Thundersley
Encyclopedia
Thundersley is a district in the north west of the Castle Point
Borough, in south east Essex
, England, about 35 miles east of London
.
Þunres lēah = "grove or meadow [perhaps sacred] belonging to the god Thunor". It has also historically been known as Thunresleam.
The environment is partly rural, with large woods and commons, including Thundersley Common, Coombe Wood, Starvelarks Wood, Wyburns Wood, Tile Wood, Pound Wood, West Wood, Shipwrights Wood, Thundersley Glen, The Chase and borders on The Downs (largely in Hadleigh and South Benfleet), and partly suburban, with large areas of housing and small industrial parks. The King John School and Sixth Form are situated in Shipwrights Drive.
West Wood is managed by Castle Point Wildlife Group.
, Thundersley, along with Canvey Island
, Hadleigh
, and South Benfleet, has formed the parliamentary constituency and local government district and borough of Castle Point
. As of the 2010 UK General Election, the Member of Parliament
representing the parliamentary constituency of Castle Point
is Rebecca Harris
of the Conservative Party
.
Thundersley elects 1 seat to Essex County Council. As of 2009, the seat is held by Bill Dick of the Conservative Party
. Within Castle Point Borough Council, Thundersley is represented by 12 councillors elected from the wards (from west to east) of St. George, St. Peter, Cedar Hall and Victoria.
The Parish of Thundersley includes Daws Heath. The north-western parts of the area (approximately St George's parish or the St George ward) are known as New Thundersley.
to the north, where it borders Rayleigh
, the A130 road
to the west where it borders Basildon
, the A13 road to the south (bordering the South Benfleet district of Castle Point), plus a triangular salient further southward as far as Benfleet Road and Thundersley Glen, and eastwards beyond the A129 road
bordering Daws Heath
and Hadleigh
, also within the borough. The nearest railway stations are Benfleet railway station
and Rayleigh railway station
.
were produced in a purpose-built factory at Thundersley from 1953 to 1976. Initially the bikes were an offshoot of the Invacar company which produced invalid cars and needed to diversify its products, and the founder of the concern was O.B. (Bert) Greeves MBE.
The bikes were exclusively two-stroke powered, using proprietary engines from Villiers and British Anzani initially and always for the roadsters, but by 1964 they had developed their own engine for competition use. For a few years, Greeves were successful in competition, with wins in the European Motocross Championship, the Manx Grand Prix, the European Trials Championship and the Scottish Six Days Trial
, and with Gold medals in the ISDT and the ACU 250cc Road Race.
Thundersley also has its own Air Training Corps Squadron - (1341)
Castle Point
Castle Point is a local government district and borough in south Essex. The borough comprises the towns of Canvey Island, Hadleigh, South Benfleet, and Thundersley which also provides the site of the council headquarters.-History:...
Borough, in south east Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England, about 35 miles east of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Toponymy
Thundersley derives from the Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
Þunres lēah = "grove or meadow [perhaps sacred] belonging to the god Thunor". It has also historically been known as Thunresleam.
Geography
The area is relatively hilly and high above sea level for Essex, a typical height for the central and eastern part of (old) Thundersley is c. 200 ft (c.65 metres).The environment is partly rural, with large woods and commons, including Thundersley Common, Coombe Wood, Starvelarks Wood, Wyburns Wood, Tile Wood, Pound Wood, West Wood, Shipwrights Wood, Thundersley Glen, The Chase and borders on The Downs (largely in Hadleigh and South Benfleet), and partly suburban, with large areas of housing and small industrial parks. The King John School and Sixth Form are situated in Shipwrights Drive.
West Wood is managed by Castle Point Wildlife Group.
Governance
Since the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, Thundersley, along with Canvey Island
Canvey Island
Canvey Island is a civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary in England. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks...
, Hadleigh
Hadleigh, Essex
Hadleigh is a town in southeast Essex, England, on the A13 between Benfleet and Leigh-on-Sea with a population of about 18,300.-History:Hadleigh is known for its castle, and the country park that surrounds it. The castle has been a romantic ruin for a few hundred years, but parts of two towers are...
, and South Benfleet, has formed the parliamentary constituency and local government district and borough of Castle Point
Castle Point
Castle Point is a local government district and borough in south Essex. The borough comprises the towns of Canvey Island, Hadleigh, South Benfleet, and Thundersley which also provides the site of the council headquarters.-History:...
. As of the 2010 UK General Election, the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
representing the parliamentary constituency of Castle Point
Castle Point (UK Parliament constituency)
Castle Point is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.It was created in 1983, primarily...
is Rebecca Harris
Rebecca Harris
Rebecca Elizabeth Harris is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Castle Point....
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Thundersley elects 1 seat to Essex County Council. As of 2009, the seat is held by Bill Dick of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. Within Castle Point Borough Council, Thundersley is represented by 12 councillors elected from the wards (from west to east) of St. George, St. Peter, Cedar Hall and Victoria.
The Parish of Thundersley includes Daws Heath. The north-western parts of the area (approximately St George's parish or the St George ward) are known as New Thundersley.
Transport
Thundersley is bounded by the A127 roadA127 road
The A127, also known as the Southend Arterial Road, is one of the trunk roads in England linking London with Southend-on-Sea, the other being the A13. It is a dual carriageway for its entire length, rare on a trunk road since the only others are the A14 and the A282, and is known as the Southend...
to the north, where it borders Rayleigh
Rayleigh, Essex
Rayleigh is a market town and civil parish in the District of Rochford in Essex, England, located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. It lies to the east of central London. It has a population of 30,196, having expanded rapidly in the 1960s.-Toponymy:...
, the A130 road
A130 road
The A130 is a major road in England linking Little Waltham, near Chelmsford, the county town of Essex, with Canvey Island in the south of that county. It is a primary route for most of its length, only losing that status south of the A13 junction at Sadlers Farm "magic" roundabout as it nears its...
to the west where it borders Basildon
Basildon
Basildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...
, the A13 road to the south (bordering the South Benfleet district of Castle Point), plus a triangular salient further southward as far as Benfleet Road and Thundersley Glen, and eastwards beyond the A129 road
A129 road
The A129 is a main road in Essex, England.The road connects Shenfield in the west and Hadleigh in the east, linking various commuter towns in the county. It forms a road link between the railway stations of Shenfield and Rayleigh...
bordering Daws Heath
Daws Heath
Daws Heath contains a large area of woodland in Eastern Thundersley, a region of Essex in England. It is transversed by the Daws Heath Road and St Michael's Road, Daws Heath provides a semi rural escape for local towns and villages and their residents as they drive out of Castle Point, as Daws...
and Hadleigh
Hadleigh, Essex
Hadleigh is a town in southeast Essex, England, on the A13 between Benfleet and Leigh-on-Sea with a population of about 18,300.-History:Hadleigh is known for its castle, and the country park that surrounds it. The castle has been a romantic ruin for a few hundred years, but parts of two towers are...
, also within the borough. The nearest railway stations are Benfleet railway station
Benfleet railway station
Benfleet railway station, or Benfleet railway station for Canvey Island, serves the towns of South Benfleet and Canvey Island in Essex, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by c2c. The station opened in 1855.- Facilities :...
and Rayleigh railway station
Rayleigh railway station
Rayleigh railway station serves the town of Rayleigh in Essex, England. The station, and all trains calling there, are operated by National Express East Anglia....
.
Greeves motorcycles
Greeves motorcyclesGreeves (motorcycles)
Greeves Motorcycles Ltd is a British motorcycle manufacturer producing motorcycles mainly for the trials and off-road market. Owner Richard Deal bought the rights to the Greeves name in May 1999. The original company had been producing motorcycles since 1952, funded by a contract with the...
were produced in a purpose-built factory at Thundersley from 1953 to 1976. Initially the bikes were an offshoot of the Invacar company which produced invalid cars and needed to diversify its products, and the founder of the concern was O.B. (Bert) Greeves MBE.
The bikes were exclusively two-stroke powered, using proprietary engines from Villiers and British Anzani initially and always for the roadsters, but by 1964 they had developed their own engine for competition use. For a few years, Greeves were successful in competition, with wins in the European Motocross Championship, the Manx Grand Prix, the European Trials Championship and the Scottish Six Days Trial
Scottish Six Days Trial
The Scottish Six Days Trial is an internationally recognised Motorcycle trials competition, which has been running since 1909 making it the oldest motorcycle trials event in the world...
, and with Gold medals in the ISDT and the ACU 250cc Road Race.
Culture
The Parish of Thundersley has three Anglican churches - St. Peter's in Thundersley, St George's in New Thundersley and St. Michael's in Daws Heath, and several other Christian churches including Thundersley Congregational Church, Thundersley Gospel Hall and Thundersley Community Church at Swan's Green Hall. Hart Road contains the county's largest Indian restaurant, among a number of other take-away and fast food outlets.Thundersley also has its own Air Training Corps Squadron - (1341)