Harwich

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For other places with the same name, see Harwich (disambiguation).

Harwich
Harwich England.jpg
Harwich in late-May 2004
Harwich is located in Essex
Harwich
Harwich
Location within Essex
Population17,684 (2011)[1]
OS grid referenceTM243313
District
Shire county
  • Essex
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townHARWICH
Postcode districtCO12
Dialling code01255
PoliceEssex
FireEssex
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Essex
51°56′02″N 1°15′58″E / 51.934°N 1.266°E / 51.934; 1.266Coordinates: 51°56′02″N 1°15′58″E / 51.934°N 1.266°E / 51.934; 1.266

Harwich /ˈhærɪtʃ/ is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south. It is the northernmost coastal town within Essex.

Its position on the estuaries of the Stour and Orwell rivers and its usefulness to mariners as the only safe anchorage between the Thames and the Humber led to a long period of maritime significance, both civil and military. The town became a naval base in 1657 and was heavily fortified,[2] with Harwich Redoubt, Beacon Hill Battery, and Bath Side Battery.

Harwich is the likely launch point of the Mayflower which carried English Puritans to North America, and is the presumed birthplace of Mayflower captain Christopher Jones.

Harwich today is contiguous with Dovercourt and the two, along with Parkeston, are often referred to collectively as Harwich.

History[]

An 1804 chart of Harwich from a survey by Graeme Spence

The town's name means "military settlement", from Old English here-wic.[3]

The town received its charter in 1238, although there is evidence of earlier settlement – for example, a record of a chapel in 1177, and some indications of a possible Roman presence.[citation needed]

The town was the target of an abortive raid by French forces under Antonio Doria on 24 March 1339 during the Hundred Years' War.[4]

Because of its strategic position, Harwich was the target for the invasion of Britain by William of Orange on 11 November 1688. However, unfavourable winds forced his fleet to sail into the English Channel instead and eventually land at Torbay. Due to the involvement of the Schomberg family in the invasion, Charles Louis Schomberg was made Marquess of Harwich.[citation needed]

Writer Daniel Defoe devotes a few pages to the town in A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain. Visiting in 1722, he noted its formidable fort and harbour "of a vast extent".[5] The town, he recounts, was also known for an unusual chalybeate spring rising on Beacon Hill (a promontory to the north-east of the town), which "petrified" clay, allowing it to be used to pave Harwich's streets and build its walls. The locals also claimed that "the same spring is said to turn wood into iron", but Defoe put this down to the presence of "copperas" in the water. Regarding the atmosphere of the town, he states: "Harwich is a town of hurry and business, not much of gaiety and pleasure; yet the inhabitants seem warm in their nests and some of them are very wealthy".[5]

Harwich played an important part in the Napoleonic and more especially the two world wars. Of particular note:

1793-1815—Post Office Station for communication with Europe, one of embarkation and evacuation bases for expeditions to Holland in 1799, 1809 and 1813/14; base for capturing enemy privateers. The dockyard built many ships for the Navy, including HMS Conqueror which captured the French Admiral Villeneuve at the Battle of Trafalgar. The Redoubt and the now-demolished Ordnance Building date from that era.

1914-18—base for the Royal Navy's Harwich Force light cruisers and destroyers under Commodore Tyrwhitt, and for British submarines. In November 1918 the German U-boat fleet surrendered to the Royal Navy in the harbour.

1939-1945—one of main East Coast minesweeping and destroyer bases, at one period base for British and French submarines; assembled fleets for Dutch and Dunkirk evacuations and follow-up to D-Day; unusually, a target for Italian bombers during the Battle of Britain.

Royal Naval Dockyard[]

Main article: Harwich Dockyard

Harwich Dockyard was established as a Royal Navy Dockyard in 1652. It ceased to operate as a Royal Dockyard in 1713 (though a Royal Navy presence was maintained until 1829). During the various wars with France and Holland, through to 1815, the dockyard was responsible for both building and repairing numerous warships. HMS Conqueror, a 74-gun ship completed in 1801, captured the French admiral Villeneuve at Trafalgar. The yard was then a semi-private concern, with the actual shipbuilding contracted to Joseph Graham, who was sometimes mayor of the town.[6] During World War II parts of Harwich were again requisitioned for naval use and ships were based at HMS Badger; Badger was decommissioned in 1946, but the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service maintained a headquarters on the site until 1992.[7]

Lighthouses[]

Main article: Harwich High and Low Lighthouses

In 1665, not long after the establishment of the Dockyard, a pair of lighthouses were set up on the Town Green to serve as leading lights for ships entering the harbour. Completely rebuilt in 1818, both towers are still standing (though they ceased functioning as lighthouses in 1863, when they were replaced by a new pair of lights at Dovercourt).

Transport[]

Harwich 'Navyard' and Harwich seen from the river

The Royal Navy no longer has a presence in Harwich but Harwich International Port at nearby Parkeston continues to offer regular ferry services to the Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland) in the Netherlands. Mann Lines operates a roll-on roll-off ferry service from Harwich Navyard to Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Paldiski and Turku. Many operations of the Port of Felixstowe and of Trinity House, the lighthouse authority, are managed from Harwich.

The Mayflower railway line serves Harwich and there are three operational passenger stations: Harwich International, Dovercourt and Harwich Town. The line also allows freight trains to access the Port.

The port is famous for the phrase "Harwich for the Continent", seen on road signs and in London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) advertisements.[8][9]

From 1924 to 1987 (with a break during the second world war), a train ferry service operated between Harwich and Zeebrugge. The train ferry linkspan still exists today and the rails leading from the former goods yard of Harwich Town railway station are still in position across the road, although the line is blocked by the Trinity House buoy store.

Architecture[]

The Halfpenny Pier

Despite, or perhaps because of, its small size Harwich is highly regarded in terms of architectural heritage, and the whole of the older part of the town, excluding Navyard Wharf, is a conservation area.[10]

The regular street plan with principal thoroughfares connected by numerous small alleys indicates the town's medieval origins, although many buildings of this period are hidden behind 18th century facades.

King's Head Street

The extant medieval structures are largely private homes. The house featured in the image of Kings Head St to the left is unique in the town and is an example of a sailmaker's house, thought to have been built circa 1600. Notable public buildings include the parish church of St. Nicholas (1821)[11] in a restrained Gothic style, with many original furnishings, including a somewhat altered organ in the west end gallery. There is also the Guildhall of 1769, the only Grade I listed building in Harwich.[12]

Pier Hotel

The Pier Hotel of 1860 and the building that was the Great Eastern Hotel of 1864 can both been seen on the quayside, both reflecting the town's new importance to travellers following the arrival of the Great Eastern Main Line from Colchester in 1854. In 1923, The Great Eastern Hotel was closed[13] by the newly formed LNER, as the Great Eastern Railway had opened a new hotel with the same name at the new passenger port at Parkeston Quay, causing a decline in numbers. The hotel became the Harwich Town Hall, which included the Magistrates Court and, following changes in local government, was sold and divided into apartments.

The Trinity House offices

Also of interest are the High Lighthouse (1818), the unusual Treadwheel Crane (late 17th century), the Old Custom Houses on West Street, a number of Victorian shopfronts and the Electric Palace Cinema (1911), one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas to survive complete with its ornamental frontage and original projection room still intact and operational.

There is little notable building from the later parts of the 20th century, but major recent additions include the lifeboat station and two new structures for Trinity House. The Trinity House office building, next door to the Old Custom Houses, was completed in 2005. All three additions are influenced by the high-tech style.

Notable residents[]

Harwich has also historically hosted a number of notable inhabitants, linked with Harwich's maritime past.[14]

  • Christopher Newport (1561–1617) seaman and privateer,[15] captain of the expedition that founded Jamestown, Virginia
  • Christopher Jones (c.1570–1622) Captain[16] of the 1620 voyage of the Pilgrim ship Mayflower
  • Thomas Cobbold (1708–1767), brewer and owner of Three Cups
  • William Shearman (1767–1861) physician[17] and medical writer
  • James Francillon (1802–1866) barrister[18] and legal writer
  • Captain Charles Fryatt (1872–1916) mariner[19] executed by the Germans, brought back from Belgium and buried at Dovercourt
  • Peter Firmin (1928- 2018) artist[20] and puppet maker
  • Randolph Stow (1935–2010) reclusive[21] but award-winning Australian-born writer made his home in Harwich
  • Myles de Vries (born 1940), first-class cricketer
  • Liana Bridges (born 1969) actress,[22] best known for co-presenting Sooty & Co
  • Kate Hall (born 1983) British-Danish[23] singer

Politicians[]

Sport[]

Harwich is home to Harwich & Parkeston F.C.; Harwich and Dovercourt RFC; Harwich Rangers FC; Sunday Shrimpers; Harwich & Dovercourt Sailing Club; Harwich, Dovercourt & Parkeston Swimming Club; Harwich & Dovercourt Rugby Union Football Club; Harwich & Dovercourt Cricket Club; and Harwich Runners who with support from Harwich Swimming Club host the annual Harwich Triathlons.[citation needed]

Arms[]

Coat of arms of Harwich hide
Harwich Escutcheon.png
Notes
Granted to Harwich Borough Council on 15th December 1943.
Crest
On a wreath of the colours upon waves of the sea Proper an ancient ship with one mast Or at the bow and stern turrets and affixed below the top of the mast a tower Argent the sail furled of the last and flying to the dexter a pennon Gules.
Escutcheon
Gules a portcullis chained Or studded and spiked Azure.
Motto
Omnia Bona Bonis (To The Good All Things Are Good).[32]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ "Town population 2011". Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  2. ^ Trollope, C., "The Defences of Harwich", Fort (Fortress Study Group), 1982, (10), pp5-31
  3. ^ Adrian Room, Placenames of the World (2003), "Harwich". Retrieved 20 December 2010
  4. ^ Sumption, Jonathan. Trial by Battle: The Hundred Years War, Vol. 1. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0571200955.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Daniel Defoe, A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain (1724-1726) Available online here
  6. ^ Foynes, Julian (2016). East Anglia Against the Tricolor. Poppyland Press.
  7. ^ "The War Years | Harwich & Dovercourt | History, Facts & Photos of Harwich".
  8. ^ "'Harwich for the Continent', LNER poster, 1940., Mason, Frank Henry". SSPL Prints.
  9. ^ "'Harwich for the Continent ', LNER poster, 1934., Mason, Frank Henry". SSPL Prints.
  10. ^ "Harwich Society, 2008".
  11. ^ UK Attraction: St. Nicholas Church.
  12. ^ "The Guildhall". Harwich Society. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  13. ^ Hughes, Geoffrey (1986). LNER. Shepperton: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 157. ISBN 0-7110-1428-0.
  14. ^ "Vision of Britain". visionofbritain.org. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  15. ^ Captain Christopher Newport website, Biography retrieved January 2018
  16. ^ The Harwich Society, archive, Christopher Jones and the Mayflower Expedition 1620-1621 retrieved January 2018
  17. ^ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 52, Shearman, William retrieved January 2018
  18. ^ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 20, Francillon, James retrieved January 2018
  19. ^ Arthur Balfour's comments on Fryatt's execution, firstworldwar.com retrieved January 2018
  20. ^ IMDb Database retrieved January 2018
  21. ^ Geraldton Regional Library, archive, Randolph Stow - Writer retrieved January 2018
  22. ^ IMDb Database retrieved January 2018
  23. ^ IMDb Database retrieved January 2018
  24. ^ The History of Parliament Trust, JACOB, John (1597-1666) retrieved January 2018
  25. ^ The History of Parliament Trust, LUCKYN, Capel (1622-80) retrieved January 2018
  26. ^ The History of Parliament Trust, PEPYS, Samuel (1633-1703) retrieved January 2018
  27. ^ The History of Parliament Trust, DEANE, Sir Anthony (1633-1721) retrieved January 2018
  28. ^ BBC News, 26 March 2012 retrieved January 2018
  29. ^ East Anglian Daily Times, 20 July 2017, .....five new Deputy Lieutenants retrieved January 2018
  30. ^ TheyWorkForYou website, Bernard Jenkin, MP, Harwich and North Essex retrieved January 2018
  31. ^ TheyWorkForYou website, Andrew Murrison, MP, South West Wiltshire retrieved January 2018
  32. ^ "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 10 March 2021.

References[]

  • Pevsner, Nikolaus; Radcliffe, Enid (2002). The Buildings of England: Essex. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-09601-1.

External links[]

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