The Beach Cafe, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, UK. - High Level Marks on Waymarking.com

In January 1953 the combination of a high spring tide, extremely low atmospheric pressure, and a strong northerly wind combined to force the water of the North Sea towards the south and the English Channel. But the Dover Strait is narrow and shallow so the water couldn't escape into the Channel and was trapped in the southern North Sea. Instead it was forced up onto the land of East Anglia and Lincolnshire causing massive inundation of the land. The very large waves caused severe damage to flood defences making the effect even worse, the water was some 5.6m above mean sea level in places, and the population of the costal towns and villages were unaware of the imminent flooding. As a result of poor communication 307 people were killed in the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, 19 were killed in Scotland, and 1800 people lost their lives in the Netherlands.

See:- 1953 Flood

In 1978 s similar storm surge swept down the North Sea. The depth of water was in some places greater than in the 1953 surge but at other places it was less. In Wells-next-the-Sea two major breaches occurred, flooding the adjacent marshes, damaging beach huts and grounding a 300-ton coaster on Wells quay car park. The storm washed away over ½ mile (800 m) of track of the Wells Harbour Railway. (Wikipedia)

Two major breaches were made in the long wall that runs from the quay to the lifeboat house at Wells, and extensive flooding of the marshes ensued, but the inner (i.e. western) limit ofthe flood was held by the wall built in 1720. Moreover, although there was some subsequent minor flooding, the salt water ran off quickly. The beach huts at Wells were much damaged and readers ofthe local and national press were made aware that a 300-ton coaster had been quietly left in the car park on Wells quay. A 25-ton fishing vessel in the Channel - the skipper was on board and below - dragged its anchors when the breach nearer the quay was made in the sea wall and was swept through to make, without serious damage, a 3 km circuit before it came to rest close to where the pavilion had been on the playing field. The rapid plugging of the seaward breach by a flight of helicopters each carrying and dumping half a ton or more of material from a quarry behind Wells was an operation worth watching. ( Extract from "The Storm Surge of 11 January 1978 on the East Coast of England", Environment Agency, by T Bayliss-Smith - ?1979

The marker is a simple cast brass plaque mounted on a pole on the bank just to the east of the Beach Cafe. It carries two lines with dates indicating the 'Still Water Flood Level'. Above this is a plaque also erected by the 'Anglian Water Authority / Norfolk & Suffolk River Division / This tide bank was rebuilt / after the surge tide of / 11th January 1978 which / overtopped and breached the / previous bank'.

Natural or man made event?: Natural What type of marker?: Plaque When did this occur?: 1953 and 1978 Website related to the event..: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
A picture showing the level along with any markers telling of what had occurred can be used. Better yet would be a picture of you or someone standing next to the high level mark, that would show if you would have been just wading or completely submersed.

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