Essex Heritage Guide - Historic Buildings

A lovely restored 16th-century watermill in a green pocket in the suburbs of Colchester. The mill is set in an unexpected pocket of countryside beside a quiet stream. Bourne Mill was not built as a mill, but rather as a fishing lodge. It was constructed in 1591, in a style best described as rustic Dutch, with stepped gables making the building appear larger than it actually is when viewed from the end.
Bourne Road, Colchester, Essex, England, CO2 8RT

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Begun in 1861 to counter the threat of a French invasion and the new French iron-clad ships, Coalhouse Fort was one of a series of 'Palmerston forts' meant to defend the River Thames approaches to London. Used until the end of WWII, and now undergoing restoration, the fort stands in a beautiful countryside park on the north bank of the Thames.
East Tilbury, Tilbury, Essex, England, RM18 8PB

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Heritage Highlight: An excellent example of Victorian military architecture
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The incredible roof is the most prominent feature of this timber-framed barn, one of the oldest in Europe, giving a cathedral-like feel to the interior. Dating from the early 13th century, the grange barn was originally associated with a Cistercian monastery. It now houses a collection of farm carts and wagons.
Grange Hill, Coggeshall, Colchester, Essex, England, CO6 1RE

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Heritage Highlight: One of the oldest surviving timber-framed buildings in Europe
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Cressing Temple was the first estate granted to the Knights Templar in Britain. The site boasts two spectacular 13th-century barns and numerous other medieval buildings, plus a later Tudor walled garden.
Witham Road, Braintree, Essex, England, CM7 8PD

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A massive circular fort, 180 feet in diameter, built in 1808 to defend against a feared Napoleonic invasion. A museum is housed in one part of the fort; on the battlements are eleven guns. Battle reenactments and other events are held here in summer.
Main Road, Harwich, Essex, England, CO12 3LT

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A Colchester icon, this Victorian brick water tower is affectionately known as 'Jumbo', after a popular elephant of the same name. This striking structure was built in 1882 at a cost of £11,000, using 1.2 million bricks. It is the largest Victorian water tower in England and held 220,000 gallons before being made redundant in 1984.
Balkerne Gate, Colchester, Essex, England, CO1 1PT

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Heritage Highlight: The largest Victorian water tower in England
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Layer Marney Tower is part of an early 16th-century building commenced on a grand scale with an 80-foot gatehouse, the tallest in Britain. Fine terracotta work on battlements, windows, and the tombs of Henry and John Marney. Visit the exhibition in the History Room on your way up to the top of the tower. Long Gallery, and medieval barn with Rare Breed animals.
Colchester, Essex, England, CO5 9US

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Heritage Highlight: One of the finest Tudor houses in England, with massive gatehouse towers
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An early 15th-century townhouse, built of brick - one of the earliest domestic brick structures in medieval England. Later used as a gaol, courthouse, and for civic administration. See a historic courtroom and prison, medieval architecture, and displays of local history.
High Street, Maldon, Essex, England, CM9 5PE

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Heritage Highlight: 15th-century brick staircase
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The Mistley Towers are a pair of 18th-century towers designed by Robert Adam to complement the Georgian church of St Mary the Virgin at Mistley. The towers, in typical Adam neoclassical style, stood at each end of the church, which is no longer in existence. The site overlooks the River Stour and stands next to Mistley Quay.
B1352, Mistley, Essex, England, CO11 1HB

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Heritage Highlight: One of only two churches designed by Robert Adam
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A very striking early 18th-century octagonal tower on a high cliff overlooking the north Essex seaside town of Walton-on-the-Naze. The tower was built in 1720 to serve as an aid to navigation along the coast, and now houses a museum, art gallery, and viewing platform. Grade II* listed.
Old Hall Lane, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, England, CO14 8LE

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