seasideBurnham-on-Sea is a town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Burnham remained a small village until the late 18th century, but is now a popular seaside resort as well as the home of the shortest pier in Great Britain. It forms part of the parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge. According to the 2001 census the population of the parish was 18,401.[1]
Burnham-on-Sea is notable for its beach and mudflats, the danger they pose to individuals and shipping, and the efforts locals have gone to defend their town and to prevent loss of life. The Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world. The extensive mud flats at Burnham are characteristic of Bridgwater Bay and the rest of the Bristol Channel where the tide can recede for over 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Over the years a string of people have died when they became trapped in mud and were overcome by the rapidly rising waters. One of the earliest recorded historical incidents to affect the town was the Bristol Channel floods of 1607. Today the town is defended from flooding by a large curved concrete wall that runs along the Esplanade.
Burnham-on-Sea railway station was the terminus of the Burnham branch of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. The former GWR station is now known as Highbridge and Burnham.
The town's signature collection of lighthouses, including the Round Tower lighthouse of 1829, the Pillar Lighthouse[2] and the Lighthouse on legs.[3] The original lighthouse was built after the local vicar, either John Goulden in 1764 or Walter Harris in 1799, raised a subscription amongst the local population. This was taken over and improved by Trinity House in 1815.[4]
There have been many shipwrecks on the Gore sand and the first lifeboat was sent to Burnham by the Bridgwater Corporation in 1836, with a second boat in 1847. The first Royal National Lifeboat was funded by the town of Cheltenham and arrived in 1866. The lifeboat was removed in 1930 because of the difficulty in getting a full crew and because the launching arrangements were not suitable for a powered boat.[4] A local charity, Burnham-on-Sea Area Rescue Boat (BARB), was set up in 1992 to fund and operate rescue craft in the Bridgwater Bay area. BARB's boat house on the sea front was built in 1994 by the Challenge Anneka TV show. In 2002 a five-year-old girl from Worcester called Lelaina Hall died on the mud flats before help could reach her. The outcry over her death prompted a Western Daily Press campaign to fund an inshore hovercraft. [5] BARB currently operates the Spirit of Lelaina alongside her sister hovercraft the Light of Elizabeth (named after Lelaina's sister).[6]
The parish church, St. Andrew's, is a grade I listed building dating from the 14th century.[7]
In the south west corner of Burnham-on-Sea, north of the River Brue, is Apex Leisure and Wildlife Park. Covering over 42 acres, the park has been created from excavated clay pits; these were flooded, and the lakes are now home to many types of wildlife and leisure activities.
The town is part of the West Country Carnival circuit.
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Burnham-on-Sea Berrow and Breanby wyenotnews1,524 views
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