The name Sidestrand is thought to derive from the old English word "sid", meaning broad or spacious, and the Danish "strond", meaning shore. The area was immortalised as "Poppyland" in the writings of the Victorian journalist Clement Scott.
Coastline
The section of cliffs at Sidestrand is one of the wildest parts of the Norfolk coast due to its rapid erosion.[2] Its beaches and dramatic cliffs are less accessible than most others along this part of the coastline. The 50m high cliffs contain glacial sediments and structures and its beach is popular with petrologists and fossil hunters.
Saint Michael's church
Sidestrand parish church, which is dedicated to Saint Michael, is one of 124 round tower churches in Norfolk.[3] It was erected in 1881 to replace an earlier church, closer to the cliff, that was threatened by coastal erosion. The earlier church was demolished, apart from the tower, which was left as a landmark and finally fell into the sea in 1916.[4] The tower and graveyard had become known as the "Garden of Sleep", after Clement Scott's poem.
Sidestrand Hall was owned by the Flaxman and Spurrell families before being sold in 1880 to Samuel Hoare (later MP for Norwich).[5] Now known as Sidestrand Hall School, it caters for boys and girls aged 8 to 16 years with moderate learning difficulties.[6]
The windmill in the village was blown over in a gale in 1921.[7]
.JPG)
