This photo was taken at Croyde Beach. A place well known for good waves, attracting many surfers and bodyboarders (me being the latter).
The name of the word 'Croyde' is disputed. Some say that it comes from the name of a Viking raider Crydda while others say it comes from the Cornish word 'curd' which describes a village that is surrounded by hills.
While there was evidence of people living in Croyde in the Saxon period and there was a market in the area (meaning there was a town nearby) little is none about the place in the middle-ages. By the 18th century at the latest, however, it became an established area for farming.
The 20th century saw a shift in the local area's use from that of agriculture to tourism. In 1930 Croyde Bay, a holiday resort, was set up by the workers' union NALGO. In the Second World War the beach was used by US soldiers to practice the D-Day landings before they set of for Normandy. While Croyde bay is situated in North Devon and thus was never likely a direct invasion target by the Germans, defences can still be found 80 years later. One pillbox in particular overlooks the beach, it certainly would have been useful against a German amphibious invasion.
In the last 30 years the increasing attention Croyde Beach has received due to its large waves (popular for surfers) has been a boon for the local economy. The declining farming sector has meant jobs losses in the area, tourism may Croyde's saving grace; at least in the summer months.
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