Coldharbour is an area of the
London Borough of Havering
The London Borough of Havering () in East London, England, forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 259,552 inhabitants; the principal town is Romford, while other communities are Hornchurch, Upminster, Collier Row and Rainham. The ...
by the
River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...
and southwest of the
Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve. It is the location of Coldharbour Point, where there has been a lighthouse since 1885. This point is adjacent to the town of
Erith
Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies nort ...
in
Bexley, across the Thames. The nearest accessible settlement on land is the town of
Rainham, which is connected by Coldharbour Lane; the village of
Wennington is also nearby but not accessible by road (both are separated by the
A13 and
marshlands). The area around the point is mainly industrial land known as the Freightmaster Estate depot. The
London Loop passes through Coldharbour on its way east to
Purfleet in
Thurrock.
History
Coldharbour was an estate primarily in the ancient parish of
Wennington. It included Little Coldharbour (also partly in Rainham), Coldharbour Point and Great Coldharbour. It was originally a marsh island.
A ferry (known as the 'short ferry' in contrast to the 'long ferry' to London) operating from Coldharbour Point to
Erith
Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies nort ...
(then in Kent) on the southern bank of the Thames existed from the Middle Ages until the 19th century. Plaques entitled 'Pilgrim Ferry' commemorate this in Coldharbour and Erith.
Gallery
File:Coldharbour Point - geograph.org.uk - 1022454.jpg, Coldharbour Point
File:Check point on Coldharbour Lane - geograph.org.uk - 1601732.jpg, Checkpoint on Coldharbour Lane, leading to the depot
File:Pipeline Bridge near Coldharbour Lane - geograph.org.uk - 1601685.jpg, A pipeline bridge on the Rainham Marshes across the Common Watercourse
File:Cycleway 13, Coldharbour Lane - geograph.org.uk - 1601697.jpg, Cycleway 13, next to Coldharbour Lane
File:Sluice on a drainage ditch, Coldharbour Lane - geograph.org.uk - 1601749.jpg , Sluice
Sluice ( ) is a word for a channel controlled at its head by a movable gate which is called a sluice gate. A sluice gate is traditionally a wood or metal barrier sliding in grooves that are set in the sides of the waterway and can be considered ...
on a drainage ditch, Coldharbour Lane
File:Coldharbour Depot - geograph.org.uk - 49372.jpg, The Freighmaster Estate depot - facilities include an extensive complex of warehouses, ample parking for trucks and a helipad
File:Rubbish to Rainham - geograph.org.uk - 49380.jpg, ''Cleanaways'' waste transfer depot, Erith can be seen in the background
References
Districts of the London Borough of Havering
Areas of London
Districts of London on the River Thames
Port of London
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