When we heard about a huge model of the vanished Lowestoft Beach Village we knew we had to find out more. We got in touch with Jane Jarvis of the Lowestoft Civic Society, the Charity that runs Lowestoft Heritage Centre where the model is on display, and she invited us to come and see the model.

The Heritage Centre is housed in the Flint House on Wilde Score (more about scores later). This impressive old building stands just off the historic High Street of Lowestoft, with the score carrying on down beside the building. Jane explained the building's history.
“The house was home to the Wilde family from 1588 until 1740’s when John Wilde left the building in trust to found the free school. He was determined that the sons of fishermen should get a good education. They were taught Latin English and Maths.”

Now the old school has been transformed into Lowestoft’s Heritage Centre, with display rooms, IT training suites and meeting areas. The model we had come to see is currently housed in the rear of the building, but will soon be moved to a purpose built room with glass walls looking out over the site of the beach village towards the sea.

I say ‘site of’ because most traces of the once busy community between the High Street and the sea have gone to make way for industry, particularly Birds Eye – once a major employer in the town and a major consumer of the fish stocks that were landed here. 

The model is impressive – not least for its size, measuring about 10ft square. The scale is 1:200, and each dwelling – there are over 770 recreated - has been meticulously reproduced. It took professional modeler Nigel Purdy 18 months to make and is valued at £25,000.
Jane explained the design approach:
“We only model buildings if we can find a photographic record - we don’t guess what anything looked like” She indicated a few small areas of the model where the properties are still being researched.
Despite this the effect is amazing. You can look down from the high street in the west to the beach (or Grit as the locals called it) in the east. Every garden and shed (or Shod to the locals), every pathway and road and of course the famous Scores have been reproduced painstakingly by Nigel Purdy.
“A score is the name given to the paths worn into the cliff face by the fishermen” she explained “The origin of the word 'score' could be a corruption of 'scour', or possibly from the old english 'scora', which means to make a line or notch.” Lowestoft boasts 11 scores (two of the original thirteen have been lost to development).

 “Recently an old gentleman visitor burst into tears when he entered the room” Jane explained “He said that it was like seeing his past laid out in front of him”. It’s not difficult to see why the model can have such a startling effect, particularly when Jane dimmed the lights and threw a switch. Suddenly the whole tiny community was lit up with the glow from thousands of windows and street lights… Jane pressed another button and from the church we could hear a congregation singing “For those in peril on the sea”. Add to this a working tram and a boat rocking gently on the resin sea and it’s not difficult to see why the model is so popular with schoolchildren! The model is also the centerpiece for ‘walks’ around the village and talks on the history of Lowestoft.

Jane explained that the work of the centre isn’t limited to the past – they work with people with mental health problems, involving them in the work of the centre and also by taking part in work on the refurbishment of the building. The centre is also home to a collection of photographs that are being scanned as a lasting archive. Also available for public use are the journals of Eastern Counties Newspapers – huge leather volumes each holding a year’s newspapers – going back to the 1890’s. To use the journals you have to pay £2.50 per volume but you can study them for the whole day. We sneaked a quick (free) look at some issues from 1916 – totally fascinating reading, not least for the adverts that give you a clue to how people lived during WWI.

The centre is open to the public Monday to Friday. Admission is £4.00 for adults and £2.50 for children.   School groups visit by arrangement.
We’d like to thank Jane Jarvis and her team of staff and volunteers for their hospitality. We hope to return when the new model room is open towards the end of this year.

Lowestoft Civic Society Heritage Centre, 80a High Street, Wilde's Score, Lowestoft. NR32 1XN
Telephone: 01502 587500 email: Ics1@btinternet.com