Canvey Island

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Canvey Island
Canvey Island (Essex)
Canvey Island

Canvey Island shown within Essex
Population 37,479
OS grid reference TQ789829
District Castle Point
Shire county Essex
Region East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town CANVEY ISLAND
Postcode district SS8
Dialling code 01268
Police Essex
Fire Essex
Ambulance East of England
European Parliament East of England
UK Parliament Castle Point
List of places: UK • England • Essex

Coordinates: 51°31′02″N 0°34′42″E / 51.5171, 0.5784

Canvey Island (area 18.45 km²; pop. 37,479[1]) is an island 6 metres below sea level[2] in the River Thames estuary off the coast of Essex, England. It is also the name of the town on that island, though this is sometimes shortened to Canvey.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Canvey had eroded into group of four islands by the 16th century as shown in this map of south east Essex in 1594 by the topographer John Norden.
Canvey had eroded into group of four islands by the 16th century as shown in this map of south east Essex in 1594 by the topographer John Norden.

The islands in the Thames estuary were formed by the deposits of silt which had travelled down the river and settled with the material flowing into the Thames on the tides of the North sea from the coast of Norfolk.[3] The alluvium forming Canvey was deposited at the coast of the mainland between Corringham, Pitsea, Benfleet, and Hadleigh in a process extending the existing landmass, but producing channels and creeks which by the 16th century had eroded the Canvey area into a group of 4 islands. The alluvial islands in the Thames by nature are low-lying, flat, and consequently prone to periodic flooding, and in the case of the marshland of Canvey also susceptible to subsidence, but produced excellent pasture for cattle such that in 1622 a project was implemented to reclaim the land and protect the island's valuable farming industry from the destructive effects of the Thames.

The reclamation of the land and the introduction of sluices, dykes, and a seawall were completed, but the island remained threatened by the sea, flooding in 1731, 1736, 1791, 1881, 1897,[4] and culminating in the death of 58 islanders in the North Sea Flood of 1953. Since this disaster Canvey's sea defences have been substantially upgraded to protect the residents. In 1982 the island saw its most recent changes with the introduction of a concrete seawall surrounding approximately 75% of the island's perimeter and terminating at two flood barriers which span the East haven creek and Benfleet creek shared by Canvey with Pitsea and Benfleet.

[edit] Counus Island

The Elizabethan antiquarian William Camden noted in his topographical survey "Brittania" of the British isles in 1607 that Canvey Island (which he called Island Convennon) was documented in the 2nd century by the Alexandrian geographer Ptolemy.[5] In his work Geograpihia Ptolemy mentions a headland in the mouth of the Thames to the east of the Trinovantes region called Counus Island. However, the difficulties faced in exacting the location of land areas in Ptolemy's ancient work has led modern researchers to question the correlation between Ptolemy's island and contemporary Canvey. It is argued that the Counus Island would have existed much further out to sea (or even likely to be the Isle of Sheppey[6]), and that the similarity between the names is mere coincidence. Without any suitable island matching Ptolemy's Counus Island, it is also thought that the documented island has been lost or reduced to an insignificant sandbank by subsidence and the constant effects of the sea since Ptolemy's time.[7][8]

[edit] History

[edit] Roman

Fragments of early marked pottery uncovered from the site of the Roman port facility at the eastern point of the island.
Fragments of early marked pottery uncovered from the site of the Roman port facility at the eastern point of the island.

Excavations on Canvey have unearthed a collection of early man-made objects comprising axes from the Neolithic era,[8] a bracelet dating from the Bronze age,[9] and early Celtic gritted ware pottery.[8] However, the remains of Roman structures and objects suggests the first settlement of Canvey occurred between 50–250 AD.[8][7] The remains point to a community existing with a farmstead, a garrison, a burial ground, and the operation of a large salt-making industry (revealed by the existence of several Red hills).[8][10] The discovery of a Roman road found to terminate 100 metres across the creek in neighbouring Benfleet suggests a means may have existed to facilitate the salt's distribution to Chelmsford and Colchester,[8] and the recovery of rich items of pottery and glassware of a variety only matched elsewhere by excavations of port facilities suggests the Romans may also have exploited Canvey's location in the Thames for shipping.[8][11]

[edit] Saxon and Mediaeval

The settlement and agricultural development of Essex by the Saxons from the 5th century saw the introduction of sheep-farming which would dominate the island's industry until the 20th century. The Norman conquest saw the area of Canvey recorded in the domesday book as a sheep farming pasture under the control of nine villages and parishes situated in a belt across south inland and coastal Essex.[12] Apart from the meat and wool produced from the sheep, the milk from the ewes was used for cheese-making.[9] The abundance in later centuries would see the cheeses become a commodity taken for sale at the London markets, and at one stage exported via Calais to the continent.[8] The existence of several place names on modern Canvey using the wick suffix (denoting the sheds in which the cheese was made) shows the influence of the early Saxon culture. The island itself has its name derived from the Anglo-Saxon Caningaege; meaning The Island of Cana's People.[8] The developments of the English language would lead to the more familiar name of Caneveye written in manorial records of 1254.[13] The period of development often produced a confused use of letters[14] such that comparative spellings would also include Canefe, Kaneweye, Kaneveye, and Koneveye. By the 12th century, Essex and subsequently Canvey were in the possession of Henry de Essex who inherited the land from his Grandfather - a man called Suene and a descendant of King Sweyn II of Denmark.[15] During the reign of Henry II (1154–1189) the land was confiscated from de Essex and redistributed among the King's favoured nobles.[15]

[edit] 14th century – 17th century

One of two octagonal Dutch cottages from the 17th century which remain standing on the island. The above cottage dated at 1618 now functions as a museum.
One of two octagonal Dutch cottages from the 17th century which remain standing on the island. The above cottage dated at 1618 now functions as a museum.

During Edward II's reign (1307-1327) the land was under the possession of John de Apeton[9] and the first attempts were made at managing the effects of the sea with rudimentary defences,[9][8] but periodical flooding continued to blight the small population of mostly shepherds and their fat-tailed variety of sheep for a further 300 years. William Camden wrote of the island in 1607 that it was so low that it was often quite flooded, except the hills, upon which the sheep have a place of safe refuge.[5] The uniform flatness of Canvey suggests that these hills are likely to be the red hills of the Roman salt making industry, or the early makeshift sea defences constructed by some of the landowners around their farms.

A timber channel, chalk, and ragstone remains of the island's first seawall built c.1622.
A timber channel, chalk, and ragstone remains of the island's first seawall built c.1622.

In 1622, Sir Henry Appleton (a descendent of John de Apeton), and Canvey's other landowners[16] instigated a project to reclaim the land and wall the island from the Thames. The scheme was managed by an acquaintance of Appleton's - Joas Croppenburg, a Dutch Haberdasher of Cheapside in London. An agreement was reached in 1623 which stipulated that in return for inning and recovering the island, the landowners would grant a third of the land as payment for the work.[9] A relation of Croppenburg's; the Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden present in England at the time of the project on a commission to drain the Fens and involved in repairing the seawall at Dagenham has led to speculation that Vermuyden oversaw the project, but proof appears to be vague,[8] nevertheless the work was completed by around 300 Hollanders skilled in the construction of dykes and other sea defences. The engineers successfully reclaimed 3,600 acres[8] by walling the island with local chalk, limestone and the heavy clay of the marshes, with the main length along the Thames faced with kentish ragstone.[7][8] A broad drainage ditch was dug inland off the area facing the river while smaller inlets were filled in. Excess water would have collected in the broad ditch and then been discharged into the river by the means of seven sluices (later known as Commissioners Dykes).[7] The completion of the work saw a considerable number of the Dutch engineers take land as payment for their work, and consequently settle on the island.[15]

[edit] Modern history

[edit] The Chapman Lighthouse

The coast of Canvey Island was host to the Chapman Lighthouse famously described in Joseph Conrad's novel 'Heart of Darkness'. It is believed that the peril of the mudflats below such shallow waters off the Canvey Island coast prompted the Romans to devise some form of beacon as a warning in the area. In 1851 a hexagonal lighthouse was constructed by the engineer James Walker, a consultant lighthouse engineer at Trinity House at the time. This all-iron lighthouse replaced a lightship which had been moored in the area for the preceding four years. The lighthouse was demolished in 1957 due to its poor condition.

[edit] Victorian seaside destination

During the Victorian era Canvey was a very fashionable place to visit and many thought its air to have healing properties. Canvey Island benefited from this and thousands of people flocked to it especially from places like London. This was the case until the late 1970s when tourism to the Island declined.

[edit] Second World War

During the Second World War the island was a part of the GHQ Line, a line of concrete pillboxes constructed as a part of the defence against the expected German invasion. Some of the old pillboxes are still in place today. Also, concrete barges were used extensively just off the south coast of the island, partly to act as a sea-barrier and also as a mounting point for anti-aircraft guns; one of which was beached on the east end of the island and remained for many years as a point of interest for visitors and a play area for many separate generations of the island's children. It has since been demolished by the new yacht club as it was considered 'a risk to health and safety'.

[edit] The Flood of 1953

In 1953 the great North Sea Flood hit the island during the night and caused the deaths of 58 people. Many of the victims were in the holiday bungalows of the eastern Newlands part of the island and perished as the water reached ceiling level. The small village area of the island is approximately two feet above sea level and consequently escaped the effects of the flood. This included the local Red Cow pub which was later renamed the King Canute in reference to the legend of the 11th century Danish king of England commanding the tide to halt with the sea lapping at his feet.

After the flood of 1953, a new seawall was built, which was then replaced with a significantly larger construction in the 1980s.

[edit] Oil and gas terminals, and Britain's rainforest

Following the operation of an oil terminal on Canvey since 1936,[17] in 1959, as part of a pioneering Anglo-American project to transport liquefied natural gas overseas, two one thousand tonne capacity storage tanks were constructed at the western end of Canvey. The scheme was designed to initialise the distribution of imported gas to the whole of Britain via the local refineries at Shellhaven, Coryton, and Thames Haven. On 20 February 1959, 2020 tonnes were successfully delivered from Lake Charles, Louisiana by a modified liberty ship Normarti renamed Methane Pioneer. Seven further deliveries were made and the scheme progressed into a commercial enterprise with the construction of a liquefaction plant and loading terminal at the port of Arzew, Algeria and the commissioning of a second ship (the Methane Princess) in 1964. But, the discovery of oil and gas in north sea ended further development in Britain and the site was abandoned in the 1970s.[18] However, because the site on Canvey had been covered with thousands of tonnes of silt dredged from the Thames then laid as foundations for the terminal's potential expansion, the abandoned 100-hectare site unexpectedly flourished in the following decades as a haven for around 1,300 species of wildlife, many of which are endangered or were thought to be extinct; including the shrill carder bee, the emerald damsel fly and the weevil hunting wasp. It has been said that the site may exist with one of the highest levels of biodiversity in western Europe, and has been labelled as "Britain's rainforest".[19] Officially titled as "Canvey Wick", the site is currently open with restricted access to the public and was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in February 2005 by the UK government's statutory body English Nature.[20]

[edit] Pub rock

In the 1970s, Canvey Island was an influential destination in the Pub Rock revolution[21] to artists such as Elvis Costello[22], and The Kursaal Flyers, while also being home to "Canvey Island’s finest" - Dr. Feelgood[23]. Although Canvey Island may now be considered as the worst place in the world by its younger generation of musicians such as Joshua Von Grimm (guitarist of the Horrors)[24], the island continues to be a source of inspiration for artists such as British Sea Power who included a song entitled Canvey Island on their 2008 album Do You Like Rock Music?

[edit] Governance

The area of Canvey had been divided since the Norman era into 17 sections under the control of 9 local parishes comprising; North Benfleet, South Benfleet, Bowers Gifford, Prittlewell, Southchurch, Hadleigh, Laindon, Pitsea, and Vange.[25] The island was first formed as a separate civil and ecclesiastical parish in 1881, then was converted to the Canvey Island Urban District in 1926. The district was abolished in the Local Government Act 1972 and joined by the nearby areas of South Benfleet, Hadleigh, and Thundersley to form the parliamentary constituency and local government district and borough of Castle Point.[26] The Member of Parliament representing Canvey within Castle Point is Bob Spink of the United Kingdom Independence Party.

[edit] Local government

Canvey is represented within Castle Point Borough Council by 17 councillors of six wards: Canvey Island Central, Canvey Island East, Canvey Island North, Canvey Island South, Canvey Island West, and Canvey Island Winter Gardens. The political affiliation of Canvey councillors within Castle Point Borough Council is almost exclusively led by the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) formed in 2003 by local resident Dave Blackwell. 15 of the available 17 seats are taken by the CIIP with two held by members of the Conservative Party.[27]

Affiliation Councillors
  Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) 15
  Conservative Party 2
  Labour Party 0
  Liberal Democrats 0

[edit] Town council

In 2007, the Canvey Island parish council was formed after a petition signed by 3,000 people was accepted by the government.[28]

[edit] Demography

[edit] Population

Canvey was principally populated by a small farming community until its development as the "Canvey-on-Sea" resort and the sale of 1,004 plots of land within the newly created "South-view Estate" by the entrepreneur Frederick Hestor. The developments began in 1899 and saw the population increase from 307 at the 1901 census to 6,248 in 1939. The settlement of Canvey by the holiday makers - predominantly from London - and the influx during the post-war housing shortage saw the population rise to 11,258 in 1951, making the island the fastest growing seaside resort by population in Britain over a forty year period.[29]

Year 1851 1887 1901 1911 1921 1931 1939 1951 1961 1971 2001
Population 69 [30] 282 [31] 307 [32] 583 [33] 1,795 [34] 3,532 [35] 6,248 [35] 11,258 [35] 15,605 [35] 26,608 [35] 37,479 [36]

[edit] Landmarks

The Labworth Restaurant, a grade II listed building of the 1930s situated on Canvey Island's seafront.
The Labworth Restaurant, a grade II listed building of the 1930s situated on Canvey Island's seafront.

In 1996, the 1930s International style Labworth Café situated on the seafront was awarded grade II listed status by English Heritage. It was renovated during the following two years after a period of neglect, and was reopened as a restaurant.

The small lake on Canvey is thought to have its origin in the Roman period when it was used as an oyster bed, and it is from this that the local The Oyster Fleet hotel situated at the eastern bank gets its name.

[edit] Transport

The island is connected to the mainland by two roads with bridges, the A130 and the B1014.

The nearest railway station is Benfleet railway station on the c2c line between London (Fenchurch Street) and Shoeburyness. The station is mainly used by commuters during the week travelling to London, however it is used by many other people travelling to Southend, Basildon and Lakeside for shopping and also for meeting up with people. One of the busiest two days on the line is the Southend Airshow days where it is used by thousands more passengers than usual for a bank holiday weekend.

There are two bus companies that operate services onto Canvey Island. These two companies are First Essex and Regal Busways. First Essex is the main bus operator and operates 8 services onto Canvey, these services are: 3, 16, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 822. These all run through the town centre and connect all of the different parts of the island to the town centre. From Canvey, passengers can travel to places such as Southend, Basildon, Bournes Green and Benfleet. Regal Busways is a new operator on the island and started services in May 2006 and operate the No.1 service to Chelmsford. The service operates via Benfleet, South Benfleet, Battlesbridge, Howe Green and Sandon. Regal Busways use Optare Tempo vehicles that have luxury leather seats and state-of-the-art public information systems.

Canvey Island is located off junction 30 of the M25 motorway. From here visitors should take the main A13 road to Sadlers Farm roundabout and then take the A130 Canvey Way which will take them eventually onto the island.

[edit] Education

Castle View School is a comprehensive school for ages 11-16 located in the north of Canvey Island overlooked by Hadleigh Castle. As of 2006 it has some 900 pupils, and 200 staff. It is a specialist science college. Another school is Furtherwick Park School and is for 11-16 year olds and is in the town centre and is a specialist media arts school. The third school is a specialist arts school named after Cornelius Vermuyden which is located near Waterside Farm.

[edit] Sports

Canvey Island has produced several notable contributors to national and local sports in Great Britain and England including; Olympic flatwater canoeists Roland and Francis Prout[37], and Olympic decathlete Dean Macey, Robert Denmark Olympic and Commenwealth (Gold) 5,000 metres, Reece Durrance paying for England U18's and Saracens in Rugby Union ...and to English football - Peter Taylor: the temporary manager of the England football team in 2000[citation needed]; Frank Saul: FA Cup winner in 1967 with Tottenham Hotspur F.C.; Ty Gooden: who played between 1992-2005 for teams such as Arsenal and Swindon Town F.C.; and Dean Marney: an England U21 currently playing at Hull City.

[edit] Football Clubs

Canvey Island has two senior football teams in Canvey Island F.C. (the Gulls) and Concord Rangers F.C. Founded in 1926, Canvey FC has achieved considerable success and disappointment in recent years from winning the FA Trophy in 2000-01 and the promotion to the Football Conference in 2004-05, to resignation the following year, and subsequent re-entry into the Isthmian League First Division North.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Office for National Statistics. (2008).
  2. ^ Dowd, 2008. Foreword and Introduction.
  3. ^ Hallmann, 2006. (p. 1).
  4. ^ Dowd, 2008. Meteorology.
  5. ^ a b Camden. (1586).
  6. ^ MacBean, & Johnson. (1773).
  7. ^ a b c d White. (1994).
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Yearsley. (2000).
  9. ^ a b c d e Barsby. (1992).
  10. ^ see: The excavation of a Red Hill on Canvey Island. (Rodwell, 1966).
  11. ^ Essex County Council Heritage Conservation. (2008). Romano-British Occupation of South Essex. Retrieved: 2008-03-27.
  12. ^ Darby, (p. 157).
  13. ^ Castle Point Borough Council. (2006). Local History: Canvey Island. Retrieved: 2008-02-27.
  14. ^ English Place-Name Society. (1926).
  15. ^ a b c Bills. (2004).
  16. ^ Canvey's other landowners were Abigail Baker, Thomas Binckes, the Blackmore family, and Juilius Sludder. (Barsby, 1992).
  17. ^ Stratton, 2000. (p. 192).
  18. ^ Long and Gardner, 2004. (p. 293).
  19. ^ Castree, 2005. (p.2).
  20. ^ Canvey Wick SSSI Designation by English Nature
  21. ^ Birch. (2000).
  22. ^ The Elvis Costello Home Page. (2008). Don't Look Back: Credits. Retrieved: 2008-02-19.
  23. ^ The Elvis Costello Home Page. (2008). Liner Notes: Trust. Rhino liner notes. Retrieved: 2008-02-19.
  24. ^ James Medd. (Feb 18, 2007). The Horrors! The Horrors! Independent on Sunday. Retrieved: 2008-02-19.
  25. ^ Hallmann, 2006. (p. 7).
  26. ^ Hallmann, 2006. (p. 112).
  27. ^ Castle Point Borough Council. (2008). Councillors. Retrieved: 2008-05-31.
  28. ^ Castle Point Borough Council. Canvey Island - Parish Council. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  29. ^ Walton, 2000. (p.37).
  30. ^ Hallmann, 2006. (p. 40).
  31. ^ John Bartholomew. (1887). Gazetteer of the British Isles. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
  32. ^ Dowd, 2008. (Appendix 12; Canvey Post-Domesday Census returns & estimates).
  33. ^ Hallmann, 2006. (p. 43).
  34. ^ Stratton, 2000. (p. 192).
  35. ^ a b c d e A Vision of Britain through time: Island UD: Total Population. Department of Geography of the University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  36. ^ Office for National Statistics. (2008).
  37. ^ Ron Norman. (2008) G. Prout & Sons... and the Catamaran. Shearwater Association. Retrieved: 2008-02-22.

[edit] References

  • Barsby, Geoff. (1992). Canvey Island. Phillimore & Co. LTD. ISBN 0850338468.
  • Bettley, James. (2007). Essex. (p. 192). Yale University Press. ISBN 0300116144.
  • Bills, Leslie Wm. (2004). Canvey Island - A Rising Tide. Cavenham Marine. ISBN 1899329161.
  • Birch, Will. (2000). No Sleep Till Canvey Island: The Great Pub Rock Revolution. Virgin Books. ISBN 0753504111.
  • Camden, William. (1586). Britannia. Essex and Suffolk. (visionofbritain.org) Retrieved: 2008-03-27.
  • Castree, Noel. (2005). Nature. Strange Natures: Britain's rainforest. Routledge. ISBN 0415339057.
  • Cornish, C. J. (2004). The Naturalist on the Thames. Canvey Island. (p. 123). Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 1419175270.
  • Crowe, Ken. The Early Medieval Settlement of Canvey Island. (p. 12-17). Essex Jnl 31.1.
  • Darby, H. C. (1986). Domesday England. Pasture for sheep in Essex. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521310261.
  • Dowd, D. M. (2008). Canvey Cyclopaedia. (RootsWeb.com). Retrieved: 2008-02-24.
  • English Place-Name Society. (1926). Survey of English Place-names. Cambridge University press.
  • Hallman, Robert. (2006). Canvey Island, A History. Phillimore. ISBN 1860774369.
  • Holland, Julian. (2007). Exploring the Islands of England and Wales. Canvey Island. (p. 88). Frances Lincoln ltd. ISBN 0711227438.
  • Kelly's Directory of Essex. (1933). Canvey Island. (londonpublichouse.com) Retrieved: 2008-03-27.
  • Long, Bob and Gardner, Bob. (2004). Guide to Storage Tanks and Equipment. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 1860584314.
  • MacBean, Alexander & Johnson, Samuel. (1773). A Dictionary of Ancient Geography. CR: Counos, Ptolemy. Pub. G. Robinson [etc.].
  • Office for National Statistics. (2008). Statistics: Canvey Island.
  • Pigot's Essex 1832-3 Trade Directory. Canvey Island. (londonpublichouse.com) Retrieved: 2008-03-27.
  • Post Office Directory of Essex. (1871). Canvey Island. (londonpublichouse.com) Retrieved: 2008-03-27.
  • Rodwell, W. J. (1966). The excavation of a Red Hill on Canvey Island. Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society.
  • Stratton, Michael. (2000). Twentieth Century Industrial Archaeology. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0419246800.
  • Thayer, Bill. (2003). Reproduction of a section of The Geography of Claudius Ptolemy published by Dover Publications, 1991.
  • Walton, John K. (2000). The British Seaside: Holidays and Resorts in the Twentieth Century. Manchester University Press. ISBN 0719051703.
  • White, Susan. (1994). The History of Canvey Island Five Generations. The Bookshop Canvey Island (pub). ISBN 09520002021.
  • Wilson, John Marius. (1866). The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales. Canvey Island. Pub. Edinburgh, A. Fullarton.
  • Yearsley, Ian. (2000). Islands of Essex. Canvey Island. Ian Henry Publications. ISBN 0860255093.

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