The port of Harwich is a must-see destination for history-lovers. It is the place where the Pilgrim Fathers built the Mayflower and where its captain, Christopher Jones, hailed from. Visit the yard where the Mayflower Project is underway with the building of a replica of the famous ship that sailed to America and see the work in progress. The plan is to sail to America in 2020 for the 400th anniversary. Other attractions include the Electric Palace, one of Britain’s first cinemas (which has local actor Clive Owen as its patron), and the atmospheric Redoubt Fort, which dates back to the Napoleonic Wars. Have a wander around Harwich and imagine yourself in the days of famed diarist Samuel Pepys, who was actually MP for the town.
Get an insider's story of the town with one of the summer tours organised by the Harwich Society.
The Dovercourt & Harwich leaflet can be found here.
Discover Harwich
The app guides you on a voyage to the four corners of Harwich, navigating you to public artworks by Glassball, local sites of historical interest, local amenities and conveniences to make your journey complete.
Harwich is not just any port. Not only is it 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 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 estuary. The famous seafarers Hawkins, Drake and Frobisher all sailed from Harwich during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I on various expeditions.
An enjoyable way to discover the historic town is to follow its Maritime Heritage Trail. From Ha'Penny Pier Visitor Centre on the Quay there are guided walking tours throughout the summer. Start your walk at the Low Lighthouse Maritime Museum built in 1818 and Lifeboat Museum, where you can get aboard a lifeboat and ending at the Barge Murals which overlook the site where Thames Sailing Barges were built up to 1930. A special gem is the Treadwheel Crane, built in 1667, a kind of colossal hamster wheel based on a Roman design. The crane was worked by men walking in the interior of two large wheels to raise and lower goods and materials. As far as is known Harwich has the only British example.
On route down the quaint streets there is the chance to take in gems such as the Electric Palace Cinema, built in 1911 and now the oldest unaltered purpose built cinema in Britain. St Nicholas Church which was rebuilt 1821 and The Redoubt Fort which was built in 1808 as a large circular fort to protect the harbour from a Napoleonic invasion. These are just a few of the outstanding treasures the trail has to offer. Also visit the old Radar Tower, at Beacon Hill Fort, which was the first radar installation of the second world war, and can be opened on request to the Harwich Visitor Centre.
Harwich is not just any port. Not only is it the it is now 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 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 estuary. The famous seafarers Hawkins, Drake and Frobisher all sailed from Harwich during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I on various expeditions.
Highlights of the area
Step back a century in time to the golden age of film and enjoy a cinematic experience at the historic Electric Palace Cinema. It's one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas to survive and celebrated its centenary in 2011, complete with silent screen, original projection room and ornamental frontage still intact. It continues to show films throughout the year.
More highlights
The attractive old Lifeboat station on the waterfront now houses the “Valentine Wyndham-Quin”, an offshore lifeboat which was in service at Clacton-on-Sea from 1968 to 1984. Visitors to the museum have a rare 'hands on' opportunity to see a lifeboat at close quarters and other exhibits.
Originally the pier was twice as long when it opened in 1853 and was a popular departure point for paddle steamers. It was so called because of the ½d toll charged. The Pier Ticket Office, a charming, typical example of late 19th century architecture, now houses the Visitor Centre run by the Harwich Society. It also contains an exhibition ‘Harwich and the New World’ covering Christopher Newport, Christopher Jones and the Mayflower.
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