Tunstall

Tunstall is a small village in Holderness, East Yorkshire, tucked less than a mile inland from the North Sea and about three miles north-west of Withernsea. It sits within the civil parish of Roos, and its cottages of pale beach cobble and neat hedgerows give it a settled, rural character that belies the drama unfolding just down the lane at the coast. The village was recorded in the Domesday Book as "Tunestal", and its Norman-founded All Saints Church, altered in the 13th and 14th centuries with a 15th-century tower, is one of the oldest buildings for miles.

What makes Tunstall unusual is its front-row seat on one of Europe's fastest-eroding coastlines. The soft boulder-clay cliffs along this stretch of Holderness retreat by an average of 1.1 to 2 metres a year, and in recent stormy winters that rate has nearly doubled. Over the decades, farmland, roads and dozens of houses nearby have been lost to the sea, including the Coastguard Cottages built in 1902 to replace homes that had already fallen at Waxholme. It is a strange, quietly moving place to visit: a reminder that this coast has always been in motion, even as the village itself remains a calm, workaday corner of rural Yorkshire.

Top things to do near Tunstall

There is not much in Tunstall itself, but the surrounding Holderness coast and nearby towns offer plenty for a day out.

• Sand le Mere — a large caravan holiday park just southeast of the village, with a beach, pools and leisure facilities open to guests staying there.
• All Saints Church, Tunstall — a Norman-founded parish church built largely of beach cobble, with a 15th-century tower; a good stop for anyone interested in the area's history.
• Withernsea — a traditional seaside town about 3 miles away, with its distinctive lighthouse, promenade, amusements and sandy beach.
• Hornsea — a larger coastal town to the north with Hornsea Mere, Yorkshire's largest freshwater lake, and a sandy beach backed by a small town centre.
• The Holderness coast itself — walking this stretch of crumbling cliffs and wide beaches gives a striking sense of how quickly the North Sea is reshaping this part of England.

Getting to Tunstall

Tunstall is reached via minor roads off the B1242 coast road between Hornsea and Withernsea, itself accessible from Hull via the A1033 or A165. Hull is around 25 miles away and has the nearest mainline railway station, with connections to Doncaster, Leeds and beyond; from Hull, a car or local bus service is needed to complete the journey, as Tunstall has no station of its own. The village is best reached by car, and roadside or on-site parking is the norm at the caravan parks and holiday cottages nearby.

Best time to visit Tunstall

Summer (June to August) brings the best weather for the beach and coastal walks, along with longer daylight hours to explore Withernsea and Hornsea. Spring and early autumn are quieter, with mild weather well suited to walking the cliff paths, though visitors should always keep well back from unstable cliff edges. Winter can bring strong winds and dramatic seas, which is when erosion is at its most visible, but conditions underfoot can be difficult and some coastal paths may be closed.

Where to stay near Tunstall

Accommodation directly in Tunstall is limited to a scattering of holiday cottages and the caravan pitches at Sand le Mere. For more choice, Withernsea and Hornsea both have a range of guesthouses, holiday parks and self-catering cottages within a short drive, making either a practical base for exploring this stretch of the Holderness coast.

Food and drink near Tunstall

Tunstall itself has no pub or shop, so visitors typically head to Withernsea or Hornsea for meals, cafes and takeaways, both of which have a reasonable spread of seaside chippies, pubs and casual restaurants. Sand le Mere's on-site facilities also offer food and drink for guests staying at the park.