Hamford Water
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 | |
 Location of Hamford Water. | |
| Location | Essex |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TM 235255 |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 2,185.8 hectares (5,401 acres) |
| Notification | 1986 |
| Location map |  |
| Designations | |
|---|---|
Official name | Hamford Water |
| Designated | 8 June 1993 |
| Reference no. | 607[1] |
Hamford Water is a 2,185.8-hectare (5,401-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Walton-on-the-Naze and Harwich in Essex.[2][3] The site is a tidal inlet which has marsh grasslands, creeks, mud and sand flats, salt marshes, islands and beaches. It is described by Natural England as "of international importance for breeding little terns and wintering dark-bellied brent geese, wildfowl and waders, and of national importance for many other bird species." Rare plants include hog's fennel and slender hare's-ear. The main invertebrates are worms and thin-shelled molluscs.[2] The largest island, Horsey Island, can be reached on foot at low tide across The Wade from Kirby-le-Soken.
It is also a Ramsar site,[4][5] a Special Protection Area,[6] a Nature Conservation Review site, and most of it is a National Nature Reserve.[7] Two small areas, Skippers Island and John Weston Nature Reserve, are managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust.[8][9]
Hanford Water was used as the basis for Arthur Ransome's novel Secret Water.[10]
As of 2017, most of Bramble Island (on the North side of the area, now part of the mainland) was used by Exchem for explosives testing.[11] In previous years it had been the site of an explosives factory, which saw fatal incidents occur in 1913,[12] 1928,[13] 1942,[14] 1950,[15] and 1956.[16]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
- ^ "Hamford Water". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Hamford Water citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Map of Hamford Water". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Designated and Proposed Ramsar sites in the UK and Overseas Territories & Crown Dependencies". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Hamford Water". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "Hamford Water". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Essex's National Nature Reserves". Natural England. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "Skipper's Island". Essex Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ "John Weston Nature Reserve". Essex Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ Hardyment, Christina (1984). Arthur Ransome and Captain Flint's trunk. London: Jonathan Cape. p. 186. ISBN 0224029894.
- ^ Bolton, Tom. "Edge Walking # 9: Thorpe-le-Soken to Harwich". www.caughtbytheriver.net.Archived 11 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Explosion of nitro-glycerine in final washing house at Factory No. 188, Essex". House of Commons. 1913. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
Accident no. 99, 1913. No. CCV. Report to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the circumstances attending an explosion of nitro-glycerine which occurred, in the final washing house of the factory of the Explosives and Chemical Products, Limited, at Bramble Island, in the county of Essex, on the 11th March, 1913, by Major H. Coningham, H.M. inspector of explosives
- ^ "EXPLOSION IN POWDER FACTORY. FIVE PERSONS KILLED". Australian Press Association. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
(Received 10.30 a.m.) London, October 15. (1928)
- ^ "Wilson Charles Geoffrey BALDWIN GC". vcgca.org, Victoria Cross and George Cross Association. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
20th November, 1942, a violent explosion occurred in a building in which explosives were being mixed, and resulted in the immediate death of the two occupants of the building, the complete destruction of the building itself, and considerable damage to adjacent structures
- ^ "AIR VIEW OF ESSEX EXPLOSION TODAY". www.alamy.com. Retrieved 6 May 2026.
Explosion in an explosives factory near Harwich killed three men and put twenty-five men and women workers in hospital today. One man is missing . Accident occurred at the mixing room of the Bramble Island ( Essex ) explosives and chemical products Ltd factory 5 miles south of Harwich. Men were working in the mixing house and the missing man was wheeling a trolley of explosives when the explosion occurred. Windows were shattered at Clacton, 10 miles away. PICTURE SHOWS:- An air view of the Bramble Island explosives factory, after the explosion today. Demo Stock Photo - Alamy
- ^ Schofield, H.H (1957). "Report on a fatal accident in an explosives factory at Bramble Island, Great Oakley, Essex on 3rd. July, 1956". Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Retrieved 6 May 2026 – via catalogue.nla.gov.au.
51°53′N 1°14′E / 51.88°N 1.24°E
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
