Ness Point

Looking southwards, along the North Sea Wall, to Ness Point - the most easterly part of the UK mainland. The presence of the Gulliver wind-turbine and the Orbis Energy Centre building just beyond it reminds us of Lowestoft’s role in the new world of renewable supplies of electricity - though it seems ironic that the turbine itself never seems to have its blades turning sufficiently to make any notable contribution to the National Grid. A couple of fishermen have their rods out - probably more in hope than in genuine expectation of significant catches, because the latter seem to be a thing of the past with little cod or codling in evidence these days and other species such as whiting and dab a shadow of what they used to be.

Rises in sea temperature and changes in tidal patterns have probably had an effect and there may be other factors as well. Ness Point itself occupies the rock-protected bulge in the middle distance, with its circular, embedded Euroscope feature showing places far removed both in terms of compass direction and distance. The word “ness” itself derives from old Scandinavian origins: either nes, meaning “nose”, or naess, meaning “headland” - but, either way, referring to something which sticks out or protrudes. It was once much further out to sea, as the coastline hereabouts can be shown to have retreated by nearly half-a-mile since the middle of the 16th century.

In May 1545, the Duke of Norfolk conducted a survey of East Coast defences (in anticipation of a possible joint attack by France and Scotland - traditional allies) and had the width of the Denes measured from Whaplond Way (now Whapload Road) to the shoreline. The distance was described as forty-two score [840] tailor’s yards [this being a cloth measurement, forty-two inches long], which makes the overall length nearly 1,000 yards. The width of the Denes today is about 200 yards, such has been the effect of coastal erosion over the years.
 

A map accompanies the Duke’s survey, held in the British Library’s large collection of Cottonian Manuscripts, and it shows Ness Point named as Mage Neshe - i.e. Major, or Great, Ness. It shows the gun-emplacement built there during 1540, with its three cannon protruding, and it informs the reader that the inshore reaches of the sea between the Stanford Channel approach to Lowestoft and the St. Nicholas Gat entry to Great Yarmouth could provide anchorage for as many as 500 ships at low tide. The Duke expressed special concern in his report that an invading force from the sea could evade the Lowestoft battery’s seaward-facing guns and land a force onshore behind them, which would then be able to sack and burn the town.