Brightlingsea

Also known as Brightlingsea, Essex

Brightlingsea (, traditionally , , ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It is situated between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. The town is an active though small port. At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 8,680.

Key facts

UK place.country: England
UK place.official_name: Brightlingsea
UK place.static_image_name: File:Brightlingsea is a limb of Sandwich, one of the Cinque Ports (20164854370).jpg
UK place.static_image_caption: Brightlingsea and harbour
UK place.label_position: top
UK place.population: 8,680
UK place.population_ref: (Parish, 2021)
UK place.civil_parish: Brightlingsea
UK place.shire_district: Tendring
UK place.shire_county: Essex
UK place.region: East of England
UK place.constituency_westminster: Harwich and North Essex

~18 min read

Article

27 sections

Contents

History
Earliest remains
Toponymy
The Middle Ages
The Cinque Port liberty
Wars against France (1793–1815)
The Church of New Jerusalem
Maritime history
The ''Mignonette'' and cannibalism
Fishing
Yachting
World Wars
Battles of Brightlingsea
Landmarks
All Saints' Church
Bateman's Tower
Brightlingsea Open Air Swimming Pool
Governance
Administrative history
Transport
Brightlingsea to Alresford
Education
Media
Sports
Notable residents
References
External links

Its traditional industries included fishery (with a renowned oyster fishery) and shipbuilding. With the decline of these industries, the town is largely a dormitory town for Colchester.