Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:
Q1. Queenborough
Q2. Elmley National Nature Reserve
The initial clues seem to place us on the Isle of Sheppey, in the beautiful county of Kent. The twenty first century bridge which delivers traffic to that insel's southern shore, is called the 'Sheppey Crossing' and according to some sources, this opened c 2006. The other bridge (Kingsferry Bridge) has a 'four poster' lift on it, which raise a section of the road so that shipping can navigate through the 'Ferry Reach' below.
Driving north from the bridges, would bring us to the town of Queenborough. This was formerly known as Bynne but king Edward III renamed it Queenborough after his wife Philippa of Hainault and constructed a fortress there c 1361 to 1377, which had concentric circular walls. A proto Florian Geyer style rebel, called Jack Cade tried to take over the place c 1450 but he may have been a tad overconfident as to the likelihood of success in this venture, as some of the sources I checked claim that this particular schloss was equipped with stone throwing machines, trebuchet and primitive black powder weapons as well as the usual archers and crossbowmen. The castle was retired c 1650 and subsequently demolished, shortly before a Dutch naval raid, which it would have been useful in repelling. From checking the OS map, the settlement does have a body of water/mud flat called 'The Creek' in it. Queenborough was also on a list of 'Rotten Boroughs' I found.
North of Queenborough takes us to the town of Sheerness, which appears to consist of 'Mile Town', 'Marine Town' and 'Blue Town' and is nearly an island itself due to the water filled defensive trench (excavated c 1863), called 'Queensborough Lines'. The reason for its construction seems to have been to defend the docks at Sheerness from a landside attack. I found a reference in the National Piers Society's web site indicating that there had been a pier at Sheerness which opened c 1835 but it did not provide much information on the dimensions and I couldn't find anything about a lido being there in 1939.
The secretary of the Admiralty who visited Sheerness c 1665, is probably Samuel Pepys and the national nature reserve on the southern shore is most likely 'Elmley National Nature Reserve'. Abel Magwitch was a convict in Charles Dickens 'Great Expectations' and some of the film adaptations of this were filmed on Sheppey.
N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.
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