Lowestoft
Guide to Lowestoft, everything on one page.
One Stop Guide to Lowestoft Suffolk
Lowestoft Suffolk: The most easterly town in the British Isles, Lowestoft is also the second largest town in the county of Suffolk (after Ipswich). A significant fishing town since the Middle Ages, its name came from the Viking language, it was originally an agricultural village and was recorded in the Domesday Book as such. Lowestoft later became well known for its porcelain, which was first developed in the 18th century. Lowestoft today has a population of around 72,000 and is a popular area for tourism, with some fine sandy beaches located to the south of the town.
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Lowestoft History: Deriving its name from the Viking “Hlover” (a personal name) and “toft” (homestead), Lowestoft was settled long before the Normans invaded Britain. In the Domesday Book (1086 land survey conducted by William I), it was recorded as Lothu Wistoft and listed as having 100 residents in 20 families, just a small agricultural village.
Lowestoft’s fishing industry, especially herring fishing, developed during the Middle Ages, and its fleet was constantly in competition with neighbouring Great Yarmouth, which caused some rivalry between the towns.
In the second half of the eighteenth century, a new industry arrived in Lowestoft in the form of porcelain production. A factory located in Crown Street produced many items (now very collectable) of soft paste porcelain, after one Hewlin Luson discovered clay on his estate in Gunton which resembled that used to make Delft ware.
The main development of the town came in the mid 19th century with the arrival of the railway, and the construction of the harbour and docks by the Eastern Counties Railway. Both railway and port brought increasing number of visitors to the town and it began to grow as a holiday destination, having some fine beaches to the south of the town.
Lowestoft suffered considerable damage from bombing in both World Wars, the first in 1916 by the German Navy, and in the second by German bomber planes.
Fishing remained the primary industry in Lowestoft right up until the 1960’s, when diminishing fish stocks resulted in a shrinking fishing fleet. Many of the lost fishing related jobs were replaced by the growing North Sea oil and gas industries, though a further blow was dealt to the town in 2003 with the closing of the Shell Southern Operations base.
View Larger Lowestoft Map |
Lowestoft Map: Shown to the right is a satellite map of Lowestoft, giging a birdseye view of the town.
Lowestoft is situated on the A12 between Ipswich and Great Yarmouth, it is about 37 miles from Ipswich, 9 miles from Great Yarmouth and 103 miles from central London.
Lowestoft Population: 71,914
Lowestoft Postcode: NR32, NR33
Lowestoft Telephone Dialling Code: 01502
Lowestoft Twinned With: Plaisir (France), Katwijk (Netherlands).
Lowestoft Tourist Information:
Lowestoft Tourist Information Centre - Address: Royal Plain, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0AP. Telephone Number: 01502 533 600.
The East Point Pavilion - Royal Plain, Lowestoft NR33 0AP. Telephone: 01502 533 600.
Suffolk County Council - Address: Clapham House, Clapham Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1QP. Telephone Number: 01502 405 000.
Lowestoft Library / Libraries:
Lowestoft Central Library - Address: Clapham Road South, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1DR. Telephone Number: 01502 405 342.
Oulton Broad Library - Address: 92 Bridge Road, Lowestoft NR32 3LR. Tel: 01502 405 522.
St Margaret's C Of E Church - Address: 147 Hollingsworth Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 4BW. Telephone Number: 01502 573 046.
St. Peter's Church - The Rectory, Rectory Road, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 8BB. Telephone: 01502 565 217.
Oulton Broad Free Presbyterian Church - 114-120 Victoria Road, Lowestoft NR33 9LU. Telephone: 01502 582 100.
London Road Baptist Church - Address: Kirkley Park Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0LQ. Telephone Number: 01502 514 091.
Pakefield Parish Church - Causeway Cottage, Causeway, Pakefield St, Lowestoft NR33 0JZ. Telephone: 01502 574 040.
Trinity Methodist Church - 85-86 High Street, Lowestoft NR32 1XN. Telephone: 01502 573 048.
Marina Theatre & Cinema - Address: The Marina, Lowestoft, Sufflok, NR32 1HH. Telephone Number: 01502 533 200.
The Seagull Theatre - Address: Morton Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0JH. Telephone Number: 01502 589 726.
Lowestoft Cinema:
Hollywood Cinema - Address: 41 London Road South, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0AS. Telephone Number: 01502 564 567.
The Hotel Hatfield - Esplanade, Lowestoft NR33 0QG. Telephone: 01502 565 337.
Hotel Victoria - Address: Kirkley Cliff, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0BZ. Telephone Number: 01502 574 433.
The Winelodge Hotel - Address: 1 Victoria Terrace, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0QJ. Telephone Number: 01502 512 777.
Gunton Hall - Gunton Avenue, Lowestoft NR32 5DF. Telephone: 01502 730 288.
Carlton Manor Hotel - Chapel Road, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 8BL. Telephone: 01502 566 511.
Wavecrest Guesthouse - 31 Marine Parade, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0QN. Telephone: 01502 561 268 (bed and breakfast accommodation, guest house).
Britten House -Address: 21 Kirkley Cliff Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0DB. Telephone Number: 01502 573 950.
Waterside Holiday Village - Corton, Lowestoft NR32 5HS. Telephone: 01502 730 200 ( self-catering accommodation).
Beach Farm Residential & Holiday Park - Address: 1 Arbor Lane, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 7BD. Telephone Number: 01502 572 794 (self-catering accommodation).
Pakefield Caravan Park - Address: Arbor Lane, Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 7BQ. Telephone Number: 01502 561 136 (caravan park).
Lowestoft Pubs:
The Faith & Harbour Inn - Bridge House, Royal Plain, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0AG. Telephone: 01502 587 408 (pub, drinking establishment).
The Oak Tavern - 73 Crown Street West, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1SQ. Telephone: 01502 537 246 (pub).
The Blue Boar Inn - 28 Oulton Street, Oulton, Lowestoft NR32 3BB. Telephone: 01502 572 160 (pub).
The Foxburrow - 249 Yarmouth Road, Lowestoft NR32 4AA. Telephone: 01502 572 441 (pub, bar and grill).
For details of how to get a free pub listing on this website please e-mail info@my-lowestoft.co.uk
Lowestoft Sports and Activities:
Waterlane Leisure Centre - Address: Water Lane, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 2NH. Telephone Number: 01502 569 116.
Rookery Park Golf Club - Address: Beccles Road, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft NR33 8HJ. Telephone Number: 01502 515 103 (golf club, golf course).
Lowestoft Town Football Club - Address: Love Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2PA. Telephone Number: 01502 573 818 (football club).
Kirkley & Pakefield Football Club - Address: Walmer Rd, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 7LE. Telephone Number: 01502 513 549.
Lowestoft & Yarmouth Rugby Union Football Club - Address: Corton Long Lane, Corton, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 5HD. Telephone Number: 01502 730 350.
Lowestoft Family Bowl - Address: Unit 11, Capital Estate, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1TY. Telephone Number: 01502 519 200.
Kensington Gardens Bowls & Tennis Club - Kensington Road, Lowestoft NR33 0HY. Telephone: 01502 573 731.
Lowestoft Railway Bowls & Social Club - 123a Carlton Road, Lowestoft NR33 0LZ. Telephone: 01502 560172.
Crop Shop - 130 London Road North, Lowestoft NR32 1HB. Telephone: 01502 583 004 (hairdresser).
Crosby's Hair Studio - Address: 2 Claremont Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0BS. Telephone Number: 01502 588 357 (hairdresser).
Hair For Men - 6 Milton Road East, Town Centre, Lowestoft NR32 1NT. Telephone: 01502 519 999 (hairdressers, barber).
Peeks Car & Motorcycle Tuition - 96-98 Denmark Road, Lowestoft NR32 2EH. Telephone: 01502 565 463 (driving school).
Lady Driva - Address: 70 Dell Road East, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 9LB. Telephone Number: 07889 158 673 (driving school).
121 Driving Instruction - 76 Alexandra Road, Lowestoft NR32 1PL. Telephone: 07771 567217 (driving school).
Lowestoft Shopmobility - Lowestoft Central Railway Station, Denmark Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2EG. Telephone: 01502 588 857.
Caretrade - 10 Homefield Avenue, Lowestoft NR33 9BT. Telephone: 01502 560 445 (mobility equipment supplier, disability equipment).
Chamberlins - Address: Beach Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1DT. Telephone Number: 01502 573 241 (solicitor).
M Nicholson - 23 Alexandra Road, Lowestoft NR32 1PP. Telephone: 01502 532 300 (solicitor).
Sam Hook Lowestoft Ltd - 132 Bevan Street East, Lowestoft NR32 2AQ. Telephone: 01502 565 821.
For details of how to get a free business listing on this website please send an e-mail to info@my-lowestoft.co.uk also you can send your Lowestoft information and photos to the same e-mail address for inclusion on the website.