Bridgemarsh Island

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Bridgemarsh Creek showing part of the edge of Bridgemarsh Island to the left of the creek.

Bridgemarsh Island is in the tidal part of the River Crouch in the English county of Essex three miles upstream from Burnham-on-Crouch. To the north it is bounded by Bridgemarsh Creek and to the south by the River Crouch.

Following a flood in 1736 Bridgemarsh Island was enclosed by a sea wall and a causeway was built giving access at low tide.

Farming was supplemented by industry with the island used as a source of clay leading to the construction of a brickworks of which the chimney (at grid reference TQ890967) survives. A tramway linked these works to a quay that was used by Thames barges. Shortsightedly, no serious effort was made to maintain the sea wall. The flood of 1953 caused the end of regular occupation of the island that is nowadays a haven for wildlife and saltmarsh flowers owned by the Bridgemarsh Island Trust.