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Town/City Name
Great Yarmouth
County
Norfolk
Population
99,370
About Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, or simply Yarmouth, has become one of England’s most visited seaside resort towns. Sitting between the North Sea and the River Yare, the town is popular with its historic rows of houses, fascinating promenade, and scenic sea-side tourist spots.
Particularly famous among travelers is Great Yarmouth’s seafront dubbed as “The Golden Mile.” It offers relaxing sandy beaches, varieties of shops, and other recreational attractions.
Foreign guests visit Great Yarmouth to enjoy a wide variety of local and international cuisine. Restaurants in Great Yarmouth, especially in the town center and coastline, offer waves of cosmopolitan and authentic flavors from Asian, Greek, and European regions.
Great Yarmouth has twelve amusement arcades in its Marine Parade and a significant number of museums which include Norfolk Nelson Museum on South Quay, and the Time and Tide Museum in Blackfriars Road.
Great Yarmouth is home to some of England’s oldest structures. This includes the 13th-century gaol with dungeons called The Tolhouse which is open to the public today as a museum.
Aside from the growth in electronics and other businesses, Great Yarmouth also serves as a main site for North Sea gas and oil operations. Companies launched these explorations in the 1960s, which created huge opportunities for the local economy.
Eleven of Great Yarmouth’s 18 original turrets remain standing. It has one of the most complete town walls across England.
The Haven Bridge and the Breydon Bridge are major transport links in Great Yarmouth.
The Norfolk Naval Pillar, also known as the Britannia Monument or Nelson's Monument, is one of Great Yarmouth’s Grade I listed structures.
Great Yarmouth is a must-visit for sports enthusiasts as well. The town hosts exciting events for sporting activities such as football, racing, and swimming competitions.
Places to eat in Great Yarmouth, Restaurants in Great Yarmouth
Places to drink in Great Yarmouth, Pubs and Bars in Great Yarmouth
A brief history of Great Yarmouth
Before the Norman Conquest, fishermen from the Cinque Ports built permanent settlements in Great Yarmouth. The town was soon ruled by a reeve during the reign of Henry I.
In 1209, King John afforded Great Yarmouth a charter. This document provided the town’s burgesses with general liberties. Several charters followed regarding the borough’s rights and governance.
It was in the early 12th century when a Benedictine Priory was constructed in Great Yarmouth. Franciscan and Dominican friars began to arrive and settle in the town in the 13th century.
Great Yarmouth’s role as a supply base significantly helped the North Sea Fleet in the Battle of Camperdown during the French Revolutionary War and the Battle of Copenhagen during the Napoleonic Wars.
The completion of a railway connecting Norwich with Great Yarmouth in 1844 opens the town to more visitors, which eventually makes it a famous holiday and boating destination.
The town became a main station for Bass Excursions in the 1880s. The 15 trains of Great Yarmouth’s electric tramway transported at least 8,000 employees of the Bass's Burton brewery to the seaside every year.
Great Yarmouth suffered bombings during the first and the second World Wars. After enduring aerial attacks by Zeppelin L3 in 1915 and the Germans during the Luftwaffe bombing, Great Yarmouth managed to preserve many of their medieval structures, including the 17-th century merchant residences in the town’s South Quay.
Conflicts over the jurisdiction of Great Yarmouth’s herring fair during the middle ages resulted in a naval battle against the ships from Kent, Belgium.
The industrial progress during the 19th century led to the demolition of the old town gates and the construction of housing and other establishments beyond the town’s walls.
Popular things to do in Great Yarmouth
- Explore the Time and Tide Museum of Great Yarmouth Life - www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
- Go sunbathing at the Great Yarmouth Beach - www.great-yarmouth.co.uk
- Take a glimpse of the underwater world at SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth - www.visitsealife.com
- Relax at The Cliff Hotel - www.thecliffhotel.co.uk
- Guess the movie theme whilst playing adventure golf - https://www.windmilladventuregolf.co.uk
Free things to do in Great Yarmouth
- Find a scenic escape in Caister-on-Sea Beach - www.caisterbeach.co.uk
- Experience live shows and rides at the Britannia Pier - http://www.britannia-pier.co.uk/
- Visit the Great Yarmouth Minster - http://gtyarmouthminster.org//
- Have fun at the Wellington Pier - http://www.wellington-pier.co.uk/index.asp
- Enjoy playtime at the MB's Funhouse - https://www.mbsfunhouse.co.uk/
Great for kids in Great Yarmouth
- Take a stroll in the Merrivale Model VIllage - http://www.merrivalemodelvillage.co.uk/
- See a fantasy town in Joyland - http://www.joyland.org.uk/
- Marvel at England’s historical vessels at the Lydia Eva Steam Drifter - https://www.lydiaevamincarlo.com/
- Catch some plays and musical acts at the Pavilion Theatre Gorleston - https://www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk/
- Travel back in time with the motor collection of the Caister Castle Motor Museum - https://www.caistercastle.co.uk/
Great for dogs in Great Yarmouth
- Treat your buddy with a nice atmosphere at The Fisherman’s Return
- Let them rest in a comfy room of the Travelodge Great Yarmouth Acle
- Take a break at The Barking Smack
Dog friendly bars
- Tombstone Brewery & Saloon Bar
- Prince Regent Pub
- The Coachmakers Arms
Dog friendly restaurants
- The Courtyard
- Pamela's Restaurant
- The Beach Hut
Did you know?
In 1849, Charles Dickens stayed in Great Yarmouth for two days. The town soon landed as an important location for his novel “David Copperfield.”
Near the marketplace stands The Church of St Nicholas. The ancient structure is England’s third biggest parish church, and counts as Great Yarmouth’s widely known historical sites. It is located in Church Plain, the birthplace of the author Anna Sewell who wrote “Black Beauty.”
The hidden gems of Great Yarmouth
A boating experience in the Martham Broad provides a refreshing view of Great Yarmouth’s wildlife including the rare species of butterflies called swallowtail butterfly. The borough also holds some of the largest roosts for over 100,000 birds.
Unique to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth stood out as one of England’s wealthiest towns after its herring industry boomed in the early 19th century. The stream drifter called “The Lydia Eva” is a reminder of the golden era of Yarmouth’s fishing industry.
The piers of Great Yarmouth also earned popularity over the years with various acts that graced their theatres. Britannia Theatre in the Grade II listed Britannia Pier has been a stage for Jim Davidson, Basil Brush, Jethro, and other renowned artists.
You can also winess world-class performances at the Hippodrome Circus, it is Britains only total circus building and one of the remaining 3 circuses in the world with the original sinking ring water feature dating all the way back to 1903 - www.hippodromecircus.co.uk
