town (parish) and seaport, Tendring district,administrative and historic county of Essex, England. It occupies the tip of a small peninsula projecting into the estuary of the Rivers Stow and Orwell.

In 885 CE Alfred the Great defeated Danish ships in a battle that took place in the harbour. Harwich's seaborne trade developed steadily, notably in the 14th century, and shipbuilding was a significant industry in the 17th century. The town's major development, however, awaited the coming of the railway—Harwich became, as an outport of London, a terminus for passenger ferries across the North Sea. The port was equipped to handle container traffic and has become a major port for trade with the European continent. Light engineering and fishing are the main industries today. The suburb of Dovercourt is a popular resort. Pop. (2001) 20,130.

town (township), Barnstable county, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S. It lies on the southern coast of Cape Cod (Cod, Cape). Named for Harwich, England, it was settled about 1655 and incorporated in 1694. Once a whaling and shipbuilding centre, its economy is now based largely on cranberry cultivation and summer tourism. Among the villages in the town are Harwich Port (Harwichport), which has a yacht basin, East Harwich, and Harwich Center. The town's old powder house, built in 1770, was used during the American Revolution. A horse track at Harwich Port, once a centre of sporting activity on Cape Cod, was destroyed by a storm in 1884. Recreational areas include Hawksnest State Park and the Herring River Conservation Area. The Brooks Academy Museum has displays on local history. Area 21 square miles (54 square km). Pop. (1990) 10,275; (2000) 12,386.