Southend-on-Sea, a Town with Borough Status and a Wider Unitary Authority Area in Southeastern Essex, England
The town of Southend-on-Sea is also a broader unitary authority area with the status of a borough in the southeastern county of Essex, in England. It is also commonly called Southend and is located on the northern side of the Thames Estuary 40 miles east of central London and 1.7 miles from the London Southend Airport. Southend Pier, the world’s longest leisure pier is found in this town.
Formerly, the town consisted of several farms and fisherman huts at the south end of the Prittlewell village. The first building to what was to evolve into the town’s High Street was completed in the 1790s. A visit from Princess Caroline of Brunswick in the 19th Century transformed the status of Southend to a seaside resort. The Southend Pier was also constructed during this period.
Food, Shopping and Accommodation in Southend-on-Sea
Southend has two shopping centres, the Victoria Shopping Centre, and the Royal Shopping Centre, both with high street fashion such as Bonmarché sitting side-by-side with local shop owners. This town is the ultimate foodie’s paradise with its more than five hundred eating and dining establishments, mangy of which are located in the Westcliff-on-Sea area. And being a seaside resort, Southend-on-Sea hosts large numbers of hotels, B&Bs, inns, and other specialty accommodations.
Things to See and Do in Southend-on-Sea
The old Leigh neighbourhood is a quite an attraction in this part of town, and so is the Southend Pier, the longest pleasure pier in the world. The romantic ruins of Hadleigh Castle, as well as the other historical landmarks in the area such as the Prittlewell Priory, the Southchurch Hall, the South Shoebury Hall, are also places of interest while in Southend. Parks and museums are also favourite destinations in Southend; the Belfairs Wood Park, Chalkwell Park, Priory Park, Southchurch Park; Southend Park Museum, Central Museum and the Leigh Heritage Center.