# Hamford Water

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Tidal inlet in Essex, England

Hamford Water Site of Special Scientific Interest Location of Hamford Water. Location Essex Grid reference TM 235255 Interest Biological Area 2,185.8 hectares (5,401 acres) Notification 1986 Location map

Designations Ramsar Wetland Official name Hamford Water Designated 8 June 1993 Reference no. 607[1]

**Hamford Water** is a 2,185.8-hectare (5,401-acre) biological [Site of Special Scientific Interest](/source/Site_of_Special_Scientific_Interest) between [Walton-on-the-Naze](/source/Walton-on-the-Naze) and [Harwich](/source/Harwich) in Essex.[2][3] The site is a tidal inlet which has marsh grasslands, creeks, mud and sand flats, salt marshes, islands and beaches. It is described by [Natural England](/source/Natural_England) as "of international importance for breeding [little terns](/source/Little_tern) and wintering [dark-bellied brent geese](/source/Brant_goose), wildfowl and waders, and of national importance for many other bird species." Rare plants include [hog's fennel](/source/Hog's_fennel) and [slender hare's-ear](/source/Slender_hare's-ear). The main invertebrates are worms and thin-shelled molluscs.[2] The largest island, [Horsey Island](/source/Horsey_Island), can be reached on foot at low tide across The Wade from [Kirby-le-Soken](/source/Kirby-le-Soken).

It is also a [Ramsar site](/source/Ramsar_site),[4][5] a [Special Protection Area](/source/Special_Protection_Area),[6] a [Nature Conservation Review](/source/Nature_Conservation_Review) site, and most of it is a [National Nature Reserve](/source/National_Nature_Reserve).[7] Two small areas, [Skippers Island](/source/Skippers_Island) and [John Weston Nature Reserve](/source/John_Weston_Nature_Reserve), are managed by the [Essex Wildlife Trust](/source/Essex_Wildlife_Trust).[8][9]

Hanford Water was used as the basis for [Arthur Ransome](/source/Arthur_Ransome)'s novel *[Secret Water](/source/Secret_Water)*.[10]

As of 2017, most of Bramble Island (on the North side of the area, now part of the mainland) was used by [Exchem](/source/EPC_Groupe) for explosives testing.[11] In previous years it had been the site of an explosives factory, which saw fatal incidents occur in 1913,[12] 1928,[13] 1942,[14] 1950,[15] and 1956.[16]

## See also

- [Beaumont Cut](/source/Beaumont_Cut)

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Hamford Water](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hamford_Water).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Hamford Water"](https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/607). *[Ramsar](/source/Ramsar_Convention) Sites Information Service*. Retrieved 25 April 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-citation_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-citation_2-1) ["Hamford Water citation"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032143/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1001010.pdf) (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from [the original](http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1001010.pdf) (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-map_3-0)** ["Map of Hamford Water"](http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271001010%27). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 27 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Designated and Proposed Ramsar sites in the UK and Overseas Territories & Crown Dependencies"](http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-1389). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 27 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Hamford Water"](https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/607?__goaway_challenge=meta-refresh&__goaway_id=346b391bb908b08fad8bbb04fc9011c9&__goaway_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F). Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 21 December 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Hamford Water"](http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2012-theme=default). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 27 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Essex's National Nature Reserves"](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/essexs-national-nature-reserves/essexs-national-nature-reserves). Natural England. Retrieved 27 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Skipper's Island"](http://www.essexwt.org.uk/reserves/skippers-island). Essex Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 27 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["John Weston Nature Reserve"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160401234549/http://www.essexwt.org.uk/reserves/john-weston). Essex Wildlife Trust. Archived from [the original](http://www.essexwt.org.uk/reserves/john-weston) on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Hardyment, Christina](/source/Christina_Hardyment) (1984). *Arthur Ransome and Captain Flint's trunk*. London: Jonathan Cape. p. 186. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0224029894](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0224029894).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Bolton, Tom. ["Edge Walking # 9: Thorpe-le-Soken to Harwich"](http://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2017/07/08/essex-coastline-walking-tom-bolton/). *www.caughtbytheriver.net*.[Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170711231149/http://www.caughtbytheriver.net/2017/07/08/essex-coastline-walking-tom-bolton/) 11 July 2017 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Explosion of nitro-glycerine in final washing house at Factory No. 188, Essex"](https://catalog.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/47783695). House of Commons. 1913. Retrieved 6 May 2026. Accident no. 99, 1913. No. CCV. Report to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the circumstances attending an explosion of nitro-glycerine which occurred, in the final washing house of the factory of the Explosives and Chemical Products, Limited, at Bramble Island, in the county of Essex, on the 11th March, 1913, by Major H. Coningham, H.M. inspector of explosives

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["EXPLOSION IN POWDER FACTORY. FIVE PERSONS KILLED"](https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KCC19281016.2.22). Australian Press Association. Retrieved 6 May 2026. (Received 10.30 a.m.) London, October 15. (1928)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Wilson Charles Geoffrey BALDWIN GC"](https://vcgca.org/our-people/profile/1432/wilson-charles-geoffrey-baldwin). *vcgca.org, Victoria Cross and George Cross Association*. Retrieved 6 May 2026. 20th November, 1942, a violent explosion occurred in a building in which explosives were being mixed, and resulted in the immediate death of the two occupants of the building, the complete destruction of the building itself, and considerable damage to adjacent structures

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["AIR VIEW OF ESSEX EXPLOSION TODAY"](https://www.alamy.com/air-view-of-essex-explosion-today-explosion-in-an-explosives-factory-near-harwich-killed-three-men-and-put-twenty-five-men-and-women-workers-in-hospital-today-one-man-is-missing-accident-occurred-at-the-mixing-room-of-the-bramble-island-essex-explosives-and-chemical-products-ltd-factory-5-miles-south-of-harwich-men-were-working-in-the-mixing-house-and-the-missing-man-was-wheeling-a-trolley-of-explosives-when-the-explosion-occurred-windows-were-shattered-at-clacton-10-miles-away-picture-shows-an-air-view-of-the-bramble-island-explosives-factory-after-the-explosion-today-demo-image624413355.html). *www.alamy.com*. Retrieved 6 May 2026. Explosion in an explosives factory near Harwich killed three men and put twenty-five men and women workers in hospital today. One man is missing . Accident occurred at the mixing room of the Bramble Island ( Essex ) explosives and chemical products Ltd factory 5 miles south of Harwich. Men were working in the mixing house and the missing man was wheeling a trolley of explosives when the explosion occurred. Windows were shattered at Clacton, 10 miles away. PICTURE SHOWS:- An air view of the Bramble Island explosives factory, after the explosion today. Demo Stock Photo - Alamy

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Schofield, H.H (1957). ["Report on a fatal accident in an explosives factory at Bramble Island, Great Oakley, Essex on 3rd. July, 1956"](https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/1218835). Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Retrieved 6 May 2026 – via catalogue.nla.gov.au.

[51°53′N 1°14′E / 51.88°N 1.24°E / 51.88; 1.24](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Hamford_Water&params=51.88_N_1.24_E_type:landmark_region:GB-ESS)

v t e Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Essex Biological Abberton Reservoir Ashdon Meadows Basildon Meadows Belcher's and Broadfield Woods Benfleet and Southend Marshes Blackwater Estuary Blake's Wood & Lingwood Common Bovingdon Hall Woods Bullock Wood Canvey Wick Cattawade Marshes Chalkney Wood Colne Estuary The Coppice, Kelvedon Hatch Cornmill Stream and Old River Lea Crouch and Roach Estuaries Curtismill Green Danbury Common Debden Water Dengie Elsenham Woods Epping Forest Foulness Garnetts Wood and Barnston Lays Garrold's Meadow Glemsford Pits Grays Thurrock Chalk Pit Great Wood and Dodd's Grove Hainault Forest Hales and Shadwell Woods Hamford Water Hangman's Wood and Deneholes Hanningfield Reservoir Harlow Woods Hatfield Forest High Wood, Dunmow Hockley Woods Holehaven Creek Holland Haven Marshes Hunsdon Mead Inner Thames Marshes Little Hallingbury Marsh Mill Meadows Mucking Flats and Marshes Norsey Wood Nunn Wood Pitsea Marsh Quendon Wood Riddles Wood Roding Valley Meadows Roman River Sandbeach Meadows Stour and Copperas Woods, Ramsey Stour Estuary Thorndon Park Thrift Wood, Woodham Ferrers Thundersley Great Common Tiptree Heath Turnford and Cheshunt Pits Upper Colne Marshes Vange and Fobbing Marshes Waltham Abbey Weeleyhall Wood West Thurrock Lagoon and Marshes West Wood, Little Sampford Woodham Walter Common Geological Ardleigh Gravel Pit Clacton Cliffs and Foreshore The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch Colne Estuary Dengie Globe Pit Goldsands Road Pit Hall's Quarry Harwich Foreshore Holland-on-Sea Cliff Lion Pit Little Oakley Channel Deposit Lofts Farm Pit Maldon Cutting Marks Tey Brickpit The Naze Newney Green Pit Purfleet Chalk Pits Purfleet Road, Aveley River Ter St Osyth Pit Stour Estuary Wivenhoe Gravel Pit

Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Israel

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hamford Water](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamford_Water) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamford_Water?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.