What has Ann Boleyn, Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Fairies, Sir Samuel Morton Peto and the invention of the hovercraft all got in common?

…they all have links with Oulton Broad.

Sir Samuel Morton-Peto (1809 - 1898)

Samuel Morton Peto bought out the Lowestoft Navigation Company that built Lowestoft harbour after it went bust. Peto was responsible for introducing railways to Oulton Broad in the 1840s. This encouraged the massive growth of the fishing industry, and of the town - much of the development to the south of the harbour is due to him. (Read more...)

HMS Fairy and Oulton Broad's first ever map of the free jetty

HMS Fairy was built in Chatham in 1826 a “Cherokee” Class Brig of which 115 were built. She was a sloop-rigged gun brig and sister ship the famous HMS Beagle, which Charles Darwin sailed around the world. She was built at a cost of £7,803. (Read more...)

Saltside and Mutford Lock (1830 - 1900)

Mutford lock divided the original Lake Lothing into two great bodies of water, freshwater (now known as Oulton Broad) and Saltside (Lake Lothing). Saltside was a capacious harbour and much frequented port, till the beginning of the fourteenth century when the charter of Edward III having included it within the jurisdiction of Yarmouth it was neglected and gradually silted up at its mouth. This forced much of the east coasts shipping trade to go via Yarmouth and soon the cartels where prospering from exclusive access to and from the city of Norwich. (Read more...)

Sir Christopher Cockerell and Oulton Broad

Much mystery, myth and legend concerns Oulton Broads place in the history of the Hovercraft.
Christopher Cockerell set up his first boat building company in Oulton Broad and had his workshop on Saltside Mutford bridge opposite the small roundabout. (Read more...)