History Of Hunstanton

Hunstanton has prehistoric origins with evidence unearthed in 1970 of late Neolithic or early Bronze Age settlement dating back to 1500-2000 BC.
Another indication of the areas Historic past can be found on the cliff tops near to the Lighthouse where you will find the ruins of St Edmunds Chapel which dates back to 1272 and celebrates the visit by St Edmund in 855. The site of the lighthouse is also of interest. Lights or beacons have been warning ships navigating the treacherous  sandbanks in the wash for hundreds of years and the first lighthouse was built at this location in 1666. The current Light House, now used as a private home, dates back to 1844.

More recent History revolves around Henry Styleman Le Strange whose vision for the town as a holiday resort for wealthy merchants from the south evolved in to the town we know today. In 1840 little existed between Heacham and Hunstanton and as Sea Bathing was becoming more popular Henry issued a prospectus for a coastal Holiday village on a hitherto undeveloped part of his estate. The focal point was a Triangular piece of Green sloping Down to the Sea. The first building was the Golden Lion Hotel built in 1846 and alas was probably the last time anybody performed any maintenance on it.

In 1862 the Railway line opened and at a cost of £80,.000 linked Hunstanton to the Kings Lynn Station and the South. This coincided with the death of Henry Styleman Le Strange. The Le Strange family still live in the Resort and to this day have an influence and direction on the Towns development and Evolution. Below the lighthouse you will find the wreck of the Italian torpedo boat ‘Santa Maria Castel Mara’. Legend has it that whilst heavily intoxicated on red wine and hopelessly lost the Captain was attempting to negotiate his way out of the Wash at High tide when he ran aground. Realizing his mistake and with the water falling quickly around him his crew abandoned ship stole donkey’s from a beach side barn and headed inland to hide from the ‘Royal Norfolks’. Nothing more is known of the crew's fate except that there are a lot of  locals who to this day are dark skinned and  Mediterranean in appearance and it is believed that many of them were hidden and integrated into Norfolk life. Testament to this are the many Italian names to be found in the resort to this day!

The Town of Hunstanton

Located on the North Nofolk coast approximately 15 miles north of the medieval town and port of Kings Lynn and close to Royal Sandringham is a truly great choice for any short break or longer holiday. The resort offers virtually every conceivable holiday activity from water skiing to golf, pony rides to bird watching, sandcastles to jet ski’s. Hunstanton has a wealth of pubs and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. The royal estate of Sandringham featuring beautiful gardens, museum and a tour around the royal house is just a few miles away, as is the Norfolk market town of Kings Lynn, which offers rail links to the rest of the United Kingdom, (London under 2 hours).

Other local amenities include the Norfolk lavender farm where admission is free and miles of country and coastal walks. For those with an interest in golf there are several excellent golf courses in the area, including Middleton Hall, the Royal West Norfolk, Old Hunstanton and Kings Lynn.

The safe, gently sloping, patrolled beach offers some excellent all tide sailing and windsurfing and is one of the best places in the UK to kite surf. Once again, it was the winner of the Blue Flag Award, which bears testament to the efforts of the Resort Services Department, Town Council and local traders.

The southern end of the town is home to the fun fair, caravan parks and many attractions aimed at the younger visitor, which contrasts sharply with the leafy avenues and esplanade gardens situated in the Northern end of town (conservation area) accessed by Northgate and the Cliff Parade who’s timeless appeal reminds us of time gone by, ‘a bit of old England’, its peaceful tranquillity is disturbed only by the calling of doves and the song of the blackbird and yet is only a short walk to the town centre and beach. This being the location of your Hotel. The two aspects of Hunstanton co exist beautifully.

No visit to Hunstanton would be complete without taking in the wonderful sunsets for which the resort is famous. Facing west whilst located in the east results in some breathtaking sunsets watched by young and old alike. Grab some chips and sit yourself down on the Promenade and watch the best free show on earth!! Incidentally ‘Sunny Hunny’ is so called because it boasts one of the best sunshine records in the UK and has the same Annual Rainfall as Jerusalem.

West Norfolk

The west Norfolk coastline is a mass of pale curving sand dunes, reed beds and stunningly clear horizons, fringed by cool pine woods, much of it designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. Even in the height of summer this is a wonderfully peaceful area where one can have the beaches (away from the resort centres) to yourself. This Isolation and open landscape provides an ideal habitat for many species of bird including the graceful marsh harrier and the elusive barn owl, to mention only two. The internationally famous RSPB reserves at Titchwell and Snettisham are only a few minutes drive from your Hotel and offer year round interest and enjoyment. The winter flight of Pink Footed Geese is a sight you will not believe, as thousands of birds make the daily trip inland to forage for food in local fields, returning to the mudflats as the winter sun slips into the sea behind them.