Blakeney, Norfolk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blakeney is a village and civil parish on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk, between Sheringham and Wells-next-the-Sea. It lies within the North Norfolk AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast. The North Norfolk Coastal Path passes through the village.[1]
The civil parish has an area of 9.9 km² and in the 2001 census had a population of 789 in 402 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North Norfolk.[2]
Blakeney was a commercial seaport until the early 20th century. Now the harbour is silted up, and only small boats can make their way out past Blakeney Point to the sea. The harbour and surrounding marshes are owned by the National Trust and is a nature reserve where seals can be seen basking on the sand.
Just inland from the harbour is Mariners Hill. This vantage point is believed to be man made, probably as a lookout point for the harbour. Adjacent to the hill, at the foot of the village's High Street, is the old Guildhall with a 14th-century undercroft.
Higher up the village, the Church of Saint Nicholas has two towers: the main tower is over 100 ft (30 m) high and a well-known landmark for miles around, and the smaller tower was built as a beacon to guide boats into Blakeney harbour.
[edit] Tourism
Because of Blakeney's location, it has become popular with tourists during the summer months. The village has two large hotels, The Manor, and The Blakeney Hotel as well as a 15 acre caravan site. Blakeney offers a large range of activities including crabbing, fishing, canoeing and also bird watching. The area of marshland around Blakeney point is owned by the National Trust and up to a hundred species of birds can be found there throughout the year. As well as the natural features of the village, there are also several pubs in the area that serve food and real ale which attract many visitors.
[edit] References
- ^ Ordnance Survey (2002). OS Explorer Map 251 - Norfolk Coast Central. ISBN 0-319-21887-2.
- ^ Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes. Retrieved December 2, 2005.
[edit] External links
- Map sources for Blakeney.
- Tide tables for Blakeney.
- Information from Genuki Norfolk on Blakeney.
- Blakeney webcam includes tide times
