Derelict Essex  - ​CO postcodes -  Clacton-on-Sea, Jaywick and Walton-on-the-Naze (Clacton pics coming soon)

Jaywick, CO15

Jaywick

Jaywick is a North Sea coastal village 2 miles from Clacton-on-Sea, constructed in the 1930s as a holiday resort for Londoners, but over time has become one of the most deprived areas in the country and parts of it resemble a shanty town. It is regularly described in the press as the poorest town in the UK.

The Brooklands estate originally marketed as holiday homes in the 1930s makes up the west end of Jaywick with hundreds of bungalows, many of them not much better than sheds. The street plan resembled a car's front grille and the avenues are named after British marques of the time: Austin, Humber,Vauxhall, Alvis,Singer, Hillman, Sunbeam, etc 

The post-war housing shortage in London meant that many occupants decided to live here all year. Then, in  1953, the great North Sea flood killed 37 residents. Still designated an area at risk of flooding, Jaywick faces strict limits on development, which means applications for new building work or even improvements are usually rejected. As conditions have declined, owners have moved out often selling their homes to landlords.

A 2011 report in The Guardian found that 62% of working age residents in Jaywick received benefits, compared to 15% national average. According to the Citizens Advice Bureau, 40% of residents are unable to work due to a disability or long term illness. ​

Jaywick - The Mermaid Inn (2019)

Closed in the late 1990s, the derelict Mermaid Inn photographed above here in August 2019 suffered a devastating fire a month later in September 2019 and was promptly demolished by the council. Below are some more photos of the Mermaid and other redundant commercial premises plus a few dilapidated vehicles and fly tipping in Jaywick.

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​Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14

Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14

Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14

Walton-on-the-Naze is a small seaside town on the North Sea coast  north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. "Naze" derives from Old English 'ness' - meaning  headland. It is still quite a popular resort in Summer but like many other seaside towns it appears quite desolate out of season.

Originally, Walton was a farming village situated miles inland. Over the centuries a large extent of land has been lost to the sea due to coastal erosion. The site of the medieval village of Walton now lies nine miles out to sea.

Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14

The row of dilapidated row of Victorian shops on Newgate Street pictured below has been the subject of planning disputes for many years. Whilst taking these pics a local told me that these were originally built as a hostel for prisoners who were being transferred from Newgate Prison in London before they were put on ships from Harwich for deportation to  Australia

Newgate Street, Walton-on-the-Naze

A few decaying vehicles and boats:

Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14

​Erosion of the cliffs at Walton-on-the-Naze continues to be rapid (at about 2 metres per year) threatening the the wildlife and the Naze Tower (a visitor attraction built as a sea mark to assist ships) . The Naze Protection Society was formed to campaign for erosion controls. The Naze has become popular for school fieldwork to investigate erosion and ways to protect the coast. Protection includes a sea wall, a riprap, groynes and a permeable groyne as well as drainage. Millions of tons of sand have been added to the beach to replenish it and stop the cliff eroding. However, the cliff near Naze Tower is greatly eroded. It is receding fast, and within 50 years Naze Tower may tumble into the sea like the pill boxes that can be seen on the beach.

Along the clifftop were perched pillboxes, each with an anti-aircraft machine-gun on the top. During World War II, these small concrete forts/bunkers were used for the defence against a possible enemy invasion. Made of concrete that was sufficiently thick to be bullet proof. These were built in 1940-1941. 28000 pillboxes were built around the UK though less than 6000 still survive.

Due to the cliff erosion, tow of the pillboxes have fallen into the sea

Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14

​Walton features as a turning point in the song "Tracy Jacks" from the album Parklife by Blur. The song's character, Tracy Jacks, takes "the first train to Walton" and stands "on the seafront". (Three of the band's members grew up in Colchester, from where you take a train to Walton-on-the-Naze.)

Click link for other Derelict Essex pages on this website:
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RM postcodes - Purfleet, West Thurrock and Grays

SS postcodes  - Southend-on-Sea, Canvey Island, Benfleet and Shoeburyness