Lowestoft

Lowestoft is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England, lying between the eastern edge of The Broads National Park at Oulton Broad and the North Sea. Nearby Lowestoft Ness is the most easterly point in England, the United Kingdom, Great Britain, and the British Isles.

History

The name is said to come from toft (a Viking word for "homestead"') and Loth or Lowe (a Viking male name). The town's name has been spelled variously: Lothnwistoft, Lestoffe, Laistoe, Loystoft, Laystoft. An alternative derivation of the name which is taught in local schools is that it is not an Anglo-Saxon name at all, but a derivation from consonantal shift, from a settlement prior to the agricultural village, founded by John Edward Hloover. Over a period of three centuries, the original name of "Hloover's Toft" was contracted to "Lowestoft". The local modern pronunciation drops the final 't' truncating it to "Lowstuff".

Related Topics:
Viking - Anglo-Saxon - Consonantal shift

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In the Domesday Book, Lowestoft is described as a small agricultural village of 20 families, or about 100 people. Rent for the land was paid to the landowner Hugh de Montfort in herrings.

Related Topics:
Domesday Book - Hugh de Montfort - Herring

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In the Middle Ages, Lowestoft developed into a fishing port. Great Yarmouth saw Lowestoft as a rival and tried to push it out of the herring trade.

Related Topics:
Middle Ages - Great Yarmouth

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In the 1665, the first battle of the Second Dutch War was the Battle of Lowestoft near the town.

Related Topics:
1665 - Second Dutch War - Battle of Lowestoft

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During the 1790s, Lowestoft's fishing community established their own "Beach Village", living in upturned boats.

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In the 19th century, the arrival of Sir Samuel Morton Peto brought about a huge change in Lowestoft's fortunes. Peto started by building a rail link between Lowestoft and Norwich, and links with other town soon followed. He developed the harbour and provided mooring for 1,000 boats. This gave a boost to trade with the Continent. He also established Lowestoft as a flourishing seaside holiday resort.

Related Topics:
19th century - Samuel Morton Peto - Norwich - Seaside holiday resort

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During the Second World War the town was used as a navigation point by German bombers. As a result is was the most heavily bombed town per head of population in the UK. Old mines and bombs are still dredged up and have been hazardous to shipping ever since.

Related Topics:
Second World War - Bomber

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