Gorleston-on-Sea
Gorleston-on-Sea (/ˈɡɔːlstən/), known colloquially as Gorleston, is a town in the Borough of Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, England, to the south of Great Yarmouth. Situated at the mouth of the River Yare it was a port town at the time of the Domesday Book. The port then became a centre of fishing for herring along with salt pans used for the production of salt to preserve the fish. In Edwardian times the fishing industry rapidly declined and the town's role changed to that of a seaside resort.
| Gorleston-on-Sea | |
|---|---|
| town | |
The Pavilion Theatre | |
Gorleston-on-Sea Location within Norfolk | |
| Population | 24,785 |
| OS grid reference | TG520040 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GREAT YARMOUTH |
| Postcode district | NR31 |
| Dialling code | 01493 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| 52°34′33″N 1°43′25″E / 52.5757°N 1.7235°ECoordinates: 52°34′33″N 1°43′25″E / 52.5757°N 1.7235°E | |
History
The place-name 'Gorleston' is first attested in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Gorlestuna. It appears as Gurlestona in the Pipe Rolls of 1130. The first element may be related to the word 'girl', and is probably a personal name. The name could mean "girls' town or settlement", or a variant thereof, similar to Girlington in West Yorkshire.[1]
Historically the town was in the county of Suffolk. In the Middle Ages it had two manors, and a small manor called Bacons. The medieval church of St. Andrew stands in the town and by historical association gives its name to the Gorleston Psalter, an important example of 14th century East Anglian illuminated art. In 1832 the town became a part of Great Yarmouth for electoral purposes. Finally in 1835 it merged with the town and became part of Great Yarmouth in the county of Norfolk. Gorleston Barracks were established in 1853.[2] There were to be three railway stations in the town on the Yarmouth-Lowestoft Line. The stations on the line were Gorleston-on-Sea, Gorleston North and Gorleston Links which all closed between 1942 and 1970. The closest railway stations are now Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.
Its main attraction is its sandy "Edwardian Beach." It has traditional seaside gardens and model boat pond. It also has a theatre opposite the pier called the Pavilion. The main shopping centre is on High Street. It has its own golf club. There is also the hospital and a library. There is a lighthouse, lifeboat station and coastwatch station on Riverside Road.[3]
St Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, built in 1938–39, was Eric Gill's only complete work of architecture.
In the Great Storm of 1987, Gorleston-on-Sea experienced the highest wind speed recorded in the UK on that day, which was 122 mph (196 km/h).
The town is meticulously described in the novel Gorleston by Henry Sutton (Sceptre, 1995) and in Philip Leslie's novels The History of Us (Legend Press, 2009) and What Remains (December House, 2013). Both Sutton and Leslie employ the actual names of roads and retail outlets in their work.
Gorleston-on-Sea's Pier Hotel and beach feature as a key location in Danny Boyle's 2019 film Yesterday.[4]
Education
There are a number of primary schools in the area serving Gorleston and the wider locality. Secondary schools include Cliff Park Ormiston Academy, Lynn Grove Academy and Ormiston Venture Academy.
East Norfolk Sixth Form College is located in Gorleston. It is a major sixth form provider in Norfolk, attracting students from a wide area.
East Anglian School for Deaf and Blind Children
The East Anglian School for Deaf and Blind Children (for deaf children and for blind children) was established in Gorleston in 1912 and based there until it closed in 1985.[5] During the Second World War the school was evacuated to Aberpergwm House in Glynneath, Wales.[6] The headmaster's house in Gorleston was severely damaged by bombing in 1941.[7]
Notable people
- William Adams (1864–1913) highly decorated lifesaver and swimming instructor[8]
- Jessica-Jane Applegate (born 1996) Paralympic swimmer and gold medalist
- Rowland Fisher (1885–1969) painter,[9] mainly known for his seascapes
- William Fleming GC (1865–1954) highly decorated lifeboatman[10]
- Ralph Jones GC (1900–1944) Gorleston born Australian soldier who was posthumously awarded the George Cross for gallantry[11]
- Paul Derek Gibbs (born 1972) former footballer,[12] approx. 200 club caps
- Peter Green (1946-2020) English blues rock guitarist and the founder of Fleetwood Mac. Green lived in Gorleston for a period in the early 1990's.[13]
- Maurice Kaufmann (1927–1997) actor[14] on stage, film and TV, married to Honor Blackman 1961-1975
- Myleene Klass (born 1978) TV presenter,[15] musician, former member of pop group Hear'say
- Gregg Lowe (born 1986) actor[16][17]
- Sammy Morgan (born 1946) former pro. footballer,[18] making over 260 appearances
- Kip Sabian (born 1992) professional wrestler, currently signed by American promotion, All Elite Wrestling
- Peter Simpson (born 1945) former footballer,[19] 370 pro appearances for Arsenal F.C.
- Hannah Spearritt (born 1981) actress[20] and former member of pop group S Club 7, grew up in Gorleston
- Henry Edward Sutton (born 1963) Senior Lecturer[21] in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia and award-winning crime novelist
See also
- Gorleston F.C., a non-League football club who play at Emerald Park in Gorleston-on-Sea
References
- ^ Eilert Ekwall, ' 'The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, p.201.
- ^ Historic England. "Southtown Road Workshop Range (1245811)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ RNLI history of Great Yarmouth & Gorleston lifeboat station 8 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Pier Hotel Gorleston". Retrieved 13 July 2019.
- ^ . Norfolk Deaf History. Archived from the original (GIF image) on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ Gosse, Peter. (PDF). Norfolk Deaf History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ Clapham, Lucy (10 December 2012). "Blue plaque marks the spot of important Gorleston landmark". East Anglian Daily Press. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "'This is beyond my wildest dreams' - family's pride as new Wetherspoon pub opens in Gorleston".
- ^ Hatfield Hines Galleries website, Rowland Fisher, 1885-1969 retrieved January 2018
- ^ Great Yarmouth Mercury, 14 October, 2017, Blue plaque to honour Gorleston lifeboat coxswain retrieved January 2018
- ^ Gordon, Harry (1996). "Jones, Ralph (1900–1944)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 9 August 2022 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
- ^ SoccerBase Database retrieved January 2018
- ^ Celmins, Martin (2022). Peter Green: Founder of Fleetwood Mac - Revised and Updated Edition. Omnibus Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-1-913172-54-1.
- ^ IMDb Database retrieved January 2018
- ^ IMDb Database retrieved January 2018
- ^ Coates, Liz. "Clinically dead X-Men actor revived at end of marathon". greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ IMDb Database retrieved January 2018
- ^ Gorleston F.C website, Previous managers retrieved January 2018
- ^ North American Soccer League Players, Peter Simpson retrieved January 2018
- ^ IMDb Database retrieved January 2018
- ^ Henry Sutton, Biography, University of East Anglia 16 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine retrieved January 2018
Sources
- Norfolk Record Office Information Leaflet 33: Great Yarmouth, (Norwich: Norfolk Record Office, 2006)
External links
- | Blue Plaques in Gorleston
- Great Yarmouth - The Golden Mile