Welcome to Othona Bradwell
Othona is an open and inclusive Christian Community drawing on a wealth of other inspirations.
About Othona Bradwell
We welcome people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds and beliefs to our two centres on the quiet coasts of Essex and Dorset. Through sharing in a daily rhythm of work, worship, study and play, we seek to learn how to live together and learn from each other. In community we explore the relationship between faith and life and encourage one another in caring for the world and its people. It is a place of welcome and acceptance whoever you are providing simple accommodation and good food at a low cost.
From its beginning in 1946 as a summer camp in tents on the Essex marshes, Othona has been a meeting place for people from different countries and backgrounds. They came then and they come now – all the year round and not only in tents – to be refreshed, to take stock, to make friends over the shared chores, perhaps to learn something new, and to go across the field together to the ancient St Peter’s chapel looking out over the Blackwater estuary.
The community attracts anything between 10 and 100 people, depending on the theme and the season. At any given time there will be some who have been coming for years and others here for the first time. Especially in the summer the dining room echoes to the sound of many languages and children’s voices.
Othona has a special concern for living in harmony with nature – with wind turbine, solar panels, and eco-building and much else. The beauty of the natural world is all around – from a green woodpecker to an unpolluted starlit night sky.
Your Stay with us
Nestled in the stunning Dengie Peninsula in Essex, our location is adjacent to a site of special scientific interest renowned for its rich and diverse birdlife. We manage our site with wildlife in mind, featuring an abundance of wildflowers and trees, extensive hedgerows that promote biodiversity, and two recently completed large ponds aimed at supporting the Great Crested Newt population. The salt marshes provide essential habitats for wildlife, and our unique environment includes a shell beach. Additionally, we have a small sandy beach section that is widely used for swimming during high tide in the summer.
Our accommodation comprises two accessible single-story buildings containing 16 bedrooms in various configurations, ranging from single beds to a spacious family room accommodating up to two adults and four children. We also offer five Mongolian-style yurts, each equipped with its own wood-burning stove, with wood provided. These yurts can comfortably sleep two adults or families of four and are very popular. Additionally, we have two single bedrooms in another building that also houses our art room, which is just a short walk from the main site.
The cost of your stay includes all meals and refreshments, featuring simple yet wholesome home-cooked dishes made from fresh ingredients. Some of our fruits and vegetables are grown on-site, while the rest are sourced from a local wholesaler. Our meat comes from a nearby butcher. We always offer a vegetarian option and can accommodate most dietary requirements.
Everyone who stays with us contributes to creating a vibrant community by helping with various tasks around the premises. These tasks are not particularly burdensome, and we encourage younger children to assist with setting and cleaning tables before and after meals.
Some of our weeks, particularly during half-term breaks, can be quite busy and lively, but even during those times, you can always find peaceful spots if you need a moment of tranquility!
The Othona Bradwell-On-Sea Programme
We offer a variety of different events from family holidays, art events, singing weekends to walking weeks and lots more. We also have retreats, which offer a time for study and contemplation. Outside of our community events, which are advertised in our programme, we also host a variety of groups including Church groups, Art students, Buddhist groups, YMCA residents and many more. Please contact us (bradwell@othona.org)
Othona is also a great place to bring groups from Schools, Colleges, Universities for field studies. We have several schools that return every year for a residential trip and we welcome new enquiries.
Upcoming Events
We offer a varied programme of events throughout the year, please take a look….
New Year Celebration
A Week to Simply Be
Finding God, Finding You: Silent prayer through Christian meditation
Sewing and Craft Weekend
All sorts of happenings
Capturing just some of beauty and wonderful community at Othona Bradwell-on-Sea…
Latest News from Othona
News and stories all worth reading…
Our fourth Essex Green Weekend is coming up very soon! We have a great programme lined up for the weekend and there are still spaces for camping and day visitors- see our programme for details of how to book.
Our new warden, David Jenkins, has arrived at Othona this week. It’s a real pleasure to meet him and we wish him well for the future here. Here is a short piece of bio from hi: I will leave my home in the Netherlands where […]
The Association for Promoting Retreats (APR) has made a number of bursaries available to support teachers and headteachers in Church of England schools in making a retreat at any APR member retreat house, which includes this Centre. If this is applicable to you or someone […]