Hallsands Totally Explained

Everything about Hallsands totally explained

Hallsands is a deserted village and beach in south Devon, England, in a precarious position between cliffs and the sea, between Beesands to the north and Start Point to the south.

History of Hallsands

The early history of Hallsands isn't known, but a chapel has existed there since at least 1506. The site of the village was located at a cave known as Poke Hole and probably wasn't inhabited before 1600. The village grew in size during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and by 1891 it had 37 houses, a spring, a pub called the London Inn and a population of 159. Most residents of Hallsands at that time depended on fishing for a living, particularly crab fishing on the nearby Skerries Bank.

Hallsands today

The site of the old village at South Hallsands, is closed, although South Hams District Council has built a viewing platform, which is accessed from Trout's Apartments (formerly Trout's Hotel) in South Hallsands.
The beach at North Hallsands, known locally at the time as "Greenstraight", is the only one remaining at Hallsands as the beach beside the village no longer exists having been removed in 1917 by the storm.
There are two houses that remain intact, although every summer the owners spend many months repairing the damage the easterly winds have caused over the winter.

Hallsands in Music

In 2006, the critically acclaimed opera company 'Streetwise Opera' commissioned a new opera, Whirlwind, based on the story of Hallsands. It was premiered at The Sage, Gateshead, on 24 October 2006. Written by Will Todd and Ben Duwell, Whirlwind tells the story of Hallsands, a small fishing community thriving under the shadow of Start Point at the start of the 20th century. But in the next few years their world is turned upside down. Sir John Jackson’s dredgers come to take the beach, and a winter of storms drags their homes into the sea.
   Many years later, Lizzie May Prettyjohn, the last survivor of the gales, guides tourists round the ruins of the village. One day a young American couple come – and Lizzie May sees her young self reflected in the girl, Nella. Past seeps into the present, old Hallsands comes back to life around the young visitor, and she's caught up in their world of protest and tempest.
   As a hurricane far off in the Atlantic starts to form, mirroring the great Hallsands storm of 1917, all are caught up in the whirlwind.
   Will Todd is one of the country’s leading young opera composers and originates from Durham. His works have been performed at the Royal Opera House, Barbican, Boston Conservatory (USA), Buxton Festival and Durham Cathedral. His opera The Blackened Man was runner-up at the International Giuseppe Verdi Competition for the Composition of a Lyric Opera in Italy.

Further Information

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