Purfleet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Purfleet-on-Thames |
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 Gateway Clocktower |
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 Purfleet-on-Thames
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| OS grid reference | TQ555775 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PURFLEET |
| Postcode district | RM19 |
| Dialling code | 01708 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Purfleet-on-Thames is a town in Thurrock, Essex, England. It sits next to the A13 road in the north and the River Thames in the south. The town is also very close to the M25 motorway, just outside the Greater London area.
Purfleet has some businesses and factories, and it's part of a big project to improve the Thames Gateway region. It's also one of seven special 'conservation areas' in Thurrock, which means its history and nature are protected.
Contents
Discovering Purfleet's Past
The name "Purfleet" was first written down in 1285. It means "Purta's stream" or "tidal inlet."
The Royal Gunpowder Magazine
In the 1700s, a special place called the Purfleet Royal Gunpowder Magazine was built here. It was used to store gunpowder, and soldiers were stationed nearby to guard it. Storing gunpowder was risky because lightning strikes could cause huge explosions.
A famous scientist, Benjamin Franklin, was asked for help. He suggested using pointed lightning rods. The Royal Society, a group of smart scientists, agreed with his idea. After the American Revolution, the gunpowder store was protected when lightning hit the building. Interestingly, the metal drainpipes actually helped protect it. When King George III heard about this, he wanted the pointed rods replaced with blunt ones. Because of this, the head of the Royal Society had to resign.
Today, only one of the original five gunpowder magazines is left. It's called Magazine Number 5 and is now the Purfleet Garrison Heritage and Military Centre. It's a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which means it's a very important historical site. Volunteers run the center, and it displays many local and military items. You can visit it on Thursdays, Sundays, and bank holidays.
Purfleet in Art
The famous artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851) drew sketches of Purfleet between 1805 and 1808. He mostly focused on the Powder Magazines. These sketches are now part of the Tate Britain collection.
Other buildings from the 1700s still stand today. These include the proofing house, which is now used for community events, and the gatehouse clock tower. Experts say the clock tower is a great example of the high-quality buildings made by the Ordnance Board for forts and barracks.
Life in Old Purfleet
In 1848, a writer named W. White described Purfleet as a village with 704 people, including 199 soldiers from the barracks. He mentioned that Purfleet was a busy place with ships in its harbor. He also noted the large government powder magazine, built in 1781, which could hold 60,000 barrels of gunpowder.
A Historic Shot
In March 1916, during World War I, anti-aircraft gunners in Purfleet made history. They shot down a German Zeppelin airship called LZ 48 (also known as L15). This was the first time an airship was destroyed by anti-aircraft guns! The gunners received a special prize from the Lord Mayor of London for their amazing achievement.
Purfleet in Books
In the famous novel Dracula by Bram Stoker, published in 1897, the vampire Count Dracula buys a fictional house called "Carfax" in Purfleet. This house was described as being next to a mental hospital.
A New Name for a New Start
In 2020, after two years of effort, the town's name was officially changed to Purfleet-on-Thames. This change was made to help improve the town and attract more new businesses and investments.
High House Production Park
In 2006, a project began to improve High House, Purfleet. This involved fixing up old farm buildings from the 1500s and building new facilities for creative industries on the 14-acre site.
The Royal Opera House opened its Bob and Tamar Manoukian scene-making facility here in December 2010. This is where they create the amazing sets for their operas and ballets. A Costume Centre followed in 2015.
Creative & Cultural Skills opened The Backstage Centre at the park in March 2013. This center is now the main office for Creative & Cultural Skills, which helps people get jobs in the arts and culture industry. In July 2013, ACME Studios opened 43 art studios in the park for artists to work in.
Local Businesses
Purfleet is home to a large Unilever factory that has been making margarine brands like Stork, Flora, and Bertolli since 1917. It's said to be the biggest margarine factory in the world!
There's also an Esso plant that makes lubricants, a RORO ferry terminal, and the main office of Carpetright, a big flooring company. Scania GB Ltd, a large truck and bus company, also has its biggest European workshop and office here.
Nearby Places
- Aveley
- Wennington
- West Thurrock
Getting Around Purfleet
Buses run by Ensignbus and NIBS Buses connect Purfleet to nearby towns like Basildon and Grays, as well as Lakeside Shopping Centre.
You can also travel by train from Purfleet station. C2c trains offer regular services to London Fenchurch Street, Barking, Grays, Tilbury, and Southend. The town is also one of the starting or ending points for the London LOOP, a long walking trail.
Purfleet Freight Terminal
The Purfleet Freight Terminal is the closest Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO) ferry port to London. It's run by C.RO Ports and is a very busy place. This 92-acre terminal handles 250,000 lorry trailers and containers each year. It also imports and exports 400,000 vehicles.
The terminal has four railway tracks that connect to the London, Tilbury and Southend line. This allows goods to be loaded directly from ferries or lorries onto trains. Sister-company Cobelfret Ferries operates daily ferry services from Purfleet to the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium and the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Media and News
For television, Purfleet receives signals from the Crystal Palace TV transmitter, which provides BBC London and ITV London. You can also get BBC South East and ITV Meridian from the Bluebell Hill TV transmitter.
Local radio stations include BBC Essex, Heart Essex, and Gateway 97.8, which is a community radio station. The local weekly newspaper for the town is The Thurrock Gazette.
Sports and Entertainment
Thurrock F.C. (which used to be called Purfleet F.C.) played in the town until 2018. The local council helps maintain seven leisure centers and one country club in the area. The closest center is in Springhouse Road, Corringham.
The Circus Tavern in Purfleet was a famous venue for darts. It hosted the PDC World Darts Championship from 1994 to 2007, and also the Players Championship Finals in 2009 and 2010.
Images for kids
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Gateway Clocktower
See also
In Spanish: Purfleet para niños
