The Norfolk coast, to the north of Yarmouth, runs out in a point into the German Ocean. This point is called Winterton-ness. Beyond it the coast tends west north-west, and then west, the shore being low and flat, besieged with dangerous sands, especially between the Ness and Hapsburgh. The most remarkable of the banks of sand, which lie off at sea, run parallel to the coast of Yarmouth, and form the celebrated Yarmouth Roads. From this place, however, north-west to Cro mer, and thence to Sheringham, there arc steep and high cliffs, from 40 to upwards of 80 feet perpendicu lar. Proceeding westward the shore is low and flat; but about Hunstanton, at the mouth of the Wash, the cliffs appear again. At Lynn Regis the great bay is formed between Norfolk and Lincolnshire, which in dents the county deeply to the south-west. The sea coast of Norfolk is formed either by clayey cliffs, which are continually sapped and overthrown by the waves, or by low sandy shores, covered with loose pebbles. In some places, a kind of natural bank is formed of the sand, held together by the roots of the sea-reed grass. Hunstanton cliff, already mentioned, is the only rocky eminence on this coast. It is composed of chalk and friable stone, resting on a base of iron coloured pud ding stone.
After crossing the Washes, the main land of Lin colnshire presents its extended coast, in the form of a bow, to the German Ocean. In general, it lies low and flat, or with a small declivity to the east. In some parts, the land has been gained from the sea, though in other parts, the sea has in its turn invaded the land ; and the remains of a forest are visible under the waves. Its sea-ports, which were formerly numerous, are now almost entirely choaked up with sand, and some of them are quite deserted by the ocean. The coast of Lincolnshire at first stretches a little to the east of the north, and then gradually inclines to the west, to the mouth of the Humber. Its extent is upwards of 100 miles.
The extremity of Holderness, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, contracts into a small neck of land, form ing a curve in the sea, towards the south-west. The extremity of the neck of land is the Spurnhead, a sickle shaped promontory that guards the mouth of the Hum ber, nearly opposite the port of Grimsby in Lincoln shire. Amidst the sands of this river, Sunk Island is formed on the Yorkshire side. In this part of the coast of this county, several ports have suffered from the sea. Headon, which was a free burgh in the reign of King John, and which, in subsequent times, was so populous as to have three parish churches, is now dwindled into a small and insignificant place, with scarcely any harbour. The coast continues low and flat, like that of Lincolnshire, till it has passed the little port of Ilornsea, and approaches the quay of Brid lington. This sea-port is covered by the point of land called Flamborough Head, from north-east and north west winds. Flamborough Head is formed by the \Voids, which here advance towards the coast. It is a very remarkable promontory, the white perpendicular cliffs of which protrude themselves far into the Ger man Ocean, and serve as a direction for ships. hIany of the rocks which compose it arc insulated, of a pyra midal form, and soar to a great height. The bases of
most of them arc solid ; but some are pierced through and arched. On the north side, there are large ca verns. Beyond Flamborough Head, a rocky promon tory, of a round figure, projects into the sea, by which it is surrounded on all sides, except on the west. On the summit of this rock is built the castle, and on the side of it the town of Scarborough. The shore here is remarkably bold; and the height of the cliffs gives it some resemblance to the coast near Dover. Between this place and Whitby, Robinhood's bay lies: the land is still high, and the sea deep, but the bay is exposed to the east wind. The Eastern Morelands extend over the whole country, to the north of Scarborough, to the coast, one deep hollow of which, formed by a small ri ver, is occupied by the port of Whitby. From this place the shore declines west-north-west, and west by north. The next conspicuous point of land is Huntly cliff. Beyond this, still more to the north, appears Redclifl', that makes one side of a bay, as the promon !ory, on which Hartlepool, in the county of Durham, stands, does the other; the River Tees rushing with a rapid tide into the German Ocean between them. From this description of the coast of Yorkshire, it will be seen, that from the Humber to Flamborough Head it is low and flat, and from Flamborough Head to the Tees un commonly bold and precipitous. In the first division of it, it is in general composed of clay. Flamborough Head is limestone. Whitby presents a coast composed of aluminous schistus. There are many fishing villa ges on the northern part of the coast of this county, singularly placed, like nests, upon the ledges of the rocks. No coast in England furnishes a greater varie ty of fish than this.
Hartlepool is seated on a little neck of land, stretch ing itself into the sea, forming within a safe harbour. The coast of Durham is flat for some distance from this place; but as it approaches Sunderland, it becomes rocky, and is broken into deep caverns. Here the cliffs seem composed of a peculiar stone, the work of marine insects. Beyond Sunderland the coast is bleak and dreary, to the point where the opposite towns of North and South Shields mark the exit of the Tyne. The bold ruin of Tynmouth Castle is the first object that presents itself on the Northumberland coast. At a small distance northwards stands Cullercoats, a com modious little port of artificial construction, though it is dry at low water, and difficult at the entrance. A little farther to the north is Seaton Sluice, or Seaton Delaval, which, like Cullercoats, is an artificial har bour, formed by Sir Ralph Delaval, one of the ablest admirals of the age before the last. From this place the coast of Northumberland presents nothing remark able, except a small island at the mouth of the river Cocquct, till we reach Bamborough Castle, situated on a promontory, once a place of great strength. Nearly opposite to it lies a group of rocky islets, called the Earn Isles; and to the south Holy Island. The coast of Northumberland, from the mouth of the Tyne to Bamborough Castle, is mostly low cliffs. From Barn borough to the mouth of the Tweed, a sandy shore ex tends.