222 NOTES RELATING TO COAST 



enclosed to have been then subject to occasional overflow. There are also 

 curious isolated 'hills' of shingle and clay on some of the enclosed marshes, 

 evidently washed together by sea action. ' Dunes ' of blown sand fringe the 

 coast of St. Osyth for 2^ miles, infringing perhaps 50 to 150 yards on the 

 marshes; their height is 12 to 15 feet. He did not think that they wert^ 

 increasing and they are prevented from spreading landways by a long salt' 

 water 'crick,' locally so-called, which runs close behind them inland. 



In the same Report, Mr. Peter S. Bruff, M. Inst. C.E., gave evidence 

 relating to the Suffolk and Essex coasts, from the river Deben to near the 

 river Colne. He described the nature of the coast as varying — cliff, flat 

 'denes' and embanked marshes. The Cliffs are London Clay, sometimes 

 capped with crag, gravel or sand; their greatest height above H.W.M. being 

 68 feet, and least 6 feet; an average of 37 feet. The coast-line lies N.E. to 

 S.W. and the prevailing wind is S.E. to S.W. In raising high waves the 

 most important wind is the N.E. to S.W. ; in piling up shingle the most 

 important wind varies locally from E. to W. (N. to W. at Walton), and in 

 travelling of shingle the N.E. to E. is most efficient. The set of the tidal 

 currents is N.E. to S.W. The range of tide in vertical feet at springs is 

 II ft. 6 in., and at neaps, 8 feet. The width of spring tide between high and 

 low water is from the Deben to the Orwell 25 yards, at Walton-on-Naze 

 230 yards, and at Clacton 150 yards. From the Deben to the Orwell the 

 area covered by the tide consists of sand and shingle with occasional layers of 

 cement stone at the foot of the beach. From the Orwell to the Colne 

 there is a clay flat at foot of the beach uncovered at low water. The shingle is 

 about 30 to 40 vards broad at Felixstowe and Clacton. With respect to the 

 tide mark it is sometimes evenly distributed, and sometimes in patches with 

 sand between, and it travels from N.E. to S.W. A small proportion of the 

 pebbles are as large as hens' eggs, the majority much less. A ridge of shingle 

 is formed by the spring and neap tides, the height above the respective tide 

 marks varying according to the state of the wind. The average height would 

 be about 2 feet above the tide marks Where not protected by groynes the 

 shingle is diminishing, by natural causes. The groynes of timber-piles and 

 planks are 30 or 40 yards long, generally at right angles to the shore line, at 

 varying distances apart, and of very diverse heights ; there are some stone 

 ones at Walton-on-Naze. Between the Deben and the Orwell, they arrest the 

 shingle very effectually, and prevent the loss of foreshore and land. At 

 Walton the same is true in a less degree A considerable quantity of shingle 

 has been taken from the beach at Clacton at about high-water mark, for road- 

 making and for concrete for building. It is said that some 40 or 50 years ago 

 cement stone was dredged and otherwise removed in front of Felixstowe, which 

 removal had an injurious effect upon the coast, but the practice has long been 

 discontinued. The coast is being worn back by the sea at Felixstowe, 

 between the 'Lodge Point' and Martello Tower P., and also at Walton 

 and Frinton. At Felixstowe the greatest loss was where there was 'flat 

 ( 'Benthill') at the foot of cliffs. At Walton and Frinton there are London 

 Clay cliffs 40 to 68 feet above high water. At places as much as 100 feet is 

 lost by erosion in 10 years, but a fair average would be about half that 

 amount. The loss at Felixstowe is practically stopped by the groynes on the 

 beach For data, the Tithe-maps of the parishes in question may be compared 



