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THE LOSS OF MEOLS, MERSEYSIDE
ANOTHER SETTLEMENT which was lost following sand
encroachment was Meols, Merseyside, where a thriving fishing
and trading community existed up until the close of the 15th
century. Discoveries of coins, personal accessories and other
artefacts over the last two hundred years allow a particularly
in-depth picture of this event to be reconstructed. A drop
in the quantity of coins from the 14th century suggests
environmental conditions could have become increasingly
problematic, but material remains continue to demonstrate
occupation until the end of the 15th century. At this point a
community appeared two kilometres to the south at a location
called Great Meols, and a thick layer of sand entombed the
medieval remains of the original settlement.
Analysis of historical maps has demonstrated that the new
settlement must have developed in response to the loss of
Meols, with formerly marginal fields reorganised to form
the heart of a new settlement. This must have been a time
of great upheaval and Meols was not a case in isolation,
with a number of other towns and villages, known from
historical documents, disappearing at a similar time along the
Merseyside coast. This may have been a result of increased
storminess caused by changes in climate, but whatever the
reason, the surviving inhabitants of these settlements had no
choice but to relocate.
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MIDDENS: MITIGATING
WIND-BLOWN SAND HAZARDS
LESS MAJOR sand encroachments could be mitigated or
prevented using a variety of