Westcliff-on-Sea
Encyclopedia
Westcliff-on-Sea is a suburb
of Southend-on-Sea
, a seaside resort
in the East of England
and unitary authority
in Essex
. It is situated on the northern bank of the Thames Estuary
and about 34 miles (55 km) east of London
.
geology afford views over the Thames Estuary towards the Kent
coastline to the south. The coastline has been transformed into sandy beaches through the use of groynes and imported sand. The estuary at this point is marked by extensive mud flats. At low tide, the water typically retreats to some 600m from the beach, leaving the mud flats exposed.
line arrived in the 1880s, connecting the town with London and shortening travel time to and from that city. Westcliff railway station
in Station Road is now managed by c2c
.
, including Prittlewell Square
gardens.
s of the 1980s and 1990s saw the area decline. However the road underwent a £1 million regeneration in the early 2000s.
, which overlooks the seafront, and the Palace Theatre.
Westcliff-on-Sea is also home to the Thames Estuary Yacht Club
and the Westcliff Casino
, which is the largest provincial casino
and the second largest casino in Great Britain
.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
, a seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
in the East of England
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
and unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
in 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...
. It is situated on the northern bank of the Thames Estuary
Thames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
and about 34 miles (55 km) 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...
.
Geography
The cliffs formed by erosion of the local QuaternaryQuaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
geology afford views over the Thames Estuary towards the Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
coastline to the south. The coastline has been transformed into sandy beaches through the use of groynes and imported sand. The estuary at this point is marked by extensive mud flats. At low tide, the water typically retreats to some 600m from the beach, leaving the mud flats exposed.
Transport
The London, Tilbury and Southend RailwayLondon, Tilbury and Southend Railway
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London with northeast London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of southern Essex. It is currently known as the Essex Thameside Route by Network Rail...
line arrived in the 1880s, connecting the town with London and shortening travel time to and from that city. Westcliff railway station
Westcliff railway station
Westcliff railway station is on the main London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line between London Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness railway station. It is located on Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, SS0 7SB, and was opened in 1895...
in Station Road is now managed by c2c
C2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
.
Architecture
An area of Westcliff bordering Southend town centre has been classified as a conservation areaConservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
, including Prittlewell Square
Prittlewell Square
Prittlewell Square, an elegant garden, is a park situated in the conservation area overlooking the Thames Estuary at Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England. The oldest park in town, it contributes to the history of the gardens....
gardens.
Economy
The main shopping area in Westcliff-on-Sea is Hamlet Court Road, where the department store Havens, established in 1901 remains the anchor store. The economic recessionRecession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
s of the 1980s and 1990s saw the area decline. However the road underwent a £1 million regeneration in the early 2000s.
Leisure
The two main theatres in Westcliff are the Cliffs PavilionCliffs Pavilion
Cliffs Pavilion is a live theatre in Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, which seats 1,630 and offers an assortment of variety acts....
, which overlooks the seafront, and the Palace Theatre.
Westcliff-on-Sea is also home to the Thames Estuary Yacht Club
Thames Estuary Yacht Club
Thames Estuary Yacht Club is located at 3 The Leas, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, overlooking the Thames Estuary.The club was formed in 1947 by the amalgamation of Westcliff Yacht Club, which was formed in 1900, and Nore Yacht Club, formed in 1902 from the old Minima Yacht Club site.TEYC...
and the Westcliff Casino
Westcliff Casino
Southend Maxims & Mint Casinos are a gambling establishment located in Western Esplanade, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, on the seafront overlooking the Thames estuary....
, which is the largest provincial casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
and the second largest casino in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Notable people
- Trevor BaileyTrevor BaileyTrevor Edward Bailey CBE was an England Test cricketer, cricket writer and broadcaster.An all-rounder, Bailey was known for his skilful but unspectacular batting...
(England cricket team testTest cricketTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er; attended Alleyn Court School) - Emma ChambersEmma ChambersEmma G. Chambers is an English actress. Her work includes the role Alice Tinker in the BBC comedy The Vicar of Dibley and Honey Thacker in the film Notting Hill .-Early life:...
(actress; attended St Bernard's school) - Dick ClementDick ClementDick Clement, OBE is an English writer.Born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, Clement was educated at Bishop's Stortford College and is best known for his writing partnership with Ian La Frenais. Generally, Clement and La Frenais write comedies, or dramas with a comic tone...
(writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
; born in the town) - Buddy GrecoBuddy Greco-Biography:He was born Armando Greco in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Greco began playing piano at the age of four. His first professional work was playing with Benny Goodman's band. Most of Greco's work has been in the jazz and pop genres...
(singer, pianist) - Edward GreenfieldEdward GreenfieldEdward Greenfield is an English music critic and broadcaster. He joined the Manchester Guardian in 1953, working as a lobby correspondent in the House of Commons. He has been a record critic for the newspaper since 1955, a music critic since 1964, and was chief music critic from 1977 until his...
(music writer and broadcasterPresenterA presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
; born in the town) - Benjamin GrosvenorBenjamin GrosvenorBenjamin Grosvenor is a classical pianist from the United Kingdom. He is also a vegetarian. He won the piano section of the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2004 competition. In 2010 he joined BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme, which he completes in 2012.- Family :Grosvenor is the youngest...
(pianistPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
; attended Westcliff High School for BoysWestcliff High School for BoysWestcliff High School for Boys is a selective academy grammar school for boys aged 11 to 18 in Westcliff-on-Sea, near Southend-on-Sea, Essex and surrounding areas. In September 2001 the school was awarded "Beacon" status for its breadth of achievements and quality of work...
) - John HorsleyJohn HorsleyJohn Horsley was a British archaeologist and antiquarian famous for his book Britannia Romana. He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle....
(actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
; born in the town) - John Hutton (Labour MP)John Hutton (Labour MP)John Matthew Patrick Hutton, Baron Hutton of Furness is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness in Cumbria from 1992 to 2010, and has served in a number of Cabinet offices, including Defence Secretary and Business Secretary...
(former Defence Secretary; born in the town) - Russell KaneRussell KaneRussell Kane is an English writer, comedian, actor and media personality. In June 2006, he became the face of digital station Five US. He has been nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning the main prize in August 2010...
(comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, presenter, writer; lives in the town) - Rupert KeeganRupert KeeganRupert Keegan is a former racing driver from England. He participated in 37 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 8 May 1977. He scored no championship points....
(racing driver; born in the town) - Fiona LewisFiona Lewis-Selected filmography:* Smoke Over London * Otley * Joanna * Where's Jack? * Villain * A Day at the Beach * Dr. Phibes Rises Again * Blue Blood * Lisztomania...
(actress; born in the town) - Helen MirrenHelen MirrenDame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
(actress; attended St Bernard's school in the town) - Scroobius Pip (spoken word artist attended St Thomas More High School for BoysSt Thomas More High School for BoysSt Thomas More High School for Boys is a voluntary-aided Roman CatholicMathematics and Computing College located in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England. It caters for boys between the ages of 11 and 18 but has a mixed sixth form....
) - Edward Power BiggsE. Power BiggsEdward George Power Biggs , more familiarly known as E. Power Biggs, was a British-born American concert organist and recording artist.-Biography:...
(classical organistOrganistAn organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
; born in the town) - Maisie SmithMaisie SmithMaisie Lily Smith is an English actress. She has appeared in the feature film The Other Boleyn Girl and has played the regular role of Tiffany Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2008.- Career :...
(actress, Tiffany Dean in EastEnders, attended Chalkwell Hall school and lived in the town)