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Old Harwich stands on a narrow peninsula, its
streets following the grid system laid down in the Middle Ages.
Its three main streets lie north to south and are joined by quaint
little alleyways designed, it is said, to provide shelter from the
occasional keen easterly winds. Harwich is listed as an outstanding
Conservation Area. There are many fine brick-fronted Georgian and
early Victorian buildings. Behind the facades, however, lie much
earlier structures, and there are many tales told in the town of
smugglers’ hideouts and places to shelter from the press gang.
Plaques have been erected on buildings of historic interest by the
Harwich Society, which also publishes an entertaining leaflet “A
Walk around Old Harwich”. There are antique shops, numerous
inns, and a number of excellent restaurants and tea shops which
have made the town a popular venue for dining out.
At the entrance to the town the visitor notices first the High Lighthouse,
erected in 1818, now home to the National Vintage Wireless and Television
Museum. Across the town green lies the Low Lighthouse, now the Maritime
Museum. The two lighthouses acted as leading marks, guiding vessels
around the difficult shoals off Landguard Point, until they were
superseded in 1863 by the Dovercourt Lights.
Nearby stands the unique Treadwheel Crane, built at the shipbuilders
yard in 1667. It was operated by two men walking inside twin wooden
treadwheels and was in use until the early years of the 20th Century.
It was re-erected on the Harwich Green when the old shipyard was
dismantled in 1928. Further along the promenade is the Lifeboat
Museum and a board listing vessels built at Harwich is displayed
near the Navyard entrance.
The spire of St Nicholas’ Church has been for many years a
landmark for seafarers. There has been a church here since the Middle
Ages, and the font and some mural tablets survive from the original
building, which was demolished in 1822. The present church has slender
pillars of cast iron, a new form of construction in the 1820’s.
There are many interesting memorial tablets on the walls, recording
the names of Harwich worthies of the past who died at sea or in
distant parts of the world. At the west end of the church is an
unusual display of blue and white Dutch tiles from the 17th century,
depicting biblical scenes. St Nicholas’ is the scene of civic
services, and has a special pew for the mayor, with a bracket for
the town mace.
The Churchwardens’ Account Book from St Nicholas’ parish
is preserved at the Guildhall and dates back to the middle of the
16th century. One entry records a payment of wood “when the
man was burned here” during the reign of Mary Tudor. The church
registers record the marriage in 1593 of Christopher Jones, Captain
of the “Mayflower”, which in 1620 carried the Pilgrim
Fathers to America. Captain Jones’ house still stands in King’s
Head Street. Christopher Newport, also of Harwich, was one of the
founders of the colony in Virginia, 13 years before the Mayflower
left England.
Harwich was first granted borough status by a charter of 1318 and
its long and proud municipal traditions, confirmed by the charter
of 1604, are still maintained by Harwich Town Council. The Council’s
home is the Guildhall, a superb Grade 1 listed building in Church
Street. From 1673 - 1951 it was used for meetings of the Harwich
Borough Council and the old charters and records of the town are
carefully preserved there. The building was restored by the Town
Council in 1975/76. Before 1836 the corporation was unelected, and
spent much of its income on food and drink. Its members chose the
two MPs for the town, including the famous diarist Samuel Pepys
and Sir Anthony Deane, a noted ship designer.
On the first floor of the Guildhall, is a handsome oak-panelled
Council Chamber, and a small ground floor room, once used as a jail,
has fascinating pictures of ships and buildings carved on the wooden
walls by prisoners over two hundred years ago.
On the third Thursday in May every year, the Guildhall is the scene
of the Mayor-making ceremony. After the formal proceedings, the
new Mayor and Mayoress maintain the ancient and happy tradition
of throwing “kitchels”- small spicy buns - to the crowd
of children in the street below. A colourful ceremony, well worth
witnessing.
The Guildhall may be visited by arrangement during office hours
(9.30am - 12 30pm Monday - Friday), and on certain occasions the
mayoral chain and mace (1669) and the town’s historic documents
are on display.
There are close and friendly links with its sister town of Harwich
in Massachusetts, and with the council of the Hook of Holland -the
Dutch port to which there are daily ferry sailings.
The Electric Palace is a rare example of one of the earliest cinemas
in Britain, which has survived virtually unchanged since 1911. After
standing derelict for some years, the Electric Palace was lovingly
restored by volunteers in the 1970s and early 1980s. Customers can
enjoy recently released films, and occasional live performances,
surrounded by the gilt and plaster splendours of Edwardian days.
Film Festivals are occasionally held at The Electric Palace.
Situated in Wellington Road, behind the cinema, is the Harwich Mural,
which depicts the area’s landmarks. Originally painted by
school pupils in 1982 it was redesigned 13 years later. A series
of murals, illustrating locally built barges, can be seen in Kings
Quay Street by the New Bell Inn.
The most popular spot for visitors is Harwich Quay where the great
ferries and splendid cruise liners can be seen at close quarters.
Pilot launches, fishing trawlers, tugs and yachts bustle by in an
ever-changing scene. The Trainferry Terminal and the buoys and vessels
of Trinity House stand at the western end, the refurbished Halfpenny
Pier in the centre, and the Navyard Wharf to the east. Across the
river are attractive views of the Suffolk countryside. Halfpenny
pier was once the departure point for steamships to the continent,
and the quaint ticket office survives, now used as a Visitor Information
Centre housing an exhibition on the historic “Mayflower”
and its captain. A new pontoon provides daytime moorings for visiting
yachts. A foot ferry service operating between Harwich, Shotley
and Felixstowe, is able to carry cycles and operating summer pleasure
trips on request. A launching ramp for dinghies is close to the
Lifeboat Museum and Harwich Town Sailing Club.
No tour of Harwich is complete without a visit to the Redoubt. This
formidable circular fortification was built in 1808 to protect the
harbour against a threatened French invasion. It was heavily armed,
and was manned by up to 300 soldiers. After a period of dereliction
it has been restored by the efforts of the Harwich Society, and
now houses a museum and a collection of artillery and wartime memorabilia.
Napoleonic military re-enactments are staged on occasion. From the
highest point of the Redoubt there is a superb panoramic view across
the whole peninsula, over the adjoining roofs, to Parkeston, the
River Stour, Shotley, Felixstowe docks and the harbour entrance.
An enjoyable way to discover Harwich is to follow the Maritime Heritage
Trail. A leaflet is available from the Visitor Centre, Guildhall
or local outlets, and there are explanatory display boards at key
points.
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Introduction
