Our history

In the 1960 ’s Her Majesty’s Coastguard became a '999' service, enabling the public to raise the alarm as with the other emergency services; the last Coastguard station where a visual watch was kept closed in 1994.

There are now only two Coastguard stations on the East coast of England - Humber and Walton on the Naze . These stations do not keep a visual watch; their main role is to coordinate rescues.

In 1994 two fishermen lost their lives directly below the recently closed Coastguard lookout. Local volunteers decided to reopen the lookout and to keep a visual watch, and so the Coastwatch movement was born.

Since then the number of Coastwatch stations has grown and there are now over 50 around the coast.

Sheringham Coastwatch was formed in 1997 and with the closure of HM Coastguard Gt Yarmouth in May 2013 our role has become even more important. Since 1997 we have been keeping watch over the sea, beach and cliff paths visible from the old coastguard lookout on Skelding Hill, the highest point of Sheringham golf course.

We are part of the Sea Safety Group of Coastwatch stations which is a charity set up to promote safety at sea.