Bradwell-on-Sea

Bradwell on Sea
Essex
St Thomas' church, Bradwell on Sea
Location
Grid reference:	TM000067
Location:	51°43’24"N, 0°53’41"E
Data
Population:	877  (2001)
Post town:	Southminster
Postcode:	CM0
Dialling code:	01621
Local Government
Council:	Maldon
Parliamentary constituency:	Maldon and East Chelmsford

Bradwell-on-Sea is a very ancient village on the coast of Essex. It is on the Dengie Peninsula, about 5½ miles north of Southminster and 19 miles east of the county town, Chelmsford. It had a recorded population of 877 in 2001.

History

Bradwell-on-Sea was a Saxon Shore fort in Late Roman times known as Othona. The ruins of the Roman fort remain impressive.

The Anglo-Saxons originally called the place Ythanceastir, in echo of its earlier Roman name. St Cedd founded a monastery here and another at Tilanburg (Tilbury) which became his centres for evangelising Essex. The establishment at Bradwell was within the old walls of the Roman fort in 653, and it survives as the restored chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall, one of the oldest churches in Britain.

In the 20th century, the village became better well known as the site for the Bradwell Nuclear Power station.

The village has been called 'Bradwell juxta Mare', 'Bradwell-next-the-Sea' and 'Bradwell near the Sea'.

Second World War

During World War Two, Bradwell Bay airfield was a front line station, named RAF Bradwell Bay at the time. It had been a grass runway airfield suitable as a temporary airfield, for refuelling and for training, especially for pilots practising targeting, shooting and bombing on nearby Foulness, Maplin Sands and the Dengie Marshes.

About the village

Bradwell-on-Sea has a very good sailing club and outdoor leisure facilities. There is a school - St. Cedd's C. of E. Primary School.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Bradwell-on-Sea)

• The Rotary Club of Burnham on Crouch & Dengie Hundred
• Information and photographs of Bradwell on Sea Village
• The history of Bradwell on Sea