The Devon village that was lost to the sea
Few places in Devon have as sad a history as Hallsands.
This South Hams village has nowadays been built onto the cliffs – but the fate of the village around 100 years ago is tragic.
It’s a lesson on the power of the sea and the destruction it can cause.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hallsands and visiting it today.
Where is Hallsands?
Hallsands is a small village on the South Devon coast, just south of Beesands and a short distance from Start Point.
Located above a rocky shoreline with views out to Start Bay, it sits within the South Hams district of Devon.
It’s in two parts. The modern village has a few houses, some of which are holiday rentals, and the historic village is in ruins at the bottom of the cliff.
While only ruins remain today, the story of the old Hallsands village is one of the most tragic and fascinating in Devon’s history.
How to Get to Hallsands
The closest town to Hallsands is Kingsbridge, about 11 miles away. From Kingsbridge, follow the A379 towards Stokenham and turn off for Hallsands.
There is a small car park just before the village. It’s a £2 flat rate to park and cash is required (pop into the honesty box). Google Maps location here.
You could also park in the small car park near the Start Point Lighthouse – this is about a 20 minute walk away, and you’ll spot the old buildings as you walk on the coast path. Google maps location for Start Point Lighthouse here.
What Happened to Hallsands?
Hallsands was once a thriving fishing village – home to around 160 people at the turn of the 20th century.
The disaster that led to its abandonment was entirely man-made. In the late 19th century, a decision was made to dredge shingle from the seabed just offshore to expand the naval dockyard at Keyham, near Plymouth.
Between 1897 and 1902, large quantities of shingle were removed, which lowered the level of the beach and drastically reduced the village’s natural sea defences.
Residents protested, warning that the removal of the shingle left their homes exposed to the elements.
Their fears were ignored, and in January 1917, during a violent storm, the sea broke through. The village was almost entirely destroyed overnight.
Miraculously, no lives were lost, but the village was deemed uninhabitable, and its residents were forced to leave.
Why is Hallsands Now Abandoned?
After the storm of 1917, most of Hallsands was reduced to ruins. Some villagers attempted to stay, but with no real protection from the sea, the remaining buildings continued to deteriorate.
Eventually, Hallsands was abandoned altogether, although the new village was built on the top of the cliffs.
Today, what remains of the village is fenced off for safety reasons – and the main viewpoint is also inaccessible due to cliff falls.
Some of the old stone houses can still be seen clinging to the cliffs – they’re slowly being reclaimed by nature.
How to visit Hallsands
The long and short is – you can’t visit the historic village of Hallsands today.
You used to be able to walk to a viewing platform to see the original village, but nowadays that’s also been deemed unsafe due to the likelihood of cliff falls.
But you can catch a glimpse of the historic village – albeit not in as much detail – on the coast path from Start Point Lighthouse. I’d recommend to start walking on the coast path (it’s signposted, the path with an acorn, back from the edge of the cliffs) and turning around a few times on the way!
Back in Hallsands, there’s a small information board detailing the history of the village and the disaster that struck in 1917.
Even if you can’t see much of the village, the surrounding coastal scenery is breathtaking, with dramatic cliffs, clear blue waters and sweeping views across Start Bay.
Nearby, Beesands is a pleasant fishing village, with a pub and a shingle beach—ironically, the very shingle that once protected Hallsands.
