Visit Tilbury Places

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

  

Tilbury Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Tilbury

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Tilbury history

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Tilbury’s history is closely connected with its geographical location. Its counterpart on the south bank of the River Thames, Gravesend, has long been an important communications link. In 1588 Queen Elizabeth I came ashore here to review her main army at the nearby village of West Tilbury. In 1852 an Act of Parliament had authorised the building of the London Tilbury and Southend Railway. The station was originally named Tilbury Fort and opened in 1854.

Tilbury Ferry

Tilbury–Gravesend Ferry has operated from very early times. Sketch-map of 1571 shows evidence of two jetties, one on the north bank leading to a northward road crossing the marsh. There are also houses marked on the marsh itself, which became important for sheep grazing.

Tilbury Fort

First permanent fort at Tilbury was a D-shaped blockhouse built in 1539 by Henry VIII. Blockhouse was designed to cross-fire with a similar structure at New Tavern, Gravesend. During the Armada campaign (1588), the fort was reinforced with earthworks and a palisade.

Tilbury etymology

The name of the present town of Tilbury is derived (by way of the port) from the nearby settlements of East and West Tilbury. Name of these settlements is derived from the Saxon burgh, “fortified place”, either belonging to Tila, or perhaps at a lowland place.

Tilbury geography / climate

Tilbury is on the north bank of the River Thames, where the river’s meander has caused it to narrow to approximately 800 yards (730 metres) in width. The town lies to the north of the London-Southend railway line. The major landmarks are the docks, the cruise-ship landing stage, and the Tilbury Power Station.

You can visit Tilbury places with Walkfo Tilbury to hear history at Tilbury’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Tilbury has 55 places to visit in our interactive Tilbury 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 Tilbury, 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 Tilbury places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Tilbury & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 55 audio facts unique to Tilbury places in an interactive Tilbury map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Tilbury Places Map
55 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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

  

Best Tilbury places to visit

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

The Dell, Thurrock The Dell is one of the earliest houses in Britain to be built in concrete. It was built on the instructions of Alfred Russel Wallace, who lived in Grays, Thurrock, Essex.

The Bat and Ball Ground The Bat & Ball Ground is a cricket and sports ground in Gravesend, Kent. The ground was used as a first-class cricket venue by Kent County Cricket Club between 1849 and 1971. Gravesend Cricket Club have used the ground as their home since their formation in 1881. The site also has lawn bowls and tennis facilities.

Northfleet Urban Country Park Northfleet Urban Country Park is in Northfleet, in Kent, England. The site is owned by and managed by Gravesham Borough Council. It is land encompassed by Springhead Road, Thames Way and (on its northern boundary) the railway.

Rosherville Gardens Rosherville Gardens was a 19th-century pleasure garden in a disused chalk pit in Gravesend, Kent, England. It closed after the advent of the railways, when other tourist destinations became easy to reach. Structures still surviving at the gardens include a Grade II-listed bear pit, a hermit cave in a chalk grotto, an Italian garden central feature which also formed part of the Broadwalk.

Springhead, Kent Springhead lies at the source of the River Ebbsfleet, just southwest of Gravesend. It is the point at which the High Speed 1 rail line meets the A2 road.

Milton Barracks Milton Barracks was a military installation at Milton Road in Gravesend, Kent. It was located in the area of Gravesend in the early 1960s.

Gravesend Blockhouse Gravesend Blockhouse was part of Henry VIII’s Device plan of 1539. It was built at a strategic point along the River Thames and was operational by 1540. It functioned in conjunction with Tilbury Fort on the other side of the river and was repaired in 1588 to deal with the threat of Spanish invasion.

Milton Chantry Milton Chantry is a former chantry chapel in Gravesend, Kent. It houses the Chantry Heritage Centre, displaying a range of exhibits relating to Gravesend and Northfleet. It is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.

Tilbury Riverside railway station Tilbury Riverside railway station is located in the town of Tilbury in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex. The station was 22 miles 46 chains (36.33 km) down the line from London Fenchurch Street station via Rainham.

Baker’s Hole Baker’s Hole is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, mostly consisting of a back-filled quarry, adjacent to Ebbsfleet International railway station in Kent. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.

Visit Tilbury plaques