HARWICH is a town of England, in the county of Es sex. It is situated at the north-east extremity of the coun ty, on a point of land bounded on the east by the sea, and on the north by the estuaries of the Stour and the Orwell. The town consists of three principal streets, with various lanes branching off in different directions. The chief buildings are the chapel, built by the Earl of Norfolk about the be ginning of the 13th century ; the town-hall, rebuilt about 53 years ago ; the school-house, and the custom-house. Its market place is inclosed, and is neat and clean. The town is walled in, and the streets are paved with a kind of clay from a petrifying spring in the neighbourhood, which makes it as hard as stone.
The inhabitants of Harwich arc principally employed in ship-building and other maritime occupations. Several third rates and other large vessels have been built here. The harbour, which is independent of the bay, is spacious, deep, safe, and convenient ; and a light-house has lately been erected on a hill below the town for guiding vessels into it.
The North Sea fishery gives employment to about 3000 tons of shipping, and 500 sailors belonging to this port. The people too receive much support from the Dutch pack et boats, which, in time of peace, carry on a great inter course between Harwich and the continental ports.
During the bathing season, Harwich is frequented by much company, who find here tolerably good accommoda tion. Bathing machines have been for some time intro duced ; and there are two hot and two cold salt water baths, with a steam or vapour bath, and a large bathing place, with a machine for throwing the hot or cold water on any part of the body. The buildings, which have commodious
dressing rooms, stand in a large reservoir, containing many hundred tons of sea water, which is renewed every tide, so that the baths are continually supplied with fresh sea water by a contrivance on the principle of a natural syphon.
On the opposite side of the bay in Suffolk stands Land guard fort, which is built on a point of land united to Wal ton Colness, but so encircled by the sea at high water as to become an island nearly a mile from the shore. It com pletely commands the entrance to the harbour of Harwich, and was erected for this purpose in the reign of James I.
Harwich was made a burgh in the reign of Edward IL It is governed by a mayor, 8 aldermen, 24 burgesses, a recorder, kr. and sends 2 members to parliament.
The following is the population, &c. of the burgh of Harwich for 18 1 1.
Number of inhabited houses . . . . 564 Do. of families Do. employed in agriculture 72 Do. in trade and manufactures . . . 178 Males Females 2213Total population in :811 3732 Sec Morant's History, Z.:c. of Essex ; Dale's History of Harwich and Dover Court ; and the Beauties of England and 1-Vales, vol. v. p. 330. For an account of Harwich Cliff, see Essex, vul ix. p. 206, col. 2.