Foulness Island, Southend On Sea, SS3 9XT

Foulness Island is a closed island on the east coast of Essex in England, separated from the mainland by narrow creeks. In the 2001 census the usually resident population of the civil parish was 212, living in the settlements of Churchend and Courtsend, at the north end of the island. The population reduced to 151 at the 2011 Census. By July 2022 the general store and post office in Churchend had been abandoned. The George and Dragon pub in Churchend closed in 2007, while the church of St Mary the Virgin closed in May 2010. In 2019, the Southend Echo reported plans for the church to be converted into a five‑bedroom home. The area is served by the St Nicholas' Parish Church and runs down to the bridges for Foulness Island, with a medieval tradition linking it to Great Wakering. The locality offers a quiet, rural setting with limited commercial amenities, reflecting its small population and historic character.