Culture & Heritage

A wide range of heritage sites to visit, from prehistoric relics and medieval churches to stylish Victorian villas.

Explore the culture & heritage...

The Essex Sunshine Coast has a vibrant arts and culture scene, alive with theatres, performance arts events, live music and exhibitions. A House for Essex, Wrabness, is artwork in itself. This unique and incomparable house, overlooking the river Stour, was designed by the county’s own Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry.

History and heritage are in abundance throughout. Its coastal location provides unique and varied heritage, from prehistoric artefacts and medieval churches to stylish Victorian villas, with many sites recognised as being of national significance.

There is a strong maritime history present throughout the District in towns such as Brightlingsea, Historic Harwich, Dovercourt, Manningtree and Mistley.

The Mayflower 400 – Maritime & Heritage Trail, Harwich, is a visitor trail exploring the story of the Mayflower ship detailing its links to the founding of modern America. The Master of the Mayflower, Christopher Jones’s house, still stands in Historic Harwich today.

Links:
Clacton Arts Centre
Harwich Arts & Heritage Centre
The Creation Station West Tendring 
Tendring Local Cultural Education Partnership
Heritage Open Days
Tendring seaside resorts/Resorting to the coast
Explore Essex, Arts and Heritage projects
Clacton 150 celebrations.
Tendring Creative & Cultural Strategy
Tendring Heritage Strategy
Tendring Local Cultural Education Partnership
Tendring’s Historic Parks and Gardens
Tendring’s Listed Buildings
Tendring Heritage Strategy

 

Point Clear Martello Tower and museum

The Martello Tower Point Clear is home to a WWii Museum.

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    Beth Chatto Plants & Gardens

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    7.5 acres of garden, based on ecological planting: the right plant for the right place. Created by award-winning gardener, author and lecturer Beth Chatto OBE VMH, who won 10 gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show, in the 70s and 80s. www.bethchatto.co.uk   Read more…
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    Brightlingsea Museum

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    Brightlingsea is a small town with a big history! The museum, founded by Alf Wakeling in 1989, has taken on a new lease of life and recently moving to a new premises on Station Road.  Whether you drop in for half an hour or half a day, there is plenty to explore, engage and excite you, whatever your age or Read more…
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    Clacton 150 heritage trail

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    The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) are funding a seafront heritage trail in Tendring from Jaywick Sands to Holland Haven but also incorporating Clacton town centre to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Clacton-on-Sea.The trail will cover over 5 miles of beautiful coastline and engage with local schools, elder care settings and wider community to be active and Read more…
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    Electric Palace Cinema

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    The Electric Palace cinema, Harwich, is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas to survive complete with its silent screen, original projection room and ornamental frontage still intact. It was designed by the architect Harold Ridley Hooper of Ipswich, Suffolk and opened on 29 November 1911. Read more…
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    Frinton Summer Theatre

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    Frinton Summer Theatre is the longest-running repertory theatre in the UK. Each summer sees some of the best talent in British theatre come to Frinton, bringing West End performances to the east coast. In the true traditions of repertory theatre, a new cast comes to present a different show each week, with a varied collection of productions taking place from Read more…
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    Ha’Penny Pier & Visitor Centre Harwich

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    Work began on this pier in 1852 and it was opened on the 2nd of July 1853. It was so called because of the ½d toll charged (like a platform ticket). Originally the pier was twice as long as the present one but one half burnt down in 1927. It was a popular departure point for paddle steamers until after Read more…
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    Harwich Arts & Heritage Centre

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    Live Arts, Culture , Community Events & space hire run by the Harwich Festival.   www.harwichfestival.com/activities Read more…
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    Harwich Maritime Trail

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    Take a voyage of discovery around the old port of Harwich and discover a wealth of maritime history. Visit www.harwich-society.co.uk for more information. Trail locations include: 1. The Low Lighthouse 2. Treadwheel Crane 3. Lifeboat Museum 4. The Angelgate (Timberfields) 5. The Harwich Mural 6. Electric Palace Cinema 7. The Navyard Wharf 8. Harwich Lifeboat Station 9. Ha’penny Pier & Read more…
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    Harwich Redoubt Fort

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    Harwich Redoubt is a circular fort built in 1808 to defend the port of Harwich, Essex from Napoleonic invasion. The Harwich Society opens it to the public. Read more…
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    Jaywick Martello Tower

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    Jaywick Martello Tower is a renovated Martello tower at Jaywick, 2.7 miles south-west of Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. It now functions as an arts, heritage and community venue. Read more…
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    Naze Tower, Walton

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    The Naze Tower is an historic 86ft landmark and unique visitor attraction situated on an attractive stretch of coastline at Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. Over eight floors it houses an art gallery with three exhibitions a year, a museum on the Tower and Naze, tea rooms and a roof viewing platform with spectacular panoramic views. Read more…
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    Old Bank Studios Harwich

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    Old Bank Studios specialise in one day workshops in: Art, Textiles and Crafts.  Providing expert and professional tuition within this ambient setting. The glorious Edwardian banking hall accommodates an art studio, and a smaller textile studio. Each workshop is complemented with home a cooked lunch and refreshments. Visit www.oldbankstudios.co.uk for more information. Read more…
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    St Osyth Museum

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    The Museum is operated by the St Osyth Historical Society which was formed in 1995 and is supported by St Osyth Parish Council. The Historical Society is registered as a charity. The Museum began one year later in 1996 and is staffed by volunteers from the Society. The Museum also has an archive housed in a former chapel. The Archives Read more…
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    St Osyth Priory

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    St Osyth Priory has a long and fascinating history which dates back over many centuries. The Augustinian Abbey was founded shortly after 1120 by Richard de Belmeis, Bishop of London The Abbey was dissolved on July 28, 1539 and passed first to Thomas Cromwell and then to Princess Mary. Lady Savage inherited Melford Hall in Suffolk on her husband’s death Read more…
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    The Driftwood Gallery

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    Opened  in June 2021 to provide a bright, purpose built exhibition space for both local artists and those from further afield to display their work. The gallery houses ever changing art exhibitions which include displays of paintings, photographs, prints, woodturning, ceramics and mixed media. The gallery is open all year round Mon-Fri 10am to 4pm and Sat 10am to 2pm. Read more…
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    The Princes Theatre

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    The Princes Theatre is a large Grade 2 listed building designed and built with flexibility in mind. Complimented by its ancillary ‘Essex Hall’, the Princes Theatre is able to accommodate anything from the smallest board meeting, up to a 600 seat conference.  It includes purpose built rooms, high quality audio visual equipment and flexible catering facilities. The venue has a Read more…
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