TILBURY, (WEST) a small village at the head of a small creek of the Thames, more than a mile north of that river, 2 miles W. of East Tilbury, and 21 miles E. of London, has in its parish about 1700 acres of land, and 274 inhabitants ; exclusive of the soldiers, &c. , in TILBURY FORT, which rears its frowning battlements on the north bank of the Thames, opposite Gravesend, to which it has a busy ferry. This formidable fortress was originally erected by Henry VIII. , as a blockhouse, and was enlarged and made a regular fortification by Charles II. , after the Dutch fleet had sailed up the river in 1667, and burnt three English men-of- war ships at Chatham.
The esplanade is very large, and the bastions are the largest in England, and are faced with brick, and encompassed by a double ditch or moat. The inner moat is 180 feet broad, and has a good counter-scrap. On the land side are two small redoubts of brick ; but its chief defence on that side consists in its being capable of laying all the adjacent marshes under water. On the side next the river is a very strong embattled wall, with a handsome entrance gate in the middle, called the water-gate, and a ditch, palisaded. At the place intended for the water-bastion, and which by the plan should have run out into the river, so as to command both curtains, stands a high tower, erected by Queen Elizabeth, and formerly called the Blockhouse. Before it is a platform, mounted in time of war, with 106 pieces of cannon, of from 24 to 46-pounders ; besides which, smaller pieces are placed between them and the bastions and curtains. The interior of the fort has all the necessary apartments for a large garrison; but it is now chiefly used as a depôt for the recruits of the district. Queen Elizabeth established her army here in 1588, when the kingdom was threatened with invasion by the Spanish Armada; and traces of the encampment may be seen near the fort. The Queen came here, and delivered to the army a long patriotic address, in which she said,-” My loving people,-We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you that I do not live to distrust my loving and faithful people; let tyrants fear. “
TILBURY STATION, on the London and Southend Railway, is near the Fort, but it is in Chadwell parish, as also is part of the Fort; and there is another Station in Low street, between east and west Tilbury. COAL HOUSE FORT, now building in East Tilbury parish, is to mount about 40 Armstrong guns, for the better defence of the Thames. West Tilbury is said to have had a considerable town in the seventh century, called Tillaburgh, where St. Chad, bishop of the East Saxons, built a church, when spreading the Christian religion in this country.
A mineral spring was discovered in the parish in 1727, about 12 feet below the surface of a small eminence rising above the marshes. It was for some years in great repute, but is now disused. At Domesday Survey, the parish belonged to Suene of Essex, but it was afterwards divided into two manors, called West Tilbury and Condovers, and successively held by the Tilbury, Vaughan, Jenoure, Weston, Hatton, Hunt, Newing, Baker, and other families. The soil is free hold, and belongs to various owners. The Church ( St. James) is pleasantly situated on rising ground, from which there is an extensive prospect over the estuary of the Thames. Formerly it had a lofty stone tower, which fell down many years ago, when a wooden framed tower and spire were built on its site. The body of the church was also rebuilt, and now consists of a nave, chancel, and porch. A gravestone, in the form of a coffin, and ornamented with crosses, forms the sill of one of the windows, but was formerly in the north aisle of the original church. A chapel anciently stood on the site of the Fort, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, and founded in the time of St. Thomas a’Becket. It was called West Lee Chapel, and is supposed to have been founded by one of the Tilbury family.
The rectory, valued in K.B. at £20, and in 1831 at £599, is in the patronage ofthe Lord Chancellor, and incumbency of the Rev. James Hargreaves, who supports a parish school and library. The tithes were commuted in 1839 for £562 per annum.
WEST TILBURY.
The POST OFFICE at Edw. Travis’s.
Letters from Grays, via Romford.
Asplin Francis, farmer
Asplin Peter, farmer
Atkinson William, Tilbury station master
Betts George, farmer, Blue House
Eve James, beerhouse and shopkeeper
Fuller James, clerk at Station
Hargreaves Rev. James, Rectory
Harris William, baker, &c .
Hart William, grocer and draper
Hawkes William, schoolmaster
Impey Mr Charles, Cottage
Irwin John Hamblen, Low street, Station master
Kelly Major-General, fort major
Knight Richard, farmer ; h Dunton
Marr Captain, fort barrack master
Merchant Joshua, parish clerk
Sandle Joseph Parmenter, farmer
Spearman Golden, victualler, Canteen
Such John, blacksmith
Tomlin John, victualler, King’s Head
Travis David, carpenter & builder
Travis Edw. wheelwright & builder
Wright William, boot and shoe maker
TILBURY AND LOW STREET STATIONS
Trains 5 or 6 times a day to London, Southend, &c.
STEAMERS call here in summer from London, Ipswich, Harwich, &c .