Hemsby
Encyclopedia
Hemsby is a village
, civil parish
and seaside resort
in the English
county
of Norfolk
. It is situated some 12 km (7.5 mi) north of the town of Great Yarmouth
.
The civil parish has an area of 7.14 km² (2.8 sq mi) and in the 2001 census
had a population of 2,973 in 1,221 households. Hemsby borders the villages of Winterton-on-Sea
and Scratby. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district
of Great Yarmouth
.
A Norfolk county map dated around 1610 shows a headland, called Winterton Ness
, extending into the sea north-east of Hemsby. This headland has now almost entirely disappeared through coastal erosion
.
. The village was founded at some point during this time. The settlement grew steadily and is listed in the Domesday Book
under the name of Haimesbei with a description of "a hamlet
covering 43 meadow acres with 50 households, 3 slaves, 2 salt pans and 160 sheep."
coastline defences. Erosion
is a major problem in the surrounding villages of Winterton-on-Sea
and Caister where sandy cliffs are being destroyed by the forces of the sea. Hemsby's dunes are also being eroded but the wide beach means the effects are less noticed.
shop, hairdressers and Chinese restaurant. This is also the main location for buses into Great Yarmouth
and Martham
. St Mary the Virgin Church was built in the 12th century and is a landmark in the village. The Scroby Sands wind farm
was built in 2003 and is clearly visible from the village and the beach. The Blood Hill wind farm
is also near the village in Winterton.
The upper end of the road is populated by houses and accommodation parks, consisting mainly of chalet
s and caravan
s. The largest of the accommodation parks was a branch of Pontins, but this closed suddenly in January 2009 after a review from Pontins new owners Ocean Parks.
At the beach end of the road are a number of cafes, shops and amusement arcade
s.
Hemsby is well-known for its amusement arcades. A wide variety of games and services is on offer including ten-pin bowling, bingo, a play area and many different machines.
A variety of seaside-style cafes and restaurants are available, offering sit-down meals, take-away fish and chips
and Chinese food.
Fun fairs, crazy golf courses and children's rides also feature on a number of sites along the street.
Hemsby is a great holiday place, great for a family hoilday. It has many of things to entertain the children, and will entertain young adults. Hemsby has many of amusements. Hemsby also offers you and outstanding beach, Where you could have a peaceful walk, or maybe a run, or just lay and try and get a sun tan!
Focusing on the village's Viking origins, Middleton proposed a new strapline for the resort "1200 years of seaside fun" with an accompanying logo showing a laughing Viking brandishing a bucket and spade.
The Viking theme was continued with the announcement of Norfolk's first Viking Festival held on 18, 19 and 20 June. The Festival, included a Viking encampment and re-enactments of battles, as well as a Scandinavian market and music. Benny Andersson, formerly of Swedish band ABBA
, was invited to perform at the Festival, and to judge an ABBA tribute band competition.
Hemsby got further attention from the media and from politicians when plans were announced for an "Eden of the East" project involving an eco-tourism park based on the old Pontins site. The project, designed to be environmentally friendly and to provide revolutionary 'open air' camping all-year-round inside giant geodesic domes, is hoped to bring a new wave of visitors to the Norfolk resort.
which was located on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
between Great Yarmouth (Beach)
and Melton Constable
. It closed in 1959. Currently Hemsby is served by two First Eastern Counties bus services, the 1 and 3. The 3 serves Hemsby Beach and the 1 serves the village. Both stop at the Kingsway bus stop.
service that operates within the nearby coastal areas and the broads. The institution is independent of the RNLI, relying entirely upon public donations in order to operate.
Each year a fund-raising day, Hemsby Lifeboat Day, is held on the beach, with a variety of stalls and booths to attract visitors.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
, civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
and seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. It is situated some 12 km (7.5 mi) north of the town of Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
.
The civil parish has an area of 7.14 km² (2.8 sq mi) and in the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
had a population of 2,973 in 1,221 households. Hemsby borders the villages of Winterton-on-Sea
Winterton-on-Sea
Winterton-on-Sea is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. As its name suggests, it is situated on the coast some north of the town of Great Yarmouth and east of the city of Norwich.Ordnance Survey . OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East...
and Scratby. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (borough)
The Borough of Great Yarmouth is a local government district with borough status in Norfolk, England. It is named after its main town, Great Yarmouth.-History:...
.
A Norfolk county map dated around 1610 shows a headland, called Winterton Ness
Winterton Ness
Winterton Ness is an area of foreland on the North Norfolk coast of England.Winterton Ness is located to the north of the village of Winterton-on-Sea between in the north to to its south.. Technically it is a narrow cuspate foreland with a high obtuse angle between its two shorelines...
, extending into the sea north-east of Hemsby. This headland has now almost entirely disappeared through coastal erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
.
History
Hemsby along with much of the Norfolk coast was targeted by the Vikings, who initially raided the area in search of precious materials and slavesSlavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. The village was founded at some point during this time. The settlement grew steadily and is listed in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
under the name of Haimesbei with a description of "a hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
covering 43 meadow acres with 50 households, 3 slaves, 2 salt pans and 160 sheep."
Beaches
The beaches are one of the major tourist draws in the village, with miles of sandy coastline. Large sand dunes form a natural barrier between the beach and the village behind it. One of the more unusual features of the beach is a scattering of anti-tank blocks across the beach, left over from the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
coastline defences. Erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
is a major problem in the surrounding villages of Winterton-on-Sea
Winterton-on-Sea
Winterton-on-Sea is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. As its name suggests, it is situated on the coast some north of the town of Great Yarmouth and east of the city of Norwich.Ordnance Survey . OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East...
and Caister where sandy cliffs are being destroyed by the forces of the sea. Hemsby's dunes are also being eroded but the wide beach means the effects are less noticed.
Hemsby Village
Hemsby is split into two parts: Hemsby Village and Hemsby Beach. Hemsby Village is mainly the residential area located about a mile inland. Kingsway is an area of the village which includes a SPARSPAR
Spar , trades from approximately 12400 stores in 34 countries worldwide and is the world's largest independent voluntary retail trading chain. Spar was founded in the Netherlands in 1932 by retailer Adriaan Van Well and now, through its affiliate organisations, operates through most European...
shop, hairdressers and Chinese restaurant. This is also the main location for buses into Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and Martham
Martham
Martham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk and within the Broads National Park. It is situated some north-west of the town of Great Yarmouth and north-east of the city of Norwich....
. St Mary the Virgin Church was built in the 12th century and is a landmark in the village. The Scroby Sands wind farm
Scroby Sands wind farm
The Scroby Sands Wind Farm is a wind farm located on the Scroby Sands sandbank in the North Sea, off the coast of Great Yarmouth in eastern England, United Kingdom. It was commissioned in March 2004 by Powergen Renewables Offshore, a division of E.ON UK. It is expected to produce up to a maximum...
was built in 2003 and is clearly visible from the village and the beach. The Blood Hill wind farm
Blood Hill wind farm
Blood Hill is a wind farm near Hemsby in Norfolk, England. It is the smallest windfarm owned by E.ON; taking up 3 hectares. It has a nameplate capacity of 2.25MW which is enough to power 1000 homes at peak. There are 10 Vestas V27-225kW turbines which are 30 metres tall and stand on top of Blood...
is also near the village in Winterton.
Hemsby Beach
The tourist-based part of the village lies along Beach Road and is commonly known as Hemsby Beach. This area comprises a number of tourism industries and reaches from the centre of the village to the beach and dunes.The upper end of the road is populated by houses and accommodation parks, consisting mainly of chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
s and caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
s. The largest of the accommodation parks was a branch of Pontins, but this closed suddenly in January 2009 after a review from Pontins new owners Ocean Parks.
At the beach end of the road are a number of cafes, shops and amusement arcade
Amusement arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
s.
Hemsby is well-known for its amusement arcades. A wide variety of games and services is on offer including ten-pin bowling, bingo, a play area and many different machines.
A variety of seaside-style cafes and restaurants are available, offering sit-down meals, take-away fish and chips
Fish and chips
Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada...
and Chinese food.
Fun fairs, crazy golf courses and children's rides also feature on a number of sites along the street.
Hemsby is a great holiday place, great for a family hoilday. It has many of things to entertain the children, and will entertain young adults. Hemsby has many of amusements. Hemsby also offers you and outstanding beach, Where you could have a peaceful walk, or maybe a run, or just lay and try and get a sun tan!
Hemsby looks to the future
Hemsby started a major fight-back to prosperity in 2009 following the Pontins closure, when the resort's traders engaged brand expert Simon Middleton, known as The Brand Strategy Guru, to re-invigorate the resort's image.Focusing on the village's Viking origins, Middleton proposed a new strapline for the resort "1200 years of seaside fun" with an accompanying logo showing a laughing Viking brandishing a bucket and spade.
The Viking theme was continued with the announcement of Norfolk's first Viking Festival held on 18, 19 and 20 June. The Festival, included a Viking encampment and re-enactments of battles, as well as a Scandinavian market and music. Benny Andersson, formerly of Swedish band ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
, was invited to perform at the Festival, and to judge an ABBA tribute band competition.
Hemsby got further attention from the media and from politicians when plans were announced for an "Eden of the East" project involving an eco-tourism park based on the old Pontins site. The project, designed to be environmentally friendly and to provide revolutionary 'open air' camping all-year-round inside giant geodesic domes, is hoped to bring a new wave of visitors to the Norfolk resort.
Transport
Hemsby was once served by Hemsby railway stationHemsby railway station
Hemsby railway station was a station in Hemsby, Norfolk. It was on the line between Melton Constable and Great Yarmouth. It is now closed.-References:Former Services...
which was located on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
between Great Yarmouth (Beach)
Yarmouth Beach railway station
Yarmouth Beach railway station is a former railway station in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. It was opened in 1877 by the Great Yarmouth & Stalham Light Railway...
and Melton Constable
Melton Constable railway station
Melton Constable was a railway station on the Midland and Great Northern Railway which served the North Norfolk village of Melton Constable from 1882 to 1964...
. It closed in 1959. Currently Hemsby is served by two First Eastern Counties bus services, the 1 and 3. The 3 serves Hemsby Beach and the 1 serves the village. Both stop at the Kingsway bus stop.
Charities
Hemsby is home to the Hemsby Inshore Rescue Service (better known as Hemsby Lifeboat), an independent and voluntary lifeboatLifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
service that operates within the nearby coastal areas and the broads. The institution is independent of the RNLI, relying entirely upon public donations in order to operate.
Each year a fund-raising day, Hemsby Lifeboat Day, is held on the beach, with a variety of stalls and booths to attract visitors.
Churches
- St Mary the Virgin dates from the early 14th century.
Schools
Hemsby's only school is Hemsby First School, a mixed-sex school serving in the region of 100 pupils aged 4 to 8. The school buildings date back to 1904. Due to the nature of Hemsby and the seasonal work that is offered, the turnover of pupils from the school is relatively high as families move into or out of the area.External links
.- Information from Genuki Norfolk on Hemsby.
- Hemsby Parish Council website
- Hemsby Inshore Rescue Service website
- http://www.hemsbyfestival.org.uk