History of Heybridge Basin
Heybridge Basin Sea Lock was built as the eastern terminus for the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. The village of Heybridge Basin grew up around the lock, as there was plenty of work unloading the ships into the barges that took supplies to Chelmsford. The village has continued to expand into the 21st century despite the cessation of commercial activities on the Navigation in 1972. The village now supports leisure and recreation, buoyed by the excellent sailing facilities on the Blackwater Estuary and the sheltered moorings in the Basin and upstream.
