Coordinates: 51°32′09″N 0°41′49″E / 51.5359°N 0.6970°E
| Westcliff-on-Sea | |
  Westcliff-on-Sea shown within Essex |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Unitary authority | Southend-on-Sea |
| Ceremonial county | Essex |
| Region | East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA |
| Postcode district | SS0 |
| Dialling code | 01702 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| European Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | Southend West |
| List of places: UK • England • Essex | |
Westcliff-on-Sea is a suburb of Southend-on-Sea, a seaside resort in the south-east of England and unitary authority in Essex. It is situated on the northern side of the mouth of the Thames Estuary and about 34 miles (55 km) east of London.
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line arrived in the 1880s, connecting the town with London and shortening travel time to and from that city. Westcliff railway station in Station Road is now managed by c2c.
The cliffs formed by erosion of the local Quaternary geology afford views over the Thames Estuary towards the Kent coastline to the south. The coastline has been transformed into sandy beaches through the use of groynes and imported sand.
An area of Westcliff bordering Southend town centre has been classified as a conservation area, including Prittlewell Square gardens.
The main shopping area in Westcliff-on-Sea is Hamlet Court Road. The economic recessions of the 1980s and 1990s saw the area decline. However the road underwent a £1 million regeneration in the early 2000s.
Westcliff-on-Sea is also home to the Thames Estuary Yacht Club and the Westcliff Casino, which is the largest provincial casino and the second largest casino in Great Britain.
Notable people
- Trevor Bailey (England cricket team test cricketer)
- Dorothea Bate (archaeozoologist)
- Edward Power Biggs, classical organist
- Emma Chambers (actress; attended St Bernard's school in the town)
- Dick Clement (writer)
- Barry Cooper (musicologist)
- John Hutton (Labour MP) Defence Secretary
- Rupert Keegan (racing driver)
- Helen Mirren (actress; attended St Bernard's school in the town)
- Michael Wilding (actor)
- Bernard Williams (philosopher)
- Benjamin Grosvenor (pianist)
- Scroobius Pip (spoken word artist)
- Maisie Smith (actress, Tiffany Dean in EastEnders)
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
