Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Wells-next-the-Sea

Wells-next-the-Sea is a small working harbour town on the North Norfolk coast, 20 miles from Cromer.

It is no longer by the sea, but on a creek with saltings between the town and the sea.

Today, one of the town's major industries is tourists.

The Embarkment runs for a mile towards the sea, and was built to prevent the harbour from silting up completely. The narrow gauge Wells Harbour Railway runs beside the Embankment path.

As with so many waterside towns, the original settlement is a little inland.

St. Nicholas Church dates originally from the mediaeval period, but was largely rebuilt in the 19th century after a disastrous fire.

John Fryer, one of the men cast adrift from the Bounty, is buried in the churchyard.

Nearby is the Friends Meeting House of 1783.

The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway has its terminus on the edge of the town.