New Empire Theatre, Southend
The New Empire theatre had what might initially appear to be an Art Deco-style frontage. However, it was in fact built in a vaguely Neo-Classical …
RAF Rochford Pillboxes
Back in Easter 2014, the two BTP boys, and occasional accomplice Jack, set off to investigate pillboxes once defending Rochford airfield – now Southend airport. …
WW1 Southend & The Palace Hotel
Shortly before BTP Liam wrote this article, he began reading the book ‘Southend at War’ by the excellent local author Dee Gordon. Beyond the Point’s …
Southend’s Shopland Pillboxes
The area north-east of Sutton Road Cemetery and Temple Farm Industrial Estate in Southend is home to numerous pillboxes, and once there was probably even …
Southend Seafront WW2 Defences
Disguised Observation Post We started at a disguised defensive post, which when we visited in 2012 was next to the derelict Esplanade House. When we revisited in …
Prittlewell Camp Hillfort
In the fallow land directly South-West of Fossets Way, Prittlewell, lies an impressive Bronze or Iron Age circular hillfort dating from somewhere between the 8th …
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 …
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 …
Enigmatic Mound at Butlers Farm
North of Butlers Farm in the Shopland, Sutton rural area north of Southend lies what was once thought to be a Romano-British burial site by …
Butlers Farm HAA Battery, Shopland
When Britain came under aerial attack in the Second World War, thousands of Heavy Anti-Aircraft batteries and associated army camps were built across the country. …