‘Like Aphrodite born of the sea‘ a small island rose from the turbulent waters of the Humber estuary. The year was 1243.
Aided by tides, shifting sands and a fortuitous shipwreck it continued to grow, eventually becoming inhabited by a hardy group of enterprising entrepreneurs.
In the years that followed a thriving community formed.
The fledgling island’s growing importance was demonstrated when, in exchange for the sum of £300, a charter was granted by then monarch Edward the First on April Fool’s Day, 1299.
A further milestone occurred in 1304 when the community returned two burgesses to represent its interests in parliament. Accounts of the day, however, also record that unpredictable tides were playing havoc with the island’s coastline.
Seventy-eight years later it disappeared, swept away by raging storms and surging flood tides.
The full account of this remarkable island’s short history appears on my ‘Feature Articles‘ page. To go direct, click here.
Pebble Pathway 