TILBURY (EAST) is an ancient village on the north bank of the Thames, at the east end of Gravesend Reach, and at the south end of that broad bend of the river commonly called The Hope, about a mile from Low street Station, 2½ miles E. by N. of Tilbury Fort and Station, and 16 miles E.S.E. of Romford. Its parish contains 425 inhabitants, and 2031 acres of land, and includes part of New Kingsford, about a mile from the church. The Roman road called Higham causeway, of which some traces yet remains between Rochester and Higham, points in the direction of the ancient ferry of East Tilbury, which is believed to have been the place where the Emperor Claudius crossed the Thames in pursuit of the Britons.
Before the Conquest this parish was held by a freeman, and at the Domesday Survey, Tedric Pointel, and his under-tenant, Hunald, held it. The land is now nearly all freehold, and belongs to Wm. Cotton, Esq. , and several smaller owners. Southall farm is vested in trust for the repairs of Rochester Bridge. Another estate here was purchased in 1729, for the endowment of Limehouse Rectory ; and Castle farm belongs to Whitechapel church. The Church (St. Katharine) is an ancient structure, consisting of a nave, north aisle, and chancel. Its tower, which stood at the south-west angle, was beaten down by the Dutch in the reign of Charles II. In 1389, John Lord Cobham appropriated the rectory to his new college, at Cobham, but on the suppression of chantries, &c. , it passed to the Crown; and it now belongs to E. Williams, Esq., who has a seat here, called the Rectory. The discharged vicarage, valued in K.B. at £13. 6s. 8d., and now at £244, is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and incumbency of the Rev. William George Goodchild, M.A., who has 1½ acres of glebe and a neat residence, erected in 1835.
The vicarial tithes were commuted in 1836 for £244, and the rectorial for £388 per annum. The Poor’s Land is about a rood of building land, let for £1. 11s. 6d. a year, which is distributed in coals, togetherwith a yearly rent-charge of 20s. , out ofFolly Field, left by an unknown donor. The Parish School was built in 1855.
EAST TILBURY.
POST OFFICE at William Noyes’ . Letters via Grays and Romford.
Archibald Mrs Eliza, victualler, Ship
Asplin Francis, gent. St. Cleres
Asplin Charles, gent. Tilbury Place
Claydon John, wharfinger
Collins Jasper, pork butcher & shopkeeper
Deeks Edw. pork butcher & shopkeeper
Dowsett Jesse, gardener, &c.
Goodchild Rev. William George M.A. vicar
Lewis James, bricklayer
Noyes William, schoolmaster
Rawlings Wm. G. wheelwright & smith
Osborn Thomas James, gent. East Tilbury House
Sawell Mrs, Gobians Farm
Scott Richard, shoemaker
Williams Eleazar, Esq. Rectory
Fordham Joseph, baker and coal dealer
Wright Mrs Mary Ann, beerhouse