Weybourne

Weybourne lies on the north Norfolk coast between Sheringham and Salthouse. Its name derives from 'felon's stream' and may have been a place where criminals were drowned. It is a charming village with many flint and brick houses clinging to the coast road.

Weybourne Beach

Weybourne is famous for having a steeply shelving beach and for having deep water close to land. This has always made it a potential invasion site and, as a result, it was heavily defended by Elizabeth I in 1588 against possible Spanish attack. It was also defended during World War I and World War II. Today, many of the pill-boxes from the last conflict still remain.

Pill-Boxes at Weybourne

Weybourne's vulnerable position led to the well known rhyme: 'He who would Old England win,/Must at Weybourne Hope begin.'

Weybourne Station

Most famously it doubled for Walmington-On-Sea in the wonderful Dad's Army episode 'The Royal Train' (1973). It also featured in Stephen Poliakoff's The Lost Prince and was Arcady in Love on a Branch Line.
 

There is a great circular walk which begins at Weybourne Station and takes you through Sheringham Park (past the gazebo) and down along the cliffs to Weybourne Hope. It is then possible to walk back up through the village or take the longer route via Kelling Hard and Salthouse Quag. It was during one of these walks that I noticed the number of skylarks on the cliff top and was inspired to write the following poem:
 

Above the cliff-top
Meadow today, the skylark
Rises up into

The sun's face - higher
And higher and higher; its
Brown speck vanishing

Beyond neck-crick and
The eye's sudden blindness - and
From this height it pours

Down its river of
Sound - bubbling and sparkling and
Glitteringly clear.

Links:

More Photographs of Weybourne

North Norfolk Railway

The Muckleburgh Collection