Can you still visit the ruins of Hallsands?

No, the ruins themselves are closed to the public due to instability. The South West Coast Path still runs along the clifftop above, giving you views of the site, but you can't access the ruins directly anymore.

Why did Hallsands get destroyed?

A contractor dredged about 660,000 tons of protective shingle from offshore between 1897 and 1902 for construction work at Devonport Dockyard. This removed the village's natural sea defence, and a severe storm in January 1917 then demolished what remained of the weakened settlement.

Did anyone die when Hallsands was destroyed?

No, miraculously no one died. Residents evacuated to higher ground in the dark as their homes collapsed during the storm on the night of 26th January 1917.

The Lost Villages

Hallsands: When the Sea Took a Devon Fishing Village in a Single Storm

Hallsands was a working South Devon fishing village until dredging offshore removed the protective shingle bank. When the January 1917 storm arrived, twenty-nine houses collapsed into the sea, and the community never rebuilt.

4 October 20267 min read