Welcome to Osea Island, a unique private retreat off the Essex coast

Stormzy chose the island as a creative retreat to record his last album This Is What I Mean, while it has also been reportedly rented by the singer Rihanna. Meanwhile its cinematic qualities haven’t gone unnoticed, with the island serving as the backdrop for The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe and HBO’s The Third Day with Jude Law.

"Osea Island represents the opportunity for an incoming buyer to own not only a piece of history but a truly unique asset with a variety of end uses, from a private residence to a destination venue for hospitality and entertainment in an exceptional, one-of-a-kind location," says Thomas van Straubenzee, Global Head of Knight Frank’s Private Office. 

Beyond the glitz lies a remarkable and storied past that has left an indelible imprint on its landscape today. Osea Island has been occupied for over 5,000 years, with archaeological finds including Neolithic settlements and Viking burial grounds linked to the nearby Battle of Maldon. The Romans left their mark too, constructing the tidal causeway that still connects the island to the mainland at low tide. At high tide, access is possible by river taxi, and it has its own light aircraft landing strip and helicopter landing area.

The island played a pivotal role in 20th-century military history. It was a clandestine naval base during World War I, known as SS Osea, and in World War II it’s reported that a V-2 rocket that fell short of its target in London hit the island. Later owned by Cambridge University and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Osea Island returned to private ownership in the 1950s. Its biodiversity today is rich and varied, home to owls, kestrels, muntjac deer, rabbits and a vibrant ecosystem of flora and insects.

Its illustrious past owners have also transformed the landscape and infrastructure of the island. Among the most notable is Victorian philanthropist Frederick Charrington, heir to one of London’s largest brewing empires. After witnessing the effects of alcoholism, he devoted his life to temperance work. This inspired the purchase of Osea Island in 1903, creating a place of privacy for those struggling with addiction.

His legacy lives on in the name of Charrington House, which now provides a range of luxury apartments, just some of the extensive accommodation that each bring their own charm to the island. This includes characterful cottages that form the ‘village’, with The Puffin at its heart, a quintessential English pub housed in a 300-year-old building complete with cosy Inglenook fireplace. 

It’s one of the many indoor and outdoor event spaces, ranging from chic wedding venues to those to host more intimate gatherings. Towards the island’s coastal edges you’ll happen upon the imposing Edwardian Manor House, sleeping 20 and offering panoramic views of the Estuary, while further down the waterfront The Captain’s House provides a picturesque and serene retreat.

As Georgie Veale, Senior Negotiator at Knight Frank, describes, these elements combine to demonstrate the extraordinary diversity of Osea Island. “Offering extensive land and multiple properties, it affords the purchaser unparalleled exclusivity, privacy, and a wide range of potential uses,” she says. Together, these features create a unique chance for an owner to shape this important landmark for generations to come.