Wells-next-the-Sea, located on the north coast of Norfolk, England, is a port town.
The civil parish covers an area of 16.31 square kilometers and, in 2001, had a population of 2,451, which decreased to 2,165 according to the 2011 census.
Wells is situated 24 kilometers to the east of the seaside resort of Hunstanton, 32 kilometers to the west of Cromer, and 16 kilometers north of Fakenham. To the south-east, you’ll find the city of Norwich, which is 51 kilometers away. Nearby villages include Blakeney, Burnham Market, Burnham Thorpe, Holkham, and Walsingham.
The name “Wells” is recorded as “Guella” in the Domesday Book of 1086, and it is derived from “spring wells.” The town had numerous springs that rose through the local chalky terrain.
To differentiate it from other places with similar names, the town adopted the name “Wells-next-the-Sea” in the 14th century. Although there were no hyphens in its name on the Ordnance Survey maps of 1838 and 1921, it was referred to as “Wells Next the Sea.” When the Wells and Fakenham Railway opened on December 1, 1857, the terminus was named “Wells-on-Sea.” In 1956, the Wells Urban District Council officially reinstated the name “Wells-next-the-Sea,” which has been used ever since.