Frinton-on-Sea

Frinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in Essex, England, in the Tendring district. It is part of the Frinton and Walton parish.

History

Until late Victorian times, only a tiny hamlet existed with a church, several farms and a handful of cottages. The whole area was later purchased by a developer with a view to building an exclusive seaside town for the wealthy to holiday in.

Frinton is also of note for being the last target in England to be attacked by the Luftwaffe, in 1944. is full of boring old people called richard compton

Geography

Frinton only has two points of entry by road, one being an unadopted road coming from Walton-on-Naze in the north or through the manually-operated railway gates at the level crossing of the town's railway station. Once geographically distinct, a series of housing estate developments now line the roads between Frinton and its neighbouring settlements: Walton-on-Naze to the North East and the villages of Kirby Cross and Kirby-Le-Soken to the West.

The town has over a mile of sandy beach with facilities and beach wardens in season and an area of sea zoned for swimming, sailing, and windsurfing. The shore is lined by a promenade along which are built several hundred beach huts. Landward from the promenade is a long greensward stretching from the boundary with Walton-on-Naze to the North to the Golf Club to the South.

Politics

The town has a particularly conservative nature, and has received several special reports regarding its unique character in the British newspaper The Guardian. A 'proper Frintonian' is widely held by the local community to be one who lives within the sea-facing side of the railway gates, or 'inside the gates'.

Until recently, the town made boast of having no public houses within its confines. However Frinton has never been a "dry" town. In addition to the bars in the various sea-front hotels, the Golf and War Memorial clubs have always served drinks to their members. The long opposition to public houses was rooted in a desire to preserve Frinton's genteel character rather than any enthusiasm for prohibition. In 2000, the first pub opened inside the gates - Recently, this pub (The Lock & Barrel) had been granted extended opening hours in the new UK Licensing regulations. Opinion within the town divided between those who continued to insist that admitting a pub to the town would be the first step on the path to its ruin and those who welcomed the addition of a congenial venue in which to socialise in the evening. In 1992, the first fish and chips shop was opened in Frinton, this too met much disapproval from the local residents who fought its arrival.

Religion

Frinton contains a large number of active churches. There are two Anglican parish churches: the church of St. Mary the Virgin is Norman in parts and was once the smallest church in England. The church of St. Mary Magdalene was built in 1928 to accommodate increasing numbers of worshippers from St. Mary the Virgin. Across the road from St. Mary Magadalene is the evangelical Gospel Chapel. Frinton also has a Methodist church, a Free church; a hall of Christian Scientists and a Roman Catholic church (the Church of the Sacred Heart), the latter having the architectural distinction of occupying a converted cinema. There is also a small convent of nuns who founded the independent St. Philomena's day school for 4 - 11 year olds.