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> United Kingdom > England > East of England > East of England
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| Established | June 09, 1983 |
| Disbanded | Still Active |
| Contributor | RP |
| Last Modified | RBH May 04, 2021 01:42am |
| Description |
This seat, a little chunk of south east Essex, takes its name from its two most prominent landmarks - Hadleigh Castle and Canvey Point. It lies along the east side of the Thames estuary and is within the port of London, just outside the Thames corridor, and contains the communities of Benfleet, Canvey Island, Thundersley, Daws Heath and Hadleigh. It can be defined primarily as a commuting area. Many people travel into London on a daily basis on the London-Tilbury-Southend line. It has no large-scale industry or commerce, although the Shell and BP oil refineries dominate Canvey Island. The River Thames also plays a significant role, with container vessels and barges trading in the Port of London, as well as providing a base for the defiant remains of the beleaguered local fishing industry. Hadleigh Castle itself - which is today simply a ruin - lies in the east of the seat, perched high on the downs above Benfleet Creek. It was first built in the 1200s and then rebuilt by Edward III who wanted a strong fortification overlooking the Thames in case the French should decide to invade London. It has been the subject of several paintings by Constable and Turner, and provides fantastic views across the Thames estuary and into Kent. This seat provided one of the Conservatives' few occasions for celebration in 2001, when Bob Spink defeated the Labour MP, Christine Butler, who had snatched this usually safe seat in 1997.
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