South Benfleet
{{Short description|Town in Essex, England}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| official_name = South Benfleet
| coordinates = {{coord|51.55|0.56|display=inline,title}}[https://www.achurchnearyou.com/search/?lat=51.55&lon=0.56 Map of South Benfleet manor (and later parish)]
| shire_district = Castle Point
| shire_county = Essex
| region = East of England
| post_town = Benfleet
| postcode_district = SS7
| postcode_area = SS
| dial_code = 01268
| os_grid_reference = TQ782860
| constituency_westminster = Castle Point
|static_image= High Rd Benfleet - geograph.org.uk - 98722.jpg
|static_image_width= 250px
|static_image_caption= High Road, Benfleet
}}
South Benfleet is a town in the Castle Point district of Essex, England, 30 miles east of London. It is adjacent to the village of North Benfleet. The Benfleet (SS7) post town includes South Benfleet, Thundersley, New Thundersley and Hadleigh. The Battle of Benfleet took place here between the Vikings and Saxons in 894.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fD217KtgfF8C&q=Battle+of+Benfleet&pg=PA89 |title=Exploring the Islands of England and ... - Google Books |isbn=9780711227439 |access-date=2010-04-02 |last1=Holland |first1=Julian |year=2007 |publisher=Frances Lincoln Limited }}
The community is directly north of Canvey Island and is served by Benfleet railway station. It hosts South Benfleet Primary School, which was used temporarily to house local residents during the widespread flooding of 1953.
At the junction of Saint Mary's Church and The Anchor pub is the site of the UK's first "overrunable" mini roundabout.{{cite book|author=Lawrence Goldman|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2005-2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nbGcAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA108|date=7 March 2013|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-967154-0|pages=108}}
History
In Roman times the reclaimed area which is now Canvey Island was joined to the mainland by a road providing access from Benfleet at low tides to Camulodunum (Colchester) and Londinium (London). The A130 road from Sadlers Farm roundabout to Canvey Island follows the route of the original Roman road. Its construction in 1971 brought to light a number of artifacts dating back to the early settlements in the area.
The name of the town originates from the time of the Saxon settlers in the 5th century, when the area was largely marshland. They named the area Beamfleote, meaning "tree stream", being the area where the creeks from the River Thames adjoined the wooded area to the north. The current spelling was adopted at the time the railway service was brought to the area and a railway station built for the town. Throughout the intervening period various documented versions of the names has been 'Benfleota', 'Beamflet', 'Bemflet', 'Bienflet' and 'Bemfleet'. The last was used on John Norden's maps in the 17th century.
In Saxon times the village became known as South Benfleet when a new settlement, which became known as Little Benfleet, developed to the north of the original settlement. The new settlement did not last, and its site, which has since become known as North Benfleet, is now largely rural.
The railway was brought to the town in 1855. The new Benfleet railway station connected the town with Southend-on-Sea to the east and London Fenchurch Street station.
In July 2002, Castle Point District Council named a 6-mile cycle way, from near Benfleet railway station to near Leigh-on-Sea railway station, the "de Neumann Way" after Captain Peter de Neumann, GM.
Battle of Benfleet
{{Main|Battle of Benfleet}}
The Battle of Benfleet took place between the Saxons and Danish Vikings in 894. This was towards the end of the Saxon period, and the Thames and other waterways made the area vulnerable to Viking attacks. Benfleet was used as a Viking base. However, the Vikings were defeated in the battle by the army of King Alfred under the command of his son Edward the Elder and his son-in-law Earl Aethelred of Mercia. Subsequently, a church was built by the Saxons in thanksgiving for the victory over the Vikings.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}} St Mary's is the most recent church building occupying this site and is a Grade I listed building.{{Cite web|title=CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN, Non Civil Parish - 1123690 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1123690|access-date=2022-01-18|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}
In December 2008 a sculpture commemorating the battle was erected in Ferry Road, South Benfleet.{{Cite web|title=Battle memorial's stylish fence|url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/4108614.battle-of-benfleet-memorial-gets-a-fitting-enclosure/|access-date=2022-01-18|website=Echo|date=9 February 2009 |language=en}}
Geography
=Local towns=
Governance
There are two tiers of local government covering South Benfleet, at district and non-metropolitan county level: Castle Point Borough Council, based in Thundersley, and Essex County Council, based in Chelmsford.
South Benfleet was an ancient parish. In 1929 the parish was merged with the neighbouring parishes of Hadleigh and Thundersley to become Benfleet Urban District. The three parishes were thereafter classed as urban parishes and so no longer had separate parish councils, instead being directly administered by Benfleet Urban District Council.{{cite web |title=South Benfleet Ancient Parish / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10234803 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=22 August 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/rochford.html|title=Rochford Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|access-date=25 December 2021}} In 1951, South Benfleet urban parish had a population of 8,191.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10234803/cube/TOT_POP|title=Population statistics South Benfleet AP/CP through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|access-date=25 December 2021}}
Benfleet Urban District was abolished on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, becoming part of the new district of Castle Point. No successor parish was created for the former urban district and so South Benfleet is directly administered by Castle Point Borough Council.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|access-date=31 May 2023}}
Transport
Notable people
- Ron Martin – Southend United Chairman
- Ashley George Old the war artist is buried there
- Nicola Willis - Olympic gymnast{{Cite web|url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5479074.gymnastics-nicolas-the-uk-number-one/|title=Gymnastics: Nicola's the UK number one|date=1 November 2001|website=Daily Gazette|language=en|access-date=4 February 2019}}
Landmarks
File:StMary'sChurchBenfleet SouthEast.JPG
The Church of England in Benfleet is served by the Church of St Mary the Virgin. The public houses located in the Monument and St Mary's area of the town include The Anchor, The Hoy and Helmet and the Half Crown. Further north is the Benfleet Tavern. There is also a range of restaurants in the South Benfleet conservation area.
Benfleet Water Tower ({{Ordnance Survey coordinates|TQ 790 867}}) is a brick built structure built in 1903, which is 30m high with a 22m mast sited on the roof. All radio equipment is housed within the tower. Being on a prominent hilltop, some 137m amsl, this is an exceptional radio transmission and reception site. Coverage includes the whole estuary, including the Isle of Grain, Medway Towns, Southend, Bradwell, Danbury etc. This site provides both Highband and Lowband CBS systems.
Sport
Benfleet FC are members of the Essex Olympian Football League.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} The First Team play in Senior Division 1 and Seconds in the Reserve Division 2.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} There is also a third team who compete in the Mid-Essex Division 3. The club play their home fixtures at Woodside Park Extension at the top of Manor Road. Fixtures are organised on a Saturday afternoon, with some mid-week fixtures towards the end of the season.
Benfleet is the home to Sceptre League Division 1 Sunday team Benfleet FC, who finished 8th in 2010/2011 season.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
Benfleet FC (Sunday) managed to win the Mike Wigget Cup in 2009/2010 season, beating Shoebury Boys 4–2 in the final at Burroughs Park, Great Wakering.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
Benfleet Vikings RFC are the town's local rugby club, formed in 2013, with Senior, Youth, and Minis sides.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} The senior side currently compete in the Shepherd Neame Essex Merit League 6 East and play their home fixtures on Saturdays at Richmond Park, off of Brook Road.
Benfleet is also home to South Benfleet United F.C., a football club formed in 1978 for youth football but is now a men's and veterans' (over 35s) club.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} Their men's team currently play in the Sceptre League and their veterans teams are in the Premier Division and Division 3 of the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League.
Benfleet Cricket Club (established 1948) currently play their home matches at Woodside Park at the top of Manor Road. Members of the Hambro Financial Cricket League (formerly Shepherd Neame Essex League), they currently field five adult teams on a Saturday, two adult teams on a Sunday, and teams at u9, u11, u13 and u15 age groups in competitions organised by the South Essex Cricket Participation Group.
In popular culture
Benfleet was referred to as Beamfleot in The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell.
Images
Image:BenfleetClock.jpg|Clock on Vic House roundabout
Image:Bluebellswood.jpg |One of the last true Bluebell woods in Essex (Shipwrights Drive)
File:MonumentBenfleetcrop.jpg|War Monument, South Benfleet
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- Norman M. Chisman, D.P.A., Bygone Benfleet, Phillimore, 1991
External links
- [https://www.benfleethistory.org.uk/content/browse-articles/streets-and-roads/the-worlds-first-mini-roundabout-was-installed-in-benfleet World's First Mini-Roundabout (1) was installed in Benfleet]
{{Commons category-inline|South Benfleet}}
{{Essex}}
{{Viking Invasion of England}}
Category:Populated places in Essex