Shells, Stone & 800 Years of Teamwork: Canvey Meets Hadleigh
Hadleigh Castle may have stood proudly on the hill for more than 800 years, but did you know Canvey Island may have played a small part in keeping it there? Discover the fascinating local connection involving stone, mortar and seashells.
When Hadleigh Castle was built in the 1200s, stone was brought in from Kent and Surrey, but the mortar holding those huge walls together contained crushed seashells, including cockle shells believed to have come from the shell beds around Canvey Island.
Our towns and villages in Castle Point all have their own identity and history, but we’re probably a lot more connected than we sometimes think. And apparently that’s nothing new, we’ve been helping each other out for at least 800 years!
Hadleigh may have got the castle but Canvey helped keep (some of) it on the hill, that’s teamwork!
