Shoeburyness Heritage Trail

Churchill, Florence Nightingale and Vikings! There’s more to Shoebury than meets the eye…
Located on slightly raised land at the mouth of the Thames estuary, Shoebury has been strategically important since prehistoric times. There is archaeological evidence showing that humans have occupied or used the site since the Bronze Age.

The trail is approximately 1.8 miles long with some uneven ground in parts. Public toilets are available at Campfield Road and Shoeburyness seafront near the car park entrance on George Street. Limited options for refreshments are available. Dress for the weather & wear comfortable shoes with good grip. Take care when following the trail, especially when near traffic, crossing roads or when on uneven ground and please respect other people’s privacy. For your safety, observe all official warning instructions and notices along the sea wall. Now it’s time to explore, discover and enjoy!

Trail Route

Starting Point Site of the Old Palace Cinema (now a convenience store and flats)

Old Palace Cinema to The Old Garrison Pub: 0.4 miles, 8 minutes, mostly even ground.

From the site of the Old Palace Cinema, go up Campfield Road. You will see Shoebury Cenotaph on your left. Continue along Campfield Road for 0.3 miles until you get to the Old Garrison Pub on the left.

Old Garrison Pub to Old Huguar School: 0.1 miles, 2 minutes, mostly even ground.

From the Old Garrison Pub, continue along Camfield Road a short distance until you get to Hinguar Street. Then go left and follow the street around a short way until you see the Old Hinguar School on your left.

Old Hinguar School to Shoeburyness Hotel: 0.1 miles, 3 minutes, mostly even ground.

From Old Hinguar School, continue up Hinguar Street until you get to the junction with High Street. Then go right on High Street, passing a row of shops on your left. Keep going until you get to The Shoeburyness Hotel where High Street ends.

Shoeburyness Hotel to Shoeburyness seafront: 0.1 mile, 2 minutes, mostly even ground.

From Shoeburyness Hotel, look across the street to the house on the corner of Rampart Street. To the left of the old gates to the Garrison is the site of the old Coupe’s stores.
From the old Coupe’s Stores, make your way up Rampart Street towards the seafront. After a short way you will see the old wall of the Garrison on your right. Stop when you get to the seafront.

Shoeburyness seafront to Garrison Memorial: 0.2 miles,3 minutes, mostly even ground.

From the corner of Rampart Street, facing the sea, go through the opening in the wall on your right. This is the entrance to the garrison, continue on the path (with the sea now on your left) for a short distance. After 0.2 miles/3 minutes, the path will bend to the right and you will see the Garrison Memorial on the grass to your right.

Garrison Memorial to Garrison Hospital: 0.1 mile, 2 minutes, mostly even ground.

From the Garrison Memorial, go along Chapel Road away from the sea for about 300 feet. Then at Hospital Road turn right and you will see the old Garrison Hospital, 80 yards down on your left.

Garrison Hospital to Horseshoe Parade: 0.2 miles, 3 minutes, mostly even ground.

From the old Garrison Hospital, retrace your path back to Chapel Road, then go right. Cross over Brigadier Way and Horseshoe Crescent, you will then see the clock tower of Horseshoe Parade on your right.

Horseshoe Parade to the Danish Camp (Vikings!): 150 yards, 2 minutes, mostly even ground with some grass.

From the clock tower, go down Warrior Square Road which is immediately opposite.
Opposite the corner of the cricket field you will see a large gap between the houses, with some low black metal fencing. Go through the gap onto the grass until it opens out into a large field – you are now on the site of the ‘Danish Camp’.

Danish Camp to Powder Magazines: 300 yards, 2 minutes, grass and some uneven ground.

Make your way back out onto Warrior Square Road and turn left, then go straight, with the cricket field on your right. Where the road bends, take the left-hand road and after about 50 yards take the pathway on the left side. A short distance along this path, you will see on your left, two old buildings known as the Powder Magazines.

Powder Magazines to Coastal defences in Gunners Park: 100 yards, 1 minute, some uneven ground.

From the Powder Magazines, continue along the pathway for about 50 yards until you get to the road which is Mess Road. Two heritage boards are located here, providing more information about the area.
From the information boards, go right, through the bollards and along the pathway. To your left, on the coastline, you should see two separate Searchlight Emplacements, which formed part of the coastal defences.

Coastal defences to Heavy Quick Firing Battery: 500 feet, 1 minute, mostly even ground.

From these coastal defences, continue along the path, with the sea to your left, until you reach the Heavy Quick Firing Battery on your left.

Heavy Quick Firing Battery to Gun Pit: 500 feet, 2 minutes, some uneven ground.

From the Heavy Quick Firing Battery, continue along the pathway that passes behind the building (with the sea still on your left). After about 100 yards the path will bend to the right but keep straight on the dirt track. After about 20 yards you will see the Gun Pit on your left.

Gun Pit to Substation: 20 yards, 30 seconds, some uneven ground.

The Sub Station is very close to the Gun Pit, a few yards on to your left

Substation to Experimental Casemates & Caisson for Mulberry Harbour: 70 yards, 1 minute, some uneven ground.

Continue along the dirt track, back up towards the sea wall until you see the Experimental Casemates building

This brings us to the end of the trail!