Sun, Sea and Lowestoft

 

I am not going to pretend that this page is the be all and end all of information about Lowestoft and nearby places - its not.  There are many sites dedicated to the subject of Lowestoft, advising you where to go and what to see, but what I will give you are a couple of links to sites you may otherwise overlook.

The Met Office - The link I've provided you with is the general 5 day forecast for the region .... just click on Lowestoft to get the specific weather forecast - oh, and somebody to blame when it starts raining and your beach picnic is ruined!

The Beach Radio - based in and transmitted from Lowestoft.  I just thought it might be handy if you, or your nearest and dearest in-law were here on holiday and you needed/wanted to get into their good books - you could ask for a record to be played :D

.... to be added to (suggestions?) !!

   

Origin of the name Lowestoft

The earliest mention made of this area locally was when the Romans, lead by Julius Caesar in 54 B.C. tried to invade. Vikings arrived from Denmark and Norway to settle during the period 800 - 1000 A.D. and Lothingland became populated with a sturdy, independent race cut off from the main flow of English life by river, marsh and fen.

"The Saxon Hlodwic fixed his home on the gentle sandy brow overhanging the sea some miles eastward" and which the Domesday Book (1086 A.D.) calls Lothu Wistoft.

It is (as far as I know) almost impossible to determine the exact origin of the name 'Lowestoft'. There has been a lot of  speculation and many spelling variations that have been used throughout the years i.e. Loystoft, Loweystoft and Lowistofte. 

My personal favourite is the name Lotha Wistoft, derived from the meaning of 'toft', being a cluster of houses by the Loth, or slow river.

In November 2002 I received some interesting correspondence from Mick Grant who had his own theories as to how the name Lowestoft orginated.

quote ++

According to books I have read, "Lowestoft" stems from "Hloðver's toft".
That "ð" sounds like the "th" in "the". Hloðver was the name of a man who was head of a family or clan, toft is a danish word for homestead. Thass the same toft as in Toft Monks & Hloðver also gave his name to Lothingland. In place names, "ing" means "people of" or "clan of". Lothingland therefor means "land owned by Loth's (Hloðver's) family/clan". The change from v to w (I am guessing here) is from the use of v as u in latinised writing, so somewhere the first H was dropped from the name & v became u , giving us Lothuer's Toft. The pronunciation followed the spelling & spelling changes happened as folk wrote it down wrong & it became Lothu Wistoft, the "th" got lost somewhere to lead to Lowestoft. Complicated I know but that is how it is with place names. I checked "Loth" in the New Oxford and the meaning is given as reluctant, no mention is made of rivers, sorry.

Looking again at your site, the name Hlodwic could easily have become Lowestoft. Hlodwic is likely a misspelling of Hlodwig. In Saxon, an end g to a word was said like a y, therefore Hlodwig' s Toft = Lowis Toft. Works for me. I'd like to know where that d or ð got to.

Mick Grant
Website here

++ unquote

 

July 2004: I have just found a link to another website which, if you scroll down a few pictures, includes a photograph detailed as: Suffolk ca.1607  Christopher Saxton  engr. William Kip.  This website clearly shows Lowestoft as being called "Leftoft"

   

Local history dateline

1550: Two beacon towers set up on cliffs to act as fire-warnings in the event of invasion (see also local stories page - witches)

1580's: The Elizabethan age of Shakespeare, Drake and Raleigh - letters and reports from Suffolk are filled with rumors of pirates off Lowestoft, of merchants illegally shipping timber and grain to the continent.

1609: A 'First Class Lighthouse' has been erected, illuminated by coal.

1643: There was an abortive rising by Royalists from Norfolk and Suffolk, an attempted coup which probably would have been forgotten but for the fact that Oliver Cromwell himself seized Lowestoft and arrested the gentlemen involved.

Saturday 3 June 1665: Before dawn, incredibly hot - suddenly gunfire is heard from a point 14 miles N.N.E. of Lowestoft. The Dutch and British fleets at war. All day long guns roar and the sound carries across Suffolk and Essex. The Dutch flagship De Eendracht and the complete rout of the enemy have been destroyed.

1770: Estimated 300 vessels of all kinds driven ashore and on the banks off Lowestoft. Over 200 seamen drowned.

1757: Lowestoft Pottery - Hewling Luson Esq discovered clay on his estate (Gunton Hall). Thereafter a factory was opened in Bell Lane (now Crown Street) and operated until 1802.

1847: Sir Samuel Morton Peto keeps his word to the townspeople. A railway has been built so that fish from Lowestoft boats can be delivered fresh to Manchester. The name 'Morton' crops up in many places - there is Morton Road in Lowestoft and Morton Peto Road on one of the industrial estates in Gt. Yarmouth.

1874: The 1609 Lighthouse beacon has been replaced by a stone and brick tower about 40 ft high. This light is visible for a distance of 17 miles. (Electricity installed in 1938).

1897: The first Lowestoft steam drifter, the Consolation is built and launched. Before this, sailing luggers and dandies were used.

1913: Benjamin Britten was born on November 22nd at 21 Kirkley Cliff.

 

If you know something which should be included in the timeline ... let me know and I'll add it!