Happisburgh History

Happisburgh is perhaps best known for the dangerous Haisborough Sands that run parallel to the coast for nine miles. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries this sandbank was a particular danger when vessels, relying on wind power, became stranded.

1866  The RNLI established a lifeboat station at Old Cart Gap. A lifeboat house was built on the cliffs, above a gap to the beach, costing £189.

1884 The lifeboat capsized whilst on service to the schooner Edith on 23 January. The lifeboat was swept across the wreck but fortunately there was no loss of life.

1886 A Silver Medal was awarded to Coxswain John Cannon on his retirement for his long and valuable service.

1926 The lifeboat station closed and the all weather lifeboat was withdrawn.

1965 An inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established. A D class lifeboat was placed on service in June. The ILB was kept in a small boathouse at the top of the cliffs, above the gap.

1987 A new ILB boathouse was built, providing a crew and training room, a drying room, and toilet and washing facilities.

1994 A new D class lifeboat, Colin Martin was placed on service on 13 September.

1998  The boathouse was extended to provide improved crew facilities.

2000 The first lifeboat crew’s non-traditional calendar ‘Happisburgh’s Life Buoys’ was successfully published for the Millennium and raised funds for the station.

2002 In December the lifeboat launching ramp was washed away due to massive erosion. The RNLI, working closely with North Norfolk District Council, was able to open a fully operational station at Cart Gap within three months. The original station is now used for training and souvenir sales.

2003 The new station D class lifeboat, D-607 Spirit of Berkhamsted, was placed on service on 22 October. This lifeboat was funded by an appeal run by the volunteers of the RNLI Berkhamsted and District Branch.

Station honours

At Happisburgh lifeboat station the following awards have been made:
Silver Medal 1