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Coordinates: 51°32′33″N 0°39′13″E / 51.5425°N 0.6535°E / 51.5425; 0.6535
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{{short description|Town in Essex, England}}
{{infobox UK place|
{{for|the song by Assembly Now|Leigh-On-Sea (song)}}
|country = England
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
|official_name= Leigh-on-Sea
{{infobox UK place
|latitude= 51.5425
|official_name = Leigh-on-Sea
|longitude= 0.6535
|static_image_name = Old Leigh.jpg
|population = 20,737
|static_image_caption = The Old Leigh waterfront at low tide, with cockle boats
|unitary_england= [[Southend-on-Sea]]
|country = England
|lieutenancy_england = [[Essex]]
|region= East of England
|region = East of England
|population = 22,509
|constituency_westminster= [[Southend West (UK Parliament constituency)|Southend West]]
|population_ref = (2011)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11125545&c=Leigh-on-Sea&d=16&e=62&g=6394854&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1442832800227&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date = 21 September 2015}}</ref>
|post_town= LEIGH-ON-SEA
|os_grid_reference = TQ841859
|postcode_area=SS
|coordinates = {{coord|51.5425|0.6535|display=inline,title}}
|postcode_district=SS9
|civil_parish = Leigh-on-Sea<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leighonseatowncouncil.gov.uk/|title=Leigh-on-Sea Town Council – Home|website=www.leighonseatowncouncil.gov.uk}}</ref>
|dial_code= 01702
|post_town = LEIGH-ON-SEA
|os_grid_reference= TQ841859
|postcode_area = SS
|postcode_district = SS9
|dial_code = 01702
|constituency_westminster = [[Southend West and Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)|Southend West and Leigh]]
|unitary_england = [[City of Southend-on-Sea|Southend-on-Sea]]
|lieutenancy_england = [[Essex]]
| module = {{Infobox mapframe|stroke-width=1|zoom=11|width=240}}
}}
}}
'''Leigh-on-Sea''' is a [[civil parish]] administered as part of [[Southend-on-Sea]], in [[Essex]], [[England]]. In 1996, it became a [[civil parish]], and a town council was created, funded by an increased [[council tax]] rate in the area. The parish, which is the only one in Southend, had a population of 20,737 according to the 2001 census.
'''Leigh-on-Sea''' ({{IPAc-en|pron|ˌ|l|iː|-}}), commonly referred to simply as '''Leigh''', is a [[List of towns in England|town]] and [[civil parish]] within the city of [[Southend-on-Sea]], located in the ceremonial county of [[Essex]], England. In 2011 it had a population of 22,509.


==Geography==
Leigh-on-Sea was recorded in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 as Legra, where it is described as a "one horse town". Located next to the sea, Leigh has been primarily a fishing village for most of its history. However, its sheltered position at the mouth of the [[Thames]] gave it some success as a port, with international trade and a shipbuilding business. The [[Mayflower]] may have been built in Leigh-on-Sea; it was certainly fitted out there{{Fact|date=September 2007}}
[[File:A Calm Old Leigh Morning.jpg|thumb|left|A calm Old Leigh morning]]
[[File:Leigh-on-Sea - Old Leigh - 04.jpg|thumb|left|The Old Leigh waterfront at high tide. The green boat, ''Endeavour'' was one of six cockle boats that was acquired to be one of the "[[Little Ships of Dunkirk|little ships]]" in the [[Dunkirk evacuation]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/18682889.leighs-historic-endeavour-played-key-role-second-world-war-evacuation-dunkirk/ | title=When Endeavour played key role in biggest evacuation in military history | date=30 August 2020 }}</ref>]]
[[File:Leigh-on-Sea - Old Leigh - 09.jpg|thumb|left|The High Street in Old Leigh]]
[[File:Hayden Peek - Chalkwell Beach Sunset.jpg|thumb|left|View across the Thames Estuary at sunset]]
Leigh-on-Sea is on the northern side of the [[Thames Estuary]], a few miles from the open waters of the [[North Sea]] to the east, and a similar distance from the [[Kent]] coast to the south. The coastal environs of the town feature a nature reserve at [[Two Tree Island]] and a centrally located beach adjacent to Bell Wharf. At low tide Leigh's foreshore has a wide expanse of mud flats and [[Creek (tidal)|creeks]], extending offshore towards the deep water channel of the [[River Thames|Thames]] (Yantlet Channel). Leigh is {{convert|40|mi|km|abbr=off|round=5}} from central London via road and rail networks and is part of the [[London commuter belt]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-analysis/urban-audit/urban-audit-ii/urban-audit---social-cohesion--london.xls|title=Social Cohesion in London|last=Office for National Statistics|first=Office for National Statistics}}</ref>


==History==
The arrival of the [[London, Tilbury and Southend Railway]] in 1854 spurred the town's development, allowing greater trade with [[London]] and the rest of the world, and making it a commuter town for London workers. [[Leigh-on-Sea railway station]] is run and served solely by [[c2c]].
===Origins===
Archaeological finds of pottery and coins from [[Romano-British culture|Romano-British]] era in the locality suggest early settlement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canveyisland.org/page/the_vanishing_past|title=Leigh Beck Archaeology and RHFAG {{!}} The Vanishing Past {{!}} Archaeology on Canvey {{!}} History {{!}} Canvey Island Archive|website=www.canveyisland.org|access-date=31 May 2017}}</ref> From at least the [[Saxon England|Saxon period]] a hilltop clearing amidst the woodland that covered much of the surrounding area (the Rochford Hundred) of Essex came to be known as Leigh (Lee in Anglo-Saxon).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hfjkAAAAMAAJ&q=leigh-on-sea+rochford+hundred|title=Leigh-on-Sea: A History|last=Williams|first=Judith|date=2002|publisher=Phillimore|isbn=978-1-86077-220-7|pages=40}}</ref>


A place of minor economic importance at the time of the [[Norman Conquest]], a reference to Leigh (Legra) appears in the [[Domesday Book]] survey of 1086 where it lists a population of 9, in the ownership of Ranulf Peverel in the Rochford Hundred.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://opendomesday.org/place/TQ8486/leigh/|title=Leigh|website=Open Domesday|access-date=11 April 2023}}</ref>
The [[regatta]] is held over one weekend in September. It is organised by the three [[Sea Scout]] Groups based in the Old Town to raise funds for [[Scouting in Essex|local Scouting]] and a nominated [[Charitable organization|charity]]. Leigh-on-Sea holds an annual Art Trail where local and invited international artists show their works in the area's shops and cafes. In recent years, Leigh-on-Sea has become home to an increasing number of upmarket bars, cafés, restaurants, art galleries and shops such as [[Bang & Olufsen]].


[[File:StClementsChurch LeighOnSea.jpg|thumb|St Clement's Church, Leigh-on-Sea]]
Leigh-on-Sea is the setting of [[Tim Bowler]]'s book ''Midget''. Further literary connections include the fact that [[John Fowles]] was born here in 1926 - the author of such novels as 'The Collector', 'The Magus, and 'The French Lieutenant's Woman'.
[[St Clement's Church, Leigh-on-Sea|St Clement's Church]] was rebuilt in the late 15th century or early 16th century, although the list of rectors dates back 1248. The fabric of the church is of [[Kentish ragstone]] and flint rubble, with a [[Tudor England|Tudor]] porch constructed of red brick. The mediaeval structure of the church was added to and altered during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The chancel was extended at the east end in 1872 by C. F. Haywood; Ernest Geldart added the south aisle in 1897, and there were a number of alterations made by [[Sir Charles Nicholson, 2nd Baronet|Sir Charles Nicholson]] in 1913 and 1919. The tower at the west end was a prominent landmark for shipping on the Thames Estuary, and the building contains a good selection of stained glass dating from between the 18th and 20th centuries. The building is [[Grade II* listed]] by [[Historic England]], and a key factor for this rating was the sympathetic nature of the 19th and 20th century additions.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1322326 |desc=Church of St Clement |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref>


Leigh Hall, a medieval manor house for the parish that was demolished in 1907, was once situated near the ancient eastern manorial boundary of Leigh and [[Prittlewell]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c3CJEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22leigh+hall%22+southend&pg=PT15|title=Secret City of Southend|author=Ian Yearsley|date=2022|isbn=9781398111554}}</ref>
The [[Evening Standard]] newspaper, issued on [[August 11]], [[2007]] named Leigh-On-Sea the second best place to live within the South-East of England, after Christchurch.


Robert Eden, who became rector of Leigh in 1837, demolished the previous rectory and commissioned a large new one, which was completed in 1838. One quarter of the building remains today as Leigh Library, as the other wings of the building were demolished by Southend Corporation when they acquired the building and the surrounding land. The rectory and grounds occupied a {{convert|6|acre|ha|round=0.5|abbr=off|adj=on}} site, and the work carried out by Eden included the construction of Rectory Grove as a public right of way, which replaced an existing cliff-top path called Chess Lane.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leigh-on-sea.net/leigh_library.html |title=Leigh Library – The Original Rectory |website=leigh-on-sea.net |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref> Leigh Library was designated as a listed building at Grade II in 1974.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=LEIGH LIBRARY, Leigh-on-Sea |num=1112706|access-date=9 December 2021}}</ref>
==Notable Persons==


==='Old Leigh'===
[[Vivian Stanshall]] - Artist/Musician<br>
In the 11th century Leigh was a marginal community of homesteads. The [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 records 'five smallholders above the water who do not hold land',<ref>Rumble, A (1983) Domesday Book 32 Essex; Phillimore & Co. Ltd</ref> who were probably engaged in fishing thus giving Leigh a claim to nearly a thousand years of activity in the fishing industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thamesestuarypartnership.org/ntflag/ |title=North Thames Fisheries local action group |publisher=Thames Estuary Partnership |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref>
[[Trevor Bailey]] - Ex-England Cricket Captain<br>
[[Phil Cornwell]] - Comedian/Impressionist<br>
[[Tina Cousins]] - Singer<br>
[[John Fowles]] - Author<br>
[[Phill Jupitus]] - Television Presenter/Comedian <br>
[[Dominic Littlewood]] - Television Presenter<br>
[[David Lloyd (tennis)|David Lloyd]] - Tennis Player/Businessman<br>
[[John Lloyd (tennis)|John Lloyd]] - Tennis Player/Commentator<br>
[[Hannah Tointon]] - Actress<br>
[[Kara Tointon]] - Actress<br>
[[Steve Wright (DJ)|Steve Wright]] - Radio Presenter<br>
[[Lee Stafford]] - Celebrity Hairdresser<br>
[[These New Puritans]] - Rock Group<br>


The main seafood catch from Leigh fishing boats has always been [[shellfish]] and [[whitebait]]. Many of the local trawlers were at one time [[bawley]]s, and two of Old Leigh's pubs – the ''Peter Boat'' and ''Ye Olde [[Smack (ship)|Smack]]'' – owe their names to types of local fishing boat.
==Gallery==


The riverside settlement of 'Old Leigh', or 'The Old Town', is historically significant; it was once on the primary shipping route to London. From the [[Middle Ages]] until the turn of the 20th century, Old Leigh hosted the settlement's market square, and high street (known as Leigh Strand). Elizabethan historian [[William Camden]] (1551–1623) described Leigh as "a proper fine little towne and verie full of stout and adventurous sailers".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/travellers/Camden/16#pn_21 |first=William |last=Camden |title=Essex |publisher=A Vision of Britain through time |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref> By the 1740s however, Leigh's deep water access had become silted up (as attested to by [[John Wesley]]) and the village was in decline as an anchorage and port of call.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/travellers/J_Wesley/7#pn_44 |first=John |last=Wesley |title=The journal of John Wesley |publisher=A Vision of Britain through time |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref>
<gallery>

Image:Old Leigh.jpg|Cockle Boats in Old Leigh
===Modern era===
Image:StClementsChurch_LeighOnSea.jpg|St Clement's Church, Leigh-on-Sea
Broadway developed between the 1870s and the 1920s from a residential street to a commercial parade of shopfronts, as the town began to expand. During the 1920s, Broadway was extended further west with the demolition of a large manor house, Black House/Leigh House (built 1620).
Image:GrandHotel_LeighOnSea.jpg|The Grand Hotel, Leigh-on-Sea

</gallery>
In 1983 Leigh gained its own paper, ''[[The Leigh Times Series|Leigh Times]]'', and in 1996 gained its own Town Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leighonseatowncouncil.gov.uk/|title=Leigh Town Council|access-date=5 October 2018}}</ref>

During the 1990s and the early 21st century Leigh-on-Sea went through more change: the growing dominance of out-of-town, 24-hour supermarkets and retail parks, as well as the arrival and popularity of retail [[online shopping]], meant that much local business had to reinvent itself, either as venues for socialising, or to offer niche services and products to cater for the town's changing demographic.
[[File:Hayden Peek - Leigh-On-Sea - Boat In The Mist.jpg|thumb|A foggy winter morning in Leigh-On-Sea]]

Leigh-on-Sea has frequently been cited as one of the best places to live in the UK, owing to factors such as its proximity to London, nearby outstanding Westcliff and Southend grammar schools, good access to sports and arts activities, multiple opportunities to develop skills, and a strong sense of belonging and community spirit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/11842351.Which_Essex_town_has_been_named_fourth_best_place_to_live_in_the_UK_/|title=Which Essex town has been named fourth best place to live in the UK?|website=Echo|access-date=20 January 2017}}</ref> A 2018 survey by [[Rightmove]] found that Leigh-on-Sea was the place in the UK where people were happiest living.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/london/2018-11-29/leigh-on-sea-essex-is-the-best-place-to-live-in-britain-says-rightmove/|title=Leigh-on-Sea, Essex is the best place to live in Britain, says Rightmove|publisher=ITV|date=29 November 2018|access-date=24 March 2021}}</ref>

On 15 October 2021, [[David Amess|Sir David Amess]], the local [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]], [[Murder of David Amess|was murdered]] at a constituency surgery being held in Belfairs Methodist Church in the town.<ref>{{cite web|date=15 October 2021|title=MP David Amess dies after being stabbed at constituency meeting|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/15/mp-david-amess-dies-after-being-stabbed-at-constituency-surgery|access-date=15 October 2021|website=The Guardian}}</ref> Southend was granted city status as a memorial to Amess in 2022.

==Transport==
Leigh-on-Sea is served by [[Leigh-on-Sea railway station]] on the [[London, Tilbury and Southend line]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.c2c-online.co.uk/stations/leigh-on-sea-station/|title=Leigh on Sea Train Station {{!}} Your Guide to Leigh on Sea by Train|website=c2c|access-date=30 January 2019}}</ref> The railway station is situated near the western end of Old Leigh [[marina]]. Built in 1934, it replaced the original 1855 station, which still exist and are currently used by Leigh Sailing Club.<ref>[http://www.3rdcb.org.uk/info/history.php History of 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scouts] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202021129/http://www.3rdcb.org.uk/info/history.php |date=2 February 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Butt |first=R.V.J. |title=The Directory of Railway Stations |year=1995 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Yeovil |isbn=1-85260-508-1 |id=R508 |page=141 }}</ref> Regular, daily bus services run between Southend-on-Sea, Benfleet, [[Canvey Island]], [[Basildon]], Rayleigh and [[Chelmsford]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carlberry.co.uk/rfnshowl.asp?L1=LEI0170 |title=Local bus, coach and rail information |publisher=Carl Berry |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref> Scheduled flights to national and European destinations operate out of nearby [[London Southend Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://southendairport.com/destinations |title=Destinations |website=southendairport.com |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref>

==Governance==
Leigh-on-Sea is a district of [[Southend-on-Sea]], and includes the [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|electoral wards]] Belfairs, Blenheim Park, Eastwood Park, Leigh and West Leigh. The two latter Electoral Wards and one Poll District of Belfairs and Blenheim Park Wards are included in the Leigh-on-Sea Town Council area, which is a [[civil parish]]. It is represented in [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] in the [[Southend West and Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)|Southend West and Leigh]] constituency, by [[David Burton-Sampson]].

The population of the entire district taken at the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 Census]] was 38,931.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/leigh-e05002217#sthash.h4hFyMMY.dpbs|title=Southend Ward (Leigh) population 2011|access-date=21 September 2015}}</ref>

==Festivals and activities==
Several annual events have become well established, including Leigh Regatta, [[Leigh Folk Festival]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://leighfolkfestival.com/|title=Leigh Folk Festival &#124; The UK's biggest free folk festival}}</ref> and The Leigh Art Trail.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/84993978 |title=Leigh Art. |date=2003 |publisher=Leigh Art Trail Group of Artists |others=Leigh Art Trail Group of Artists |isbn=978-0-9544985-0-4 |location=Leigh-on-Sea |oclc=84993978}}</ref> The [[regatta]] is held over one weekend in September.

== Museums and galleries ==
Leigh Heritage Centre is located in the Old Smithy and serves as a museum for Old Leigh. It is run by the Leigh Society, who have also opened the next-door Plumbs Cottage, a restored and substantially rebuilt 1850s fisherman's cottage.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Leigh Society – an eye to the future an ear to the past in the heart of leigh|url=http://www.leighsociety.com/index.htm|access-date=16 December 2021|website=www.leighsociety.com}}</ref>

Old Leigh Art Studios is a commercial gallery with artists studios. It was established by the artist Sheila Appleton and potter Richard Baxter in 1991. They have since been joined by painter Ian Smith and ceramicist Julie O’Sullivan.<ref>{{cite web|title=Old Leigh Art Studios|url=https://www.visitsouthend.co.uk/venue/old-leigh-art-studios/|access-date=16 December 2021|website=Visit Southend}}</ref> The studios participate in the annual Leigh Art Trail.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Leigh Art Trail|url=https://www.leigharttrail.com/|access-date=16 December 2021|website=Leigh Art Trail}}</ref>

==Notable people==
{{sources|section|date=May 2023}}
*[[John Barber (businessman)|John Barber]] (1919–2004), former Finance Director of Ford of Europe & managing director of [[British Leyland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aronline.co.uk/news/obituary-john-barber-2/|title=Obituary – John Barber|publisher=aronline.co.uk|date=13 November 2004|access-date=30 September 2020}}</ref>
*[[Lee Brilleaux]], musician
*[[Phil Cornwell]], actor, comedian and impressionist
*[[Stephen Cottrell]], [[Archbishop of York]] since 2020, born in Leigh-on-Sea
*[[Tina Cousins]], singer
*[[Robert Daws]] (Born 4 May 1959) is an Actor who is known, for instance, for the portrayal of [[The_Royal#Cast_and_characters|Dr Gordon Ormerod]] in the [[ITV_Yorkshire|Yorkshire Television (YTV)]] for [[ITV_(TV_network)|ITV]] 1960's [[Medical_drama|Medical Drama]] [[The Royal]].
*[[Robert Eden (bishop)|Robert Eden]], rector of Leigh-on-Sea
*[[John Fowles]], author
*[[Phill Jupitus]], comedian, who moved to Leigh in 2000<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essexlifemag.co.uk/people/celebrity-interviews/orbiting-jupitus-1-1634739 |title=Orbiting Jupitus |publisher=Essex Life |access-date=31 July 2017}}</ref>
*[[Robert King (footballer)|Robert King]], footballer and rector of Leigh-on-Sea from 1892 to 1950
*[[David Lloyd (tennis)|David Lloyd]], tennis player and businessman
*[[Martyn Lucking]], Olympic shot putter and anti-drug campaigner<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/other-sport/key-role-of-blackpools-double-olympian-shotputter-martyn-lucking-in-the-fight-against-drugs-since-first-tokyo-games-3339835|title=Key role of Blackpool's double-Olympian shotputter Martyn Lucking in the fight against drugs since first Tokyo Games.|newspaper=The Gazette|date=9 August 2021}}</ref>
*[[John Lloyd (tennis)|John Lloyd]], tennis player
*[[Marie Macarte]], equestrian performer
*[[Helen Mirren]], actress, born in Hammersmith and brought up in Leigh-on-Sea<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/8303064/Helen-Mirren-interview.html |title=Helen Mirren interview |work=The Telegraph|date=7 February 2011}}</ref>
*[[Peggy Mount]], actress, born in Leigh-on-Sea on 2 May 1918.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/nov/14/guardianobituaries.filmnews |title=Peggy Mount |work=The Guardian|date=14 November 2001}}</ref>
*[[Julian Parkhill]], geneticist, working with pathogens
*[[Vivian Stanshall]], artist and musician
*[[Alister Watson]], mathematician and alleged member of the [[Cambridge Five|Cambridge spy ring]]
* [[Rebecca West]], author, lived at Marine Parade between 1917 and 1919.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Howeson |first1=Louise |title=The house in Leigh where Dame Rebecca West lived with HG Wells' love child |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/23098897.house-leigh-dame-rebecca-west-lived-hg-wells-love-child/ |website=Eastern Daily Press |access-date=7 November 2022}}</ref>
*[[Michael Wilding (actor)|Michael Wilding]], actor.
*[[Peter Sallis]], actor, briefly lived as a resident, before and during [[World War II]]<ref name="Fading">{{cite book|title=Fading into The Limelight|first=Peter|last=Sallis|isbn=978-1-4091-0572-5|date=18 September 2008|publisher=Orion }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|Leigh-on-Sea}}
* [http://www.essexinfo.net/leigh-on-sea/ Leigh-on-Sea Town Council]
* [http://www.leighonseatowncouncil.gov.uk/ Leigh-on-Sea Town Council web site]
* [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23407960-details/Christchurch+is+the+town+rated+perfection-on-sea/article.do 1 Evening Standard article Leigh on Sea 2nd]
* [http://leighsociety.com/leighheritagecentre.htm The Leigh Society – Leigh Heritage Centre]


{{Essex}}
[[Category:Towns in Southend-on-Sea]]
[[Category:Coastal settlements in Essex]]


{{authority control}}
{{Essex-geo-stub}}


[[fr:Leigh-on-Sea]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leigh-On-Sea}}
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Essex]]
[[nl:Leigh-on-Sea]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the North Sea]]
[[ro:Leigh-on-Sea]]
[[Category:Southend-on-Sea (district)]]
[[ru:Ли-он-Си]]
[[Category:Towns in Essex]]
[[vo:Leigh-on-Sea]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Essex]]

Latest revision as of 11:49, 4 January 2025

For the song by Assembly Now, see Leigh-On-Sea (song).

Leigh-on-Sea
The Old Leigh waterfront at low tide, with cockle boats
Leigh-on-Sea is located in Essex
Leigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea
Location within Essex
Population22,509 (2011)[1]
OS grid referenceTQ841859
Civil parish
  • Leigh-on-Sea[2]
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLEIGH-ON-SEA
Postcode districtSS9
Dialling code01702
PoliceEssex
FireEssex
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Essex

51°32′33″N 0°39′13″E / 51.5425°N 0.6535°E / 51.5425; 0.6535

Map

Leigh-on-Sea ( /ˌliː-/), commonly referred to simply as Leigh, is a town and civil parish within the city of Southend-on-Sea, located in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. In 2011 it had a population of 22,509.

Geography

[edit]
A calm Old Leigh morning
The Old Leigh waterfront at high tide. The green boat, Endeavour was one of six cockle boats that was acquired to be one of the "little ships" in the Dunkirk evacuation.[3]
The High Street in Old Leigh
View across the Thames Estuary at sunset

Leigh-on-Sea is on the northern side of the Thames Estuary, a few miles from the open waters of the North Sea to the east, and a similar distance from the Kent coast to the south. The coastal environs of the town feature a nature reserve at Two Tree Island and a centrally located beach adjacent to Bell Wharf. At low tide Leigh's foreshore has a wide expanse of mud flats and creeks, extending offshore towards the deep water channel of the Thames (Yantlet Channel). Leigh is 40 miles (65 kilometres) from central London via road and rail networks and is part of the London commuter belt.[4]

History

[edit]

Origins

[edit]

Archaeological finds of pottery and coins from Romano-British era in the locality suggest early settlement.[5] From at least the Saxon period a hilltop clearing amidst the woodland that covered much of the surrounding area (the Rochford Hundred) of Essex came to be known as Leigh (Lee in Anglo-Saxon).[6]

A place of minor economic importance at the time of the Norman Conquest, a reference to Leigh (Legra) appears in the Domesday Book survey of 1086 where it lists a population of 9, in the ownership of Ranulf Peverel in the Rochford Hundred.[7]

St Clement's Church, Leigh-on-Sea

St Clement's Church was rebuilt in the late 15th century or early 16th century, although the list of rectors dates back 1248. The fabric of the church is of Kentish ragstone and flint rubble, with a Tudor porch constructed of red brick. The mediaeval structure of the church was added to and altered during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The chancel was extended at the east end in 1872 by C. F. Haywood; Ernest Geldart added the south aisle in 1897, and there were a number of alterations made by Sir Charles Nicholson in 1913 and 1919. The tower at the west end was a prominent landmark for shipping on the Thames Estuary, and the building contains a good selection of stained glass dating from between the 18th and 20th centuries. The building is Grade II* listed by Historic England, and a key factor for this rating was the sympathetic nature of the 19th and 20th century additions.[8]

Leigh Hall, a medieval manor house for the parish that was demolished in 1907, was once situated near the ancient eastern manorial boundary of Leigh and Prittlewell.[9]

Robert Eden, who became rector of Leigh in 1837, demolished the previous rectory and commissioned a large new one, which was completed in 1838. One quarter of the building remains today as Leigh Library, as the other wings of the building were demolished by Southend Corporation when they acquired the building and the surrounding land. The rectory and grounds occupied a 6-acre (2.5-hectare) site, and the work carried out by Eden included the construction of Rectory Grove as a public right of way, which replaced an existing cliff-top path called Chess Lane.[10] Leigh Library was designated as a listed building at Grade II in 1974.[11]

'Old Leigh'

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In the 11th century Leigh was a marginal community of homesteads. The Domesday Book of 1086 records 'five smallholders above the water who do not hold land',[12] who were probably engaged in fishing thus giving Leigh a claim to nearly a thousand years of activity in the fishing industry.[13]

The main seafood catch from Leigh fishing boats has always been shellfish and whitebait. Many of the local trawlers were at one time bawleys, and two of Old Leigh's pubs – the Peter Boat and Ye Olde Smack – owe their names to types of local fishing boat.

The riverside settlement of 'Old Leigh', or 'The Old Town', is historically significant; it was once on the primary shipping route to London. From the Middle Ages until the turn of the 20th century, Old Leigh hosted the settlement's market square, and high street (known as Leigh Strand). Elizabethan historian William Camden (1551–1623) described Leigh as "a proper fine little towne and verie full of stout and adventurous sailers".[14] By the 1740s however, Leigh's deep water access had become silted up (as attested to by John Wesley) and the village was in decline as an anchorage and port of call.[15]

Modern era

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Broadway developed between the 1870s and the 1920s from a residential street to a commercial parade of shopfronts, as the town began to expand. During the 1920s, Broadway was extended further west with the demolition of a large manor house, Black House/Leigh House (built 1620).

In 1983 Leigh gained its own paper, Leigh Times, and in 1996 gained its own Town Council.[16]

During the 1990s and the early 21st century Leigh-on-Sea went through more change: the growing dominance of out-of-town, 24-hour supermarkets and retail parks, as well as the arrival and popularity of retail online shopping, meant that much local business had to reinvent itself, either as venues for socialising, or to offer niche services and products to cater for the town's changing demographic.

A foggy winter morning in Leigh-On-Sea

Leigh-on-Sea has frequently been cited as one of the best places to live in the UK, owing to factors such as its proximity to London, nearby outstanding Westcliff and Southend grammar schools, good access to sports and arts activities, multiple opportunities to develop skills, and a strong sense of belonging and community spirit.[17] A 2018 survey by Rightmove found that Leigh-on-Sea was the place in the UK where people were happiest living.[18]

On 15 October 2021, Sir David Amess, the local Member of Parliament, was murdered at a constituency surgery being held in Belfairs Methodist Church in the town.[19] Southend was granted city status as a memorial to Amess in 2022.

Transport

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Leigh-on-Sea is served by Leigh-on-Sea railway station on the London, Tilbury and Southend line.[20] The railway station is situated near the western end of Old Leigh marina. Built in 1934, it replaced the original 1855 station, which still exist and are currently used by Leigh Sailing Club.[21][22] Regular, daily bus services run between Southend-on-Sea, Benfleet, Canvey Island, Basildon, Rayleigh and Chelmsford.[23] Scheduled flights to national and European destinations operate out of nearby London Southend Airport.[24]

Governance

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Leigh-on-Sea is a district of Southend-on-Sea, and includes the electoral wards Belfairs, Blenheim Park, Eastwood Park, Leigh and West Leigh. The two latter Electoral Wards and one Poll District of Belfairs and Blenheim Park Wards are included in the Leigh-on-Sea Town Council area, which is a civil parish. It is represented in Parliament in the Southend West and Leigh constituency, by David Burton-Sampson.

The population of the entire district taken at the 2011 Census was 38,931.[25]

Festivals and activities

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Several annual events have become well established, including Leigh Regatta, Leigh Folk Festival[26] and The Leigh Art Trail.[27][28] The regatta is held over one weekend in September.

Museums and galleries

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Leigh Heritage Centre is located in the Old Smithy and serves as a museum for Old Leigh. It is run by the Leigh Society, who have also opened the next-door Plumbs Cottage, a restored and substantially rebuilt 1850s fisherman's cottage.[29]

Old Leigh Art Studios is a commercial gallery with artists studios. It was established by the artist Sheila Appleton and potter Richard Baxter in 1991. They have since been joined by painter Ian Smith and ceramicist Julie O’Sullivan.[30] The studios participate in the annual Leigh Art Trail.[27]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Leigh-on-Sea Town Council – Home". www.leighonseatowncouncil.gov.uk.
  3. ^ "When Endeavour played key role in biggest evacuation in military history". 30 August 2020.
  4. ^ Office for National Statistics, Office for National Statistics. "Social Cohesion in London".
  5. ^ "Leigh Beck Archaeology and RHFAG | The Vanishing Past | Archaeology on Canvey | History | Canvey Island Archive". www.canveyisland.org. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  6. ^ Williams, Judith (2002). Leigh-on-Sea: A History. Phillimore. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-86077-220-7.
  7. ^ "Leigh". Open Domesday. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Clement (1322326)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  9. ^ Ian Yearsley (2022). Secret City of Southend. ISBN 9781398111554.
  10. ^ "Leigh Library – The Original Rectory". leigh-on-sea.net. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  11. ^ Historic England. "LEIGH LIBRARY, Leigh-on-Sea (1112706)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  12. ^ Rumble, A (1983) Domesday Book 32 Essex; Phillimore & Co. Ltd
  13. ^ "North Thames Fisheries local action group". Thames Estuary Partnership. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  14. ^ Camden, William. "Essex". A Vision of Britain through time. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  15. ^ Wesley, John. "The journal of John Wesley". A Vision of Britain through time. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Leigh Town Council". Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  17. ^ "Which Essex town has been named fourth best place to live in the UK?". Echo. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  18. ^ "Leigh-on-Sea, Essex is the best place to live in Britain, says Rightmove". ITV. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  19. ^ "MP David Amess dies after being stabbed at constituency meeting". The Guardian. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Leigh on Sea Train Station | Your Guide to Leigh on Sea by Train". c2c. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  21. ^ History of 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scouts Archived 2 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 141. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  23. ^ "Local bus, coach and rail information". Carl Berry. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  24. ^ "Destinations". southendairport.com. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  25. ^ "Southend Ward (Leigh) population 2011". Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  26. ^ "Leigh Folk Festival | The UK's biggest free folk festival".
  27. ^ a b "Leigh Art Trail". Leigh Art Trail. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  28. ^ Leigh Art. Leigh Art Trail Group of Artists. Leigh-on-Sea: Leigh Art Trail Group of Artists. 2003. ISBN 978-0-9544985-0-4. OCLC 84993978.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  29. ^ "The Leigh Society – an eye to the future an ear to the past in the heart of leigh". www.leighsociety.com. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  30. ^ "Old Leigh Art Studios". Visit Southend. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Obituary – John Barber". aronline.co.uk. 13 November 2004. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  32. ^ "Orbiting Jupitus". Essex Life. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  33. ^ "Key role of Blackpool's double-Olympian shotputter Martyn Lucking in the fight against drugs since first Tokyo Games". The Gazette. 9 August 2021.
  34. ^ "Helen Mirren interview". The Telegraph. 7 February 2011.
  35. ^ "Peggy Mount". The Guardian. 14 November 2001.
  36. ^ Howeson, Louise. "The house in Leigh where Dame Rebecca West lived with HG Wells' love child". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  37. ^ Sallis, Peter (18 September 2008). Fading into The Limelight. Orion. ISBN 978-1-4091-0572-5.
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