Burnham Overy Staithe

The village is particularly associated with the poet Kevin Crossley-Holland. He was born in Buckinghamshire but he used to come on regular visits to his grandparents who lived in Burnham. The marshes and muddy creeks of this section of the coast have often provided him with inspiration for his poetry - especially in Waterslain - a sequence of 25 poems evoking characters from the village such as beachcombers, wildfowlers and local historians. ( 'Waterslain' is an old Norfolk word meaning flooded.) These poems are set against the ever changing backdrop of the coastal marshes. Here are the opening lines of Beachcomer:
 

Crossley-Holland was one of the founders of the Wells Poetry Festival - an annual event held in the nearby town.

There are six Burnham villages in all: Burnham Market, Burnham Thorpe, Burnham Norton, Burnham Deepdale, Burnham Overy Town and Burnham Overy Staithe. Nelson was born at Burnham Thorpe in 1758 and it is likely that he learnt to sail in Burnham Creek. Today, houses in the area are highly sought after by wealthy people from London and hence why it's often known as 'Chelsea-on-Sea' or 'Burnham Upmarket'.
 

Links:

Kevin Crossley-Holland

Listen to his Poems

Wells Poetry Festival