Visit Erith Places

Welcome to Visit Erith Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Erith

  

Erith Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Erith

---

Erith history

---

Pre-medieval

Archaeological work at former site of Erith School in Belmont Road revealed traces of prehistoric settlement. Site was covered by dense forest of oak, yew and alder in the Neolithic Period. The area had given way in part to sedge fen by the Bronze Age.

Anglo-Saxons

After the collapse of Roman rule in the early 5th century, Britain was colonised by Anglo-Saxon invaders from northern Europe. Their different way of life was reflected in their settlement pattern. Erith was one such and has a Saxon name, originally Ærre hyðe meaning “old haven”

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 Survey. A Royal Charter was granted for a market to be held in Erith every Thursday, but it was noted in 1776 that the market was long discontinued.

Industrial era

In 1797 Edward Hasted described Erith as “one small street of houses, which leads to the water side” Erith Iron Works was established in 1864 on a riverside site at Anchor Bay, east of Erith’s centre, by William Anderson. A 46½-ton gunpowder explosion blew out the river wall, exposing large areas of South London to flooding at high tide.

20th century

Erith’s first library, funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, opened in 1906. During the First World War Erith was an important area for the manufacture of guns and ammunition. In the Second World War, the town suffered heavy bomb damage, mainly because of its riverside position near the Royal Arsenal. In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, Erith became part of the London Borough of Bexley.

Regeneration

Erith Western Thames Gateway project will include riverside flats and new homes. The regeneration falls within the remit of the Thames Gateway. Erith is Bexley Council’s only population centre on the river.

Erith culture & places

A rhyme by William Cosmo Monkhouse: The rhyme was created by the poet of the day. The rhymer was created in the 1920s and is now published in the book, The Riddle of the Riddle.

Erith geography / climate

Erith is a post town in the DA postcode area, consisting of the DA8 and DA18 postcode districts. It borders the River Thames to the north, Slade Green to the east and south east, Northumberland Heath to the south and south west.

You can visit Erith places with Walkfo Erith to hear history at Erith’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Erith has 57 places to visit in our interactive Erith map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Erith, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Erith places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Erith & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 57 audio facts unique to Erith places in an interactive Erith map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Erith Places Map
57 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

---

–

Erith historic spots	Erith tourist destinations	Erith plaques	Erith geographic features
Walkfo Erith tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Erith

  

Best Erith places to visit

---

Erith has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Erith’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Erith’s information audio spots:

Erith Playhouse The Erith Playhouse is a theatre in Erith, London . It is located in the centre of the Erith district of London .

Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve Rainham Marshes is an RSPB nature reserve in Purfleet, Thurrock and the London Borough of Havering. In 2000, the area of land was bought from the Ministry of Defence, who used it as a test firing range. The reserve is home to a diverse range of bird species, wetland plants and insects.

Hall Place Hall Place is a stately home in the London Borough of Bexley in south-east London. It was built in 1537 for Sir John Champneys, a wealthy merchant and former Lord Mayor of London. The house was extended in 1649 by Sir Robert Austen, a merchant from Kent.

Visit Erith plaques