Ever wondered why Hull's full name is Kingston upon Hull? Well, here's a bit of history from Wikipedia:
"The valley of the River Hull has been inhabited since the early Neolithic period but there is little evidence for a substantial settlement in the area where the town of Kingston upon Hull was sited. The situation was attractive to its early developers because of its ability to give access to a prosperous hinterland and navigable rivers, but the actual site was not as good as it was remote and low lying with no fresh water. It was originally an outlying part of the hamlet of Myton when, in the late 12th century, it was chosen by the monks of Meaux Abbey to develop as a new town which they named Wyke upon Hull after John Wyke, Archbishop of York. The locals flatly refused to call their town Wyke, and used Hull, the name of the river, instead.
The River Hull was a good haven for shipping whose main trade was in the export of wool from the abbey. In 1293 the town was acquired from the abbey by King Edward I, who later granted a royal charter, dated 1 April 1299, that renamed the settlement King's town upon Hull, or Kingston upon Hull."
Hull is really developing at the moment, and this shows in the retail, business and leisure sectors.
In retail, the new St Stephens mall has recently opened with immediate success. This flagship shopping centre combines with the new Paragon rail/bus interchange to give the centre of Hull a new focus. The planned expansion of Princes Quay on the river front will further enhance Hull's attraction for locals and tourists alike.
Hull is also developing rapidly for businesses. Humber Quays now provides world-class office space, with fantastic views over the river, and is home to prestigious names such as Royal Bank of Scotland, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the World Trade Centre Hull & Humber. The recent upgrading of the port rail link will further enhance the capabilities of the maritime sector which already employs over 20,000 people.
Hull's leisure sector has never been stronger. The Deep - the award-winning aquarium - is a world-renowned success; the much-acclaimed Hull Truck Company has just moved to a brand-new theatre in St Stephens, and at long last Hull City is bringing Premiership football to the area.
Here are a few things Hull is famous for:
Hull City, Hull FC, KC Stadium, Hull KR, Hull Vikings, Hull Stingrays, Cream phone boxes, Humber Bridge - once the largest single-span bridge in the world, William Wilberforce, The Deep, John Prescott, Alan Johnson, Holy Trinity - the largest parish church in England, Fishing Industry, Hull to Rotterdam and Hull to Zeebrugge ferries, Smith & Nephew, Reckitts, Vue Cinema, Princes Quay - the first fully digital cinema in Europe, The Arctic Corsair, Hull Truck Theatre, John Godber, Hull Philharmonic Orchestra, The Housemartins, Everything But The Girl, The Humber Mouth, Hull Fair - one of the largest in Europe, Hull Real Ale Festival, Hull Jazz Festival, Hull Comedy Festival, Clipper Round the World yacht race, Hull Prison, Amy Johnson, Clive Sullivan, Maureen Lipman, Debra Stephenson, Brian Rix, Gerald Thomas, John Alderton, Tom Courtenay, Ian Carmichael, Michelle Dewberry and Yasmina Siadatan - winners of The Apprentice, Nicky Barmby, Dean Windass, Stuart Pearson.
Hull really is a great place to live, or to visit. For more details about the city visit the Online Guide to Hull
