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Human settlement in Essex, England
Photo: Julieanne Savage, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Foulness Island is Essex's largest island. There is nothing much for tourists to see, due to the restrictions put in place by the UK Ministry of Defence (M.O.D.) regarding access to the island. The island is mostly farmland and is bordered by a sea wall and extensive marshland. The island is roughly 15 miles (25 km) from the coastal town of Southend-on-Sea.
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Just opposite the church in Churchend is the Heritage Centre, which was a school until 1988 and then lay derelict until 2003 when it was reopened as a heritage centre. Visitors must stop at Landwick Police Lodge to sign in their car details and obtain a pass permitting access onto the island to visit the Heritage Centre. The Heritage Centre has displays on the history of the island, old school photos, photos of the last night of the second pub in Courtsend, and even the old plans and protest signs from the time when the government planned London's third airport near the island on Maplin Sands. The centre is run by volunteers who are friendly and always happy to answer questions about the history of the island. They appreciate a donation and feedback in the visitors' book.
Try the Shoebury Ranges walk, about 5 km of gravel and tarmac paths.
By car
The only access to Foulness Island by road is at Landwick police lodge (about a mile from Great Wakering).D. zone.
By bus
Buses are very infrequent and are run by Stephensons of Essex on route 14 from Southend via Barling and Great Wakering.
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Southend-on-Sea, Essex · Regional · SEN
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