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Situated at the mouth of the river on the east bank of the estuary,
Burnham probably owes it's foundations to this face and to the marine
clay belt, a triangle of land situated 7 to 12 feet higher than the peat
moors, preventing major flooding. This clay belt has been dated
back to nearly 1700 years ago, however bones found in the area date back
to 2000BC.
One thing Burnham is renowned for it it's coastal weather activities and
this has caused the sea wall defences to be burst through no less than 7
times, last occurring 1981. Amazingly in 1703 records show that
the "greatest flood in British History" occurred in Burnham with the
Bristol Channel tide being 3 feet above the expected level.
Until the mid 19th century Burnham was purely a farming village and with
the development at this time of the Isombard Kingdom Brunel railway line
it soon grew to become a modern town. The railway ran from
Bristol to Exeter and stopped in High Bridge and by 1853 the Somerset
railway had been extended through Burnham making travel possible all the
way to Cherbourg.
The railway also made it possible for families and couples to visit
Burnham as a tourist destination for the sand and the sea but became
most popular in the Victorian era. Tourism since has continued as
Burnham's main industry providing beautiful scenery and a relaxing break
for holidaymakers. Nowadays with the motorways and main roads
Burnham is situated in the middle of may world-wide renowned tourist
attractions such as Cheddar Gorge, Wookey Hole Caves, Axbridge (Magna
Carta), Glastonbury Tor, Weston Super Mare and mile of beach.
