| Purfleet-on-Thames | |
|---|---|
 Gateway Clocktower | |
  Purfleet-on-Thames Location withinEssex | |
| Population | 5,883 (2021) |
| OS grid reference | TQ555775 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PURFLEET |
| Postcode district | RM19 |
| Dialling code | 01708 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°28′48″N0°15′00″E / 51.480°N 0.250°E /51.480; 0.250 | |
Purfleet-on-Thames is a town in theThurrock unitary authority,Essex, England.
It is bordered by theA13 road to the north and theRiver Thames to the south and is within the easternmost part of theM25 motorway but just outside theGreater London boundary. It was within the traditionalChurch of England parish ofWest Thurrock. Some industry is located to the south and the area forms part of theThames Gateway redevelopment area. Purfleet is one of sevenconservation areas in Thurrock.[1]
The place-name "Purfleet" is first attested in 1285, where it appears asPurteflyete. It is recorded asPourteflet in theClose Roll for 1312. The name means "Purta's stream or tidal inlet".[2]
In the 18th century, PurfleetRoyal Gunpowder Magazine was established as a location for the storage ofgunpowder together with a garrison to protect it. A constant danger of explosion as a result of lightning strikes existed.Benjamin Franklin was asked for advice on the design of a lightning conductor and a committee of theRoyal Society supported his design for pointed conductors. After theAmerican Revolution the powder store was protected from lightning which hit the building, though metal drainpipes actually did the work. WhenKing George III heard of this, he insisted they be replaced with blunt conductors and thepresident of the Royal Society was forced to resign.[3][4]
Magazine number 5, the only one remaining of the original five, is now the Purfleet Garrison Heritage and Military Centre and aScheduled Ancient Monument. It is run by volunteers and contains a wide range of local and military memorabilia (including items fromRAF Hornchurch) and is open to the public on Thursdays, Sundays and bank holidays.
J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851) made sketches of Purfleet in 1805–08 mainly featuring the Powder Magazines. The sketches are collected in the River and Margate Sketchbook which are part of theTate Britain collection and accepted as part of theTurner Bequest in 1856.[5]
Other surviving 18th-century buildings include the proofing house (now used for community activities) and the gatehouse clock tower (described byEnglish Heritage as forming "an integral part of the finest ensemble in any of the Ordnance Yards, consistent with the high standards practised by the Ordnance Board in its designs for fortifications and barracks from the C17").[6]
In his history of Essex (1848)[7] W. White describes Purfleet as having 704 inhabitants including 199 from the barracks. "Purfleet is a village and military station...at the mouth of a rivulet, and at the west end of West Thurrock ... sometimes called a township ... and has a pleasure fair on the 13th of June. Near it are the extensive limeade chalk pits of W.H. Whitbread, the lord of the manor. The harbour is often full of shipping business and animation: and joining it is a large government powder magazine, consisting of five detached bomb-proof and well-protected store-houses, barracks for a company of artillery, a store keeper's mansion, and a good quay. The magazine was built in 1781, and has room for the safe keeping of 60,000 barrels of gunpowder."[8]
In March 1916,anti-aircraft gunners based at Purfleet shot down the GermanZeppelinLZ 48 (also listed as L15) — the first airship to be destroyed by anti-aircraft artillery. In recognition of their achievement, the gunners received a prize from theLord Mayor of London, Sir Christopher Wakefield.[9]
From 1921 to 1936, Purfleet formed anurban district ofEssex, including the parishes ofAveley,West Thurrock andSouth Ockendon. It covered an area of 8,900 acres (3,600 ha) and in 1931 had a population of 8,511. The parishes and urban district were abolished in 1936 and their former area was used to form part ofThurrock Urban District.
Reflecting its importance as a seaport and storage depot, Purfleet was listed by theMinistry of Food as one of 14 sensitiveA-bomb targets in 1955, including anentrepot for the import of tea.[10]
InBram Stoker's novelDracula, first published in 1897,Count Dracula purchased the fictional house called "Carfax" in Purfleet, which was next to a lunatic asylum.[11]
In 2020, after a two-year campaign, the town's name was officially changed to Purfleet-on-Thames in an attempt to improve its fortunes and attract more investment.[12]
In 2006 Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation initiated a project to regenerateHigh House, Purfleet by renovating historic farm buildings dating from the 16th century and encouraging the development of some creative-industry buildings on the 14-acre site.
TheRoyal Opera House's Bob and Tamar Manoukian scene-making facility for its operas and ballets opened on the High House site in December 2010, followed by a Costume Centre in 2015.Creative & Cultural Skills opened The Backstage Centre at the park in March 2013.[13] The Backstage Centre now houses the national headquarters of Creative & Cultural Skills.[14] In July 2013 ACME Studios, opened 43 artist studios in the park.[15]
Purfleet has been the site of aUnilever (formerly Van den Berghs & Jurgens) factory producingStork,Flora,Bertolli, andICBINB!margarine since 1917, reputed to be the largest in the world.[citation needed] It is the location of anEsso lubricants plant, aroll-on/roll-off ferry (RORO) terminal, and the head office ofCarpetright, the UK's largest flooring company. It is also home to Scania GB Ltd's largest European workshop/office.[16]
Road transport links connect Purfleet to nearby towns includingBasildon andGrays, as well asLakeside Shopping Centre with buses operated byEnsignbus andNIBS Buses. Railway services operated byc2c fromPurfleet station offer frequent services toLondon Fenchurch Street,Barking,Grays,Tilbury andSouthend. The town is also one of the termini of theLondon LOOPlong-distance trail.
Purfleet Freight Terminal is the closestRoll-on/Roll-off (RORO) ferry port to London. Operated by C.RO Ports, the 92-acre (37 ha) combined freight terminal handles 250,000 lorry trailers andISO containers and tanks per year, and via a dedicatedPre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) facility, the import/export of 400,000 vehicles. There are four railway sidings on site, accessed via theLondon, Tilbury and Southend line to allow direct unloading/loading from ferry or lorry to rail. Scheduled ferry services are operated daily by sister-company Cobelfret Ferries to thePort of Zeebrugge,Belgium and thePort of Rotterdam,Netherlands.[17][18]
The town is served byBBC London andITV London with television signals received fromCrystal Palace TV transmitter,[19]BBC South East andITV Meridian can also be received fromBluebell Hill TV transmitter.[20]
Local radio stations areBBC Essex,Heart East and Gateway 97.8, a community based radio station.[21]
The Thurrock Gazette is the town's local weekly newspaper.[22]
Thurrock F.C. (formerly Purfleet F.C.) played in the town until disbanding in 2018, and the local council helps to maintain seven leisure centres and one country club in the Borough, the nearest centre being in Springhouse Road, Corringham.[23]TheCircus Tavern in Purfleet was the venue of thePDC World Darts Championship between 1994 and 2007, as well as hosting thePlayers Championship Finals in 2009 & 2010.[24][25]
