Thread by @CITiZAN1

Welcome to today's virtual #LowTideTrail. Flamborough Head juts into the North Sea on the Yorkshire coast. The area has seen much defensive activity over 4500 years. We'll also see some #archaeology of lifesaving on our way. Let's take a look! @Active_Coast #HumberDiscovery

This stretch of coast was particularly hazardous to sailing ships. The North Landing Lifeboat station was built in 1871 & was 1 of 2 stations covering Flamborough Head. Footage of the final launch of the North Bay lifeboat can be found via @YorkshireFilm-
yorkshirefilmarchive.com/film/last-flam…

Yorkshire cobles are a traditional fishing boat used along this coast. Flamborough had an active fleet of cobles operating out of North landing. This example has been laid up.

Here's a film about fishing from North Bay in 1933-
yorkshirefilmarchive.com/film/north-lan…

#Flamborough Head also reveals evidence for early fortification. The entire headland is cut by the #BronzeAge (c.2500-800 BC) era defensive earthwork Danes Dyke. There is also a little known later #IronAge (800 BC) promontory fort here at Briel Nook- citizan.org.uk/interactive-co…

This is one of several #WW2 era infantry pillboxes in the Flamborough area. This type of #pillbox, known colloquially as a ‘lozenge’ due to its shape in plan, could house up to 8 soldiers (a section), but is likely to have just been used by a 3 person Light Machine Gun team.

This #pillbox could house two medium machine guns. Two pillboxes overlook Selwicks Bay. Often these pillboxes are sited on the beach but the tide and the small bay would make the pillboxes unusable. Positioned on the cliff, they could fire on enemy troops leaving the bay below

Before we go any further, we're going to have a quick break so @ckolonko can chat with @SamuelPGriff about concrete.

In the meantime, we’d appreciate it if you would fill out this quick survey to give us some feedback about our virtual Low Tide Trails-
surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VXR3LGL

The water off Flamborough has always been dangerous to shipping. On 14 October 1875 the Galway Lass, sailing from Sunderland to Dieppe with a cargo of coal, got into difficulty off the Head.

While sailing past #Filey Brigg, the wind suddenly changed, sending the vessel towards the rocky foreshore of Flamborough Head. The Galway Lass ran aground in Selwicks Bay, breaking up soon after she struck.

All eight crew members were killed, their bodies washing up along the Flamborough coastline over the following days. They were buried at St. Oswald's Church. The @LRFHEC has some more info about the Galway Lass-hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archive-librar…

Flamborough Lighthouse dominates the local skyline. Constructed in 1806, this is the second lighthouse built on the headland. This example was designed by Samuel Wyatt and built by John Matson of #Bridlington, who reputedly completed work in 9 months without the use of a scaffold

Built in 1674, the Old Flamborough lighthouse is one of the most complete 17th century lighthouses in the country. Constructed as a business venture, the lighthouse proved uneconomical to run as donations from passing ships weren't forthcoming!

This was the site of the South Landing Lifeboat Station No.2. The original lifeboat station was built in 1871 in response to the "Tenth of February Gale". The present station was built in 1993 and features bricks from the early station.

Footage from 1956-
yorkshirefilmarchive.com/film/little-de…

This is likely to be the remains of a 16th century pier in South Landing. Allegedly this is the pier that #MaryQueenofScots anchored at in August 1561, on her way from France to claim the throne of Scotland. Two lines of large, glacial erratic stones are all that remains.

We finish our Low Tide Trail in the graveyard of St Oswald’s church. Here we find the memorial to the crew of the Galway Lass. The people of Flamborough raised the money for the funerals of all eight members of the Galway Lass’s crew. The crew are still remembered by the village

We will see you again soon for another virtual Low Tide Trail. In the meantime, you can find out more about the archaeology of Flamborough on our Coastal Map- citizan.org.uk/interactive-co…

We are currently publishing virtual Low Tide Trails on our website for your enjoyment. Check them out here- citizan.org.uk/low-tide-trail…

In the meantime, Team North will be tucking in to a chippy dinner #chippydinneroclock.