With its history stretching back over 1000 years to the ancient Kingdom of the East Angles, East Anglia has a rich and colorful past and has been at the heart of political, historical and cultural changes for centuries. East Anglia has a long tradition of farming and horticulture due to its fertile land and it has always provided the local economy with important revenue. Cereals, sugar beet, fruit and vegetables are all grown in the region and form an important part of the local economy. Livestock are also an important part of the fabric of the region. Sheep and cattle are reared across the counties making up the East Anglian region and, of course, Norfolk is well known for its turkeys. As well as the rich soil, East Anglia has an important coastline which provides the region with its most important industry, fishing. Through the fishing industry towns like Lowestoft and King's Lyn have contributed greatly to jobs in East Anglia. Cod, Herring and flatfish are brought in by trawlers from the North Sea at both these sites while Cromer, on the north Norfolk coast, is renowned for its famous catches of crabs. The region has seen many huge changes to its economy and importance over the years. Its position as one of the richest regions in the country came under threat with the dawn of the industrial revolution. The growth of manufacturing in the midlands meant that people moved from all over the country looking for work. Jobs in East Anglia remained primarily in the agriculture and fishing industry so although the region's economic growth in this period did not match that of other regions it remained important because of its production of grain and livestock farming. The advent of the Second World War once again brought East Anglia to the fore. Its position on the east coast of England was strategically important to the allied plans during this time. The region saw the construction of numerous air bases, both by British and American forces. Because the land was flat and so close to mainland Europe it was ideal for building air strips and as a take off point for bombing raids. The bases needed civilian as well as military staff which created many jobs in East Anglia. When the war ended many of the bases remained and provided a welcome boost to the local economy. The growth of the leisure industry at the end of the 20th century has also had a huge impact on jobs in East Anglia. The region can boast some of the finest galleries, concert venues and attractions in the country. The area's rich history has been used to good effect with many houses of significant historical importance being acquired by the National Trust and opened to the public. Suffolk's Ickworth House, ancestral home to the Hervey family since the 15th century and Blickling Hall, which was once owned by the Boleyn family, are just two of many in the area. More recently the area has experienced the benefits of large investment in new housing with many coastal towns and dock areas getting a much needed boost as a result. With the Latitude Music Festival in Southwold now firmly established as an annual event and plans for a ski, leisure and tourism complex called SNOASIS just outside Ipswich, the prospects for jobs in East Anglia in the future look very good indeed.
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