Milton Hamlet has vanished, but there
are still traces of the ‘Middle Town’ between Southchurch
and Leigh to be found. Milton’s foundation was in Saxon
times and it came to notice in the 13th century when it had
strong links with Canterbury. It continued a rural existence
until the late 1800s when the established manor house began
to be developed as housing estates and parks.
It lost its identity and is now swallowed
in Westcliff, but its story can be traced through its decline
and re-emergence as a fashionable residential district. The
story continues into recent times and there are stories of
eminent residents, of shops and pubs, of churches and schools,
or holidaymakers and enemy attack.
Chalkwell is a thriving residential
area with its roots in the large estates of past centuries
before evolving as a seaside resort. The Crowstone has been
a landmark in the Thames for over 800 years. Here are recorded
the inscriptions on all Crowstones, the stories behind them,
and an account of ceremonies that have taken place over the
years.
112 pages, 34 photographs, 17 line drawings, 2 maps
