History of Seaview Caravan Park

By Mike Ashwell 16th November 2003

Seaview Caravan Park is now owned and managed by the Ashwell family who purchased the park on 11^th January 2000.  They moved to Norfolk from Leicestershire where Mike Ashwell owned a television rental company.

The earliest document in the deeds of the property is dated 16^th January 1857 and is an extract of title of Sir Edward Fowell-Buxton of Colne House, Cromer.  Sir Edward was a substantial land owner in the area also owning property at Gimmingham, Trunch, Cromer, Felbrigg, Northrepps, Southrepps, Trimmingham and Essex, as far as we know.  He died on 11^th June 1858 and the land that Seaview now occupies, which at the time was called Spurns Close, passed to his son Thomas.

Sir Thomas Fowell-Buxton retained the land until 26^th August 1903 when he sold it to a journalist by the name of Rowland Hill, who lived in Bedford, for the princely sum of £575.

Mr Rowland Hill then sold on to Reverend G. B. Gainsford on 8^th July 1920.  Reverend  Gainsford resided at Hitchin, Hertfordshire.  He passed away on 18^th February 1933.

During these ownerships of Spurns Close we presume that the land was used for holidaying rather than agriculture.  We have pictures of a substantial property occupying the land and the owners retained their original addresses which makes us assume that they travelled to holiday in North Norfolk.

The story takes a turn in 1936 when on the 25^th of March the beneficiaries of Reverend Gainsford’s estate sold the land to Mr W. S. Cox from Sheringham.

Mr Cox, although described as a wardrobe dealer of Sheringham seemed to aspire more to the holiday market because when he sold the land he described his business as “a freehold camping site and tea house”.

Walter Cox let tents on the beach in the summers of 1936-9.  We have a letter in our possession, from The Clerk of Erpingham Rural District Council, which acknowledges an annual rent of 10 shillings paid to, the previous owner, Mrs Gainsford for the right of putting huts on her beach.

An extract from the deeds relating to Walter Sidney Cox reads as follows: “Shortly after I purchased the land I erected upon the site a Tea House and remained in undisturbed possession thereof until the year 1940, when the bungalow and teahouse were requisitioned by the military authorities, and pulled down by them, in connection with the defence of the East Coast.  Since the termination of the last war I have received compensation in respect of the said Tea House and have erected the same upon the site."

One wonders if the Second World War took its toll on Walter as he sold up on 30th July 1946 to Walter & Dorothy Cooper. Walter Cooper’s occupation was given as “outfitter of East Runton”.  Walter Cox did however rent the Tea House back from Mr & Mrs Cooper at a cost of £1 per week.  This arrangement carried on between 31^st July – 12^th October 1946.  We have pictures of the park referring to Coopers Cliff Top Café so we can assume that the Coopers then took over the tea house.

As of yet we have no idea when the name changed from Spurns Close to Seaview.  If anybody can offer any further information on the subject we would be glad to hear from them.

The ownership of the land was then sold to the following people:

• 15^th August 1949 sold to Rex William Parrott

• 3^rd June 1964 sold to Mrs E W Babbister

• 1^st March 196? sold to Mr K R Brigstock

• 15^th November 1985 sold to Mrs Megan B Hay

• 11^th January 2000 sold to Mr & Mrs Michael Ashwell

The park now accommodates 53 static holiday caravans, they are vastly different in all aspects to those of Walter Cox's days.  Despite the many new found luxuries people still come to Seaview for the same things: sand, sea and sunshine which together make a perfect Norfolk holiday.