| Scotch Corner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Middleton Tyas,North Yorkshire | |
| Coordinates | 54°26′33″N1°40′08″W / 54.4426°N 1.6690°W /54.4426; -1.6690 |
| Roads at junction | |
| Construction | |
| Type | Roundabout interchange |
| Maintained by | National Highways |
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Scotch Corner is ajunction of theA1(M) andA66trunk roads nearRichmond inNorth Yorkshire, England. It has been described as "the modern gateway to Cumbria, the North East and Scotland",[1] and is aprimary destination signposted from as far away as theM6 motorway, 50 miles (80 kilometres) away. The name of the junction is derived from the fact that it is the point of divergence for traffic coming fromLondon, theEast Midlands andYorkshire wishing to continue either toEdinburgh and easternScotland (along the A1(M)) or toGlasgow and western Scotland (by taking the A66).
The name originated from being the junction where the north–southRoman road known asDere Street, which crossed theRiver Tees atPiercebridge, met the Roman road that went west throughBowes andBrough.[2] It is where travellers to eastern Scotland (now viaA1(M) and/orA68) are separated from travellers to western Scotland (now viaA66 andM6/A74(M)/M74).
The A1(M) leads north towardsNorth East England andScotland and south towards London. The A66 leads north-west towardsPenrith and theM6 motorway. There are three other exits from the junction: theA6055 road north and south, with the southbound side leading to theA6108 towards theYorkshire Dales andRichmond. The third exit is towardsMiddleton Tyas andCroft-on-Tees and also provides access to the services.[3] Other nearby locations includeGilling West andAske Hall.
The Scotch Corner area is drained by ScortonBeck, which eventually flows into theSwale.[4] The area to the west of the junction is drained by Gilling Beck in theSkeeby/Holme/Dalton Beck catchment, also eventually flowing into the Swale[5]
TheRomans were responsible for building the first roads to meet at this point and the site of the original junction is just a few hundred yards from the modern-day junction.[6] In AD 71 the Romans took control of the area when they defeated theBrigantes, aCeltic tribe, at theBattle of Scotch Corner (1st century).[1] There was a major Roman settlement at Scotch Corner, with its own mint.[2][7]
It is a landmark for planning and describing routes. For example it is around 50 miles (80 km) from Leeds, providing a useful distance forcycling events.[8] It was used by cyclists for navigation.[9] It was in afox hunting district, providing a means of identifying the location when reporting events.[10]
The £8 million Scotch Corner diversion opened in July 1971, which created agrade separated junction on the A1.[11][12] Later, a £380 million upgrade of the A1 between Leeming Bar and Barton Interchange meant that the road was upgraded to three-lane motorway standard in March 2018.[13] This created the opportunity for further archaeological investigation.[14][15]
The Three Tunscoaching inn stood at Scotch Corner from the 1820s.[16][17] The inn subsequently became aroadhouse in the early days of motorised travel.[2] It was demolished in 1939 when the road was widened.[2] The Scotch Corner Hotel was established there in 1939, built on the site of a mid-16th century inn and now operated byHoliday Inn.[2][18] Almost as soon as it was opened, part of the hotel was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force for convalescing airmen.[12] In 2011 it underwent a £3 million refurbishment.[19][20]
AMoto Hospitality service station opened here in 1980.[18][21]
There have been recently some remarkable bicycling feats by ladies, and not the least remarkable is the feat of Mrs. W. Hargrave, of Leeds, who has established a world's record for a lady rider over an out and home course of a 100 miles in 6 hours 37 min. This Yorkshire lady rode the usual course-from the Post-office in Roundhay Road, Leeds, to Scotch corner and back
The old Glasgow coach road, i.e., Great North Road up to Scotch Corner, then byBowes, overStainmore, toBrough, and on byAppleby,Penrith, andCarlisle, toGretna
The first draw was Ledbury Park, where a fox soon was on foot, who took the field at a great pace by Scotch Corner andGatherley Moor
Places adjacent to Scotch Corner | |
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