August 2011

Maldon is an area of the UK on the east coast in Essex. Due to its location the district has close ties with the coast in both industry and leisure terms and it is home to river estuaries for the Blackwater and Crouch rivers. The district is rich in wildlife and has many natural attractions including saltwater marshes, farmland and a range of charming villages.

The entire district of Maldon is rich in history. The main town of Maldon itself is held to be among the oldest recorded towns in the county of Essex and records show that settlements in the area go back to Saxon times.

The main towns within Maldon are Maldon itself, Burnham on Crouch and Heybridge. The area is particularly well know to sailing enthusiasts and the marinas of the area - including the main marina at Blackwater - are well known within the sailing community and offer a range of facilities. Due to its location Maldon is often seen as being a perfect place from which to sail as you can get to continental Europe in a day.

In the past the area was an important commercial hub given its access to estuaries and to the coast. In the past Maldon sailing barges were a major industry all along the east coast of the UK and the area supplied much of London with agricultural products. Even today you can still see some of these famous barges in the district although nowadays they are mainly used for charter or tourist purposes.