?
Moving inland this south Holderness rural coast faces across to a series of large industrial sites straddling the south Humber bank along with two gas-fired power stations. On the north bank beyond Paull (on the ‘bend’ of the Estuary) Hull Docks and City straddle the width of the south Hull valley (s.p.b. and various of the Publications). On the opposite bank however a series of villages (East Halton, Goxhill, and Barrow on Humber) remain somewhat inland and the coastline presenting a rural picture with few distinct landmarks, except for New Holland dock and jetty complex. Barton on Humber at the south end of the Humber suspension Bridge, despite having a rapidly expanding population, still has below 15,000 residents. West of Barton the rural appearance of the only range of hills to be breached by the Estuary (Lincolnshire and Yorkshire Wolds – see Geology Publication) contrasts with the increasingly densely populated western outer suburbs of Hull.
In contrast the upper-Humber region presents similar pictures on both banks. On the north bank the rural lowlands of Broomfleet marsh and Wallingfen compliment the rural aspect of the south bank, although here the topography contrasts as it is here that the Estuary bisected the limestone escarpment (which on the north bank ‘merges’ with the Yorkshire Wolds). Here on the south bank the villages of South Ferriby and Winteringham are clearly visible from the north bank.
So along the Humber banks region the densities of population see-saw, the Estuary region presents diverse population densities and landscapes.