Skegness, Lincolnshire
Skegness is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of the county. Often referred to as "Skeg" or "Skeggy", it's probably the best known and one of the most popular towns in Lincolnshire.
The name would appear to indicate that Skegness has its origins in the Danish period of settlement from the late 9th century onwards although there is no reference to a village named Skegness in the 11th century Domesday Book. It is unconfirmed when the town historically began but it was primarily a fishing village and grew around this. During the 17th century English Civil War a consignment of arms and money, probably raised by Queen Henrietta Maria, in the Netherlands for the support of King Charles I's campaign, was forced into Skegness by the ships of the Parliamentarian Earl of Warwick.
The late 19th century saw a radical change in Skegness that would shape the town to be what it is today. In 1875 there was the arrival of a railway link. During the early pre-war 20th century, the Great Northern Railway commissioned a poster to advertise excursions to the resort, the first being from King's Cross, London, on Good Friday, 1908, leaving London at 11.30 am. The Skegness is so Bracing poster featuring The Jolly Fisherman helped to put the town on the map and is now world famous. The poster, derived from an oil painting by John Hassall, was purchased by the railway company for 12 guineas. Ingoldmells, the parish to the north of Skegness, was the site of the UK's first holiday camp, started by Billy Butlin in 1936. Butlins Holiday Resort is still there today, at the north end of the town. It maintains its appeal as a destination for family holidays to this very day and attracts thousands to the resort in the low season with music weekends. Further up the coast are the other holiday resorts of Mablethorpe, Sutton on Sea and Chapel St Leonards.
Modern day Skegness is everything you could hope for in a seaside town with its superb long stretches of sandy beach, slightly elevated dunes, long walks along the promenade and children's donkey rides. There are numerous hotels, guest-houses, self-catering apartments and bed & breakfast establishments all set against a backdrop of seafront rides, amusement arcades, cafes, coastal shops, stalls selling fish and chips, ice cream, doughnuts, sweets and drinks. There is the Skegness Pier, an iconic and popular attraction, offering a wide variety of entertainment from ten pin bowling to video games, Laserquest and Captain Kids Adventure World. There is the Pleasure Beach Theme Park with its rides and stalls including spinning cups, a ferris wheel, four mini-roller coasters, a ghost train and more. There is no charge for admission to the park and to ride you need either to purchase tokens or an unlimited rides wristband, ideal for children who enjoy the same rides over and over again. For parents and grandparents there is seating areas and food and drink kiosks.
One of the many notables landmarks of the town is The Clock Tower, at the end of Lumley Road, built in the late 19th century to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Along with the "Jolly Fisherman" mascot it is the most recognised symbol of Skegness. The RNLI Lifeboat Station can be found at the Tower Esplanade and it has operated an all-weather lifeboat along the busy Lincolnshire coastline for over 175 years. With free access, you can go inside and look around the station and see the lifeboat. There is also a gift shop where you can make a purchase or even a donation. The Embassy Theatre has a show on every night and each year they play host to a whole range of tribute bands, musical entertainment, comedy, drama, children's tours, panto, dance and more.
Busy at day, busy at night, Skegness is the perfect Lincolnshire destination for a family holiday, an evening out or a day trip with family and friends!
External Links
Photo Gallery
