CANVEY ISLAND is divided among eight parishes, and has about 110 inhabitants and about 3600 acres of grazing land, on which cattle and sheep are fattened. This marshy island is in the estuary of the river Thames, opposite South Benfleet, Hadleigh, and the port of Leigh, and is separated from the main land by Had- leigh Bay and South Benfleet and East Haven creeks. It is ofan irregular oval figure, from 1 to 2½miles in breadth, and about six miles in length, including the narrow point at its eastern end. It has asmall fair on June 24th, and a passage to South Benfleet, by a raised causeway across the creek, fordable at low water. Camden supposes this island to be that mentioned byPtolemy, under the name Counus. In the 16th century it belonged chiefly to to the Baker and Appleton families. In 1622, the proprietors agreed to give one-third of itto Joas Croppenburgh, a Dutchman, in consideration of his securing the whole island from the over- flowing of the tides, by raising round it the high embankments which still preserve it from inundation, except during very high tides,whensome parts of it are overflowed, but these occasional visitations tend to enrich the soil. Atimber chapel was erected on.
the island by the Dutch settlers, and was rebuilt in 1712. The present Church is chiefly of timber, and was built in 1745, chiefly byD. Scratton, Esq. , of Prittlewell, who gave part of the tithes to trustees, to pay £10 a year to the vicar of Prittlewell, and £10 to the curate for preaching 20 sermons here. The benefice is now a perpetual curacy, valued at £80, in the patronage of the Bishop of Rochester, and incumbency of the Rev. T. J. Henderson, of South Benfleet. The island now belongs to the Spitty, Ballie, Curtis, and other families, and is mostly occupied by the farmers of the eight parishes to which it belongs, viz:-North and South Benfleet,
Bower’s Gifford, Laindon, Pitsea, Vange, Prittlewell, and South- church. The principal residents are-
Chas. Beckwith, victualler, Lobster Smack ; Thomas Drawbridge, beerhouse and shopkeeper – Red Cow; and Jas. Ellis Wellard, farmer. Here is a Coast Guard of eleven men.