HISTORY

This photograph of the Esplanade at the junction
of Regent Street was taken in 1905 and features
the The Clarence Hotel which was built around
1796. On the right of the picture you will find the
Edwardian Bandstand which was erected to
commemorate the coronation of Edward VII and
Queen Alexandra.
The bandstand's history ended prematurely when
it was replaced in 1911 by the Pavilion which like
The Clarence Hotel is still used by visitors and
locals today.
An early ariel view of Burnham-on-Sea
which shows that the main structure and
general street layout of the town still
remains to this very day.

Although the pavilion replaced the Edwardian
bandstand in 1911, you will see from this
picture that it did not deter both the band and
the sunday strollers from using this new venue
as a focal point.
Both the low lighthouse shown here and the
high lighthouse , which is further inland, were
built in 1832 and are still very important
landmarks in the Burnham-on-Sea area.
There location was essential to maritime
travellers, both night and day, who had to
navigate the narrow channel by using them
as reference
points.
For years, the only sensible way to visit the area
was by one of the many steam trains that would
frequently stop at Highbridge (opened 1854) on
their way to Taunton and beyond. Somerset and
Dorset Railways as it was known at the turn of
the century saw Highbridge as one of the busier
stations due in part to the extensive amount of
dairy produce, especially milk churns which were
distributed by rail throughout the area.
This picture of the High Street, Burnham-
on-Sea was taken in 1910. 
Central Stores and the neighbouring Bacon
Factory can be seen here around 1915 on
Church Street, Highbridge. The Bacon Factory
was established in 1889 and became one of the
areas biggest employers.
Further along Church Street we can see that
the main form of transport in 1915 was pony
and trap.
Market Square and Town Hall, Highbridge in 1920.
The Coopers Arms which is still in existence is
clearly shown on the left.
Built in 1891 as a Adult School, this fine building
in Church Street, Highbridge is now a public
library.
Although the we do not know the precise date of
the original building, we do know that St. Andrew's
C of E Church Burnham-on-Sea was rebuilt in
1314 the year after the battle of Bannockburn.
Naish House, Burnham-on-Sea  has
maintained its name and is now the home
of St. Christopher's School. It was built in
1905 as a private school for boy and
concentrated on entrance examinations to
Dartmouth Naval College.  

The photos and content of this section have been used with the kind permission
of Geoffrey Maslen, sadly Geoffrey died on 27th February 2000.
We would like to dedicate this page to him. He will be sadly missed.


For additional information on the history of Burnham-on-Sea ,
please email the museum - museum.service@n-somerset.gov.uk


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