Gill Wild Smeaton’s Tower is the famed red-and-white lighthouse in Plymouth (Devon) that now runs on solar power, but was originally powered by candles and then oil lamps. Made from granite blocks (outside) and Portland stone (inside) it was built by talented civil engineers who designed many other lighthouses across England, to warn ships of…
by the seaside
take a bracing walk along a seaside pier
Tracey Bowes Many seaside piers have been destroyed in storms or by arson. A few like Brighton pier are architectural masterpieces, and we also have Southend, the longest pier in the world. Designed originally to let ships dock when they could not get to land, they became popular as holiday walking destinations in Victorian times,…
learn the history of England’s beach huts
Geraldine Burles Beach huts were originally designed in Victorian times to let people discreetly change (unless you were rich enough to be wheeled out to sea in a ‘bathing station!), most have no running water, but a couple of deckchairs and a Thermos flask is all you need to gaze at the horizon, as the…
how to help protect grey & harbour seals
MHeath Grey and harbour seals are the two main species found in England. It’s common to view them off coasts of a few counties (Norfolk, Suffolk, Northumberland, Lincolnshire and Cornwall). This is because they like the wide and fairly mild (compared to some counties) beaches, to bask and give birth. However, leave seals well alone…