Lowestoft Beach Village was the most easterly community in Britain before it was completely demolished in 1960's after many years of decline. It was in 1791 that the first primitive houses were built on the Denes a tract of land lying below the cliff.
The fishing industry was responsible for the growth of the beach village. This had always been an obvious area for such activities, and fish houses could be found along the base of the cliff.
As the Beach Village grew so the fishing fleet continued to expand. The connection with the sea was not always welcome. In 1897 the whole of the Beach Village flooded and lifeboat men who had put out to help vessels in distress returned to find their homes several feet deep in water.
In 1900 the population of the Beach was estimated at 2,500 people, thirteen public houses and the full range of working buildings.
Gradually, during the 20th Century, the effects of regular flooding and the desire for a higher quality of living accommodation began to take their toll and the Beach Village went into decline. By 1955 the first stages of slum clearance began and by the 1960's the Village had all but vanished to be replaced by a modern industrial estate.
For more information we recommend "The Grit: The Story of Lowestoft's Beach Village" by Jack Rose and Dean Parkin (Rushmere Publishing, 1997).
