The lovely little seaside town of Hornsea is like a hidden gem tucked away ever so gently in the coastline of the beautiful East Riding of Yorkshire. Sitting comfortably at the end of the Trans Pennine Trail, Hornsea is almost akin to a prize at the end of a journey or a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Though there may not be too much gold in Hornsea, there is definitely treasure to be found aplenty in this adorable burg. The treasure in question, though, is pottery and Hornsea is one of the premier homes of some of the finest pottery ever created.
Hornsea's connection with pottery is centuries old and to this day pottery is still a popular trade in the town. Though the famous and iconic pottery factory that once stood proudly in the town was recently shut down, there are still plenty of local merchants that sell works of art both new and old. For those interested in the history of this fascinating trade, the Hornsea Museum is the perfect destination. This stunning collection houses more Hornsea pottery than any other location in the world and it also has plenty of thrilling pieces from other places around the world.
There is more to love in Hornsea than simply pottery, though. By all accounts there is no end to the exciting and unique features to be found in Hornsea and these range from the incredible to the incredibly silly. Take, for instance, the "Folly". This lovable building was erected in the early 1800s (which lends it quite a bit of historical credence) by a man named William Bettinson. In those days Bettinson had quite a bit of money because he was a successful brewer and he owned a large garden in Hornsea. It was on this soil that he built what was quickly becoming known as "Bettinson's Folly". The Folly was a tower that had a retracting flagpole and to this day the flagpole is the only working retracting model in the entire country. In World War II the tower was used as a lookout site and a siren was installed that was used for many years afterward. These days the Folly is a Grade II listed building and it can be found right across the street from the Hornsea Museum.
Another popular Hornsea site is the Hornsea Mere. This is a large lake that is home to some of the rarest birds in all of England. There is a large sailing crowd in town that loves nothing more than to ride atop the glistening waters of the Mere and indeed many people come from all around to take part in this revelry and possibly catch a glimpse of some of the stunning waterfowl that can be found within. In short, Hornsea is sure to provide thrills to anybody regardless of where their interests lie. In the end, isn't this exactly what is expected out of every town and yet so rarely achieved?
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