How long can Happisburgh hang on?

Learning Objective
• To introduce Happisburgh.
• To explain why erosion was so severe at Happisburgh.
• To explain why the groynes and rock armours are not working.
 Happisburgh Case Study
Happisburgh, situated to the
southern end of one of the most
active stretches of the Norfolk
coast, is one of the primary
providers of sediment for beaches
along the east Norfolk coast.
The coastal part of the village is
subject to frequent coastal erosion:
houses that used to be over 6 m
from the sea now sit at the edge of
a cliff and are expected to fall into
the sea.
Happisburgh Geology

The cliffs at Happisburgh range in

height from 6 to 10 m and are
composed of a layercake sequence
of several glacial tills, separated by
layers of silt, clay and sand. The
soft material erodes rapidly,
 Check your Learning

 What part did each play, in the

loss of Bryony’s home and
garden in Happisburgh on page
62?

1/ the material the cliff is made of

2/ Rain
3/ Strong north wind
4/ The storm surge in December of
2013
 Sea Defences at Happisburgh
Groynes were constructed along
the shore to try to stop erosion
during the 1950s.

A wooden revetment once

stretched from Happisburgh to
the Cart Gap seawall, but in
1990 a storm destroyed about
300 metres of it to the east of
Happisburgh. The rate of
erosion increased rapidly
following the destruction of the
wooden revetment.
 Check your Learning
 Look at the aerial photo (c) on
page 63 and answer the
following questions:

1/ What are the barriers at right

angles to the cliff called? what is
their job?

2/ What are the ones parallel to the

cliff called? what is their job?