Leigh-on-Sea Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Essex, and directly west of Southend-on-Sea as part of a continuous urban development, is the town of Leigh-on-Sea.

Situated on the northern side of the Thames Estuary, Leigh-on-Sea (often referred to locally as 'Leigh' for short) began life as a fishing community. In the Domesday Book of 1086 it is recorded as 'Legra'.

At the heart of Leigh-on-Sea is St Clement's Church. Its history dates back to the 13th century or earlier, although the present edifice was rebuilt in the late 15th or early 16th century. Its 80-foot tower has been a key landmark for navigation along the Thames for centuries.

From around the 14th century through to the 18th century, Leigh became a fishing town of national importance. Additionally, it produced ships including at least six which were put to use against the Spanish Armada in 1588.

In the 19th century the deep water of Leigh Creek began to silt up. This put the town's fishing industry in jeopardy. However, in 1855 the railway arrived in Leigh-on-Sea. This provided a practical means of transporting fish to London quickly, sparking a resurgence. Moreover, it ushered in major growth in the area as tourists flocked in. Consequently, Leigh became a continuous urban development alongside its neighbour to the east, Southend-on-Sea. Today, trains to London take between around 45 and 65 minutes depending on stops.

In 1940 Leigh-on-Sea played a role in the Dunkirk Evacuation, a.k.a. Operation Dynamo. The British government had ordered owners of fishing boats, yachts and leisure craft to make their vessels available for the rescue operation. Leigh contributed by sailing out six cockle boats which, according to official records, rescued around 1,000 men. Four crew members lost their lives when one of the cockle boats hit a sea mine. Admiral Ramsey, in command of Operation Dynamo, said of the Leigh boats, “The conduct of the crews of these cockle boats was exemplary. They were all volunteers who were rushed over to Dunkirk in one day. Probably none of them had been under gunfire before and certainly none of them under naval discipline. These were Thames estuary fishing boats which never left the estuary and only one of their crews had been further afield than Ramsgate. Yet they maintained perfect formation throughout the day and night and all orders were obeyed with great diligence even under actual shellfire and aircraft attack.”

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Filmed: 2nd March 2023

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/aBob4F17VSCV5C3L9

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Leigh Road
5:59 Broadway
12:14 Broadway West
14:26 Rectory Grove
16:28 Elm Road
17:29 Broadway
17:56 Leigh Hill
21:45 Railway footbridge
23:25 High Street