Harwich

Harwich is an attractive, historic and unique town steeped in a wealth of maritime history and ideally located with excellent road, rail and ferry links.

The attractive old town was built on a grid pattern, in the 13th Century, by the Earl of Norfolk, to exploit its strategic position at the mouth of the Stour/Orwell estuaries.  Famous seafarers Frobisher, Drake, Newport, Fryatt, Hawkins and Jones all sailed from Harwich on various expeditions.

The Mayflower ship is believed to have been built in Historic Harwich sometime before 1600, and was commanded and part owned by her Master, Captain Christopher Jones, whose house still stands on Kings Head Street.

An enjoyable way to discover the historic town is to follow one of the many trails taking in many of the local sites and attractions from the Electric Palace is one of Britain’s first cinemas which has local actor Clive Owen as its patron and has also featured in Downton Abbey: A New Era, the Redoubt Fort, which dates back to the Napoleonic Wars to the Treadwheel Crane, built in 1667, a kind of colossal hamster wheel based on a Roman design.

Harwich is the UK’s second busiest passenger ferry port, its harbour, which is the largest between the Humber in the north of England, and London, was created by a storm surge in the 1100s, a quirk of fate that gave rise to the area’s long and fascinating seafaring history.

The Harwich Harbour Foot and Bicycle Ferry connects Harwich, Shotley and Felixstowe.  Seal watching tours are open year-round, typically on weekends and during school holidays.  Navigate the backwaters to Oakley Creek, part of the Hamford Water Nature Reserve, where seals enjoy resting on the mudbanks.

In addition to the abundance of history and heritage, Historic Harwich it is also home to a great selection of restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs, shops and accommodation.

For local information contact:
Ha’Penny Pier Visitor Centre, the Quay, Harwich.  01255 553610 or visit www.historicharwich.co.uk