Tilbury

Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock in Essex, England. It sits on the north bank of the River Thames, opposite Gravesend, about 25 miles east of central London. The town includes the nearby settlements of East Tilbury and West Tilbury and centers around the riverfront around Tilbury Fort and associated docks.

Historically, Tilbury has been a strategic site for river defence and trade. Tilbury Fort, a major 16th-century fortress built to defend the Thames and London, dominates the riverfront. In 1588, Queen Elizabeth I is said to have addressed troops at Tilbury Camp nearby during preparations for the Armada, underscoring the area’s role in national defense.

Tilbury developed as a river port in the 19th and 20th centuries with docks that served the Port of London Authority and later container and bulk freight operations. Today the port remains an active freight terminal and part of the Thames estuary’s logistics network, handling a variety of cargo and continuing to influence the local economy.

Rail and road access connect Tilbury to London and southeast England. Tilbury Town railway station on the London, Tilbury and Southend line provides services to London Fenchurch Street and to Southend. Road links connect the town with the M25 and surrounding routes, supporting commuter and industrial traffic and connecting Tilbury to the wider region.