THE SUFFOLK GEOCOAST – BAWDSEY EAST LANE TO THE MANOR

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Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 47

THE SUFFOLK GEOCOAST – BAWDSEY EAST LANE TO THE MANOR ROGER DIXON This paper describes the coastal walk from the Martello Tower at East Lane, Bawdsey along the beach to Bawdsey Manor and Quay. The total distance on foot is about 2 ½ miles and should take about an hour if no stops are made. The walk is ‘easy’ – along level sand for most of the way, although walking on shingle is necessary at the southern end of the walk. However, the walk is tide-dependent, particularly at the northern end of the walk. Time your walk to coincide with low tide and to within two hours either side of it. • Do follow the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society field excursion guidelines. • Parts of the coastline are rapidly eroding and cliff falls occur at frequent intervals. The cliff is therefore unstable – do not go near the cliff, top or bottom, where there are overhangs. • The London Clay surface is extremely slippery – tread with great care. • Stout footwear is essential; dress appropriately for the weather; take plenty of water. East Lane Parking is available in a small car park adjacent to an abandoned WW2 gun site and defences [National Grid Reference TM358400], but the walk starts at the Martello Tower [TM356398]. For convenience at the end of the walk, a second car may be left at Bawdsey Quay [TM332378] or the nearby larger picnic site car park. Coastal Defences The recent history of the Martello Tower has been well documented in the local press. Built in 1809 with 750,000 bricks at a cost of £9,500, it helped protect the shore from Napoleon’s forces. In summary, prior to the 1990s it was protected by over 20 m of shingle beach and 25 m of land, and wooden groynes restricted long-shore drift. It was restored and converted into a holiday home. In 1997 a big storm removed all the beach and some of the cliff. By 2005 the tower stood only 10 m from the cliff top. Following the storm, Suffolk Coastal District Council approved emergency funding for limited boulder-style defence work in front of the tower. However, East Lane Point is considered of key strategic importance in controlling the movement of shingle between Aldeburgh and Felixstowe and the work exacerbated erosion immediately to the south. Bawdsey scored low on DoE and Environment Agency priority lists for coastal defences. Consequently, the East Lane Trust was formed to raise privately the funds needed for sea defence work to give even greater protection to farm land, homes and the tower. Locally owned farmland in Hollesley, Bawdsey and Alderton was donated to the Trust, which then sold it off for housing development. In 2008, having gained formal consents allowing residential development on plots that lay outside the ‘Local Plan’, this privately funded project was given the final go-ahead. It is believed to be unique in England, and work began in September.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 47 (2012)


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THE SUFFOLK GEOCOAST – BAWDSEY EAST LANE TO THE MANOR by Suffolk Naturalists' Society - Issuu