904 REPORT— 1888. 



D. Notes on the Coast from the Wyre to the Bibble. 

 By A. DowsoN, 3 Great Queen Street, Westminster. 



The part of the coast to which my remarks refer extends from the mouth of the 

 Wyre, near Fleetwood, to the northern side of the estuary of the Kibble, near 

 Lytham. 



I am well acquainted with this coast, as I designed and superintended the 

 erection of a pier in the estuary of the Kibble; I also had to prepare evidence 

 relating to the removal of shingle from this district ; and I surveyed the northern 

 half of the estuary of the Kibble for the Parliamentary Inquiry with Reference to 

 the Kibble Navigation Act of 1883. 



The total length of coast is about 16 miles, Blackpool being situate about half- 

 way. About 11 miles of the coast below Kossall Point lies north and south, but the 

 remainder curves round eastward towards Lytham. 



The flood tide runs up the St. George's Channel from the south, past Blackpool on 

 to Fleetwood ; but part of it turns off eastward on striking the northern side of the 

 Kibble estuary. Spring tides rise about 28 feet. 



The district generally is flat and sandy, the level not being much above high- 

 water mark ; but north of Blackpool there are cliffs composed of loose clay, which 

 after the rains and frosts of winter frequently slip. Southward of Blackpool the 

 coast consists of extensive sand-hills varying in height from a few feet to 50 or 60 feet. 



The whole foreshore consists of fine sand of very varying widths. Towards high- 

 water mark there is a belt of shingle (largely composed of granite), the pebbles 

 varying in diameter from 6 inches and under. 



This stretch of coast being bounded both north and south by a river, the whole 

 supply of shingle (except that washed from its own cliffs) is cast up from the sea on 

 to the shore above Blacki^ool by westerly gales. It is then caused to travel past 

 Kossall Point to the AVyre by winds from the south, or past St. Anne's towards the 

 Kibble by winds from the north. 



This almost ceaseless supply of shingle leads to an immense accumulation at the 

 northern and southern limits, the name of ' TuUy Bank ' being given to the former, 

 and ' Double Stanncr ' to the latter. This growth has been going on from time 

 immemorial, as is shown by a large portion of the new watering-place known as St. 

 Anne's, being built on some of the old ridges of shingle, which are nearly 2 miles 

 eastward from where the ridges are now being formed. 



At Jlossall Point, and for about 3 miles south, timber groynes have been erected 

 at frequent intervals. The scouring is, however, very great, and it is only by con- 

 stant renewals that the sea is kept from encroaching. The bank at the shore ends 

 of the groynes is frequently hollowed out b}' the waves having been made to run 

 along the sides, and in manj' cases I have found it easier to pass under the bottom 

 planking of the groynes rather than to walk round by the bank. 



The ' Kossall Landmark,' which is an octagonal structure of considerable height, 

 was built by driving timber piles into the beach. In time this beach became so 

 scoured away that, to render the ' Landmark ' secure, new piles were driven deeper 

 alongside the old ones, to which they were bolted. At my last visit to this place 

 I found that the second .«et of piles were themselves being left bare, showing that 

 in spite of all the groynes in the neighbourhood the lowering of the foreshore 

 continued. 



A heavy sea embankment built to protect the grounds of Kossall School was also 

 seriously damaged by the sea. 



Blackpool was originally a small fishing village, having a large quantity of 

 shingle in front of it, and any damage done by the sea was at once repaired by the 

 person most interested, with the aid of his immediate neighbours. 



In course of time a rough stone footing was built to protect the cliff, and from 

 this date the shingle began to be driven away. 



The increase in the size of the town led to the making of a sea-wall, or what is 

 locally known as a ' hulking,' by sloping the front of the shore to about an angle of 

 50 degrees and paving it with stones. This wall was so undermined by the sea that 

 the foundations had to be carried down to a lower level. The sea then had a longer 

 incline up which to run, and of course to rush down again, striking against the 

 beach at the bottom and wearing it away. A second time this wall has been carried 

 lower, with the result that still heavier seas came against its face. 



A proof of this is that the surface of the foreshore is now several feet below what 



