East Tilbury

From Wikishire
Jump to: navigation, search
East Tilbury
Essex
Bata Factory, Bata Estate, East Tilbury.jpg
The Bata Factory
Location
Grid reference: TQ688768
Location: 51°28’53"N, 0°24’53"E
Data
Population: 6,363  (2011 (ward)[1])
Post town: Tilbury
Postcode: RM18
Dialling code: 01375
Local Government
Council: Thurrock
Parliamentary
constituency:
South Basildon & East Thurrock

East Tilbury is a village and ancient parish in the bank of the Thames estuary in southern Essex. It is located about two miles south of the A13 road from London to Southend.

History

In Saxon times, the location on which the church now stands was surrounded by tidal marshland. This is the probable location for the minster church established by St Cedd at Tilaburg[2] which is mentioned in Bede's History of the English Church.

In the 1860s, Coalhouse Fort was constructed on the bank of the Thames, close to the parish church. This fort was an active part of the defences of London up to and including World War II, having originally been developed as a precaution against French ironclads approaching London up the Thames it was refortified with new armaments as threats changed over the years.

The construction of a Bata Shoes factory in the 1930s resulted in substantial development in East Tilbury. The factory has since closed down.[3]

The Bata company developed not only a factory, but also a town for workers, built in the modernist style, and a sizeable estate of listed buildings remains. A sizeable Czech workforce was relocated here, and has merged into the local community after connections were lost with Czechoslovakia after World War II. The father of arts administrator John Tusa, also called John (Jan), was managing director of the factory in the late '30s.[4]

Education

East Tilbury is served by modern infants and junior schools sharing a site opposite the old Bata factory and adjacent to parkland.

Communications and facilities

The town is served by East Tilbury railway station on the Tilbury branch of the service from London Fenchurch Street to Southend Central via Ockendon. East Tilbury is also served by buses between Grays bus station and Basildon on Mondays to Saturdays.[5]

East Tilbury does not have a developed shopping centre; its nearest major retail centres are located at Basildon and Lakeside.

Developments

The area forms part of the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone and responsibility for delivery in this area is with the Thurrock Development Corporation.[6] Large sections of Metropolitan Green Belt land have been earmarked for development;[7] it is expected to include 14,000 homes and provide 20,000 jobs.[8] East Tilbury forms a conservation area.[9]

On the northern end of the town is a small park called 'Gobions Park'. This got a development grant in 2009 of £50,000.[10] The name may have come from Sir Richard Gobion from Up Havering.[11]

References

  1. "Thurrock ward population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=13690666&c=RM18+8QD&d=14&e=62&g=6395517&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=0&s=1472826483777&enc=1. Retrieved 2 September 2016. 
  2. A Saunders Chapel-Hospital-Blockhouse?, Panorama, The Journal of the Thurrock Local History Society, Volume 13, 1970
  3. GuardianWelcome to Bata-ville. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
  4. Bata (shoe) company history website which includes biographical paragraph on Tusa whose father was a senior Bata employee
  5. Thurrock Council
  6. OPSIThe Thurrock Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 2003. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
  7. Developers aim to use 1,200 acres of green belt. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
  8. GuardianRow looms over plan for Thames new town. Retrieved 9 November 2006.
  9. Thurrock Council | Natural & Historic Environment | Conservation Areas in Thurrock
  10. "Cash handout for playgrounds". basildonrecorder.co.uk. 18 March 2009. http://www.basildonrecorder.co.uk/news/4210060.print/. Retrieved 18 October 2012. 
  11. [From: 'Romford: Manors and other estates', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7 (1978), pp. 64–72. url: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42816 Date accessed: 18 October 2012.]

Outside links

Commons-logo.svg
("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about East Tilbury)