Editing Burnham-on-Crouch (section)

==History==
According to the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086, Burnham was held in 1066 by a [[thegn]] called Alward and 10 free men. After 1066 it was acquired by a Norman called Tedric Pointel of [[Coggeshall]] whose overlord was Ralph Baynard.
Historically, it has benefited from its location on the coast – first as a ferry port,<ref name="FautleyGaron2004">{{cite book|author1=M.P.B. Fautley|author2=J.H. Garon|title=Essex Coastline: Then and Now|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hwl1Tefe1q4C&pg=PA119|year=2004|publisher=Matthew Fautley|isbn=978-0-9548010-0-7|pages=119–132}}</ref>{{rp|119}} later as a [[fishing port]] known for its oyster beds,<ref name="World fishing">{{cite book|title=World fishing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MbPkAAAAMAAJ|year=1973|publisher=IPC Industrial Press}}</ref> and most recently as a centre for [[yachting]].<ref name="FautleyGaron2004" />{{rp|132}}

The parish church of [[St Mary's Church, Burnham on Crouch]] is a large medieval church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. The church is first recorded in 1155, when it was given to [[Little Dunmow Priory]], and the Purbeck marble font dates from the twelfth century. The church's unusual plaster barrel vault dates from 1775, after the previous roof was destroyed by fire in 1774.

There is also a [[United Reformed Church]] in Station Road in Burnham-on-Crouch. It was built in 1950 as the Congregational Church after its predecessor burnt down in 1946. The URC Church was formed when the Congregational church merged with the local Methodist church in 1984. Also on Station Road is the [[Baptist Church]].

There are many [[listed building]]s in the town, including the [[Grade II* listed building|Grade II* listed]] [[Royal Corinthian Yacht Club]] designed in 1931 by the modernist architect Joseph Emberton.<ref name="FautleyGaron2004"/> The [[Mangapps Railway Museum]] is located nearby.
[[File:Burnham_on_Crouch.jpg|thumb|right|The town's high street, 2024]]

Although the town has a population of little over 7,500, it is the principal settlement in the wider [[Dengie peninsula]] area (population 20,000),<ref name="Thomas2010">{{cite book|author=David St John Thomas|title=Remote Britain|url=https://archive.org/details/remotebritainlan0000thom|url-access=registration|access-date=1 August 2012|date=29 July 2010|publisher=frances lincoln ltd|isbn=978-0-7112-3054-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/remotebritainlan0000thom/page/495 495]–}}</ref> meaning it has facilities that are uncommon in small towns, such as a cinema,<ref name="Ashley2011">{{cite book|author=Peter Ashley|title=Cross Country: English Buildings and Landscape From Countryside to Coast|date=26 April 2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-68611-9|page=146}}</ref> a laundrette, a post office, 22 licensed drinking establishments and three pharmacies.<ref name="Administrators1974">{{cite book|author=Institute of Health Service Administrators|title=The Hospitals & health services year book and directory of hospital suppliers|year=1974|publisher=Institute of Health Service Administrators.|isbn=978-0-901003-09-6}}</ref>

Burnham played a significant role in both world wars. A [[World War I|First World War]] airfield was established in 1915 on agricultural land next to present-day Wick Farm. It was used until early 1919. It was established for use by Home Defence aircraft in order to defend against [[Zeppelin]] attack and as a night flight station. The small grass landing field covered an area of about 150 acres. There were no permanent buildings, and the personnel were billeted in tented accommodation. The base was initially established by the [[Royal Naval Air Service|Royal Navy Air Service]] (RNAS) and two [[Bristol T.B.8]]s operated from there. The [[Royal Flying Corps]] (RFC) took over responsibilities for Home Defence in 1916 and the airfield became a RFC base operating BE type aircraft of 37 Squadron (50th Wing). The airfield was closed in 1919.

During the [[World War II|Second World War]], Burnham was the training base for one of the first [[Commandos (United Kingdom)|Commando]] battalions, led by Lt-Col Dunford-Slater. From 1943 to 1945 it was HMS St Mathew, base for up to 1400 sailors training on minor landing craft. The navy occupied the [[Royal Corinthian Yacht Club]] and a site at Creeksea. Unconnected with these activities, the area often witnessed Luftwaffe crashes and bomb, mine and V-weapon explosions – German parachute mines caused fatalities in the town and at nearby [[Southminster]].<ref>ADM 199, DEFE 1 and Ho 192/193 files National Archive, CW 1 series files at Essex County Record Office, J P Foynes "Battle of the East Coast 1939-1945"</ref>

Since 1966 Burnham-on-Crouch has had an [[Royal National Lifeboat Institution|RNLI]] lifeboat presence. Initially it operated only during the sailing season, but from 1987 it has done so all year. The on-shore facilities are in the marina with two floating boathouses in Burnham yacht harbour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burnham-rnli.org/about-us/|title=About us – Burnham Lifeboat|website=www.burnham-rnli.org|access-date=17 April 2018}}</ref>