| Mundesley | |
|---|---|
Aug2006.jpg) Mundesley Beach | |
  Mundesley Location withinNorfolk | |
| Area | 2.84 km2 (1.10 sq mi) |
| Population | 2,758 (parish, 2011 census) |
| • Density | 971/km2 (2,510/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TG315365 |
| • London | 136 miles (219 km) |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NORWICH |
| Postcode district | NR11 |
| Dialling code | 01263 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| 52°52′34″N1°26′17″E / 52.876°N 1.438°E /52.876; 1.438 | |
Mundesley /ˈmʌn.dzli/ is a coastal village and acivil parish in the English county ofNorfolk.[1] The village is 20.3 miles (32.7 km) north-northeast ofNorwich, 7.3 miles (11.7 km) southeast ofCromer and 136 miles (219 km) northeast of London. The village lies 5.6 miles (9.0 km) north-northeast of the town ofNorth Walsham. The nearest railway station is atNorth Walsham, for theBittern Line which runs betweenSheringham and Norwich.
The nearest airport isNorwich Airport. The village sits astride theB1159[2] coast road that linksCromer andCaister-on-Sea, and is at the eastern end of theB1145[3] a route which runs betweenKing's Lynn and Mundesley. Mundesley is within theNorfolk Coast AONB. It has a resident population of around 2,695 (parish, 2001 census), measured at 2,758 in the 2011 Census.[4]
TheRiver Mun or Mundesley Beck flows into the sea here. On 5 September 2022 Mundesley beach won the North Norfolk District Council Battle of the Beaches to be recognised as the top beach in North Norfolk in a close run off against West Runton beach.[5]
The villages name means 'Mul's/Mundel's wood/clearing'.[6]
Mundesley has an entry in theDomesday Book of 1086,[7] with the town's name recorded asMuleslai. The main landholder wasWilliam de Warenne, and the survey also lists a church.
The Mundesley Memorial Bomb is dedicated to Army teams who removed mines after theSecond World War. There is a War memorial inside the Church and on the seafront at the Coastwatch station and museum. Near to the church is a World War II gun emplacement, which now stands near the edge of the cliff, due tocoastal erosion.
Anelectoral ward in the same name exists. This ward includesBacton and had had total population at the 2011 Census of 4,191.[8]
Mundesley is a popular seaside holiday destination due to its sandy beaches and has a number of holiday chalet and caravan parks and hotels. Just to the south of Mundesley on the road toPaston is a popular windmill, Stow Mill. The village was a popular seaside resort inVictorian times, benefiting from itsown railway station which closed in 1964.[9]
The village has an historic golf course in theMun Valley, established in 1901 and designed with the help of six-timesOpen ChampionHarry Vardon. Vardon convalesced at the nearbysanitorium while recovering fromtuberculosis and his association with the course spanned many years. It is said that he scored his onlyhole-in-one on what is now the sixth. The course was altered when land was required for wartime farming and was redesigned when the conflicts ended.[10]
All Saints' Church is located on the cliffs above the sea. The church was in ruins for over a hundred years before it was restored at the start of the 20th century. In 1904 the western end was extended to make an organ chamber, and then in 1914 the nave was extended eastwards, with a new chancel on the site of the old one.[11]
The village centre offers shops including a butchers, clothing, arts and crafts, chemist, a public library and convenience stores. Mundesley also has its own medical centre and primary school. There is an adventure islandcrazy golf park close to the seafront. There is a very small maritime museum which is also the local lookout of theNational Coastwatch Institution, a charity offering 365 days' lookout in over 50 stations along the British coast.[citation needed]
There are two pubs in Mundesley. One of the oldest is the Ship Inn situated on the seafront. Its first landlord is listed as being Paul Harrison in 1836. Its flint construction is characteristic of the older parts of the village. A little inland, on the road toPaston, is the Royal Hotel, whereLord Nelson is said to have lived for a while.
