South Benfleet

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South Benfleet
High Rd Benfleet - geograph.org.uk - 98722.jpg
High Road, Benfleet
Essex UK location map.svg
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South Benfleet
Location within Essex
OS grid reference TQ782860
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BENFLEET
Postcode district SS7
Dialling code 01268
Police Essex
Fire Essex
Ambulance East of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Essex
51°33′N0°34′E / 51.55°N 0.56°E / 51.55; 0.56 [1]

South Benfleet is a town and former civil parish, in the Castle Point district of Essex, England, 30 miles east of London. It is adjacent to the village of North Benfleet. The Benfleet (SS7) post town includes South Benfleet, Thundersley, New Thundersley and Hadleigh. The Battle of Benfleet took place here between the Vikings and Saxons in 894. [2] In 1951 the parish had a population of 8191. [3]

Contents

The community is directly north of Canvey Island and is served by Benfleet railway station. It hosts South Benfleet Primary School, which was used temporarily to house local residents during the widespread flooding of 1953.

At the junction of Saint Mary's Church and The Anchor pub is the site of the UK's first "overrunable" mini roundabout. [4]

History

In Roman times the reclaimed area which is now Canvey Island was joined to the mainland by a road providing access from Benfleet at low tides to Camulodunum (Colchester) and Londinium (London). The A130 road from Sadlers Farm roundabout to Canvey Island follows the route of the original Roman road. Its construction in 1971 brought to light a number of artifacts dating back to the early settlements in the area.

The name of the town originates from the time of the Saxon settlers in the 5th century, when the area was largely marshland. They named the area Beamfleote, meaning "tree stream", being the area where the creeks from the River Thames adjoined the wooded area to the north. The current spelling was adopted at the time the railway service was brought to the area and a railway station built for the town. Throughout the intervening period various documented versions of the names has been 'Benfleota', 'Beamflet', 'Bemflet', 'Bienflet' and 'Bemfleet'. The last was used on John Norden's maps in the 17th century.

In Saxon times the village became known as South Benfleet when a new settlement, which became known as Little Benfleet, developed to the north of the original settlement. The new settlement did not last, and its site, which has since become known as North Benfleet, is now largely rural.

The railway was brought to the town in 1855. The new Benfleet railway station connected the town with Southend-on-Sea to the east and London Fenchurch Street station.

In July 2002, Castle Point District Council named a 6-mile cycle way, from near Benfleet railway station to near Leigh-on-Sea railway station, the "de Neumann Way" after Captain Peter de Neumann, GM.

Battle of Benfleet

The Battle of Benfleet took place between the Saxons and Danish Vikings in 894. This was towards the end of the Saxon period, and the Thames and other waterways made the area vulnerable to Viking attacks. Benfleet was used as a Viking base. However, the Vikings were defeated in the battle by the army of King Alfred under the command of his son Edward the Elder and his son-in-law Earl Aethelred of Mercia. Subsequently, a church was built by the Saxons in thanksgiving for the victory over the Vikings.[ citation needed ] St Mary's is the most recent church building occupying this site and is a Grade I listed building. [5]

In December 2008 a sculpture commemorating the battle was erected in Ferry Road, South Benfleet. [6]

Geography

Local towns

Governance

There are two tiers of local government covering South Benfleet, at district and non-metropolitan county level: Castle Point Borough Council, based in Thundersley, and Essex County Council, based in Chelmsford.

South Benfleet was an ancient parish. In 1929 the parish was merged with the neighbouring parishes of Hadleigh and Thundersley to become Benfleet Urban District. The three parishes were thereafter classed as urban parishes and so no longer had separate parish councils, instead being directly administered by Benfleet Urban District Council. [8] [9]

Benfleet Urban District was abolished on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, becoming part of the new district of Castle Point. No successor parish was created for the former urban district and so it became an unparished area. [10]

Transport

Benfleet railway station is served by the London, Tilbury and Southend railway line, currently run by c2c rail. By road the A13 and A12/A127/A130 connect the town to London.

Notable people

Landmarks

Saint Mary's Parish Church StMary'sChurchBenfleet SouthEast.JPG
Saint Mary's Parish Church

The Church of England in Benfleet is served by the Church of St Mary the Virgin. The public houses located in the Monument and St Mary's area of the town include The Anchor, The Hoy and Helmet and the Half Crown. Further north is the Benfleet Tavern. There is also a range of restaurants in the South Benfleet conservation area.

Benfleet Water Tower ( TQ 790 867 ) is a brick built structure built in 1903, which is 30m high with a 22m mast sited on the roof. All radio equipment is housed within the tower. Being on a prominent hilltop, some 137m amsl, this is an exceptional radio transmission and reception site. Coverage includes the whole estuary, including the Isle of Grain, Medway Towns, Southend, Bradwell, Danbury etc. This site provides both Highband and Lowband CBS systems.

Sport

Benfleet FC are members of the Essex Olympian Football League.[ citation needed ] The First Team play in Senior Division 1 and Seconds in the Reserve Division 2.[ citation needed ] There is also a third team who compete in the Mid-Essex Division 3. The club play their home fixtures at Woodside Park Extension at the top of Manor Road. Fixtures are organised on a Saturday afternoon, with some mid-week fixtures towards the end of the season.

Benfleet is the home to Sceptre League Division 1 Sunday team Benfleet FC, who finished 8th in 2010/2011 season.[ citation needed ]

Benfleet FC (Sunday) managed to win the Mike Wigget Cup in 2009/2010 season, beating Shoebury Boys 4–2 in the final at Burroughs Park, Great Wakering.[ citation needed ]

Benfleet Vikings RFC are the town's local rugby club, formed in 2013, with Senior, Youth, and Minis sides.[ citation needed ] The senior side currently compete in the Shepherd Neame Essex Merit League 6 East and play their home fixtures on Saturdays at Richmond Park, off of Brook Road.

Benfleet is also home to South Benfleet United F.C., a football club formed in 1978 for youth football but is now a men's and veterans' (over 35s) club.[ citation needed ] Their men's team currently play in the Sceptre League and their veterans teams are in the Premier Division and Division 3 of the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League.

Benfleet Cricket Club (established 1948) currently play their home matches at Woodside Park at the top of Manor Road. Members of the Hambro Financial Cricket League (formerly Shepherd Neame Essex League), they currently field five adult teams on a Saturday, two adult teams on a Sunday, and teams at u9, u11, u13 and u15 age groups in competitions organised by the South Essex Cricket Participation Group.

Benfleet was referred to as Beamfleot in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell.

Images

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Point</span> Non-metropolitan district and borough in England

Castle Point is a local government district with borough status in south Essex, England, lying 30 miles (48 km) east of central London. The borough comprises an area on the mainland and the adjoining Canvey Island in the Thames Estuary, which is connected to the mainland by bridges. The council is based in Thundersley. The borough's other main settlements are Canvey Island, Hadleigh and South Benfleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A13 road (England)</span> Major road in England

The A13 is a major road in England linking Central London with east London and south Essex. Its route is similar to that of the London, Tilbury and Southend line via Rainham, Grays, Tilbury, Stanford-Le-Hope & Pitsea,and runs the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area, terminating on the Thames Estuary at Shoeburyness. It is a trunk road between London and the Tilbury junction, a primary route between there and Sadlers Hall Farm near South Benfleet, and a non-primary route between there and Shoeburyness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canvey Island</span> Human settlement in England

Canvey Island is a town, civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary, near Southend-on-Sea, in the Castle Point district, in the county of Essex, England. It has an area of 7.12 square miles (18.44 km2) and a population of 38,170. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks. Lying only just above sea level, it is prone to flooding at exceptional tides and has been inhabited since the Roman conquest of Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Basildon</span> Place in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Point (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom since 1983

Castle Point is a constituency in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Rebecca Harris, a Conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A127 road</span> Road in Essex, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thundersley</span> Town in Essex, England

Thundersley is a town and former civil parish, in the Castle Point borough, in southeast Essex, England. It sits on a clay ridge shared with Basildon and Hadleigh, 31 miles (50 km) east of Charing Cross, London. In 2011 it had a population of 24,800.

Benfleet Urban District was an urban district in the county of Essex, England. It was created on 1 October 1929 from the parts of Rochford Rural District containing the civil parishes of Hadleigh, South Benfleet and Thundersley.

Rochford Rural District was a rural district with an area of 146.01 square kilometres in the county of Essex, England. It was created in 1894, in 1897 the parish of Leigh was removed to create the Leigh-on-Sea Urban District. In 1926 the parish of Canvey Island was removed to create the Canvey Island Urban District. In 1929 the parishes of Hadleigh, South Benfleet and Thundersley were removed to create the Benfleet Urban District, at the same time the parishes of Rayleigh and Rawreth were removed to create the Rayleigh Urban District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prittle Brook</span> Stream in south Essex, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daws Heath</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hadleigh, Essex</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South East Essex (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885-1950 & 1955–1983

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corringham, Essex</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet</span> Civil parish in Basildon, England

Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet is a civil parish in the Basildon district, located within the county of Essex, England. The parish includes the villages of Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet. The parish was formed on 1 April 2010. In 2021 the parish had a census recorded population of 1962. There are 7 listed buildings in Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet. The local council is Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet Parish Council.

References

  1. Map of South Benfleet manor (and later parish)
  2. Holland, Julian (2007). Exploring the Islands of England and ... - Google Books. Frances Lincoln Limited. ISBN   9780711227439 . Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  3. "Population statistics South Benfleet AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time . Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  4. Lawrence Goldman (7 March 2013). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2005-2008. OUP Oxford. p. 108. ISBN   978-0-19-967154-0.
  5. "CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN, Non Civil Parish - 1123690 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  6. "Battle memorial's stylish fence". Echo. 9 February 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  7. "History of New Thundersley, in Castle Point and Essex | Map and description".
  8. "South Benfleet Ancient Parish / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  9. "Rochford Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  10. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
  11. "Gymnastics: Nicola's the UK number one". Daily Gazette. 1 November 2001. Retrieved 4 February 2019.

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