The earliest known record of Leigh was an entry in the Domesday Book in 1086. It read:
“LEGRA (Leigh), which was held by 1 free man as a manor and as a 1 hide, is held by R(anulf) in demesne. Then as now (Semper) 2 villeins, and 2 bordars, and 1 plough on the demesne, and half a plough belonging to the men, and 5 bordars by the water (super aquam), who hold no land. There is a pasture for 100 sheep. Then 1 rouncey (horse), 5 cows, 5 calves, (and) 100 sheep; now 2 rounceys, 4 cows, 5 calves (and) 103 sheep. It was then worth 40 shillings; now 100.” – Old Leigh
Some of the oldest methods of fishing in Leigh-on-Sea were called the ‘fishing weir’ and the ‘Kiddle’. Weir comes from the Anglo Saxon word wer, which was an instrument used to catch fish. However, they were soon banned in the Thames and Medway as they were thought to have depleted fish stocks, although this rule may have been ignored by some fishermen in Hadleigh.
in 1551, Hadleigh Ray fishery was leased to inhabitants of Leigh by the Lord of the manor. This was the start of Leigh’s fishing industry developing, although it was during the 17th century that fishing really took over from the shipbuilding industry.
There is evidence to suggest that smuggling took place in Leigh. When the Peter Boat Inn caught fire in 1892, a large cellar was revealed containing contraband (illegal imports). Furthermore, several tunnels have been discovered around Leigh also containing contraband. These tunnels may have also been used by young men to escape press gangs. (These were people trying to get men to join the navy or the army).
All of the catch from Leigh was transported to London, to Billingsgate Fish market. Up to 1820, most of it was sent to London by sailing boat up the Thames (with a small portion by road), with fish kept in pits in Leigh on Sea until the journeys were made. A regular night service was started by road by James Cook and when the railway was built, it was transported via train instead.
