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Southwold,
the town and its people, have been shaped by the sea
- whether by erosion and flooding or by shipwreck,
lifesaving and fishing. |
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Southwold
is famous for its sandy shores, colourful beach
huts and coastal charm.
But the powerful North Sea
has also brought the town death and destruction.
High tides and gale-force winds have periodically
caused devastating floods, while storms and
shifting sandbars are a constant threat to shipping. |
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In
November 2007, a storm surge combined
with an exceptionally high tide
threatened to deliver a repeat
of the 1953
floods. In the event there
was a 3-hour gap between surge
and tide and damage was limited.
Click the picture to enlarge.
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19th
century records list 283 shipwrecks
in Southwold’s Sole Bay. Local fishermen formed
Beach Companies to salvage valuables from sinking ships
and to pick up survivors.
Alongside this private enterprise, volunteers founded
the Southwold Lifeboat Society in 1840. Sam
May was among the most well-known lifeboatmen, serving
for many years aboard the lifeboat Alfred
Corry. |
Find
out about this
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A
sailor's needlework
In
1879 a sailor on the barque, 'Emma', occupied
himself during those long watches with
a little needlework. The captain was his
uncle, a Southwold man, and his handiwork
is now in our museum. It's well worth
looking at in more detail. Just click
the picture. |
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Over
a million bricks to save the ships |
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Southwold's
lighthouse, built in 1889, towers over the town
at 30 m high. Discover its fascinating history
by clicking the photo.
(Ref P477) |
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SAM
MAY
LEGEND IN HIS OWN LIFEBOAT |
Click
the picture to find out who he was |
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See
the church that fell into the sea
Click
the picture
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