Hunstanton, Norfolk

Description
Hunstanton, a village and a parish, with a seaside suburb called Hunstanton St Edmunds, in Norfolk. The village stands on the coast of the Wash, about 1 mile from the terminus of the Lynn and Hunstanton branch of the G.E.R., 16 miles N by E of Kings Lynn, and 114 from London. It occupies an eminence with declivity opening into a valley, and commands charming views of the sea, has a fine sweep of firm bathing sands, an iron pier 800 feet in length, excellent golf links, three large hotels, a coastguard and lifeboat station, and a post, money order, and telegraph office (R.S.O.) Acreage of parish, 2135; population, 1725. The manor has belonged for about 700 years to the family of Le Strange. Hunstanton Hall, now the seat of the Le Strange family, underwent restoration subsequent to 1836; was partially burned in 1853, and has a gatehouse of the time of Henry VII. St Edmunds Point, a little S of the village, was the place where Edmund, King of East Anglia, landed; consists of brown and yellow carr-stone at the base, over which are bands of red and white chalk, has an altitude of 60 feet, commands a view of the-Lincolnshire coast to Boston Church, and is crowned by a lighthouse, erected in 1840, and showing a fixed light visible at the distance of 18 miles. Sands stretch away from then-base, lie bare at low water to the breadth of an average of 1000 yards, and terminate in what is called the Oyster Sea, where fish of all kinds abound. The living is a vicarage, united with the sinecure rectory of Bingstead Parva, in the diocese' of Norwich; gross joint value, £350 with residence. The church is a fine building of flint and freestone in the Decorated style; consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with porch and tower, was partially restored in 1865, and contains a Norman font, a brass of E. Greeve of 1490, and an altar-tomb of Sir Roger Le Strange of 1509. At Hunstanton there is a chapel of ease, dedicated to St Edmund, which was erected in 1866, and enlarged in 1879. It is a building of flint and red chalk with carr-stone dressings in the Decorated style. Here is also a union chapel for all denominations, which was erected in 1870. There is a chalybeate spring on the Downs. Hnn-fitanton Convalescent Home, first opened in 1872, and subsequently enlarged and improved, is under the patronage of their R.H. the Prince and Princess of Wales. St Edmunds' School affords educational facilities for boys of the upper class.