Museums · East of England
Brightlingsea
In or near East Mersea.
Brightlingsea (, traditionally , , ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It is situated between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, at the mouth of the River Coln
John Salmon — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Nearest railway station
- Great Bentley · 5.2 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Brightlingsea, the nearest railway station is Great Bentley, which is 5.2 km away. The postcode for navigation is CO7 0FR. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Brightlingsea (, traditionally , , ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It is situated between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. The town is an active though small port. At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 8,680. Its traditional industries included fishery (with a renowned oyster fishery) and shipbuilding. With the decline of these industries, the town is largely a dormitory town for Colchester. Brightlingsea is a limb of Sandwich, one of the Cinque Ports. The town retains an active ceremonial connection with the Cinque Ports, electing a Deputy from a guild of Freemen. Brightlingsea was for many years twinned with French oyster fishery port Marennes, Charente-Maritime, but the relationship fell into disuse. In the mid-1990s, the port of Brightlingsea was used for the export of live animals for slaughter, leading to a protest campaign dubbed The Battle of Brightlingsea.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Colne Estuary SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: COLNE ESTUARY
- Ramsar wetland: Colne Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 2)
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Brightlingsea (, traditionally , , ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It is situated between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. The town is an active though small port. At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 8,680. Its traditional industries included fishery (with a renowned oyster fishery) and shipbuilding. With the decline of these industries, the town is largely a dormitory town for Colchester. Brightlingsea is a limb of Sandwich, one of the Cinque Ports. The town retains an active ceremonial connection with the Cinque Ports, electing a Deputy from a guild of Freemen. Brightlingsea was for many years twinned with French oyster fishery port Marennes, Charente-Maritime, but the relationship fell into disuse. In the mid-1990s, the port of Brightlingsea was used for the export of live animals for slaughter, leading to a protest campaign dubbed The Battle of Brightlingsea.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Description
In the Domesday Book of 1086, the population of Brightlingsea was given as 24 villagers, 26 smallholders and 5 slaves. The Lord of the manor had been King Harold Godwinson, but the title had passed to King William I. The medieval town grew up around two centres: the first around the parish church and the second close to the shore where a port had developed. Trade was in oysters, fish, and copperas – a green pigment of iron (II) sulphate used locally in brick production.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.8100, 1.0300
- County
- Essex
- District
- Tendring
- Parish
- Brightlingsea
- Postcode
- CO7 0FR
- Parliamentary constituency
- Harwich and North Essex
- Nearest railway station
- Great Bentley — 5.2 km
Sources
- wikipedia: Brightlingsea (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Jacobes Hall
Historic houses · 0.1 km
The Brewers Arms Public House
Historic pubs · 0.3 km
Brightlingsea War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Brightlingsea Museum
Museums · 0.6 km
Brightlingsea Touring Park
Campsites · 0.7 km
Cindery Island
Islands · 0.7 km
Brightlingsea Leisure Village
Caravan parks · 0.8 km
East Essex Aviation Society and Museum (Martello Tower A)
Museums · 1.2 km
Bateman's Tower
Follies · 1.4 km
River Colne, Essex
Museums · 1.7 km
Brightlingsea Village Sign
Public art & sculpture · 1.9 km
Howlands Marsh
Forests & woodlands · 1.9 km
Nearby
📷 3Historic houses · East of England
Jacobes Hall
Jacobes Hall — Grade I listed building in Brightlingsea, Essex, England, UK.
📷 7Historic pubs · East of England
The Brewers Arms Public House
The Brewers Arms Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · East of England
Brightlingsea War Memorial
Brightlingsea War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-east, United Kingdom.
📷 3Museums · East of England
Brightlingsea Museum
Brightlingsea Museum — a museum in england-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Campsites · East of England
Brightlingsea Touring Park
Brightlingsea Touring Park — a campsite in england east.
📷 5Where to eat & stay near Brightlingsea
Places to stay
📷 5Campsites · East of England
Brightlingsea Touring Park
Brightlingsea Touring Park — a campsite in england east.
📷 5Caravan parks · East of England
Brightlingsea Leisure Village
Brightlingsea Leisure Village — a caravan park in england east.
📷 5
📷 5
📷 5
📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 7Historic pubs · East of England
The Brewers Arms Public House
The Brewers Arms Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Restaurants · East of England
The Creek
The Creek — a restaurant in england east.
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Dog And Pheasant Public House
Dog And Pheasant Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
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Peldon Rose Public House
Peldon Rose Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · East of England
The Ipswich Arms Public House
The Ipswich Arms Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · East of England
Duke Of York Public House
Duke Of York Public House in England East, United Kingdom.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Brightlingsea?
- Brightlingsea is in Essex, East of England, United Kingdom (postcode CO7 0FR), in the parish of Brightlingsea.
- What is Brightlingsea?
- Brightlingsea (, traditionally , , ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It is situated between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, at the mouth of the River Coln
- How do I get to Brightlingsea?
- The nearest railway station is Great Bentley, about 5.2 km away. Drivers can use postcode CO7 0FR.
- Is Brightlingsea a protected site?
- Yes — Brightlingsea is part of the Colne Estuary SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the COLNE ESTUARY National Nature Reserve.
- How do I get to Brightlingsea?
- The nearest railway station is Great Bentley, about 5.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CO7 0FR.