Author: Liam Heatherson

By Liam Heatherson

RAF Hornchurch

What is RAF Hornchurch? Hornchurch Country Park covers almost 105 hectares on the former site or RAF Hornchurch. Used today by dog walkers, fishermen and families; many historic remains are scattered around the park and we went to explore what still survives from the Second World War. The airfield has existed since 1915 as ‘Sutton…

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By Liam Heatherson

EKCO Factory & Air Raid Tunnels

Top: EKCO Southend premises c.1940 & 2008    Bottom: Aerial view of the site in 1934 & 1970s Priory Crescent was until recently home to a vast factory complex constructed by the locally-founded EKCO electronics company. In 2008 it was demolished after several decades of switching hands, and now a modern housing estate is nearing completion…

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By Liam Heatherson

Upper Horse Island

When Beyond the Point was first established in 2011, we started investigating some strange patterns on Upper Horse Island, situated to the west of Canvey Island. They appear to be the same colour to the marsh surrounding, but are clearly shaped by humans, it being square, with circles and lines inside. This lead us to…

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By Liam Heatherson

Paglesham Pillboxes

Paglesham is a vast expanse of mostly rural land surrounded by earthen seawalls of the common pre-North Sea Flood style witnessed across the Essex coastline. These protect it from the River Crouch and Roach. As well as requiring protection from the water, in 1940 it needed protection from what might exploit these waterways. Operation Sealion…

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By Liam Heatherson

Stambridge Mills

Stambridge was once home to a tide mill on the waterfront dating back many centuries. The original building burnt down in April 1965 although the site continued operation as a mill until 2014. Another fire saw the finale of the site’s operation, although several partially-demolished modern buildings survive.

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By Liam Heatherson

Canvey Island ROC Post

Photos from Dave Bullock. Above ground photo by Nick Catford. Nick Catford from the amazing site Subterranea Britannica visited the site in 1997, 1998, and 2000. He records: When first inspected in 1997 the post was in reasonable external condition with all surface features intact but with some land erosion around the access shaft. The…

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By Liam Heatherson

Fambridge Concrete Barge

In the marshy area adjacent to North Fambridge marina lies a ferro-concrete barge partially submerged in a field. Once stranded in the marshland, this barge exists as a peculiar hulk misplaced from its maritime origins and today exists buried into the earth following the reclamation of the area into farmland. This example is in good…

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By Liam Heatherson

Bromley-by-Bow Gasometers

Those of you who travel past West Ham station on the C2C train line will be familiar with the sight of Bromley-by-Bow gas containers. Upon closer inspection, you will see that these ugly industrial monstrosities are in fact works of art from the bygone era of the Industrial Revolution. The first industry known to be…

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