 |
[Home Page]
|
A Brief History of Hemsby
Hemsby is a small holiday village on the Norfolk coast
7 miles north of Great Yarmouth, the so-called Blackpool of the
East. The east coast of Norfolk has miles of golden sands stretching
North & South of Hemsby and although the water is cold Hemsby is
a relaxing place to have a holiday with plenty to interest locals
and visitors alike.It has not always been so - in the closing years of the eighth century, the Viking raids began. The Danes came over in their 'Orm Skibs' or 'Serpents'. They probably came in on the morning sea mists, their shallow-draft 'Serpents' creeping silently up on sandy beaches or through the reeds of the river mouths. The raiding party would rapidly assemble and then methodically work its way inland.
The name Hemsby is of Viking origin, (the suffix
'-by' in Danish means "farm" or "home" or "village"), so presumably
Hem's farm or home. That home slowly grew over the years and nearly
200 years later Hemsby is mentioned in the Doomsday book, being
described as a hamlet covering 43 meadow acres with 50 households,
3 slaves, 2 salt pans and 160 sheep.
The original church has been replaced by the present early 14th Century, 'St Mary the Virgin' Church which is central to modern day Hemsby. The vicar in 1324, was Robert de Langele and he was probably the first vicar of the new church. By 1801 there were 74 families with a total population of 367. Advance 50 years and the population had grown to 739 and by 1901 that number had not increased at all because in 1861 nearly 80 beachmen and fishermen migrated to the Scratby Parish and incoming families were still trying to make up the deficit. Today Hemsby has evolved dramatically with
a resident population of about 2,500 people which can grow to
about 22,000 in the peak holiday months.
Hemsby has always been a farming community with fishing as a major alternative. The annual Longshore Herring Festival held in September commemorates the most famous of those 'fishing' days. In days of yore however, a bit of smuggling was thrown in to enhance income and provide some excitement. In the winter of 1946 it would have seemed like 'de ja vous' for those old parishioners but it was a new experience for the then modern day smugglers. Imported fruit was still rationed, and the people were facing another Christmas without oranges, but a seafaring incident was about to change all that. The M.V. Bosphorus bound for Hull, struck the Scroby sands off the coast of Great Yarmouth, and in order to refloat their vessel the crew jettisoned its cargo of Jaffa oranges. Within hours this cargo was being washed up on the Hemsby's beaches. In a scene reminiscent of the film 'Whisky Galore' they were eagerly collected by the locals, armed with Tilley lamps, sacks, and whatever forms of transport they could lay their hands on.
The village also once had its own railway. Hemsby railway station opened on
16th To discover more about Hemsby's past please refer to the following publications: A history of Hemsby. [Typescript in Norwich Local Studies Library, 1980s] and The story of Hemsby-on-sea, its history and evolution. Glossary
* Villein - a feudal tenant entirely subject to a lord or attached to a manor |
Their
early targets were the churches and monasteries, looking for silver,
gold and slaves. When this source of wealth dried up they turned
their attention to the more mundane victims of farm and village
for food and horses. As the years went by, the Vikings came more
and more often, arriving in force in East Anglia in 866. Sometimes,
they would stay over-winter and so, over time, the raiders camps
turned into settlements. On November 20th 870, they killed the
East Anglian king, Edmund. However, it was not until after the
Treaty of Wedmore in 878, agreed between Alfred the Great of Wessex
and Gunthrum of Denmark, that Viking settlement of East Anglia
began in earnest.
The
bishop was the only landlord with 33 villeins* and 13 smallholders.
There was also a large green to the west of the original church.
Unfortunately with the progress of time that green has now disappeared
under housing development. In 1255 the vicar was William de Fotestun.
Because
of the nature of and the severity of the tides off our coast,
Hemsby has seen it's fair share of shipwrecks and drownings.
The Hemsby Inshore Rescue Service, a volunteer lifeboat service,
operates all year round from the Shed on the Beach providing
essential cover, looking after the safety of residents as well
as our thousands of visitors during the year.
May
1878. The Midland and Grt Northern, which was locally known
as the Muddle and Go Nowhere rail company, opened in 1887 and
closed in 1959. The railway line brought happy campers from
London and the Midlands during the summer months, when special
excursions were laid on. | Want to advertise or comment on our site? |
| Last Updated: 6th August 2008 | |