Blakeney was a commercial seaport until the early 20th century. Now the harbour is silted up, and only small boats can make their way out past Blakeney Point to the sea. The harbour and surrounding marshes are owned by the National Trust and is a nature reserve where seals can be seen basking on the sand.

Just inland from the harbour is Mariners Hill. This vantage point is believed to be man-made, probably as a lookout point for the harbour. Adjacent to the hill, at the foot of the village's High Street, is the old Guildhall with a 14th-century undercroft.

Higher up the village, the Church of Saint Nicholas has two towers: the main tower is over 100 ft (30 m) high and a well-known landmark for miles around, and the smaller tower was built as a beacon to guide boats into Blakeney harbour.

In the Domesday Book of 1085. In the great book Blakeney is recorded by the names Esnuterle. The main landholder is Walter Gifford along with William de Noyers. Blakeney was formally called Snitterley and the settlement is first formally mentioned as Blakeney in a document which dates from 1340. Around the same period the then, King Edward III’s wife, Queen Philippa is said to have dined on fish caught by Blakeney’s fishermen. In the 12th century Blakeney had a reputation for acts of piracy. In between 1328 and 1350 it is recorded that men of Blakeney boarded two vessels from Flanders and sailed them back to Blakeney haven were they were stripped of their cargoes. Many a foreign merchant ship which sort shelter in the haven found their cargoes stolen. Such was the lawless and treachery of the residence of Blakeney that the village refused to supply a ship which was to fight the Spanish armada.

Because of Blakeney's location, it has become popular with tourists during the summer months. The village has two large hotels, The Manor, and The Blakeney Hotel as well as a 15-acre caravan site. Blakeney offers a large range of activities including crabbing, fishing, canoeing and birdwatching. The area of marshland around Blakeney Point is owned by the National Trust and up to a hundred species of birds can be found there throughout the year. As well as the natural features of the village, there are also several pubs in the area that serve food and real ale which attract many visitors.

• Article with thanks to Wikipedia - Available via the GNU Free Documentation License