Settlement Functions

1. As early settlements grew in size, each one tended to develop a specific function dependent on where it was placed.

2. Market towns are usually found in areas with fertile land and good transport links.

3. They may also be at the site of bridges, as mills were often built on rivers.

4. Market towns usually have a wide street, or market place with room for stalls.

5. They were an important part of rural life, with farmers bringing their produce to market to sell.

6. Seaside towns are found on the coast and have good beaches.

7. Many became popular due to being near industrial towns with large populations and good transport links.

8. Seaside towns usually have a range of facilities for visitors, including shops and cafes, hotels, amusement arcades and funfairs.

9. Ports are found where there are sheltered harbours, and tend to have flat land that can be used for building nearby.

10. The largest ports were found where there was a large industrial area inland that needed a place to import and export goods.

11. Sea ports handle ocean-going vessels, river ports deal with river traffic such as barges and shallow-draft boats.

12. Fishing ports are used for the landing and distribution of fish.

13. Some ports fell out of use, such as London and Manchester, due to the use of containers and larger ships.

14. Industrial towns developed during the Industrial Revolution and were often on, or near, coal fields and close to raw materials.

15. They had good transport links such as canals and railways.

16. They had a mix of housing and industry, with workers living close to their place of work.

17. The industrial towns grew rapidly as people came for jobs in the factories.

18. This caused problems of overcrowding, poverty and disease.

19. Many declined when pits closed, raw materials ran out and people began to buy goods from other countries.

20. Some industrial towns have now been re-developed and improved.

21. Many towns and villages existed because of coal.

22. Pit wheels dominated the landscape and the areas were full of pit cottages, built for the miners.

23. Mining communities were close knit, they had their own social clubs, shops and colliery brass bands.

24. The closure of pits in the 1980s and 1990s saw these villages and towns decline.

25. Railway towns owed their development to the coming of the railways.

26. Spa towns are situated around a mineral spa, and people visited to improve their health.