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The Geography Department
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Happisburgh February 1999
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In the February of 1999 Anglia TV did a piece about the bungalow featured below. It was on the market, despite being in immediate danger of collapse into the sea. Although the estate agent sounded positive, this property did collapse into the sea some time later. The TV footage was shot at high tide, with dramatic views of cliff falling in after each massive wave. A day later, on the Saturday, the tide was not so high during our visit, but the waves were impressive, being driven from the North-east by gale force winds, and bringing frequent horizontal snow squalls.
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A very high tide and a large amount of wave energy crashes through the revetments. Cliff debris is certainly being removed, if not active erosion of the cliff face taking place. It look like a nice day, 'though .....
happ5.jpg |
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..... but turning towards the south the sky is dark with snow. Just what the revetments are putting up with is graphically shown here. Note, however, the beach behind the defences.
happ6.jpg |
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The wider view, looking south, with defences old and newer.
happ4.jpg |
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The view south from the top of the cliff and the end of the line. the wrap-around defences can be seen in the surf.
happ7.jpg |
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The cliffs looking northwards to the beach access causeway. Two rows of wooden revetments are making little difference to wave energy at this state of the tide.
800Happisburgh-cliff.jpg (92532 bytes) |
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The embayment formed to the south of the bungalow, beyond the protection of the revetments, creating a shallow bay.
800Happisburgh-bungalow.jpg (91918 bytes) |
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Drawing back from the shot above, wave action can be seen pounding a totally unprotected coastline. The seaward part of the village of Happisburgh can be seen, leading away to the church. The cliffs show differential rates of erosion, with a bench forming one-third of the way up the cliffs, marking a prominent boundary between the more easily removed crag above, and clay
800Happisburgh-bench.jpg (102534 bytes) |
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The bungalow, geological cross-profile, and sea defence works. The revetment angles around to match the retreating coastline, ending its run as a box-like structure.
800Happisburgh-bungalow1.jpg (99594 bytes) |
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The view to the south, where another shallow, but longer embayment is seen to be under sustained assault.
800Happisburgh-cliffsouth.jpg (77594 bytes) |
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North Norfolk Happisburgh coasts beaches storms loss defences groynes revetments erosion settlement |
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North Norfolk and Happisburgh Index
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