Lowestoft’s biggest claim to fame is that it is Great Britain’s most easterly town. Unlike Land’s End or John ‘O’ Groats, for many years Lowestoft did not really shout about this. Now the matter has been put right and you can visit Ness Point (the most eastely point) and see the “Euroscope”. this is a giant circular platform that shows the direction and distances of major European towns and other points in Britain. Nearby also you can look in amazement at the country’s most easterly landbased wind turbine. Made by local company SLP you can stand literally at it’s foot and gaze upwards (watch you don’t fall backward as you do!)
lowestoft south peir and beach
Lowestoft South beach, looking toward the South Pier
Lowestoft’s other claim to fame is that it was once one of the country’s major fishing ports. The area around Ness Point was at one time known as the Beach Village and was home to many of the town’s inhabitants who worked in the fishing industry either onland or at sea. In enormous floods that swept much of England in 1953 the whole of the Beach Village was underwater for several days.

It was the size of the catches that came into the local harbour that caused major food producer Birds Eye to set up their operation in the town. The fishing industry may now be much depleted but Bird’s Eye still dominate much of the Beach Village area.

Leading up from the old Beach Village (very few houses now remain) to the High Street, are tiny streets and steps known locally as “scores”.

Interesting photographs from old Lowestoftcan be found on the Anglia Ancestors website.

You can learn much about the town’s fishing past at the Maritime Museum in the nearby Sparrow’s Nest Park just north of Ness Point. If you visit the South Pier and the Yacht Basin you can go onboard a trawler and get a first hand experience of life for the fisherman.

Lowestoft was heavily flooded in the 1953 floods, a book on the time can be found here»
maritime museum lowestoft
Lowestoft’s Maritime Museum
malsters score lowestoft
One of the many scores –
Maltsters Score
At the top of Spurgeon Score and at the meeting of St Peters Street and High Street you will find “The Triangle” Market Place. There are weekly markets on Fridays and Saturdays and regular specialist markets held at this site as they have done for hundreds of years. Recently the area has been regenerated and the stalls have been modernised. There is another market in the town centre at Britten Centre which takes place Tuesday, Friday and Saturday (range of goods including clothes, fish, cakes and fruit and veg).

In addition to fish, Lowestoft is also well-reknowned for its Lowestoft Porcelain, distincitve was its blue and white designs. (One of the finest collections of Lowestoft Porcelain can be seen, not in Lowestoft but at Ipswich’s Christchurch Mansion). Pottery is once more being made in Lowestoft and you can visit “The Kiln” which is located at Whapload Road, opposite the exit to Somerfield’s car park.

Things to Do:

Although not as big a seaside resort as it’s nearby-neighbour, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft is a popular destination for many holidaymakers. Therefore it has much to offer visitors and residents alike.
Pleasurewood Hills
Situated just to the north of Lowestoft in an area known as Corton is East Anglia’s biggest theme park.
Suffolk Wildlife Park
Four miles to the south of Lowestoft is Kessingland, a small fishing village and home to rhinos, lions, zebras!!! Yes you read correctly. Suffolk Wildlife Park is a tremendous day out for young and old alike.

Since being acquired by Banham Zoo there has been a large overhaul of the facilities on offer. A mini safari to Kessingland should be on the list of things to do. Recently opened is a tremendous new lion enclosure.

There are regular feedings when the park is open to the public (these are well signposted) and this is an excellent time to learn “a little bit more” as the keepers not only feed the animals but also give a short talk and answer visitors questions.

On Sundays during the summer there is also a large car boot sale just outside the park.
Powerboat Racing
This takes place every Thursday evening on Oulton Broad, throughout the summer months. Best vantage points are to be had along the waterside at St Nicholas Everitt’s Park. Admission normally free, although there is a nominal charge two or three times throughout the season.