River Crouch

There was a proposal in 1825 to extend navigation onwards from Battlesbridge to Purfleet with a branch to Billericay. The route to Billericay would have been around 7.5 mi long, and 29 locks were proposed, in order to negotiate the difference in height of 181 ft. Because the river is still tidal at Battlesbridge, a sea lock would have provided access from the river, with five locks soon afterwards. A further seven locks would have been constructed along the route, with a flight of 16 locks to raise the canal by 100 ft in the final 1.25 mi. The engineer Alexander Clark prepared the proposal, with help from surveyors J & H Clayton. The statutory documents were submitted to Essex County…

The river is navigable from below the bridge for 17.5 mi to the sea. The upper reaches are quite narrow and wind between sandbanks. There are high sea walls on both sides of the channel. The river flows through Long Reach, after which it reaches Hullbridge on the south bank. A little further back from the river on the north bank is South Woodham Ferrers. Its western boundary is defined by Fenn Creek, which begins as a stream called Rettendon Brook rising near Hanningfield Reservoir and is tidal below the point where it is crossed by the A132 road. There are footpaths along both river banks at this location, with Marsh Farm Country Park situated between South Woodham Ferrers and the river.…