In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described South Benfleet like this:
BENFLEET (South), a parish in Rochford district, Essex; on the coast, including part of Canvey island, and on the London and Southend railway, at Benfleet station, 4 miles SSW of Rayleigh. It has a post office under Chelmsford. Acres, 3,361; of which 305 are water. Real property, £3,756. ...
Pop., 573. Houses, 125. The property is much subdivided. A strong castle was built here by the famous Danish pirate, Hastings; and taken and destroyed by Alfred the Great. The waters on the coast were celebrated for oysters. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £285.* Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. The church is a fine structure of the time of Henry VII.
South Benfleet through time
South Benfleet is now part of Castle Point district. Click here for graphs and data of how Castle Point has changed over two centuries. For statistics about South Benfleet itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of South Benfleet, in Castle Point and Essex | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/6536
Date accessed: 26th April 2024
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