Shoeburyness Boom

The Shoeburyness Boom is a coastal defense barrier that stretches across the Thames Estuary with wooden piles driven into the seabed and concrete structures anchoring each end. The structure was designed to control shipping passage and prevent unauthorized vessels from entering the waterway.

Built in 1939, the barrier was installed to protect London and shipping routes from German submarines during World War II. After the war it remained in service as a security measure against Soviet naval activity.

The defensive structure reflects how British coastal communities organized their safety during wartime. The remaining posts visible along the shore represent the practical measures taken to monitor and protect local waters.

The site is accessible from the shoreline, though some sections remain within restricted Ministry of Defence areas where you cannot freely walk. You will see more of the structure during low tide when larger sections become exposed.

Three heavy lighters, each weighing 200 tons, were permanently moored along the barrier to monitor vessel movement between Kent and Essex. These floating checkpoints represented an unusual approach to wartime defense.