Lowestoft's High Street Histories: What has been lost and how much has changed?

These teaching resources celebrate the stories behind Lowestoft’s historic High Street. Travel back in time with two local historians as your guide, to revisit the buildings, shops and people who once could be found there. Rare old photographs inspire discussion and creative responses that result in the creation of a poetry anthology inspired by local heritage.

High Street Histories was produced by Poetry People in consultation with local teachers and in partnership with the North Lowestoft Heritage Action Zone and Historic England's Heritage Schools Programme.

The North Lowestoft Heritage Action Zone was funded by Historic England and East Suffolk Council and delivered in partnership with Lowestoft Town Council, Lowestoft Vision and East Suffolk Building Preservation Trust.

High Street Histories is a series of conversations between Ivan Bunn and Dean Parkin. Join Ivan and Dean as they travel back in time through Lowestoft's historic High Street, delving into the photo archives along the way.

Explore our StoryMap to discover their heritage trail which stops at 10 locations along Lowestoft’s High Street.

Explore Lowestoft's High Street Histories StoryMap 

All episodes of High Street Histories have an accompanying worksheet, ideal for young people aged 5-11.

Teaching idea

Children can explore how Lowestoft’s High Street has changed over time. They can listen to two local experts, historians Ivan Bunn and Dean Parkin discussing places of significance along the High Street that tell different stories from the past.

Children can analyse rare old photographs to help them identify what has changed and what remains and that provides a starting point for discussing the differences between now and the past.

The worksheets provide guidelines for using this inspiration to explore sensory responses and create their own poetry anthology.

Learning aims and outcomes

  • To develop our local history skills by using historical evidence to find out about our area and the people who lived and worked here in the past
  • To discover how our area has changed over time and develop a deeper understanding of the nature of change and the causes of change.
  • To investigate why key historical sites in our local area are important
  • To develop our geography skills by using maps to find out about our area in the past
  • To find out why we can care about historic sites in our local area and how we can continue to use them in the future
  • To develop listening skills
  • To write creatively using sensory language, especially adjectives, and adverbs

Prior knowledge

  • No prior knowledge is required

Extended learning and useful links