OBSERVATIONS ON CHANGES IN SEA COAST OF UNITED KINGDOM. 263 



tend to keep the sand and shingle up to the banks. Beach material (or 

 mud locally) is removed from the neighbourhood of Ingoldisthorpe, the 

 river Witham, and Skegness. The low coast of the last-named place 

 is unprotected by groynes. 



East Anglia. 



Entering the East Anglian coast at Salthouse we find an almost con- 

 tinuous record of erosion as far south as Harwich. But four gains of land 

 are recorded and but one stationary coast-section (Sizewell). Taking the 

 gains of land first, we note that a local increase is recorded opposite the 

 'C.G.S. at Winterton ; and at North Yarmouth, where the increase is 

 supposed to arise from the piers and jetty stopping the shingle travelling 

 •from the north. The third locality which shows a gain is the coast to 

 the north of Orford Ness, and that without the aid of groynes, while the 

 fourth and most southerly is on the eastern bank of the river Deben. On 

 the western side of the river the sea is encroaching. The gain at Winter- 

 ton appears to be purely local ; since both to the north and south of the 

 ■C.G.S. losses occur in spite of three groynes to the north of the station. 



Losses are reported from all other stations (nineteen in number), with 

 the exception mentioned above at Sizewell, where the coast line is said to 

 be stationary. The erosion necessarily varies greatly from point to point, 

 but may be taken as from 6 feet to 9 feet per annum. An exceptional 

 •case is that of the Low Lighthouse on Lowestoft Ness, which has been 

 moved back 249 feet in consequence of a loss to the headland on which it 

 ■stood of 120 feet in the year (probably 1899). Out of twenty-four coast- 

 guard stations sixteen are reported as being protected by groynes ; the 

 •exceptions are Orford Ness and to the north, the coast south of Great 

 Yarmouth, and north of Happisburgh. 



Shingle is removed from twelve stations along the coast, Shering- 

 liam, Cromer (by Lords of the Manor and Urban District Council), 

 Mundesley, Bacton, and Happisburgh (above high-water mark), Winterton 

 i(in quantity), Caister (except between Scratby and the lifeboat house, 

 •Caister), N. Yarmouth, Gorleston, Thorpe (in small quantities), Orford 

 Haven, and Felixstowe (between Beach Station Road and Martello 

 Tower Q). 



Taking the various stations in order, the following details may be 

 noted as being of interest. Information from Weybourne (Clay Sluice to 

 Sparrow Gap) is that ' most of the shingle beach for a quarter of a mile 

 to the west of the station was washed away, but is now coming back, 

 while 6 yards of cliff have been washed away to the eastward of the 

 station during the eight years the present occupier has been in charge ' 

 [up to July 1903]. At Sheringham six groynes exist, and liave made an 

 improvement in the beach, and a sea-wall is under construction. At 

 Cromer the coast is protected by six permanent or pile-driven groynes and 

 twenty-four Case groynes. Occasional large landslips and frequent small 

 landslips occur. Several important ones are recorded in 1899, 1901, and 

 1902 along the coast from Runton to Sidestrand : they varied from 

 100 to 160 yards in length and 18 to 70 yards in depth. Eight wooden 

 groynes have been built at Muiidesley, by which the shingle is at times 

 retarded, but at others it is scoured away. Several falls of cliff have 

 taken place since 1899. At Cox's Point the sea is said to have gained 

 20 yards since that date, and the annual loss over about five miles of 

 coast is estimated at 5 yards. 



