landmark
Flatford Mill
The mill and surrounding Dedham Vale that inspired John Constable's most famous paintings including The Hay Wain, largely unchanged since the 1820s.
18 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Harwich
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Harwich
Harwich is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Felixstowe, 18km from Flatford Mill.
Harwich is in England, United Kingdom, with about 21,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Felixstowe, about 5 km away.
Harwich ( ) is a port town and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It is one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-on-Sea to the south. It is the northernmost coastal townRead more
in Essex.
Its position on the estuaries of the Stour and Orwell rivers, with its usefulness to mariners as one of the safest ports between the Thames and the Humber, led to a long period of civil and military maritime significance. The town became a naval base in 1657 and was heavily fortified, with Harwich Redoubt, Beacon Hill Battery, and Bath Side Battery.
The Mayflower, which carried English Puritans to North America, was registered with Harwich as its home port, and Harwich is the presumed birthplace of Mayflower captain Christopher Jones.
The historic core of the town stands at the end of a peninsula. The built up area now extends westwards from the peninsula to include Dovercourt, which has been administered as part of Harwich since at least the 17th century. There are few retail facilities in the historic core of Harwich today, and Dovercourt now has the main retail town centre for the built up area. The main port facilities of Harwich International Port are now at Parkeston, about 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream on the Stour from the old town's quays.
At the 2021 census, the population of the parish of Harwich (which includes Dovercourt) was 18,794, and the population of the built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics (which extends beyond Harwich parish to also include parts of the neighbouring parishes of Little Oakley and Ramsey and Parkeston) was 20,215.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Harwich?
Within an hour or so of Harwich: Flatford Mill (18 km), Lavenham (38 km).
Are there any good drives near Harwich?
The nearest famous roads are Crystal Palace Circuit and Koninklijke Baan Coast Road.
Where is Harwich?
Harwich is in England, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Felixstowe.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 20,723
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 51.9419, 1.2844
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Harwich
2 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Lavenham
Exquisitely preserved medieval wool town with over 300 listed buildings, including crooked timber-framed houses and a magnificent church.
38 km · about 45 min drive
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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