A Word on Harwich by Helen Stokoe
HARWICH
Harwich is the gateway to many surrounding areas and lies in Harwich Harbour opposite Felixstowe Port which is the largest container port in the UK. It is also on the mouths of the River Orwell leading up to Ipswich with various marinas on the way, and the River Stour leading past Harwich International Port to Mistley and Manningtree.
Berthing is on the Ha’penny Pier, both on the inside (smaller vessels) and outside (larger vessels). This is manned from April-October 0800-1700 and there are shower and toilet facilities located on the pier which require a code from the Piermaster to access. His office is next to the café on the pier. Berthing can’t be booked in advance and is operated on a first come first served basis for boats under 20m. You must listen out on ch.71 for Harwich VTS whilst in the harbour and avoid the busy shipping channel! (You will be surprised by the few that do this in order to get a better “view” of the ships coming in and out! Needless to say Harwich Haven Authority will soon call you up and we have heard this many times when travelling through the harbour). There is an information centre, and links via the foot ferry to Felixstowe and Shotley Marina.
Harwich itself is a vibrant town with many old pubs, restaurants and nice little cafes and places of interest to visit in the season. There are several museums which are run by the Harwich Society including the Napoleonic Redoubt Fort , old Lifeboat shed, The Treadwheel crane on Harwich Green and the Low and High lighthouses. They also run the Electric Palace cinema built in 1911 which closed in 1956 due to damage caused by the 1953 floods. It then re-opened in 1981 and has been restored over the years to its present state showing up to date films and holding live music on occasions. We have an RNLI station, Harwich Haven Authority and Trinity House on the front, together with the LV18 lightship which following decommission was used as a pirate radio vessel by the name of Radio Mi Amigo and is open to the public. The internal areas have been kept as they were back in the days of its lightship era. Just around the corner near the old Lifeboat shed is Harwich Town Sailing Club which is a friendly club and welcomes sailors when open.
There are further places of interest such as the WW2 radar Tower and Beacon Hill in Barrack Lane and St. Nicholas Church is an imposing building designed to seat 1,500 people. Christopher Jones, who was captain of The Mayflower, lived in Church Street and his house is open to visitors. The ship took over a hundred pilgrims and 32 crew to the New World in 1620 and all the history is held in this house.
Most of the places mentioned above are run by hundreds of volunteers and can be followed by the Harwich town trail and there are many other buildings and places of interest to see which are not mentioned here but also on the trail. Some other highlights, but again not all, are the Festival of the Arts over 10 days during the second half of June, the Beer festival held in the Redoubt fort towards the end of July, RNLI open day first Saturday of August and the Shanty Festival in October for four days held at various sites around the area and which attracts artists from the UK, the continent and beyond.
This is a little gem on the East Coast in terms of history and all that lies here and the things that go on in the background, with plenty to do and places to eat and drink.
Helen Stokoe