Tilbury

Tilbury is a port town on the north side of the Thames in Essex, England. It lies in the borough of Thurrock. Tilbury became its own town in the late 1800s, near places called East, West Tilbury, and Tilbury Fort. Before that, the area was part of the Chadwell St Mary parish.

Tilbury is a key part of the Port of London and has a big deep-water port. This port helps the local economy. The town is about 24 miles east of central London and next to Grays. It is the southernmost point in Essex. The Gravesend–Tilbury Ferry has been an important way to cross the river for many years.

Etymology

The name Tilbury comes from nearby places called East and West Tilbury. Long ago, these places were called "Tilaburg" and later "Tilberia". The word "burgh" means a fortified place. Today, the town is sometimes called Tilbury Town to show it is different from East and West Tilbury.

History

Tilbury's story is tied to its place along the River Thames. Across the river, Gravesend has always been important for travel and shipping. A ferry has crossed between these two places for a very long time because the river is narrow there.

There are signs that people lived here long ago during Roman times. In the 12th century, people changed the river by building walls, which helped improve the land. In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I visited Tilbury to speak to her soldiers. The town grew when docks were built, and a railway station opened in 1854, first called Tilbury Fort and later renamed Tilbury Riverside railway station.

Tilbury Ferry

Main article: Gravesend–Tilbury Ferry

The Tilbury–Gravesend Ferry has been in use for many years. Old maps show jetties and houses used for raising sheep. The ferry helped carry animals and wool across the river.

Tilbury Fort

The shape of the river made Tilbury a good spot to protect London from enemies. The first fort was built in 1539 by Henry VIII. It was strengthened many times over the years and is now cared for by English Heritage.

Governance

Tilbury is governed by the Thurrock Council, which is based in Grays. This council takes care of all local services for the area.

In the past, Tilbury was part of the parish of Chadwell St Mary. In the late 1800s, a new town grew up around Tilbury Docks. Over time, Tilbury became its own town and is now part of the larger Thurrock area. Today, Thurrock is part of the ceremonial county of Essex.

Geography

Tilbury is on the north bank of the River Thames. The river is about 800 yards wide here. North of Tilbury are old marshlands, and beyond them are higher lands with villages such as Chadwell St Mary, West, and East Tilbury. Tilbury is north of the London-Southend railway line and east of London, England’s capital.

Important places in Tilbury include docks, a place for cruise ships, and the Tilbury Power Station. The town has two churches and a school for younger children called Tilbury Pioneer Academy. Nearby, The Gateway Academy serves older students, and USP College is close by.

Transport and industry

Main article: Port of Tilbury

The Port of Tilbury is a busy place where things like bulk goods, timber, cars, and container traffic are handled. It is one of the three biggest places in Britain for containers, along with Southampton and Felixstowe. It is the main place in the UK where paper, including newsprint, comes in. There used to be a place for passengers, but now it is used as a London Cruise Terminal and is not served by the railway anymore.

In the past, most people in Tilbury worked in the docks. When the way things were moved changed, many jobs were lost. Because of this, Tilbury today has high unemployment.

There used to be a ferry between Tilbury and Gravesend, but it stopped running in 2024.

Tilbury Town railway station is on the c2c (London, Tilbury and Southend line), and it goes to London Fenchurch Street and Southend. Tilbury Riverside railway station closed on 29 November 1992, but the railway still helps the nearby container area.

Local buses are run by Ensignbus.

National Cycle Route 13 from London to Norfolk goes through the town.

People and culture

The Tilbury Band, which started in 1919, was one of the best brass bands in the UK.

Some well-known people from Tilbury include football players John Evans and Tom Scannell; artist Noel Betowski, born there in 1952; doctor Thomas Horrocks Openshaw who worked at Tilbury Hospital; and actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who was in the movie Farming. In the 2014 BBC series The Honourable Woman, the main character Nessa Stein becomes Baroness of Tilbury. Tilbury Fort was also used as a filming spot for Sharpe's Regiment, starring Sean Bean.

Healthcare

Tilbury did not have a hospital until 1896. In 1894, a kind man named John Passmore Edwards agreed to pay for a new hospital called the Passmore Edwards District Cottage Hospital. Later, in 1969, Orsett Hospital began helping people in the area stay healthy.

Media

Tilbury has a community radio station called Gateway 97.8. The town’s local weekly newspaper is the Thurrock Gazette.

Sport and leisure

Tilbury has a football club called Tilbury F.C.. They play at a place called Chadfields. Before this, the spot was used for dog racing. This racing began in the 1930s and ended in 1947.

Later, there was a place called Tilbury Stadium at the end of Dunlop Road. It hosted dog racing from 1964 to 1967.