Gorleston on Sea

Gorleston-on-Sea (), 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.

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.

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. 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.RNLI history of Great Yarmouth & Gorleston lifeboat station
.

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 .

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''.

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. During the Second World War the school was evacuated to Aberpergwm House in Glynneath, Wales. The headmaster's house in Gorleston was severely damaged by bombing in 1941.

Notable people

* William Adams (1864–1913) highly decorated lifesaver and swimming instructor
* Jessica-Jane Applegate (born 1996) Paralympic swimmer and gold medalist
* Rowland Fisher (1885–1969) painter, mainly known for his seascapes
* William Fleming GC (1865–1954) highly decorated lifeboatman
* Ralph Jones GC (1900–1944) Gorleston born Australian soldier who was posthumously awarded the George Cross for gallantry
* Paul Derek Gibbs (born 1972) former footballer, 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.
* Maurice Kaufmann (1927–1997) actor on stage, film and TV, married to Honor Blackman 1961-1975
* Myleene Klass (born 1978) TV presenter, musician, former member of pop group Hear'say
* Gregg Lowe (born 1986) actor
* Sammy Morgan (born 1946) former pro. footballer, making over 260 appearances
* Kip Sabian (born 1992) professional wrestler, currently signed by American promotion, All Elite Wrestling
* Peter Simpson (born 1945) former footballer, 370 pro appearances for Arsenal F.C.
* Hannah Spearritt (born 1981) actress and former member of pop group S Club 7, grew up in Gorleston
* Henry Edward Sutton (born 1963) Senior LecturerHenry Sutton, Biography, University of East Anglia
retrieved January 2018 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

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

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Borough of Great Yarmouth
Towns in Norfolk
Populated coastal places in Norfolk
Seaside resorts in England
Tourism in the United Kingdom
Ports and harbours of Norfolk
Port cities and towns of the North Sea
Marinas in England
Staple ports
Trading posts of the Hanseatic League