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Edinburgh doesn't have a river flowing through its centre. It's not really coastal either so I guess it's quite unusual.
Never really thought much about it, but it is definitely true. Nearest river of any size is the Water of Leith which isn't really that close to city centre, and the city centre is about 5 miles inland from Leith (the port) which is quite a distinct place.
Most other cities seem to be one or the other. I guess it's because it grew up around the castle so is sort-of a hill top city. Like Macchu Picchu (sort of).
its not a city.
I don't live in a City 🙂 🙂 🙂
It's not as nice as Cheltenham, but not as bad as Gloucester
Birmingham has more canals (both distance and number) than Venice.
I live in Todmorden.
A virgin is defined as a girl who can run faster than her brother.
I'll just take a fleece, looks like it might cloud over.........
Stockport has more fly-overs than any other city in the uk with an average of 7 at any given moment, as it's right under most of the uk flight paths and right on the landing / take-off path for Manchester airport
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The river mersey starts in stockport at the point where the Tame and the Goyt meet, the latter having been joined by the Etherow some miles previously in Marple. It is subsequently joined by the Irwell and the Bollin
Edgeley Park in Stockport is the closest Football League ground to the river Mersey
The river Taff in Cardiff used to run down where Westgate street is now - the one where the Millenium stadium access is. That's why there's a side-street called Quay street despite being currently nowhere near water.
It was just a tiny village on land owned by the Marquess of Bute until someone built a railway (or was it a canal) down here and a port from which to ship coal.
The Coal Exchange building in Mount Stewart Square is where the world's first million pound deal was made.
Cardiff Bay existed almost as a seperate town with a fair old gap between it and the city. This led to a quite seperate insulated community (Butetown) full of racial diversity and attitudes somewhat different to the mainstream. There were lots of terraces down there but I suppose a lot of it was flattened during the war.
There are two Wagamamas - mmmm, lovely 🙂
There are salmon in the River Taff.
You can get a water taxi from town to points around the Bay and even to Penarth, but it's ridiculously expensive.
My home town was voted UFO capital of the UK in the mid-nineties! 
The Screen Room cinema in Nottingham is the worlds smallest publicly accessible cinema, with 21 seats.
The Broadway Cinema in Nottingham was chosen for the UK premier of Reservoir Dogs.
Cork is the second largest natural harbour in the world (don't know which is the largest)
Cork has a bridge which you drive on the right in both directions (it has a weird 1-way system). It is the only place in Ierland where you drive on the right legally
Many people assume that Huntingdon is where the Roman encampment used to be, partly because it was chartered earlier. But in fact, the Romans were based in Godmanchester just over the river and Huntingdon developed from where the merchants and prostitutes congregated.
Some poeple might say that they never really left, 'cos most of Huntingdon is still a hole.
Beagleboy, are you, ahem, local?
New Mills is the only town in the UK to have a park *under* the town since the town is built on both sides of a 30m gorge. The rivers that join in the gorge (Sett and Goyt which later join the Mersey at Stockport as nbt says ^^) powered several mills, one of which is the longest continuously operated mill in the UK. It closed in 2000 after 210 years production and the area is now industrial heritage land hence the "Park Under The Town" moniker.
Recently, waterpower came back to the area when a small hydro-electric plant was installed on the original weir built for the mills - the electricity that it produces powers the local Co-op supermarket!
Stockport Viaduct is made of 11,000,000 standard bricks.
Gloucester Cathedral has the largest stained glass window in the country.
Cheltenham Ladies College students are rich and dirty.
All 100% of FACT
In the 17th century many of the victims of Matthew Hopkins (the self-styled "Witchfinder General") spent their last days imprisoned in Chelmsford, before being tried at the Assizes and hanged for witchcraft.
[i]Cork is the second largest natural harbour in the world (don't know which is the largest)[/i]
Are you sure? I thought that was Mahon in Menorca (Sydney being the largest)
The first ever English Bicycle was made in Coventry. Built in 1870 it was called the 'Ariel'
It would appear, from Google, that the definition of a natural harbour is so loose that although everyone agrees that Sydney is the largest, loads of places claim the next few spots 🙂
Given I don't even live in a town, let alone a city, I'll tell you something surprising (at least to you it would seem) about the city you live in, Stu_N.
It's only ~2 miles from Edinburgh centre (reasonable definintion: Princes Street) to Leith. The Water of Leith flows within 1/2 a mile of Princes Street.
Sheffield has 7 hills and 7 rivers - like Jerusalem
Blimey, where do I start?
Ok so, just a couple...
I was born near the World Famous Hackney Marshes, which has the most football pitches, in one area, in the World.
Right next to the Marshes is the Lesney Products factory, where Matchbox toy cars were made.
Just down the road in Bow, is the Bryant and May match factory, where the [url= http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUmatchgirls.htm ]Matchgirls' Strike[/url] was a key date in the struggle for the rights of Women in Britain.
Bow is also the place where India Pale Ale was first developed.
Bow Bridge saw battles between English and Danes, and was the edge of the Danelaw.
It was also reputed to be the first stone bridge in Britain.
The East End is incrediby rich in History, of course, and is the birthplace of movements such as the Salvation Army, and Dr Barnardos childrens' movement.
An area noted for it's peoples' resistance to facism and racism, highlighted by event ssuch as the Battle of Cable st, and the first Rock against Racism concert.
Actually, I doubt if many areas in the UK are as full of historical an inertesting facts!
Ibuprofen was discovered in Nottingham and HP sauce was first made here.
The first Rolls Royce cars were built in Manchester. In Hulme, to be precise.
Most "Tree-ed" city in the UK.
2 million trees, compares to 500,000 people.
Oh, and I believe the word 'crap' originated in the East End!
Preston is all the better for me being in it
it also had the first UK KFC outlet and has achieved little since
Manchester, like Birmingham, didn't really exist before the 17th century.
Crowthorne, I live in the same village as the Yorkshire Ripper.
The spitfire was desgined and tested in Southampton.
Preston also had the first UK motorway, didn't it?
Bristol has a very high rate of bicycle theft.
😐
From Wiki (so must be true):
Cork Harbour is a natural harbour and river estuary at the mouth of the River Lee in County Cork, Ireland. It is one of several which lay claim to the title of "second largest natural harbour in the world by navigational area" (after Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia). Other contenders include Halifax Harbour in Canada, and Poole Harbour in England."
Preston also had the first UK motorway, didn't it?
well, if we're being accurate, the first uk motorway bypassed Preston...read into that what you will 😆
twinklydave - that first KFC, it wasn't the one near Samlesbury was it?
Oh, and I believe the word 'crap' originated in the East End
Not true.
The landing site of the first sub-orbital ballistic missile is on my way home.
we have two senior football grounds closer than anywhere else
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The UK's first traffic light and drive-thru MaccyD are in Wolverhampton
twinklydave - that first KFC, it wasn't the one near Samlesbury was it?
i think it was the one in the city centre, which is still going today
oh, and winston churchill was our mp for a while
the New Forest is drying out nicely
(that is the most unusual thing on this thread to date)
Sheffield is built on seven hills - like Rome.
Home to the oldest football team (Sheffield FC) and the team that has been at their current ground the longest (Hallam FC).
Is the largest city in Europe with no airport.
Has parts of the Peak District National Park within its boundaries.
and, if near where you live counts..
The Arbroath Smokie is the finest food in the world, undisputable FACT
I used to live in Manchester.
World's first industrial city, its growth was a major influence on Karl Marx.
Peterloo massacre was more dramatic and important than the battle of Cable St (sorry RB), but most people outside Manchester have never heard of it.
First real computer built at Manchester University.
Rutherford split the atom at Manchester University.
Oh and the Mersey flows through Manchester (in the south of the city). At no point does it flow through Liverpool (just past it).
DO NOT drink Cheltenham spa water, it may be why the town exists, but just don't do it, it isn't worth it!
Reading is a ****hole
Most cities in the UK have their industrial centres in the 'East End' and the nicer part of town in the 'West End'. This is because the prevailing winds blow from West to East and so the rich don't have to smell the foul odours of the underclasses.
Sheffield is home to the largest listed building in Europe.
Since Manchester claimed a couple of physics-related facts, how about this:
On my way to the pub (the Welly) I pass: the house where Paul Dirac was born. He's less well-known than Einstein, but as brilliant.
Then a school which Indira Gandhi attended.
Then the house where Cary Grant was born.
[i]Oh and the Mersey flows through Manchester (in the south of the city). At no point does it flow through Liverpool (just past it). [/i]
Now, I'm a proud Manc and love a bit of Scouse baiting, but that's a bit tenous. Liverpool is built ON the banks of the Mersey. And it doesn't flow through Manchester, it flows through Stockport (and past various other suburbian towns)
Moses - you're a Brizzle boy then?
The Plimsoll line was named after a Bristolian
The phrase "Cash on the nail" was allegedly started by merchants doing deals on pillars in Corn Street
Bristol started "trip-hop"
Bristol has been named Britain's most sustainable city
Lots of bikes are nicked in Bristol
twinklydave - Member
Preston is all the better for me being in itit also had the first UK KFC outlet and has achieved little since
You're correct, the one on Fishergate was the first in the UK - there's a plaque on the wall to commemorate.
And yes, the Preston Bypass became the M6 motorway - my wife's father built it.
And Preston's bus station was the largest in Europe when it was built.
Also, the village of Walton-le-Dale is the home of the world's first lightening conductor.
Slightly further afield, the town of Oldham is the birthplace of the tubular bandage.
[i]And yes, the Preston Bypass became the M6 motorway - my wife's father built it.[/i]
On his own? Blimey.
Lichfield...
...was where the last person was burned at the stake in England.
...was the birthplace of Dr Samuel Johnson, who wrote the first dictionary in 1755.
...has the only 3 spired Cathedral in the country...
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Oh, & I live here.
And some bearded singlespeeder called postierich also.
Rochdale - Home of the Co-operative Movement, and also a Town Hall that Hitler didn't want bombing.
It was originally called Waterloo.
Scared people from Portsmouth used to hide there during WWII bombings.
And it doesn't flow through Manchester
Northenden and Wythenshawe are both in the Mcr city boundary and south of the Mersey.
i live in oxenhope (near hedben bridge) on a farm an all the rivers form jus below my house and i suround by trails!!!!!!!!!! 😛
Sunny Dunny (Dunbar) is reputed to be the sunniest town in Scotland
lots o' people here speak funny like, like it's not even english or sumthin.
I thought the Mersey did flow through Manchester until last week, when I ended up cycling to Stockport instead.
Rotherham (where I'm originally from) used to be South Yorkshire's main town as it was the only place the River Don was fordable with a horse and carriage. You can now cross it easily in Rotherham on shopping trolley stepping stones.
I can do a coast-to-coast by bike across the entire length of my country in oooh, around 10 minutes 🙂
"Oh, and I believe the word 'crap' originated in the East End"Not true.
On the contrary - it appears to be quite true that Rudeboy believes it.
Manchester produces more decent bands per head of population than anywhere else on Earth, probably. And it has so much to answer for.
Swafega was invented in Belper, and is still made there.
[i]Northenden and Wythenshawe are both in the Mcr city boundary and south of the Mersey. [/i]
Hmm, okay. I suppose it's (tenously and pedantically) correct then.
Cardiff is Europe's youngest capital. It also has more Welsh speakers than anywhere else in Wales but you'd never know it walking around the streets.
Did you know that the Welsh pound coin is the only one that has the words around the edge written in the native language?
The world's first passenger rail journey was between Shildon (via Darlington) and nearby Stockton-on-Tees on the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. It's not called the Shildon and Stockton railway, because Darlington paid for it.
Darlington has a sculpture of a steaming locomotive emerging from a tunnel, made from 185,000 "Accrington Nori" bricks.
The first editor of the newspaper based in Darlington died on the Titanic.
Vic Reeves was brought up in Darlington. He was at school with my mam.
Leigh, where I live, is the largest town in the Uk with no railway station.
Which may explain why so many of the locals are inbred petrolhead tossers.
Also, the writer James Hilton, one of only 17 people from Leigh who could read, invented the phrase 'Shangri-La'.
Northenden and Wythenshawe are both in the Mcr city boundary and south of the Mersey.Hmm, okay. I suppose it's (tenously and pedantically) correct then.
But historically,they were in Cheshire, and Manchester was in Lancashire, as the Mersey was the border between the two counties.
Stockport is great becasue it's has a mainline railway, a bus station, several motorways in easy striking distance (including one skirting the city centre) and an airport very close by, meaning that it's a shithole that's really easy to leave
Preston also has the UK's tallest parochial church spire - St. Walburgs.
And Fred Dibnah's ladders are still lashed to it - he did some work on it some years ago and left them there. Then he died and nobody else has the balls to climb up there to get them down!
Butch Cassidy's dad was from Preston.
Preston Police force invented the Panda car - they bought 3 blue and 3 white morris minors in 1963 and swapped all the doors round!
Preston North End still hold the record for the highest ever score in English football. They beat Hyde 26-0 in the FA cup.
The Dodge family (of Dodge Motors and Dodge City fame) came from Offerton in Stockport. Dodge Hall is just off Holiday Lane which is one of the local routes 🙂
[i]meaning that it's a shithole that's really easy to leave [/i]
Unless you choose to use the A6...
We have the widest working high street in Europe.. Apparently! 😕
Not sure its that obvious, but it is quite wide!
[i]The Dodge family (of Dodge Motors and Dodge City fame) came from Offerton in Stockport.[/i]
Now that is an A1, top-notch, great fact!
I suppose, after Offerton, Dodge City must have seemed quite tame 😉
Pilkingtons Removals started from Dickens Lane in Poynton.
Chorlton and the Wheelies. Nuff said.
Another for Lichfield is that it has a postman called Rich.... 🙂