Wells-Next-The-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea
is located on the North Norfolk
Coast. Its prime location meant that in the late 16th Century, Wells
(as it was known) was the major port for the area, with up to 19 ships
trading corn. Several of the old buildings can be found down the back
streets. Well's status as a port carried on well into the early 20th
Century, with the Granary and loading gantry built in 1903. This has
now been turned into luxury flats with a Quayside view. The name Wells
comes from the many spring wells that were around the town. Wells
became known as Wells-next-the-Sea in the 1800s when the increase in
travel meant it was needed to distinguish between similarly named
towns. The name was chosen as the town's official title by Wells Urban
District Council in 1956.
21 Staithe Street
2009 images
Nelson's
Coffee Shop. 21 Staithe Street,
Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk stands towards the top of the gently
sloping hill down to the harbour in the main shopping street of Wells.
The art materials shop next door is a separate business now
but,
clearly from the excellent mosaic doorsteps to the two shops, they were
once one business owned by a proprietor called:
'ROLL'
The
tapering shape, the marble leading edge of the step
and curling metal kick plate on the bottom of the door is the same in
each entrance. So far we've been unable to track down the previous
business, so proudly proclaimed (twice) to this day (Christmas 2009).
For more
tiled doorsteps: 'E.Smith' (excellent) in Woodbridge,
Hales Chemist Ipswich, 'Smith', Harwich, and Ann Williams'
fine collection (see Links).
74 Staithe Street
2024 image
18.7.2024: 'This shop at the
bottom of Staithe Street has unusual 'island' display window and which
sold everything from white goods to Zippo lighters. Old name in the
surroundings judging by the graveyard memorials. Anyway it's closed now
but this rather nice hand painted sign has been revealed, although I
cannot make sense of the coat hooks! David Gaylard.'
2018 image
This 2018 view of the shop shows that
eye-catcher panel: 'CADAMY'S LTD. TELEVISION & ELECTRICAL'. This
panel covered up the colourful panel shown above. Presumably, it was
part of the fabric of the shop-front, so when the whole thing was
repainted in cream, the edges of the panel were painted prior to the
fixing of the more sundued panel over it. On an estate agents’ website
for a cottage in Cadamys Yard: '1 Cadamys Yard is a rare opportunity to
purchase an end of terrace
brick and flint house situated in a convenient location only a few
minutes walk from the centre of the ever popular seaside town of
Wells-next-the-Sea. The name, Cadamys Yard, originates from the family
of Cadamy who set up a blacksmiths on the site as far back as 1879.’