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Burnham-on-Sea Tourist Information


Burnham-on-Sea sits on Bridgwater Bay in Somerset at the mouth of the River Parrett. Like many seaside towns along the coast, it was a small village until the boom of tourism in Victorian times.

Its precarious situation on the wetlands known as the Somerset Levels means the town has always been concerned with sea defences and land reclamation. Drained in Roman times, the area had a series of ditches and canals. The most serious floods occurred in 1607. The current curved concrete sea wall was built in 1988.

Burnham-on-Sea was mentioned in King Alfred’s will in the late 9th century and the name “burna” means “stream” and “hamm” means “enclosure”.

Just offshore lie the dangerous sandbanks known as Gore Sands. They have been the undoing of many a ship in the past with countless shipwrecks. Shipping now follows the deep-water channel marked by a series of lighthouses.

The first lighthouse was a light on top of the 14th century tower on St Andrews Church. It was superceded by the building of the Round Tower when funds were raised by the local vicar! This in turn was improved in 1815 by Trinity House, which manages all British lighthouses.

The High Lighthouse, 100 feet tall, was built in 1832 along with what became known as the “Lighthouse on Legs”, a square black-and-white hut on the sands. The first lifeboat was commissioned in 1836 and Burnham-on-Sea is now the base for the RNLI search and rescue operations in the area.

The Somerset Central Railway built the stone pier in 1858 with a view to linking with a steamer service to Wales but it was never a commercial success. The second pier was built around 1911 and has the honour of being the shortest pier in Britain! You can walk around it at low tide.

During World War II Mulberry Harbour was used for the Normandy Landings.


Present Day Burnham-on-Sea

The current population of Burnham-on-Sea is around 18,400. The town centre is the High Street of local shops and banks.

There are a number of churches, schools and cultural buildings and several local sports clubs. The town has some interesting listed buildings along the Esplanade and a drinking fountain from 1897 with lions’ heads around a bowl made of Purbeck marble.

St Andrews Parish Church with its 78-foot leaning tower dates back to the 14th century. It has several marble carvings designed by Christopher Wren for the Palace of Westminster, but never installed.

Burnham-on-Sea railway station is now known as the Highbridge and Burnham station. It has regular trains to Exeter, Taunton and, London Paddington.


Things to do in Burnham-on-Sea

Burnham-on-Sea is known for its beach and mudflats, which can be dangerous. It has the second highest tidal range in the world at 15m (49 feet) and the tide can recede for 1½ miles! Kite surfing is popular on the flat sands and the national waterskiing championships are held in the bay every Easter.

The wetlands and marshes are popular with nature-lovers and birdwatchers as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Apex Leisure and Wildlife Park is a series of flooded clay pits, which provides for water-based leisure activities.

The Burnham and Berrow Golf Club is one of England’s historic links courses, founded in 1890.

 

Images of Burnham-on-Sea
Main Shopping Street Burnham-on-Sea © Geoff Taylor
Brue Estuary Burnham Burnham-on-Sea © Geoff Taylor
Boats Brue Estuary Burnham-on-Sea © Geoff Taylor
Apex Park Burnham Burnham-on-Sea © Geoff Taylor
Apex Park Burnham Burnham-on-Sea © Geoff Taylor
Yatch Club Moorings Burnham-on-Sea © Geoff Taylor
Directions
Show map of Burnham-on-Sea...


Attractions near Burnham-on-Sea
Animal Farm Adventure Park (4 Miles)*
Stay & play all day at Somerset's biggest all weather family day out, Cuddle pets & baby animals, mega playbarn with three levels of action packed fun.
Seaquarium Ltd. Weston-Super-Mare (7 Miles)*
The SeaQuarium boasts 7 different Zones showcasing a range of habitats from cold freshwater streams to the mighty rainforests rivers.
Helicopter Museum (8 Miles)*
The museum has a rare and award winning collection of helicopters, unique in Great Britain and in the world.
more attractions in Burnham-on-Sea and things to do in Burnham-on-Sea ...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

What's near Burnham-on-Sea

Attractions:
  Animal Farm Adventure Park  4 Miles
  Seaquarium Ltd. Weston-Super-Mare  7 Miles
  Helicopter Museum  8 Miles
more attractions in Burnham-on-Sea...
 
Towns:
  Highbridge  1 Mile
  Brent Knoll  2 Miles
  Huntspill  2 Miles
more towns near Burnham-on-Sea...
 
Estate Agents:
  Hutchinson Town and County Estate Agents  <1 Mile
  Michael Applegate and Partners  <1 Mile
  Gary Berryman Estate Agents  <1 Mile
Hotels:
  Laburnum House Lodge Hotel  2 Miles
  Woodlands Country House Hotel  2 Miles
  The Battleborough Grange Hotel & Restaurant  3 Miles
more hotels in Burnham-on-Sea area...
 
Bed and Breakfast:
  Cheriton Lodge  1 Mile
more bed and breakfasts near Burnham-on-Sea...
 
Self Catering:
  Model Farm  6 Miles
  Crossmoor Meadows Cottage  8 Miles
  Bakers Cottage  8 Miles
more self catering near Burnham-on-Sea...
 
Campsites:
  Lakeside Holiday Park  1 Mile
  Westhill Farm Caravan Park  2 Miles
  Dulhorn Farm Holiday Park  4 Miles
TIC: Burnham-On-Sea Tourist Information Centre     Tel: 01278 787852  <1 Mile



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Towns near Burnham-on-Sea
Highbridge Tourist Information (1 Mile)*
Brent Knoll Tourist Information (2 Miles)*
Huntspill Tourist Information (2 Miles)*
more towns near Burnham-on-Sea...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

Hotels near Burnham-on-Sea
Laburnum House Lodge Hotel (2 Miles)*
Perched amid 16 acres, beside a nature reserve, Laburnum House boasts excellent leisure and sporting facilities, just minutes from the M5 and less than a kilometre from the sea.
Woodlands Country House Hotel (2 Miles)*
In beautiful parkland in the Somerset countryside, Woodlands Country House Hotel is just 10 minutes' drive from Burnham-on-Sea. There is free parking, elegant bedrooms and an award-winning restaurant.
The Battleborough Grange Hotel & Restaurant (3 Miles)*
This hotel and restaurant rest under the historic Brent Knoll, conveniently located off the M5 and near the town of Burnham-on-Sea.
more Burnham-on-Sea hotels (and nearby)...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

Self Catering near Burnham-on-Sea
Crossmoor Meadows Cottage (8 Miles)*
Crossmoor Meadows Cottage was originally the dairy and apple store, which was attached to our Farmhouse built in 1841. The cottage has been carefully restored and refurbished, to the highest quality with en-suite facilities.
Kenilworth Holiday Flats (8 Miles)*
Kenilworth Holiday Flats are situated 60 Yards from the High Street, Playhouse Theatre and Grove Park. The Flats are self contained and well furnished
Your property could be here
Advertising your self catering property or holiday cottage on AboutBritain.com will get you noticed by thousands of potential guests every day.
more self catering near Burnham-on-Sea ...
* Distances shown are in a direct line. Distances by road will be longer.

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