Wallasea Island 1848 Whites directory
WALLASEA ISLAND is separated from Foulness Island on the east by the Broomhill river, and is bounded on the north by the river Crouch. On the south and west it is separated from the main land by the former river, and a creek extending from it to the Crouch. It comprises about 3000 acres of fine marsh land, which belongs to the parishes of Canewdon, Eastwood, Paglesham, Great Stambridge, and Little Wakering, though most of these villages are distant from 4 to 6 miles. It has its name from its embankments, or sea walls, and is about 4 miles long and 2 broad. Pool marsh, about 500A . , belongs to the Western family, and the rest to various owners. The FARMERS are, Stephen Allen, of Rayleigh ; W. T. Meeson, of Rochford ; and John Witney. The small Islands of Great and Litttle Potton, New England, Havengore, and Rushley, vary from 200 to 600 acres each, and are clustered together on the south-west side of Foulness, between the sea and the winding creeks communicating with Broomhill river.
They belong to the adjacent parishes, as noticed at page 386. Arthur Young, in his survey of these islands, about 40 years ago, speaks of the soil of FOULNESS as the richest in the county. ” The whole was (he observes) forty years ago under water, and no corn got for two years; but after that, the crops grew greater than ever, so as to furnish an effectual proof that the water did good, after being chastened and corrected by the atmosphere. The saline quality is entangled in apeculiar manner, very different from what is found in upland countries. The richest soils in such, are comprised, in a great measure, of sand, mixed with a portion of clay, and very friable where the sand predominates. But with the soil of Foulness, the case is different ; for whatever friableness it possesses, seems to be owing to a fermentative power, arising from the action of the atmosphere on a body abounding with mucilaginous particles. There is very little appearance of any sand in it ; the particles are so fine that it might be expected to became an impalpable powder; but, on the contrary, it is capable of such adhesion, that a clod will become very hard ; crumbled in the hand, it yields a strong scent, indicative of the presence of vo- latile alkali. The fertility of it is so great, that the farmers are very little attentive to dung ; nor do they commonly venture it for any kind of corn, as it throws up much straw without improving the crop.” The great drawback upon these advantages was the total want of fresh water springs till 1829, when Mr. Francis Bannester, owner of Rushley Island, succeeded, by boring and inserting iron pipes to the depth of 460 feet, in obtaining a copious ever-flowing spring of pure water, and since then many such wells have been sunk in the different islands. Previous to this fortunate discovery of an inexhaustible reservoir of fresh water under the bed of the sea, many unsuccessful attempts had been made to procure a supply of the pure beverage of nature.