Benfleet Time Line

An illustrated guide

893 AD 

The banner of Alfred the Great, whose son and brother-in-law inflicted a crushing defeat on the Vikings at Benfleet .  (It is likely that a small church arose in the aftermath)

 

c.1100

Beginnings of St. Mary’s Church as we  know it  (heightened and enlarged over the centuries)

 

1841 

Benfleet Tithe Map

 

 

  1845 

Benfleet National School, School Lane, opens

 

 

 1855 

Railway arrives

 

 

1877 

First Methodist (Wesleyan) Church Opened (School Lane)

 

1903

Wooden railway station burns down       

 

 

 

 

1903

Water tower completed

 

 

1911

Horse trough installed at Church Corner

 

 

 1912  

New station open current position

 

 

1914

New Cemetery  –  Cemetery Corner is born

 

 

 

1920

War memorial installed

 

 

 

 1924

Voluntary Fire Brigade formed

 

 

 1926

New school opens in the High Road

 

 

 1928

Parade of Shops built by Richmond Avenue

 

 

 1931

Methodist Church opened in High Road

 

 

 

  1931

First bridge (swing) to Canvey opened

 

                                                                                                                           

1932

Knightleys at Church Corner demolished

 

                                                             

 1934

Downs opened

 

 

 1938

Essex Way opens  

 

    

1949

New Bell added to Church for thanksgiving for victory in the War. Older bells date back as far as the 1600’s

 

 

1953   

Canvey Island Floods

 

 

1962

Railway electrification    &   

 

Demolition of many  creekside buildings

 

 

 

1966

Shops uphill from Hoy demolished

 

 

 1969

Crown becomes the Half Crown 

 

                                  

 1973

Current bridge opened

 

 

 1988

Conservation area designated

 

             

1995

New Library Opened

 

 

2005

Methodist Church Welcome Area opened

 

                         

 2010

Benfleet Community Archive Formed

 

 

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