Mablethorpe

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Mablethorpe

Coordinates: 53.3409° N 0.261° E
Population	11,780 (with Sutton)
OS grid reference	TF506850
District	East Lindsey
Shire county	Lincolnshire
Region	East Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MABLETHORPE
Postcode district	LN12
Dial code	01507
Police	Lincolnshire
Fire	Lincolnshire
Ambulance	East Midlands
UK Parliament	Louth and Horncastle
European Parliament	East Midlands
List of places: UK • England • Lincolnshire

Mablethorpe is today known as a small seaside resort in East Lindsey on the coast of Lincolnshire, England. However, it has been in existence for many centuries although part of it was lost to the sea in the 1540s. For example records of the Fitzwilliam family of Mablethorpe Hall date back to the 1300s. In the 19th century it was also a centre for ship breaking during the winter.

Mablethorpe beach, near Seal Sanctuary

Attractions at the resort include a small fairground and the sandy beach. The town was much visited by Alfred Lord Tennyson in the 19th century and by D.H. Lawrence in the early 20th century; Mablethorpe is mentioned by characters in his Sons and Lovers. In January 1953 the town was hit by the disastrous east coast floods. Unusually for a small town, a marathon was held there recently, which is intended to become an annual event.

Most people consider Mablethorpe to be a charming place; it is not particularly commercialised, and has the feel of a 1960s resort. Its beach is long, wide and flat, with golden sand and separated from the town by a narrow strip of large sand-dunes. A sand train operates to take visitors to the north end of the beach, where there is a small animal sanctuary. So far Mablethorpe, apart from Haven Golden Sands, has remained immune from the large caravan parks that now dominate resorts such as Skegness and Ingoldmells,although some smaller ones do exist. The town is administered with Sutton-on-Sea, as Mablethorpe and Sutton.

Along with many small seaside villages and some inland towns and villages, Mablethorpe lost its railway station in 1970 due to the Beeching Axe.

In February 2006, Jamie Oliver filmed a new school meals programme for Channel 4 in the area, specifically Theddlethorpe and Saltfleetby. The Mablethorpe Tennyson High School is a secondary modern school for ages 11-16. The nearest grammar school is at Alford.

The local postal sorting office is at Mablethorpe, just off Wellington Road. The local newspaper is the Mablethorpe Leader. The cinema is the Loewen. There is a Co-op on Seacroft Road, opposite the HSBC bank. There is also a Lidl supermarket further along the same road.

[edit] Gallery

Upper High Street's popular shopping and Chippy Restaurant	Spanish City shopping and fun arcade off Quebec Road and High Street	Early morning High Street looking out to Quebec Road and Mablethorpe's beach front.	Indoor Market and Kowloon City Chinese Restaurant amongst High Street's shopping.
Mablethorpe shopping stores along mid-High Street.	Sea view telescope looking out from Mablethorpe's central beach area (2005)