Coastal erosion at Walton on the Naze

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One of the areas where coastal erosion is remarkable clear is at Walton-on-the Naze, one of our favourite spots. The cliffs here are a geologists` dream, as so much can be learnt from the multiple layers that are exposed, and which change over the seasons, year on year.
Some information found on the web:

The town of Walton-on-the-Naze lies on the north-east coast of Essex, about 10 kilometres south of the port of Harwich. The town itself has a population of around 6,000 people although this increases with visitors during the summer. The word Naze comes from the old English word ‘naes’ which means nose.
The Naze itself is a promontory found to the north of the town. Part of it is made up of a hill about 23 metres high which ends in cliffs which rise directly from the beach. Further north the land gets gradually lower 300 metres until it drops to the level of the beach. The Naze separates the North Sea on its eastern edge from the Walton Channel on its west. In the north, the land ends in salt marsh.
At the highest point of the Naze stands the Naze Tower. Trinity House built the 26 metre high octagonal Naze Tower in 1720 as a navigational mark to aid shipping. Originally there was a beacon on the top and it was an early form of lighthouse. Open to the public, the tower is a Grade II* listed building of unique architectural and historic interest and is the only one of its kind in existence. This listing places it in the top 5% of heritage buildings and the top twenty listed lighthouses in the country.


The Naze Tower 86ft high brick built navigation tower built for Trinity House in 1720. It was designed to serve with Walton Hall as a guide to vessels approaching the Goldmer Gap and also with a light in Suffolk to lead vessels safely in and out of the Suffolk/Essex border rivers. It is now the only tower of its type to survive and is a prominent landmark. The tower is now an art gallery. The tea room and museum and access can be gained to roof viewing platform with panoramic views of Essex coast. Unfortunately, due to Covid 19, this is all shut, for 2020 at least. When it was built in 1720 it was ¼ mile inland but today it stands only 50 metres from the cliff edge, such is the scale of the erosion.



A couple of images where you can see the segments that have crumbled to the sand below.


Another indication of the speed of this erosion. The WW2 military pillboxes were on the top of the cliffs during the war. Having fallen off the cliffs, see how far the cliff has eroded behind them! All in about 70 years. I hate to think how it will be in another 70!




Location: Walton-on-the-Naze, UK

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