Ran into Canvey bloggers Joe
and Liam from the award-winning Beyond The Point at the Essex Record Office
open-day. The local history-lovers started Beyond the Point in 2011 when they
were 14 and it’s a fascinating exploration of historical sites in Canvey Island
and south-east Essex. The videos posted by Liam and Joe really capture the joy
of exploring derelict tunnels and buildings.
Explorations on the site include,
the Occidental Oil Refinery on Canvey, Hadleigh Castle, the Coalhouse Fort at
East Tilbury, a secret nuclear bunker in Benfleet (though it couldn’t have
taken a full scale attack), the Devil’s Steps in Thundersley Glen and they’ve recently
even ventured over the river to Kent’s coastal forts and the Cliffe Explosives factory.
They’ve found Roman pottery and Victorian horse buckles on Canvey and a live bullet
under Southend Pier. The site has really useful interactive maps too. Click on the link to read.
