Now is a chance
to have a good time, enjoying a Sunday walk with your Family,
Friends or Colleagues, whilst raising Money for your own chosen
Local Charity or perhaps for Rotary Funds
The six mile walk along country
paths and alongside the River Colne follows the Old Crab and
Winkle Railway line. Register at the Colne Community School,
Brightlingsea, between 9.30am and 11.30am where the walk starts.
Free parking is available in the school car park.
The entry fee is £5.00 (£4.00 if
booked in advance) to cover our costs.
for further information please contact Roger Abram Tel 01206
304049
email:
rogerabram@live.co.uk
The Route
From Colne Community School along
Church Road to Strangers Corner, down the lane past the playing
fields on your left.
A
few hundred yards on the right is a footpath to All Saints
Church.
It was built
around 1250 comprising of the present Chancel, two thirds of the
Nave with two small Chapels. This construction incorporated part
of an earlier building and a great deal of Roman brick. In the
wall to the west of the south door there is a round headed
recess incorporating roman brickwork, which probably dates from
the early Norman period.
The tiles bear witness to the various losses suffered by this
seafaring community. While similar memorials can be found on the
continent these tiles are a unique memorial in this country. The
Lady Chapel and the north and centre aisles contain brasses of
the Beriffe family.
For further information visit the church website at
www.allsaintswithstjamesb-sea.co.uk
From the Church follow Moverons Lane to Alresford Creek and the
Ford. On reaching the creek turn left and follow the footpath
alongside of the creek to the site of the old railway swing
bridge.
follow the footpath along the sea wall to
Batemans Tower, follow along the sea defence parallel to
Promenade Way to the Community Centre and turn left on to Lower
Park Road, passing the Railway Tavern on your right.
Continue along Lower
Park Road and Turn left into Park Drive, continue along Park
Drive to Chestnut Way (which is the second road on the
right). This takes you to Marennes Crescent turn left
and walk to the end of the road where you will join the
footpath to Lodge Lane. This takes you to Church Road
opposite the Colne Community School which is the finishing
point of the walk.
click here for a copy of the
Sponsor Form
click here for the Entry Form
click here for the walk Route Map
The railway from Colchester to Wivenhoe was opened in 1863. The
line was to continue on to Walton with a Branch to
Brightlingsea.
As might be expected there was some controversy before it was
started - a long opening swing bridge was needed over Alresford
Creek for barge traffic. It was finally opened in 1866. In 1904
there was serious flooding from the river and there was
threatened closure, but it was worse in the 1953 floods. Some of
the rails were washed away, It was December before the railway
opened again.
In the 1930's passengers went to Brightlingsea and took the
ferry to Point Clear. There were said to be 20-30 rowing boats
before the war, The fare was 2d. In 1957 diesel took over from
steam and the last steam train ran on the line in 1960. There
was a fight to try and save the line, but it was closed in 1964.
'The Wivenhoe & Brightlingsea Railway' by Paul Brown.
