Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK, seen from the air

            Until the 1790s, the 'south end' of the village of Prittlewell comprised little more than farms and fishermen's cottages; even after the construction of the Grand (now Royal) Hotel in 1794, Southend-on-Sea did not achieve popularity as a seaside resort until the arrival of a rail connection in the early 19th Century, linking London (only 64 km away) to 11 km of bathing beaches.
Southend's popularity as a holiday destination peaked in the 1950s (5¾ million people visited the pier alone in 1949–1950) then declined with the rise of foreign 'package' holidays in the 1960s, but the town remains home to many London commuters and still welcomes ~6½ million tourists per year. A result is that Southend (pop: 177,931) is the seventh most densely populated area in the United Kingdom outside London.

A barrier to Southend's early development as a resort was that its location on the north side of the Thames Estuary means that a falling tide recedes more than 1½ km from the beach, exposing mudflats; even at high tide, the water is only 4-6 m deep, too shallow for pleasure cruisers to approach.
Hence, in 1830 a 180 m wooden pier was opened; still far too short it was extended in 1833 and by 1848 was Europe's longest pier, at 2,100 m.  The wooden pier was replaced in iron in 1887, to a design by James Brunlees.  Massively popular, it was extended in 1897 and again in 1927.  Repurposed during the Second World War as HMS Leigh, a convoy mustering point and naval control centre, and now Grade II Listed, Southend's is the world's longest leisure pier, at 2.16 km. There's a railway for those unwilling/unable to walk.

Understandably, the pier was constructed directly in front of Southend Victoria station and the service to London Liverpool Street. Just after leaving the left of the image, the line passes London Southend Airport. Another railway line, visible following the coast, links Shoeburyness to London's Fenchurch Street station.

Inland, the River Roach is a tributary of the River Crouch, though that's academic so close to the coast; the channels at the upper right contribute to both the river network and to the sea directly, rendering the land beyond an island.
   

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Kingsnorth (show map)

Taken on: June 15, 2015

Tags:

southend-on-sea

essex

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southend

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Sets appears in: • South East England

Groups appears in: • Window seat please • Seascapes and Seashores more » • Southend - Essex • Seaside • Pictures from Planes • Southend-on-Sea • Southend-on-Sea UK • EARTH : The way you see it from high altitude • SEASCAPES!!! • Essex Coast « less

Camera: Canon EOS 60D, f/11.0, 1/320 sec, 85mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 60D
Lens:	EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Aperture:	f/11.0
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/320)
Focal Length:	85mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	-2/3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 (Windows)
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