Sea Wall Build 1947

We love to see how things we know today evolved over time! This page is about the Sea Wall Build 1947. Todays sea defences on the Fylde Coast were built in phases over many years. Take a look at the original construction of this part of Cleveleys sea wall.

Sea Wall Build Over the Years

Here on the north west coast of Britain, there’s a ‘hold the line’ strategy for the sea defences. It means there’s a long history of building man-made revetments and seawalls, to stop the sea from encroaching onto the land.

Look back through local history to see that most of the sea defences were built or strengthened in response to flood events. There were serious floods along this coast in 1927, 1953 and 1977.

• Take a look at the most recent phase of large-scale sea defence works here in Cleveleys, back in 2007.

Cleveleys Sea Wall Build 1947

In 1947, the outer seawall collapsed near The Venue at North Promenade. In these old photos you can first see the damage, then the wall being rebuilt.

The photographer in the next photo is on the promenade opposite The Venue car park, looking north.

The bungalow and detached house in the right of shot are still standing today, at the right of Thornton Gate. The furthest building is the Durban Hotel. A popular venue, it was to the north of Thornton Gate. After demolition it was replaced by Durban Court apartments.

The shadowy buildings in the distance will be Rossall School and the old Rossall Hospital, once at the corner of Westway.

Building Cleveleys Sea Wall

These photos of Cleveleys seawall build 1947 date back to a time long before health and safety! These are the days when construction workers wore waistcoats and flat caps. Well before the days of current regulations, PPE (personal protection equipment) hadn’t been invented!

However, despite the lack of safety wear, it’s interesting to see that their construction techniques are much the same as those used today. Apart from the fact that today’s machinery and equipment is much improved, they’re using the same principles.

In this photo they’ve formed the area that they’re going to fill with concrete, using wooden planks (bottom right corner). Three men are making the fill in a concrete mixer. Today, the area would still be formed with shuttering, but a concrete mixer would deliver ready-mix to site in a lorry.

You can’t quite tell what these workmen are doing in the next photo. The most striking thing is what they’re wearing. Imagine todays builders turning up to a construction site in a shirt and trousers, wearing a flat cap! You can just see the top of The Venue at the right of the photo.

Piles and Toes

It’s not a biology lesson, rather the names for two parts of the construction of the sea wall!

In the next photo of Cleveleys sea wall build 1947, a steel pile hangs off the crane. Piles are long lengths of prefabricated metal, delivered to site as individual pieces. One by one they’re knocked vertically, deep down into the beach. Locked together they create a deep foundation to protect against undermining. The varied construction methods used in the old sea walls are a problem. Some are just concrete, some have sheet piles, and some are more robust than others.

Back in 1947 they’d be knocked deep into the ground with a drop-hammer, hung from the end of the crane. Modern piling rigs use vibration to literally push the piles into the ground like a knife into butter, until they hit rock.

By comparison, this is an interesting video clip. This is sheet piling in 2015, during recent construction of Rossall sea wall –

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Engineering that Stands the Test of Time

The shape of each individual pile enables them to lock together to form an interlocking honeycomb line – which you can see in the next photo. This is the ‘toe’ of the sea wall, or the seaward edge of it. The line of piles provides a solid foundation which does two things. It carries the weight of the sea wall and stops it from sliding onto the beach. It also provides a strong leading front edge which is resistant to erosion from the sea.

The technology might have changed, but the engineering has stood the test of time. The sheet piles of the 1900’s are still used in just the same way today.

We’re not quite sure exactly what they’re doing in the next photo. Are they building a wooden groyne? Or do you think they’re lining up the sheet piles before hammering them into place. What do you think?

And the next one is a mystery photo, can you identify it? We can’t quite work out where this bit was.

Protecting the Sea Wall

Fast forward to the 2020’s and the Wyre Beach Management Project. The £40+million investment by the Environment Agency is creating rock protection for this old concrete toe. The addition of new stone groynes is stabilising the beach at a higher level to protect the shore.

In these old black and white photos you can see there’s a deep sea wall. This enables big, deep waves to form – they easily come over the top – but they also create scour and erode the beach too. A high, natural beach is the best form of sea defence. Together, the rocks and beach material dissipate the energy of the waves, protecting the shoreline from flooding and erosion.

Much more here about the Wyre Beach Management Scheme at Cleveleys

Anything to add?

Do you know anything about the construction of the sea defences in Cleveleys in 1947? If you do, please get in touch and we’ll add your information/photos to this article. Full credit given as usual.

Just email jane@theRabbitPatch.co.uk