The lovely, gorgeous port town of Harwich is just one of the many stunning cities that can be found in the tremendous county of Essex but, somehow, Harwich sets itself apart from its equally admirable neighbors and carves a niche out for itself among this very prestigious pack. One big ace in Harwich's hole is the fact that it has been an absolutely indispensable location for various maritime activities in Britain for centuries. Both militarily and commercially, Harwich still remains an important part of England and, were it not for the town, one can only wonder how crippled Britain's economy might have been. After all, Harwich was well known for being the only safe place to anchor up in between the Thames and Humber.
This isn't to say that Harwich was always able to stave off invasion. A notable planned attack occurred in the late 1600s by the famed rebel William of Orange but thankfully bad weather conditions saved Harwich from a siege that would have been extremely destructive. Of course, Harwich wouldn't have gone down without a fight thanks to the military presence that has also been a part of the town for much of its life. The name Harwich even translates into "military settlement" when using the Old English terminology. Harwich International Port eventually became synonymous with the Royal Navy and it wasn't until recently that the Navy left the area in order to focus its energy elsewhere. The Port still operates, though, and many ferries and other commercial vessels can be found there daily.
Harwich received its charter in the 1200s and ever since then it grew like a weed. Since few recorded acts of violence and attack were to be found in the town there is a vast amount of gorgeous architecture that dates back throughout Harwich's history and this makes the town very popular among history buffs. To be sure, the entire old sector of the town is considered a conservation area and one need only look at the street plan of the town to see the extreme medieval influence of the entire area. Many visitors to the town like to walk all around Harwich but the most popular building for sightseers continues to be the popular Guildhall. This famed edifice is a Grade I listed building and for good reason: Dating back to the mid 1700s, the gorgeous building is one of the most revered pieces of architecture in a town known for having many stunning treasures of this nature. The Pier Hotel is another very popular building and it dates back to the 1860s. It may not be as old as the Guildhall but it is most assuredly worthy of nothing but the highest acclaim. Harwich is right to be proud of its massive historical significance and anybody who has yet to see the town would do themselves a huge favour by booking a trip to this slice of heaven on the coast of England. After all, the role Harwich has played in keeping England safe for centuries makes the town surely worthy of a visit from every proud Briton.
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