Gorleston

Coordinates: 52°34′33″N 1°43′25″E / 52.5757°N 1.7235°E / 52.5757; 1.7235

Gorleston-on-Sea
Gorleston-on-Sea  Gorleston-on-Sea shown within Norfolk
Population	5,882 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	TG520040
District	Great Yarmouth
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	GREAT YARMOUTH
Postcode district	NR31
Dialling code	01493
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	Great Yarmouth
List of places: UK • England • Norfolk

Gorleston-on-Sea is adjacent to the town of Great Yarmouth, in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated to the south and west side of the River Yare which separates it from Great Yarmouth.

History

Gorleston's history predates that of Great Yarmouth, and being on the west bank of the river, it is historically in the county of Suffolk. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book as being held by Earl Guert and having salt-pans for the production of salt. In the Middle Ages it had two manors, Gorleston manor and a small manor called Bacons. In 1511 it was united with the hamlet of Southtown, whose parish church of St Mary was demolished in 1548, the stone being used to build a pier. Administratively, Southtown became part of Great Yarmouth in 1681, but it remained in the ecclesiastical parish of Gorleston.

As part of the Parliamentary Reform Act of 1832, the parish of Gorleston-on-Sea was included in Great Yarmouth for electoral purposes, and in 1835 became part of the municipal borough of Great Yarmouth, although remaining associated with the county of Suffolk until 1891. Since April 1, 1974, it has formed part of the urban area of Great Yarmouth, which is itself a portion of the larger current Borough of Great Yarmouth.

Gorleston-on-Sea's main claim to fame is as the historic centre of the herring fishing industry with sailing drifters. It was a major seaside resort in Edwardian times.

It once had three railway stations on a line running from Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft: Gorleston North which closed in 1942, and Gorleston and Gorleston Links, both of which closed on 2 May 1970 when the line itself ceased operating.

The modern town

Gorleston-on-Sea remains a resort, and retains much of its Edwardian charm in the area around the beach. The beach regularly achieves Blue Flag status. The high street is currently home to a small number of British chains stores such as Iceland and Superdrug. There is also a library which was opened in 1977, replacing the previous 1904 building which was paid for by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It has recently been renovated and now includes a coffee shop and large children's section.

There are many education facilities in Gorleston including the East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Lynn Grove High School, Cliff Park High School and Oriel High School. There is also a large golf club on Gorleston Cliffs to the south of the town.

A major health facility located in Gorleston-on-Sea is the James Paget Hospital, which provides a service for the whole area.

Transport

Road

Gorleston is served by the A12 road, which heads south to London via Ipswich.

Approximately 1 mile from Gorleston, at Vauxhall roundabout, the start of the A12 connects to the the start of the A47 which heads west to Norwich and onto Nuneaton via Kings Lynn, Peterborough and Leicester.

Rail

The nearest railway station is Great Yarmouth, about 4 miles away.
Gorleston-on-Sea once had 3 stations (Links Halt, Gorleston-on-Sea and Gorleston North), all on the same Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft line. This was closed in 1970. The route of which now forms the Gorleston section of the A12, known as the Inner Relief Road.

Lifeboat station

There has been an RNLI lifeboat station in Gorleston since 1866.^[1] It is located on Riverside Road (52°34′32″N 1°43′55″E / 52.5754192°N 1.7320392°E / 52.5754192; 1.7320392) from where are operated the Trent class lifeboat Samarbeta and the B class (inshore) lifeboat Seahorse IV.^[2]

Entertainment

Gorleston Pavilion is the one theatre in the town, which hosts a summer season and variety of touring and local acts.

Notable people

• Hannah Spearritt
• Robert Larkman (Computer Networker, Free-thinker, After-dinner Speaker)
• Myleene Klass
• Jeremy Goss

See also

• Gorleston (Range Rear) Lighthouse
• Gorleston South Pier Lighthouse

References

1. ^ RNLI history of Great Yarmouth & Gorleston lifeboat station.
2. ^ http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/east/stations/GreatYarmouthandGorlestonNorfolk/fleet

• Norfolk Record Office Information Leaflet 33: Gorleston, Southtown and Runham Vauxhall (Norwich: Norfolk Record Office, 2006)

External links

• Gorleston heritage website

v • d • e Ceremonial county of Norfolk County town: Norwich Boroughs and districts Breckland • Broadland • Great Yarmouth • King's Lynn and West Norfolk • North Norfolk • Norwich • South Norfolk Cities and towns Acle • Attleborough • Aylsham • Cromer • Dereham • Diss • Downham Market • Fakenham • Gorleston-on-Sea • Great Yarmouth • Harleston • Hingham • Holt • Hunstanton • King's Lynn • Loddon • North Walsham • Norwich • Reepham • Sheringham • Stalham • Swaffham • Thetford • Wells-next-the-Sea • Wroxham • Wymondham See also: List of civil parishes in Norfolk History • Parliamentary constituencies • Places

v • d • e   Lifeboat stations in Norfolk (RNLI) Caister Beach Company lifeboats Unnamed 1st • Unnamed 2nd No. 1 station lifeboats James Pearce • Covent Garden I • Covent Garden II • Covent Garden III • James Leath No. 2 station lifeboats The Boys • Godsend • Beauchamp • Nancy Lucy • Charles Burton • Jose Neville • Royal Thames CVRS lifeboats Shirley Jean Adye • Bernard Matthews I • Bernard Matthews II Notable crew James Haylett • Charles Bonney George    Lifeboat disaster Caister lifeboat disaster (1901) Cromer Beach station lifeboats Unnamed 1st  • Unnamed 2nd  • Unnamed 3rd (RNLI) • Benjamin Bond Cabbell I (ON 12) • Benjamin Bond Cabbell II (ON 495) • Louisa Heartwell (ON 495) • Alexandra (ON 514) • Harriot Dixon (ON 770) • Jose Neville (ON 834) • William Henry and Mary King (ON 980) • Spirit of Round Table • Chloe Pier station lifeboats H F Bailey (ON 670) • H F Bailey (ON 694) • H F Bailey II (ON 714) • City of Bradford (ON 680) • H F Bailey III (ON 777) • J B Proudfoot (ON 694) • Millie Walton (ON 840) • Henry Blogg (ON 840) • Edward and Isabella Irwin (ON 778) • The Cunard (ON 728) • Ruby and Arthur Reed (ON 990) • Good Hope (ON 821) • William Gammon (ON 849) • Guy and Clare Hunter (ON 926) • Sam and Joan Woods (ON 1075) • Ruby and Arthur Reed II (ON 1097) • Her Majesty The Queen (ON 1189) • Lord Saulton (ON 1138) • Saint Cybi (ON 1095) • Royal Shipwright (ON 1162) • Lester (ON 1287) Notable crew Henry Blogg · Henry Thomas Davies Notable rescues SS Cantabria · SS English Trader · SS Georgia · Stuart Hill (sailor) · SS Mount Ida · HMS Vortigern (D37) Great Yarmouth & Gorleston Lifeboats The Manby • Unnamed 2nd • Unnamed 3rd • Unnamed 4th aka Duff aka Abraham Thomas • Refuge • Elizabeth Simpson • Brave Robert Sheldon aka Mark Lane I • Mark Lane II • Thora Zelma • John Burch • Mark Lane III • Leicester I • Leicester II • Leicester III • City of Glasgow • James Stevens No.3 • Hugh Taylor • John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood I • Agnes Cross • Kentwell • James Finlayson • John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood II • Louise Stephens • Khami • Barham • Samarbeta Lifeboat disasters Gorleston lifeboat disaster (1866) · Gorleston lifeboat disaster (1867) · Gorleston lifeboat disaster (1881) · Gorleston lifeboat disaster (1888) Happisburgh   Hunstanton   Sheringham Private lifeboats Augusta • Henry Ramey Upcher RNLI lifeboats Duncan • William Bennett (ON 11) • J C Madge (ON 536) • Forester’s Centenary (ON 786) • The Manchester Unity of Oddfellows (ON960) • ILB (D 204) • Lloyds II (ON 986) • ILB (B 536) • Lions International (B 539) • Manchester Unity of Oddfellows (B 702)  Notable rescues SS Eaglescliffe Hall Wells-next-the-Sea Lifeboat disaster Wells lifeboat disaster (1880) Related topics George William Manby · Hammond's Knoll · Haisborough Sands