Essex’s ‘celebrity island’ so quiet ‘you rarely see another soul’

In the East of Essex, there is a beautiful and barely-touched island that's popular with celebrities. Close to Heybridge Basin, Osea Island has a rich history which involves rehabilitation, research and recording albums.

In 1903, the island was bought by Frederick Nicholas Charrington, the son of one of the partners of Charrington Brewery, one of London’s largest breweries. The path he carved for himself was quite different to his father's, however - he became an ardent member of the Temperance movement in the 1870s after converting to evangelical Christianity in his late teens.

The value he placed on temperance was so great that he decided to use the island as a rehabilitation centre for recovering alcoholics. The rehabilitation program ran for over 100 years, welcoming sobriety-seekers from all walks of life (including Amy Winehouse) – but it was shut down in 2010 for operating without proper registration.

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For several years after the Second World War, Cambridge University owned Osea Island, using it as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) due to its rare ecology, birds, and marine life.

Nowadays, the 380-acre island is an attractive filming location, as it became the setting of HBO’s drama-thriller series The Third Day in 2020 and James Watkins’ 2012 film adaptation of The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe as lawyer Arthur Kipps. And it’s clear to see why.

Osea Island has also attracted musicians. Music producer Nigel Frieda has owned the island since 2012, setting up a recording studio on the island where artists such as Stormzy and Charli XCX have recorded songs. It was rumoured that Rihanna worked on an unreleased reggae album here in 2019. It’s not just the music giants who have been enjoying Osea Island – in September 2021, the island held its very own music festival called the One Island Festival.

So, how does one spend a day (or, indeed, several days) in Osea Island? Firstly, you should check the tide times. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway which is only accessible twice a day. You can also choose between multiple activities for your stay including building sandcastles, going for a walk, picking blackberries, watching a film at the Shack cinema and more.

You can even stay the night with Cottage rentals are available from £300 per night – or you could rent out an apartment or even a grand house.