Follies · East of England
Bateman's Tower
Bateman's Tower — Folly or eyecatcher.

Hobs — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
- Nearest railway station
- Alresford · 5.4 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Bateman's Tower is a folly in Essex, East of England — built more for the eye than for any practical purpose, and a reminder of the British landscape's appetite for the eccentric. The site is part of the COLNE ESTUARY National Nature Reserve. It sits within the Harwich and North Essex parliamentary constituency. The nearest railway station is Alresford, about 5.4 km away. Postcode area CO7.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Details TM 10 NE 6/54 BRIGHTLINGSEA PROMENADE WAY Bateman's Tower II Tower. Probably circa 1880 for John Bateman. Plastered cement blocks built on a raft. Octagonal of two storeys now with C20 timber viewing structure. Two centred arched windows to both floors of alternate faces excepting north face with two-centred arched doorway, vertically boarded door with strap hinges. Windows now blocked excepting that to first floor facing the sea, with small paned cast iron casement. The building was used as a folly/bathing house but is believed to have been intended as a lighthouse. Plans for a port in this area did not materialise. Listing NGR: TM0766416189 Legacy The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system. Legacy System number: 120181 Legacy System: LBS
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Colne Estuary SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: COLNE ESTUARY
- Ramsar wetland: Colne Estuary (Mid-Essex Coast Phase 2)
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
Place summary
Bateman's Tower is a folly located in Brightlingsea, Essex, within the East of England. This Grade II listed building is situated near the Colne Estuary, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Ramsar site. The tower adds a distinctive architectural feature to the coastal landscape.
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
- Coordinates
- 51.8058, 1.0108
- County
- Essex
- District
- Tendring
- Parish
- Brightlingsea
- Postcode
- CO7 0HH
- Parliamentary constituency
- Harwich and North Essex
- Nearest railway station
- Alresford — 5.4 km
- Official site
- www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
Sources
- osm: w552155026 (ODbL)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Bateman's Tower?
- Bateman's Tower is in Essex, East of England, United Kingdom (postcode CO7 0HH), in the parish of Brightlingsea.
- Is Bateman's Tower a listed building?
- Bateman's Tower is officially recognised as Grade II listed building listed.
- Is Bateman's Tower a protected site?
- Yes — Bateman's Tower is part of the Colne Estuary SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the COLNE ESTUARY National Nature Reserve.
- Is Bateman's Tower free to visit?
- Yes, Bateman's Tower is free to enter.
- How do I get to Bateman's Tower?
- The nearest railway station is Alresford, about 5.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CO7 0HH.