St. Osyth lies about five miles to the west of Clacton-on-Sea and is approached from either Clacton or Colchester along the B1027. To the west of the village centre is Point Clear and Point Clear Bay where Stone Point in the Bay is only about half a mile across Brightlingsea Creek from the historic Cinque Ports town of Brightlingsea. The village was known as Chich in the 7th Century and is still affectionately known as Toosie.
St. Osyth is a parish within the Tendring District Council administrative area and in the County of Essex and has an estimated permanent population of 4,600 which increases significantly during the holiday season due to the popular holiday parks located at St Osyth’s Beach and Point Clear Bay. The centre of the village is dominated by the medieval remains of the Priory on its 383 acres of land, building of which began in the year 1118. It was established for the Augustine Canons and became one of the great Augustine Abbeys of Europe.
