Mersea Stone Tudor Blockhouse : Aerial assessment of the remains of the Tudor Blockhouse at Mersea Stone, Mersea Island, Essex
Author(s): Fiona Small
This report summarises the results of an assessment of aerial photographs and lidar undertaken to assess the remains of the scheduled Tudor blockhouse situated on the eastern tip of Mersea Island (NLHE 1013832) at the mouth of the Colne estuary, located between the later sea wall and the beach. The blockhouse was commissioned by Henry VIII in 1543 and was one of two such structures located to protect the strategically important Colne estuary. The site lies on low-lying marshland beyond the current sea wall and has been subject to ongoing coastal erosion, which has progressively encroached upon the area and begun to degrade the earthen remains of the blockhouse structure. An aerial assessment was requested by Jess Tipper, Inspector of Ancient Monuments, East of England Region to assess the site and map the rate of coastal erosion from historic aerial photographs and lidar, to inform the scheduled monument listing.
- Report Number:
- 52/2025
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 41
- Keywords:
- Earthwork Coastal
