Project Work “Small towns of England”

Комитет по образованию

администрации муниципального образования «Город Саратов»

Муниципальное казённое учреждение «Городской методический центр»

Муниципальное автономное общеобразовательное учреждение

«Лицей № 15»

Муниципальная научно-практическая конференция

«Мир на ладони»

Работа : “Small towns of England”

                                                Выполнила:

                                                                                ученица 8 «Б» класса

                                                                  МАОУ «Лицей № 15»

                                                           Филенкова Арина

                                                                    Научный руководитель:

                                                                          учитель английского языка

                                                                                Мочаева Лилия Владимировна

Саратов, 2026

Contents

Introduction…………………………………………………………...……………3

The theoretical part                                                                                                      

1. The market town of Bakewell…………………………………………………..4

1.2. The “smugglers’ town” of Rye……………………………………………...… 5

1.3. The incredible edible Todmorden………………………………………………6

The practical part

2.1. Top 5 accommodation and places to visit in Bakewell, Rye and Todmorden………………………………………………………………….………7

Conclusion…...……………………………………………………………………..8

Sources...…………………………………………………………………………...9

Appendix I…………………………………………………..…………………….10

Appendix II………………………………………………………………………..12

Introduction

In the era of globalization and transportation development, travelling has become an integral part of many people’s lives. We go on business trips, take vacations, and explore new cities and countries.

For those who study English one of the dreams is to visit England one day, to learn its history and customs, to understand its character and to get acquainted with local people and remarkable places.

The name “England” is usually associated with the city of London and its major attractions like the Tower of London, Big Ben, the London Eye, red double-decker buses and many other places and things that have become the symbols of the country.

Interestingly, that England counts about 55 cities and towns and all of them are unique destinations for tourists because they keep the history, the character and the spirit of the whole country.

Relevance: While studying English for a long time, I have already learned many facts about England, its capital city of London, student cities like Cambridge and Oxford. It is time for me to learn more about some smaller places of England that are amazing and worth visiting for tourists.

Purpose: to get acquainted with fascinating facts about some English towns, to find and analyse information about the accommodation, prices and local attractions and to present it in the leaflet that will be useful for travellers who are eager to visit “unknown” English towns.

Tasks:

1. to study the literature on the topic;

2. to highlight the most interesting places for visiting and give information about their attractions;

3. to analyse information about the accommodation places,  prices and local attractions;

4. to create an information leaflet.

1. The theoretical part.

1.1 The market town of Bakewell.

City status has little statistical significance in UK because it is not a measure of a city's size and only holds a ceremonial status. The title of “city” was initially informal and the usual criterion in early modern Britain was the presence of a cathedral to give the settlement the status of a city. Historically, “towns” were any settlement with a charter, including market towns and ancient boroughs.

 Modern England counts 55 cities and thousands of small towns. Among the diversity of English settlements, the market town of Bakewell attracts with its history and cuisine. It lies on the River Wye, 15 miles (23 km) south-west of Sheffield. It is the largest settlement and only town within the boundaries of the Peak District National Park.  Bakewell itself was founded in Anglo-Saxon times in the Anglian kingdom of Mercia. The name Bakewell means a spring or stream of a woman named Badeca or Beadeca, so deriving from a personal name with the Old English suffix wella.

The town attracts with its beautiful ancient streets, centuries-old stone buildings, and houses. One of the major sight is All Saints' Church, a Grade I-listed church that was founded in 920, in Saxon times. The church contains a selection of medieval and Anglo-Saxon cross fragments and carved stones collected by Thomas Bateman. Another striking sight is the town's Old House Museum. It occupies a 16th-century dwelling house originating from the time of Henry VIII.   The third town’s historic landmark is the medieval Haddon Hall castle. It features a chapel that has partially survived from the late Romanesque period. The castle was built in the 15th century, and the surrounding garden was designed in the Baroque era. In 1990, the garden underwent a complete renovation. Breathtaking views open up from its terrace. It was right here, on the castle grounds, that filming for the famous films, like “Jane Eyre”, “Elizabeth”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “The Other Boleyn Girl”, “The Princess Bride” took place.

The town is also home to one of England’s most splendid treasure houses — Chatsworth House. It astounds visitors with its lavish interiors and the exquisite art collection of the Dukes of Devonshire, which has been their residence for several centuries. The building is a rare example of Baroque aesthetics in the UK. The first Duke of Devonshire, who enlisted the finest experts of the time for the project, launched the construction of the palace in 1687. Today, Chatsworth House is highly popular among tourists and serves as a picturesque filming location.

Many tourists visit Bakewell to soak up its historic atmosphere and try the original Bakewell pudding, a dessert consisting of a flaky pastry base with a layer of sieved jam topped with a filling made of egg and almond paste. It was first made by accident in 1820 and became the popular dish.

1.2 The “smugglers’ town” of Rye.

Another tourist destination is a small town and a civil parish, which is two miles from the English Channel, named Rye. A small town with an area of 4,2 km is located in East Sussex, on a hill near the seacoast, on the right bank of the River Rother.

In the past, there was a fishing settlement here that existed even before the Norman Conquest. In the 13th century, Rye became an important seaport and considered to be among the most privileged ports in England. Over time, the sea began to recede, and the town lost its role as a port. Today, the sea is 3 km away from it.

The French and Spanish repeatedly subjected Rye to attacks during the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, Rye was also known as the “smugglers’ town”. The cellars and underground passages of the town were fully occupied by smugglers, who set up a network of hiding places there.

The town has its own valuable landmarks. The historical buildings have been preserved here. The main historical streets are rightfully considered to be Watchbell Street, Mermaid Street, and Church Square. Most of Rye’s houses were built between the 15th and 18th centuries.

One of the oldest buildings in the town is the Ypres Tower. This tower was erected in 1249 and was also known as the Biddings Tower. Later, its name was changed in honour of its creator, John de Ypres. Today, it houses a historical museum.

Another place that is worth visiting is St. Mary’s Church, founded in the 12th century. The church houses a clock, that was built in 1561. A distinctive feature of the clock is an 18‑foot‑long pendulum that swings inside the church premises.

The historic building on Mermaid Street is the Mermaid Hotel. It is one of the most popular hotels in the south‑east of England. The building was constructed back in 1420, and Tudor‑style additions were erected in the 16th century. The cellars, which were built in 1156, have been well preserved. Local people say that the ghosts of executed criminals and women sometimes appear in the hotel.

3.  The incredible edible Todmorden.

Todmorden is a market town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England. It is 17 miles (27 kilometres) north-east of Manchester. Todmorden is located at the confluence of three steep-sided Pennine valleys and is surrounded by moorlands with outcrops of sandblasted gritstone. The name Todmorden originated in 1246. It once meant 'Totta's border-valley'. The Settlement in medieval Todmorden was dispersed, most people living in scattered farms or in isolated hilltop agricultural settlements. Todmorden grew to relative prosperity by combining farming with the production of woollen textiles. Later the town became famous for its industrial production. However, in the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, industry became unnecessary. The factories closed down, and the local people began to commute to Manchester for work. Todmorden fell into economic and social depression.

In 2008, a group of local residents including Mary Clear initiated the Incredible Edible project to raise awareness of food issues and in particular local food and food provenance in the town. The project has been responsible for the planting of 40 public fruit and vegetable gardens throughout the town, with each plot inviting passers-by to help themselves to the open source produce. The gardeners’ first victory was an agreement with the local nursing home. They managed to uproot the decorative yew garden in front of it and plant cherries and apple trees there instead. Vegetable flower beds and fruit orchards began to appear on the streets. The town residents began to pay more attention to the origin of the food on their tables, as well as in cafes and restaurants, which filled local farmers with optimism. Farmers’ markets and the culture of consuming locally‑produced food became an important part of the town’s life. The project has attracted publicity, media attention and visitors.

Wandering around the town of Todmorden, tourists have the opportunity to visit the local landmarks. The Todmorden Town Hall is a very important building in the town. It was designed in the Neo-Classical style. This grand building stands over the Walsden Water, a small river. Other famous buildings include Dobroyd Castle, finished in 1869. There is also the Edwardian Hippodrome Theatre. The Grade I listed Todmorden Unitarian Church was built from 1865 to 1869. Its tall spire is the highest point in the town. It is still used for religious services and community events.

Todmorden is located along famous walking and biking trails. The town has canals, locks, a park with a sports centre, and a skateboard park.

 2. The practical part

England is an astonishing country. Every its part amazes its guests and visitors. Tourists can admire the beauty and the magnificence of the most popular historical landmarks and value the unique medieval specimens in small towns, survived up to the present time. The towns offer guests everything that they need for a comfortable stay: hotels (including a five star one), cafés, and cosy restaurants.  

As part of my work, I have found relevant information about accommodation places for tourists and have chosen the top 5 spots for them to stay in the towns of Bakewell, Rye and Todmorden according to the reviews of the guests. The results of my research are presented in the Appendix I.

In addition, I have conducted the survey among my classmates whether they are interested in travelling to England and seeing not only the most remarkable and symbolic places of the country, but the less known spots and their landmarks. The results of the survey (see Appendix II) show a great interest of my friends to the places and I presented some facts to them and hope that in future they will definitely visit the above-mentioned towns in England and will use my leaflet as a trip guide.

Conclusion.

Traveling is not just about moving through space, but an opportunity to touch something new and unexplored. It broadens horizons, changes the way we perceive the world, and leaves an indelible mark on the soul.

In this work, I wanted to share my reflections on what it means to travel. It is not only to see other countries and cities, but also to discover something important within oneself.

Travelling to small towns of England will give people the chance to discover the character of the country, to feel its spirit and touch to the glorious history while watching the sights, trying local cuisine and staying in hotels, inns and castles survived from the medieval times.

Sources

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_the_United_Kingdom#/maplink/0
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_towns_in_England
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakewell
4. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g209968-Activities-Bakewell_Peak_District_National_Park_England.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakewell_pudding
6. https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/things-to-do-in-rye
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rye,_East_Sussex
8. https://dzen.ru/a/YjBO4XY0TmpRQAwj
9. https://www.visitcalderdale.com/see-and-do/food-and-drink/incredible-edible-todmorden/
10. https://www.tripadvisor.ru/Attractions-g668290-Activities-oa30-Todmorden_West_Yorkshire_England.html
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todmorden

Appendix I

Top-5 accommodation places of Bakewell, Rye and Todmorden.

Bakewell accommodation places:

Rye accommodation places:

Todmorden accommodation places:

Appendix II

The respondents: Russian teenagers of 14-15 years old

The number of the respondents: 30 students

The survey questions:

1. Would you like to visit England one day?
2. Have you ever heard of small English towns?
3. Would you like to explore some of English small towns and visit their landmarks?

The results of the survey: