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Church of St Mary the Virgin - Prittlewell

There has been a church on this site for well over 1000 years and the church at Prittlewell is mentioned in the Doomsday Survey of 1086.Over the years, various additions were made to the church and in the 15th century the magnificent tower was built together with a porch and an eastern wall that now forms part of the Jesus Chapel. Since then the structure of the church remains unaltered save for the addition of the vestries in modern times. When the town of Southend-on-Sea was established at the 'Southe Ende' of Prittlewell village, the church of St. Mary the Virgin became the mother church of Southend. Whilst Prittlewell has remained modest in size over the past 100 years, Southend, has increased dramatically and merged with Shoeburyness, Westcliff and Leigh on Sea. An honour roll for servicemen of the area who died in the two world wars is on display in the church porch

For years it was very popular to be married by Rev Ireland at St Mary's, especially as WWII was coming to an end and the menfolk started returning to the Borough

Address: On the left at the top of the hill

Directions: Victoria Ave Prittlewell, opposite the Blue Boar PH (Built 1887)

The Kursaal

This area is known to both visitors to Southend and locals alike.

Sadly it is a mere shadow of its former self when on its four acres, it had numerous outdoor rides and all the fun of the fair. Currently it does have a certain amount of entertainment within the building but is really unrecognizable to those of us who were brought up in the Borough just after WWII.

Directions: Head east from Peir Hill along the Esplanade ( The Golden Mile) and at the end you come across the magnificent entrance a building which was built back in 1901 which is the entrance as is a grade II listed building

Priory Park Museum

This museum is housed in the remains of the Cluniac Priory of St. Mary's, founded in the early 12th century by Robert fitzSuen. The Cluniac Order had been established in Burgundy (France) in 909 with the building of the great abbey of Cluny. This order, following the rule of St. Benedict, was much favoured by the nobility of the period, including the greatest landowner in south east Essex at the time, Robert fitzSuen.

The building work began quite soon, first in wood, and by the late 12th century, in stone. While much was demolished following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, the magnificent Refectory (the dining room) has survived, although much restored, together with the Prior's Chamber and cellars below and the Cloisters. The site of the church and chapter house are marked out on adjacent lawns.

The first private owners were Thomas Audley, soon followed by Sir Richard Rich. In fact Rich bought up a large number of previously monastic properties in the area. In the late 17th century the Priory came into the hands of the Scratton family, who remained owners and Lords of the Manor of Priors until the early 20th century. In 1917 Prittlewell Priory was bought by a local businessman, Robert Arthur Jones, who presented it to the town for use as a museum. After considerable restoration the Priory opened as Southend's first dedicated museum, in 1921, at the centre of the beautiful Priory Park.

The museum now houses a major "communications" display, centred around the products of the EKCO (E.K. Cole) factory which used to stand in Priory Crescent, just to the north of the Priory. There are also major displays on the wildlife of south east Essex, and on the history of the Priory, including items found during excavations on the monastic site. But the most important artefacts are the buildings themselves, and especially the roofs.


The Priory is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00am to 1:00pm and from 2:00pm to 5:00pm (Earlier closing when Priory Park seasonally closes at an earlier time).

Address: Priory Park, Victoria ave, Southend on Sea

Phone: 01702 342878

Website: http://www.southendmuseums.co.uk/priory/priory.htm