Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for LEIGH

LEIGH, a small seaport town and a parish in Rochford district, Essex. The town stands on a creek of the Thames, at the skirt of a bold steep hill, adjacent to the Southend railway, opposite Canvey Point, 3 miles W of Southend, and 4 SW by S of Rochford; is an ancient place, mentioned in Domesday book; consists chiefly of one street; carries on a small coasting trade, and an important oyster, shrimp, musse1, and periwinkle fishery; and has a post office, ‡ under Chelmsford, a railway station, a custom-house, a church, a Wesleyan chapel, and national schools. The oyster fishery is conducted chiefly by the collecting of oysters on distant coasts, particularly the N coast of France, and by laying them down to grow and fatten on the sea-ground of the Leigli shore. The church stands on the hill behind the town; commands an extensive view of the Thames estuary; is of the 14th century, of large nave, N aisle, and handsome chancel, with an ivy-clad tower; and has carved oak stalls, and some brasses.—The parish comprises 2,331 acres. Real property, £4,223. Pop., 1,473. Houses, 291. The property is much subdivided. Roman coins have been found. A stone boundary, about 1½ mile E of the town, marks the limits of the jurisdiction of the conservators of the Thames. An anchorage, called Leigli Road, with 5 fathoms water, lies off the town. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £284.* Patron, the Bishop of Rochester. Bishop Eden was rector.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a small seaport town and a parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "cities")
Administrative units: Leigh CP/AP       Rochford RegD/PLU       Essex AncC
Place: Leigh on Sea

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