Erith () is an area in south-east

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England, east of

Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Since the early 19th century, Charing Cross has been the notional "centre of London" and became the point from which distances from London are measured. ...

. Before the creation of

Greater London Greater London is an administrative area in England, coterminous with the London region, containing most of the continuous urban area of London. It contains 33 local government districts: the 32 London boroughs, which form a Ceremonial count ...

in 1965, it was in the historical county of

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

. Since 1965 it has formed part of the

London Borough of Bexley The London Borough of Bexley () is a London boroughs, London borough in south-east London, forming part of Outer London. It has a population of 248,287. The main settlements are Sidcup, Erith, Bexleyheath, Belvedere, London, Belvedere, Crayford ...

. It lies north-east of

Bexleyheath Bexleyheath is a town in southeast London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley. It had a population of approximately 15,600 in 2021 and is southeast of Charing Cross. It is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in London ...

and north-west of

Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...

, on the south bank of the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

. The town centre has been modernised with further dwellings added since 1961. The curved riverside high street has three

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

s, including the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

church and the Carnegie Building. Erith otherwise consists mainly of suburban housing. It is linked to central London and Kent by

rail Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Railway track or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' (1967 fil ...

and to

Thamesmead Thamesmead () is an area of south-east London, England, straddling the border between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley. It is located east of Charing Cross, north-east of Woolwich and west of Erith. It mainly c ...

by a dual carriageway. It has the longest pier in London, and retains a coastal environment with

salt marsh A salt marsh, saltmarsh or salting, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. I ...

es alongside industrial land.

History

Pre-medieval

Work carried out at the former

British Gypsum BPB Ltd (formerly BPB plc) (British Plaster Board) was a British building materials business. It once was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. In 2005, the company was purchased by Saint-Gobain of France. The company's subsidiary British Gypsum ...

site in Church Manorway by the

Museum of London London Museum (known from 1976 to 2024 as the Museum of London) is a museum in London, covering the history of the city from prehistoric to modern times, with a particular focus on social history. The Museum of London was formed in 1976 by ama ...

Archaeological Service shows that the area was covered by a dense forest of

oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

yew Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus '' Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew ('' Taxus ...

and

alder Alders are trees of the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus includes about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few species ex ...

in the

Neolithic Period The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wid ...

, which by the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

had given way in part to sedge fen.Museum of London summary of archaeological work carried out in 2001
accessed 6 April 2008 The museum's work at the former site of Erith School in Belmont Road revealed traces of prehistoric settlement and a substantial community or farmstead in the first century CE.Museum of London summary of archaeological work carried out in 1996
Accessed 6 April 2008.

Anglo-Saxons

After the collapse of Roman rule in the early 5th century, Britain was colonised by

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the English, were a Cultural identity, cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. They traced t ...

invaders from northern Europe. The ''

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' is a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the ''Chronicle'' was created late in the ninth century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of ...

'' records that they won the

Battle of Crecganford The Timeline of conflict in Anglo-Saxon Britain is concerned with the period of history from just before the departure of the Roman Army, in the 4th century, to just after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. The information is mainly deriv ...

(thought to be modern

Crayford Crayford is a town and Wards of the United Kingdom, electoral ward in South London, South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley. It lies east of Bexleyheath and north west of Dartford. Crayford was in the Historic countie ...

) in 457 and shortly after claimed the whole of

. Their different way of life was reflected in their settlement pattern. The town and country estates of Roman bureaucrats gave way to a network of villages occupied by warriors and farmers. Erith was one such and has a Saxon name, originally ''Ærre hyðe'' meaning "old haven". There was probably a church on the site of the present St John the Baptist's in the Anglo-Saxon period. The early settlement was based around it, meaning that the centre of Erith was once west of its current location.

Medieval

The earliest written reference to the area is in a Latin charter of 695, recording a grant by the Bishop of the East Saxons of land at Erith. The surrounding area was known as Lesnes or Lessness, which is mentioned in the

Domesday Book Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...

of 1086. After the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, French people, French, Flemish people, Flemish, and Bretons, Breton troops, all led by the Du ...

, Lessness passed into the possession of Bishop Odo. In 1315, a

Royal Charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...

was granted for a market to be held in Erith every Thursday, but it was noted in 1776 that the market was long discontinued.Bexley Local Studies Note 51 – Historical References to Erith Market
Accessed 6 June 2008. Erith owes its existence to the Thames, and was until the 1850s essentially a small riverside port, given prominence by

King Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disagreement w ...

's decision to open a naval dockyard there, approximately where the Riverside Gardens are now. Henry's famous warship, '' Henri Grace à Dieu'', was fitted out there in 1515. After the death of

George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, 4th Earl of Waterford, 10th Baron Talbot, Order of the Garter, KG, Order of the Bath, KB, Privy Counsellor, PC ( – 26 July 1538) was the son of John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, and Lady Catherine Sta ...

in 1538, Erith "alias Lysnes" was granted to his widow, Elizabeth, by Henry VIII "with all its members and appurtenances, to hold in capite, by knight's service." Erith remained a popular anchorage until the 19th century. Ships often discharged cargo there to reduce their

displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...

before entering shallows upstream.

Industrial era

In 1797

Edward Hasted Edward Hasted (20 December 1732 OS (31 December 1732 NS) – 14 January 1812) was an English antiquarian and pioneering historian of his ancestral home county of Kent. As such, he was the author of a major county history, ''The History and ...

described Erith as "one small street of houses, which leads to the water side", and mentions annual fairs at Ascension and

Michaelmas Michaelmas ( ; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in many Western Christian liturgical calendars on 29 Se ...

. In 1831 Erith's population was 1,533. It was composed in 1840 "chiefly of two streets, one leading down to the water side, the other branching off to the left towards the church." By 1849 Erith was enjoying a short spell as a riverside resort. Its pier and nearby hotel gave hospitality for

day-tripper A day trip is a visit to a tourist destination or visitor attraction from a person's home, hotel, or hostel in the morning, returning to the same lodging in the evening. The day trip is a form of recreational travel and leisure to a location tha ...

s arriving on Thames pleasure boats or by rail. An

arboretum An arboretum (: arboreta) is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees and shrubs of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, many modern arbor ...

with extensive pleasure grounds was opened to attract visitors. The

Local Government Act 1894 The Local Government Act 1894 ( 56 & 57 Vict. c. 73) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The act followed the reforms carried out at county leve ...

brought into existence Erith Urban District, which became the

Municipal Borough of Erith Erith was a local government district in north west Kent from 1876 to 1965 around the town of Erith. It also included the generally suburban areas of Northumberland Heath, Belvedere, London, Belvedere, and parts of Barnehurst, Bexleyheath, Crayfo ...

in 1938. It included

Northumberland Heath Northumberland Heath is an area of South East London, England within the London Borough of Bexley. It is located south of Erith and north of Bexleyheath. History The area was once known as Spike Island after the workhouse that was situated the ...

and Belvedere. Erith Iron Works was established in 1864 on a riverside site at Anchor Bay, east of Erith's centre, by

William Anderson William Anderson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * William Anderson (artist) (1757–1837), painter of marine and historical paintings * William Anderson (theatre) (1868–1940), Australian stage entrepreneur * William Anderson (1911–1986 ...

.Bexley Local Studies Note 66 'Sir William Anderson'
Accessed 6 June 2008. On 1 October 1864 a 46½-ton gunpowder explosion blew out the river wall, exposing large areas of South London to flooding at high tide. A crowd of navvies and soldiers directed by a local engineer managed to plug the gap just before high water. From 1881 an area north-west of Erith's centre was the site of a cable works founded by William Callender. This became

British Insulated Callender's Cables British Insulated Callender's Cables (BICC) was a major British cable manufacturer and construction company of the 20th century. It has been renamed after its former subsidiary Balfour Beatty. BICC was created via the merger of two long establi ...

(BICC) and eventually

Pirelli Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is an Italian multinational tyre manufacturer based in the city of Milan, Italy. The company, which has been listed on the Borsa Italiana since 1922, is the 5th-largest tyre manufacturer, and is focused on the consumer pro ...

, which announced its partial closure in 2003. The remainder became

Prysmian Prysmian S.p.A. is a multinational company with headquarters in Milan, Italy, specialising in the production of electrical cable for use in the energy and telecom sectors and for optical fibres. Prysmian is present in Europe with 48 plants, 23 ...

20th century

Erith's first library, designed by local architect William Egerton and funded by philanthropist

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...

, opened in 1906. Engineering became an important industry in Erith, with armaments and cables as the main products.

Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...

was a major employer, with links to the

Royal Arsenal The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich is an establishment on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England, that was used for the manufacture of armaments and ammunition, proof test, proofing, and explosives research for ...

at nearby

Woolwich Woolwich () is a town in South London, southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area; a role that was mainta ...

During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Erith was an important area for the manufacture of guns and ammunition, largely due to the presence of the large

works. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the town suffered heavy bomb damage, mainly because of its riverside position near the Royal Arsenal. The bomb damage and a gradual decline in local trade prompted major redevelopment in the 1960s. In 1961, Erith began to be redeveloped as a modern shopping and working environment, through the clearing of sub-standard housing by the riverside and alterations to the street layout. Some of the new buildings, such as the

social housing Public housing, also known as social housing, refers to Subsidized housing, subsidized or affordable housing provided in buildings that are usually owned and managed by local government, central government, nonprofit organizations or a ...

tower block A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, residential tower, apartment block, block of flats, or office tower is a tall building, as opposed to a low-rise building and is defined differently in terms of height depending on the jurisdiction. ...

s, have a

brutalist Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the b ...

form typical of

overspill estate An overspill estate is a housing estate built at the edge of an urban area, often to rehouse people from inner city areas as part of slum clearances. They were created on the outskirts of most large British towns in the 20th century. The Town De ...

s built by councils in major cities as an affordable way to clear the slums. In 1965, under the

London Government Act 1963 The London Government Act 1963 (c. 33) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which created Greater London and a new local government structure within it. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the ...

, Erith became part of the

Demolition of the old town started in 1966 and continued in phases until 1980, leaving only a few reminders of the old town centre. Many of the original Victorian buildings were lost, but some original townscape remains, including the ''White Hart'' in the High Street and St John's Church in West Street.

Regeneration

Since the late 1990s Erith has undergone marked changes, culminating in the Erith Western Thames Gateway project. The regeneration falls within the remit of the Thames Gateway project, with Erith as a focus for Bexley Council, as its only population centre on the

. Since 2000 a significant number of new flats have been built on the river by private developers. The Erith Western Gateway will include riverside flats, and is expected to include the regeneration of a large underused area of the town centre, earmarked by Bexley Council for a mixed-use development with up to 6,000 sq. m of new commercial space and over 500 new homes. In 2020, local campaigners secured National Lottery funding to restore the former library building as new community facilities.

Demography

The population of Erith is 62% White British, according to the 2011 census, down from 82% in 2001 and 89% in 1991. The second highest ethnicity is Black African, at 14%. The median house price in Erith ward was £181,000 in 2014, the third lowest of the 628 wards in Greater London, with only neighbouring Belvedere and the Abbey ward of Barking and Dagenham having lower prices.

Representation

Much of Erith is in the Erith ward of the

. The local councillors are Joe Ferreira and Nicola Taylor (both Labour). The eastern part of Erith is in North End ward and the southern part in Colyers ward. Most of Erith lies within the Erith and Thamesmead constituency. The current Member of Parliament is

Abena Oppong-Asare Abena Oppong-Asare (born 8 February 1983) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as a Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office since July 2024. She was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Erith and Thamesmead in t ...

(Labour). The eastern part of Erith is within the

Bexleyheath and Crayford Bexleyheath and Crayford is a constituency in Greater London to be represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Daniel Francis following his victory in the 2024 general election for the Labour Party.. It was created in 1997 fro ...

constituency, whose MP is Daniel Francis (Labour). Erith is in the Bexley and Bromley London Assembly constituency and is represented on the

London Assembly The London Assembly is a 25-member elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds supermajority, to amend the Mayor's annual budget and to reject t ...

by Thomas Turrell (Conservative).

Amenities

* Erith Leisure Centre, including swimming facilities, was opened in 2005. * The David Ives Stadium next to the Leisure Centre, often called Erith Stadium, is the home track of Bexley Athletic Club. * The Erith Playhouse Theatre is the largest in Bexley. Fishing from Erith Deep Wharf - geograph

Fishing from Erith Deep Wharf - geograph

* Erith has the longest

pier A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...

. * Erith Rowing Club is located on the Erith waterfront. Erith Yacht Club is based a short distance downstream from Erith on the edge of

Crayford Marshes Crayford is a town and electoral ward in South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley The London Borough of Bexley () is a London boroughs, London borough in south-east London, forming part of Outer London. It has a ...

. * There are two senior football clubs named for Erith, although only Erith Town is based in the town, Erith & Belvedere play at

Park View Road Park View Road is home to National League South professional Association football, football club Welling United F.C., Welling United, and was the ground of their predecessors Bexley United F.C., Bexley United. Welling have played there since ...

Welling Welling is a town in South East (London sub region), South East London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley, west of Bexleyheath, southeast of Woolwich and of Charing Cross. It was part of Kent prior to the creation of Greater London i ...

Festivals

The annual Erith Riverside Festival is held in Riverside Gardens alongside the Thames. Erith is the starting point for the

London Outer Orbital Path The London Outer Orbital Path—more usually the "London LOOP"—is a 150-mile (242 km) signed walk along Rights of way in England and Wales, public footpaths, and through parks, woods and fields around the edge of Outer London, Englan ...

(LOOP) and one starting point for the Green Chain Walk. The Thames Path National Trail, which runs to the source of the River Thames at Kemble, begins at nearby Crayford Ness.

Notable people

Philip Absolon Philip Absolon (born 24 November 1960) is a British artist and a founder member of the Stuckists art group,Milner, Frank, ed. ''The Stuckists Punk Victorian'', p. 50, National Museums Liverpool 2004, . Pages 6–30, Charles Thomson's essay, "A ...

(b. 1960),

Stuckist Stuckism () is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson (artist), Charles Thomson to promote Figurative art, figurative painting as opposed to conceptual art.Ronnie Aldrich Ronald Frank Aldrich (15 February 1916 – 30 September 1993) was a British easy listening and jazz pianist, arranger, conductor and composer. Early life He was born Ronald Frank Aldrich on 15 February 1916 in Erith, England, the only son o ...

(1916–1993), jazz pianist and band-leader, was born in Erith. * Patrick Young Alexander (1867–1943), aeronautical pioneer, born in Belvedere, Erith. * Mark Andrews (1875−1939), organist and composer *

William Auld William Auld (6 November 1924 – 11 September 2006) was a British poet, author, translator and magazine editor who wrote chiefly in Esperanto. Life Auld was born at Erith in Kent, and then moved to Glasgow with his parents, attending Allan ...

(1924–2006), Scottish poet, author and

Esperantist An Esperantist () is a person who speaks, reads or writes Esperanto. According to the Declaration of Boulogne, a document agreed upon at the first World Esperanto Congress in 1905, an Esperantist is someone who speaks Esperanto and uses it for ...

, born in Erith * Sir William Anderson (1834–1898), engineer and philanthropist, lived in Erith from 1864 until 1889 and contributed substantial time and money to the local community. *

Tony Brise Anthony William Brise (28 March 1952 – 29 November 1975) was an English racing driver, who took part in ten Formula One Grand Prix events in 1975, before dying in a plane crash with Graham Hill. Early life Brise was born in Erith, Kent, ...

(1952–1975), motor-racing driver, was born in Erith. *

Wendy Cope Wendy Cope (born 21 July 1945) is a contemporary English poet. She read history at St Hilda's College, Oxford. She now lives in Ely, Cambridgeshire, with her husband, the poet Lachlan Mackinnon. Biography Cope was born in Erith in Kent (now ...

(b. 1945), poet, was born in Erith. * John Downton (1906–1991), artist, poet and philosopher, was born in Erith. *

Kevin Horlock Kevin Horlock (born 1 November 1972) is a football manager and former professional footballer. He is the manager of Maldon & Tiptree and assistant manager of the Northern Ireland under-21 team. As a player he was a midfielder who notably pla ...

(b. 1972), footballer,

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

international, was born in Erith * Bill Jaques (1888–1925), footballer, was born in Erith. * James Leasor (1923–2007), journalist and author * Dave Martin (b. 1985), footballer, born in Erith * Douglas McWhirter (1886–1966), amateur footballer, part of the gold medal-winning English team at the

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad () and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 6 July and 22 July 1912. The opening ceremony was he ...

, was born in Erith. * Percy Hilder Miles (1878–1922), professor, violinist and composer, lived in Erith. *

Alan Morton Alan Lauder Morton (24 April 1893 – 12 December 1971) was a Scottish footballer who played as an outside left for Queen's Park, Rangers and Scotland. Playing career Club Morton was born in the Jordanhill district of Glasgow. He grew up in ...

(b. 1950), footballer, was born in Erith. *

Robert Napper Robert Clive Napper (born 25 February 1966) is an English serial killer and rapist. He has been convicted of two murders, one manslaughter, two rapes and two attempted rapes. He was sentenced to indefinite detention at Broadmoor Hospital on 18 ...

(b. 1966), serial murderer and rapist, was born in Erith * Anthony Reckenzaun (1850–1893), engineer, worked at the Erith Ironworks and set up evening classes for the workmen. *

Steve Rutter Steve Rutter (born 24 July 1968) is a former professional footballer who played as a forward in The Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as ...

(b. 1968), footballer, born in Erith * Sam Saunders (b. 1983), footballer ( Brentford F.C.), born in Erith * Linda Smith (1958–2006), comedian and writer, came from Erith. Smith famously joked that Erith was not twinned with any town but had a suicide pact with

Dagenham Dagenham () is a town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Dagenham is centred east of Charing Cross. It was historically a rural parish in the Becontree Hundred of Essex, stretching from Hainault Fo ...

. * James Stephanie Sterling (b. 1984), video game journalist, born and grew up in Erith *

Denis Thatcher Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, (10 May 1915 – 26 June 2003) was an English businessman and the husband of Margaret Thatcher, who served as the first female British prime minister from 1979 to 1990; thus, he became the first male prime min ...

, husband of Prime Minister

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

, headed the family owned Atlas Preservatives, based in Erith, until 1965. * Henry Wheatley (1777–1852),

keeper of the privy purse The Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King/Queen (or Financial Secretary to the King/Queen) is responsible for the financial management of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household of the Monarchy of the United Kingd ...

for King William IV and Queen Victoria from 1830 to 1846, born and grew up at Lesney House.

Culture

A rhyme by

William Cosmo Monkhouse William Cosmo Monkhouse (18 March 184020 July 1901) was a British poet and critic. Biography Monkhouse was born and raised in London. His father, Cyril John Monkhouse, was a solicitor, and his mother's maiden name was Delafosse. Monkhouse was ...

: ::"There are men in the village of Erith that nobody seeth or heareth, ::and there looms on the marge of the river a barge, that nobody roweth or steereth".

Places of worship

*Barnehurst Methodist Church *Christ Church, Victoria Road *

Christadelphian The Christadelphians () are a restorationist and nontrinitarian (Biblical Unitarian) Christian denomination. The name means 'brothers and sisters in Christ',"The Christadelphians, or brethren in Christ ... The very name 'Christadelphian' was co ...

Hall, Lesney Park Road *Northend Baptist Church, Larner Road *Northumberland Road Baptist Church, Belmont Road * Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church, Carlton Road *Queen Street Baptist Church *St Augustines Church (Slade Green), Slade Green Road *St Johns the Baptist Church, West Street *St Paul's Church, Mill Road

Transport

Buses

Erith is served by the following bus routes, (all of which are run by TFL): *99 to

(via

Slade Green Slade Green is an area of South East London, England, within the London Borough of Bexley. It lies northeast of Bexleyheath, northwest of Dartford and south of Erith, and east-southeast of Charing Cross. Historically Slade Green was part of th ...

Barnehurst Barnehurst is a town and Wards of the United Kingdom, electoral ward in Greater London within the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north east of Bexleyheath, and 13.0 miles (20 km) east south-east of Charing Cross. It is separated from Nor ...

), or to

(via Upper Belvedere, West Heath &

Plumstead Plumstead is an area in southeast London, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, England. It is located east of Woolwich. History Plumstead has been settled since ancient times, and London's earliest timber structure has been found here. ...

) *180 to North Greenwich (via Lower Belvedere,

Abbey Wood Abbey Wood is an List of areas of London, area in southeast London, England, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and bordering the London Borough of Bexley. It is located east of Charing Cross. According to the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 ...

, Plumstead, Woolwich & Charlton) *229 to

Sidcup Sidcup is an area of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, bordering the London Boroughs of London Borough of Bromley, Bromley and Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greenwich. It was ...

(via

, Barnehurst, Bexleyheath,

Bexley Bexley is an area of south-eastern Greater London, England and part of the London Borough of Bexley. It is sometimes known as Bexley Village or Old Bexley to differentiate the area from the wider borough. It is located east-southeast of Ch ...

& Albany Park) or to

(via Lower Belvedere & Abbey Wood) *428 to Bluewater (via Slade Green,

) *469 to

Woolwich Common Woolwich Common is a common in Woolwich in southeast London, England. It is partly used as military land (less than 40%) and partly as an urban park. Woolwich Common is a conservation area. It is part of the South East London Green Chain. It is al ...

(via Lower Belvedere, Upper Belvedere, West Heath, Abbey Wood, Plumstead & Woolwich) *B12 to

Joydens Wood Joyden's Wood is an area of ancient woodland that straddles the border between the London Borough of Bexley in South East London and the Borough of Dartford in Kent, England. It is located north west of Swanley, south east of Bexleyheath and ...

(via Northumberland Heath, Bexleyheath & Bexley) *N89 to

(via Slade Green, Barnehurst, Bexleyheath,

Shooters Hill Shooter's Hill is a district of South East London, England, straddling the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north of Eltham and south of Woolwich. With a height of , it is the highest point in the Borough of ...

, Blackheath,

Lewisham Lewisham ( ) is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the Historic counties of England, historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in ...

Deptford Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a Ford (crossing), ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century ...

New Cross New Cross is an area in south-east London, England, south-east of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Lewisham and the London_postal_district#List_of_London_postal_districts, SE14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, London, St Jo ...

Peckham Peckham ( ) is a district in south-east London, within the London Borough of Southwark. It is south-east of Charing Cross. At the 2001 Census the Peckham ward had a population of 14,720. History "Peckham" is a Saxon place name meaning the vi ...

Camberwell Camberwell ( ) is an List of areas of London, area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, southeast of Charing Cross. Camberwell was first a village associated with the church of St Giles' Church, Camberwell, St Giles ...

Elephant & Castle Elephant and Castle is an area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark. The name also informally refers to much of Walworth and Newington, due to the proximity of the London Underground station of the same name. The nam ...

, Blackfriars &

Aldwych Aldwych (pronounced ) is a street and the name of the List of areas of London, area immediately surrounding it, in the City of Westminster, part of Greater London, and is part of the West End of London, West End West End Theatre, Theatreland. T ...

) – night service

Rail

The nearest station is

Erith Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north ...

for Southeastern services towards

, Gillingham,

Gravesend Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Roche ...

, London Cannon Street and

London Charing Cross Charing Cross railway station (also known as London Charing Cross) is a London station group, central London railway terminus between the Strand, London, Strand and Hungerford Bridge in the City of Westminster. It is the terminus of the South ...

. Slade Green railway station is on the same line and serves the eastern part of the town.

Road

The A2016 road bisecting Erith, is a dual carriageway stretching across the Erith Marshes.

Geography

Erith is a

post town A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system.Royal Mail, ''Address Management Guide'', (2004) Including the correct post town in t ...

in the DA postcode area, consisting of the DA8 and DA18 postcode districts. It borders the

to the north,

to the east and south east,

to the south and south west and Belvedere to the west and north west.

Erith Quarry

To the west of Erith town centre is the Erith Quarry development which aims to redevelopment the former

quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mining, open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock (geology), rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some juri ...

site with construction work beginning in 2015. The site currently features a new

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...

and local

supermarket A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...

and plans to contain 850 new homes once fully completed.

References

External links

erithtown.net
– an introduction and guide to Erith, with comprehensive directory

{{Authority control Areas of London Districts of the London Borough of Bexley Cable manufacture in London Districts of London on the River Thames Port of London Former civil parishes in the London Borough of Bexley District centres of London