Great Yarmouth

On the mouth of the River Yare is the beachfront and former resort town of Great Yarmouth that dates to before the Conqueror. School break so lots of kids sat the amusement parks and prior to my arrival a few warmer than average days that must have kept the rubble beach hopping

The Gable’s End was a nice water facing guest house

 

After dropping my kit it was time to shake off the train ride with a wander down the promenade filled with arcade games, fast food, candy shops and the usual dreck.  And it turns out a town with a very high number of mobility scooters.  Walking and eating is not as easy as it seems.

Wealthy Great Yarmouth merchants in the 1700’s had these Row houses built on the river.  Eventually they were divided for multi-tenants and most were either  destroyed in WWII or torn down in disrepair.

The Dutch tiles attest to the owner’s wealth

The most fascinating aspect were the intricate plaster of Paris ceilings

The town is situated on a 3 mile spit of land between the North Sea and the Yare so I knew if I kept walking I’d return to the center.  A very protected location that could hold massive ships as needed for North Seas oil

In the middle of a dark park in the middle of an industrial area there is a Doric column that celebrates Lord Sir Horatio Nelson with Britania on the top.

 

Town Hall

The church wasn’t open but is seems to be made of small rocks and concrete.  I noticed the same type rock in Canterbury on the walls, it is a shiny black inside which I guess area type of mica or flint.

I came across one of those frequently seen English outdoor markets and was a bit peckish so a plate of shellfish seemed perfect.

My accent seemed to make the vendor generous as an extra scoop of Cockles, Mussels & Whelk hit my plate.  I’ve only had mussels before but the other 2 were great too.

I don’t know why either

A gun shop caught me off guard, being in England and all,  but then as I looked I realized they were all air guns.  Each year in America some youth dies after pointing an airgun at a cop.

The Greatest Yarmouth Fisherman’s Hospital showed on divers plaques that the community appreciated and took care of their fishermen

Although “decayed” is a tad harsh!

The Minster Church of St. Nicholas, founded in 1101 is the largest parish church in England

Completed in 2010 this marks the 800th anniversary of King John’s Charter.  I believe that locals were used as the models

A hole in the ceiling and a big gear on the ground.  It turns out that pigeon droppings were literally mucking up the gears for the bells.