Antiquing in Battlesbridge (Essex)
2nd April 2022
Battlesbridge is today the home of many antique centres. Closest to the bridge in Battlesbridge is the Antique & Craft Centre, housed in an old mill and next to the gastropub The Barge Inn. And at the other end of the town are an array of antique shops, known as the Bone Lane Antiques Centre, and a cafe. This collection of buildings is near to the pond; hence the warning sign to look out for ducks crossing the road.
Looking across the road and across the River Crouch is the new mill house, built in 1857. This notion of 'new' in England is all relative, since there has been a water mill here since 1771 when Battlesbridge was a small medieval port. Warves on both sides of the river allowed boats to exchange goods for trading, and the River Crouch itself provided fish for the table. You can still see the water mill building and the distinct roof of a malting house in the buildings shown below (these are now warehouses and offices).
It was delightful just wandering around the antique shops, watching a coot feeding her two youngsters on the pond, and looking down at the River Crouch from the tearoom at the top of the Antique & Craft Centre building.
If you are looking for a different shopping experience, then head for the Nerd Base which will sell you anything from Star Wars models to Harry Potter stuff to Lego kits and Mango dolls. Then around the corner from the Nerd Base are even more antiques shops. Battlesbridge indeed has everything you need for a diverting afternoon.
