Discover Local History

A WESTCLIFF author has just republished a book charting the detailed history of parts of the local area.

A History of Milton, Chalkwell and the Crowstone is a reprint of a book by Marion Pearce originally published 20 years ago.

Ms Pearce explained what the untold history that the book details: “The book traces the area from the Saxon times, through to the medieval, and Victorian. It is the accumulation of many years of research and study of the area.”

She explained that special focus is made of Milton in Westcliff: “Over the years, the Hamlet of Milton (or Middletun) has been lost in the mists of time.

“Yet traces of the ‘middle town’ can still be found between Leigh and Southchurch.

“The name Milton still survives in road names in Southend and the electoral ward of the same name The Crowstone has always sparked much interest.”

A lot of detail is also revealed about the rituals and traditions surrounding the Crowstone, a granite obelisk that stands just out from the beach near Chalkwell Shelter.

“The stone that stands at the bottom of Chalkwell Avenue was sited there in 1838.

“It stood together with another shorter stone erected in 1755. This shorter stone in turn replaced a series of markers that denoted the eastern boundary of the City of London’s jurisdiction on the Essex side of the River Thames.”

Ms Pearce explained: “The jurisdiction of the Thames can be traced back to a Royal Charter of 1197, which was confirmed in the Magna Carta 18 years later.

“The City took its duties of care for the Thames very seriously. They held eight Courts of Conservancy annually.

“At each of these sessions’ enquiries were made concerning misuses of the river, whether illegal weirs had been erected or fish destroyed.

“The then Lord Mayor of London, Bass Crosby, would come to Southend on a tour of inspection.

“The event was celebrated with much dining, dancing and festivity and Bass Crosby had his name carved into the Crowstone to record his visit.

“This ritual lasted for nearly 100 years, whereby the serving Lord Mayor of London would visit the Crowstone once every seven years. As the years progressed the engagements became more elaborate with large parties of dignitaries coming by steamer from London.”

The ceremonies were also reported in great detail in the Southend Standard and the Illustrated London News.

The shorter stone was moved to Priory Park opposite the museum in 1950, where it remains to this day.

These histories, and more, can be discovered in the republished book, available in bookshops or online.

For more details, visit: essex100.com/product/milton-chalkwell-and-the-crowstone/

Picture: Marion Pearce.

By Sophie Sleigh-Johnson.

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