Geograph - photograph every grid square

The railing stands at the end of the concrete sea wall that protects the town of Southwold, further to the south. A path is leading down onto the unprotected beach below. In the 19th century, a variety of groynes and breakwaters were constructed in an attempt to protect Southwold's shoreline. In 1899-90 timber breastwork was constructed on two levels as protection for the town and a major new project was undertaken in 1903 to create sea defences. The work has continued ever since with the construction of concrete promenades > Link which stemmed the erosion to the coastal border of the town and the groynes were renewed in 1980. In 2005 a major new sea defence programme was begun by the Environment Agency in conjunction with Waveney District Council which involved the building of a completely new set of timber groynes in front of the town and huge rock groynes to the north of the pier. The beach was afterwards recharged with new sand to replace that which had been scoured away. Despite all actions taken, high tides and gale force winds sometimes still drive the sea over the promenade.