West Mersea
West Mersea | ||
---|---|---|
Shire county | ||
Region | ||
Country | England | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom | |
Post town | Colchester | |
Postcode district | CO5 | |
Dialling code | 01206 | |
Police | Essex | |
Fire | Essex | |
Ambulance | East of England | |
UK Parliament | ||
West Mersea is a town and electoral ward in Essex, England. It is the larger (in terms of population) of two settlements on Mersea Island, south of Colchester.
History
Roman buildings and
West Mersea was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086, at which time it had a population of 84 households.[4]
In 1963, the lifeboat station was established next to the West Mersea Yacht Club, one of the first ten inshore lifeboat stations in the British Isles.[5] Originally served by a D class lifeboat, this was replaced by a B class, Atlantic 21, lifeboat in 1972. In 1992, a new boathouse and slipway were opened by the Duke of Kent. In 2001, a B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat was stationed at West Mersea, and then in 2015 this was replaced with the current B class Atlantic 85 named Just George, funded by £210,000 of community donations.[6]
West Mersea today
The town is served by a community centre,
West Mersea has a high proportion of very old people and many of the town's amenities cater for them.[9]
As well as
In popular culture
The North Sea at West Mersea is the inspiration for the memoir Footloose in France, beginning there at the seaside and ending at a fish restaurant on the harbour.[10]
References
- ^ "Town/Ward population 2011". Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ISBN 1 897719 04 3)
- ISBN 0-8018-5507-1)
- ^ "[West] Mersea | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- ^ "1963: Inflatable lifeboats". rnli.org. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Thomas, Godfrey (26 May 2015). "West Mersea Lifeboats: May 2015 Report". West Mersea Lifeboats. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ "Mersea Island Community Association". Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- ^ "Our Cemeteries and Bereavement Services".
- ^ "Some History About West Mersea (West Mersea Town Council)". Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-898565-18-5, prologue, pp. 7–8 and epilogue, pp. 209–12.