Trail Route

1) Starting point: site of the Old Palace Cinema

Begin at the site of the Old Palace Cinema, now a convenience store and flats. This is the starting point for the trail through the historic heart of Shoeburyness.

2) Old Palace Cinema to Shoebury Cenotaph

Head up Campfield Road. On your left you’ll pass Shoebury Cenotaph, an early reminder of the area’s strong military connections. Continue along Campfield Road towards your next stop.

3) The Old Garrison Pub

Continue along Campfield Road for around 0.4 miles until you reach the Old Garrison Pub on your left. This is one of the trail’s key historic buildings and an easy landmark on the route.

4) Old Hinguar School

From the Old Garrison Pub, continue a short distance along Campfield Road, then turn left into Hinguar Street. Follow the road round until you see the Old Hinguar School on your left.

5) Shoeburyness Hotel

Continue up Hinguar Street to the junction with High Street, then turn right. Pass the shops on your left and keep going until you reach the Shoeburyness Hotel at the end of High Street.

6) Coupe’s Stores site and the old Garrison wall

From the Shoeburyness Hotel, look across the street to the house on the corner of Rampart Street. To the left of the old gates to the Garrison is the site of the former Coupe’s Stores. Then head up Rampart Street towards the seafront, where you’ll see the old Garrison wall on your right.

7) Shoeburyness seafront

Continue to the seafront and pause to take in the wider setting of the trail. This stretch helps explain why Shoeburyness has been such an important strategic location over time.

8) Garrison Memorial

Facing the sea, go through the opening in the wall on your right to enter the Garrison. Follow the path with the sea on your left until it bends right, where you’ll see the Garrison Memorial on the grass to your right.

9) Garrison Hospital

From the memorial, follow Chapel Road away from the sea for around 300 feet, then turn right into Hospital Road. The old Garrison Hospital is on your left.

10) Horseshoe Parade

Retrace your steps to Chapel Road and turn right. Cross Brigadier Way and Horseshoe Crescent, then look out for the clock tower of Horseshoe Parade on your right.

11) Danish Camp

From the clock tower, go down Warrior Square Road opposite. Near the corner of the cricket field, pass through the large gap between the houses and onto the grass. This open area is the site of the Danish Camp, linking the route to Shoebury’s Viking story.

12) Cart and Wagon Shed

Make your way back to Warrior Square Road, turn left and continue with the cricket field on your right. At the bend, take the left fork and continue until you reach the Cart and Wagon Shed on your right, where refreshments are available.

13) Powder Magazines

Turn back along Warrior Square Road and after about 60 yards take Danes Avenue on the right. A short way along, on your left, are two old buildings known as the Powder Magazines.

14) Coastal defences in Gunners Park

Continue along the pathway to Mess Road, where heritage boards give more information about the area. Turn right through the bollards and continue along the path. On the coastline to your left you should see two separate searchlight emplacements, part of the area’s coastal defences.

15) Heavy Quick Firing Battery

Carry on along the path with the sea on your left until you reach the Heavy Quick Firing Battery on your left.

16) Gun Pit

Continue along the path behind the battery, keeping the sea on your left. When the path bends right, keep straight on along the dirt track. After around 20 yards, the Gun Pit will be on your left.

17) Substation

The Substation is very close by, just a few yards further on your left.

18) Experimental Casemates and Caisson for Mulberry Harbour

Continue along the dirt track back up towards the sea wall until you see the Experimental Casemates building. This final stop also includes the Caisson for Mulberry Harbour and marks the end of the trail.