IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Hill Close, BENFLEET, SS7 1HN

Most of Benfleet's plotlands are well to the north of here. There is, however, a patch of plotland in central Benfleet. Like that further north, much of the open land here is used for horse grazing. The road running across the upper half is the A13 (London Road). The road running to the top from the centre of this is Rhoda Road North. Like many roads in this area, part of this is unmade. The woodland at the upper right is Coombe Wood. Part of this is secondary, but much has the characteristics of ancient woodland. The London Road alongside the wood begins a rise upwards from the London Clay flatlands to the left up to the Claygate and Bagshot Beds to the right of the photo. This stretch is known as the Bread and Cheese Hill (see Image, here Coombe Wood is on the right).

It looks like someone has gained planning permission to build a house in a quite idyllic spot with a view down the hill over Thundersley Glen. The dirt track come bridleway is actually called Mount Rd.

Thundersley Park Road leads from right of bottom centre, curving to the left. Underhill Road leads off this right of centre. These two enclose an estate of new houses. Above this the woodland is Thundersley Glen. To the right, below centre, the light green area is part of Boyce Hill golf course.

Boyce Hill golf course is the green swathe across the centre of the photo, occupying the centre of South Benfleet. The woodland above it is Thundersley Glen (also seen in Image). The sloping ground to the lower right borders onto Essex Way. We used to live in the small road at the bottom right, Norwood Drive, and the first winter after we moved there, this hillside was snow covered and used by skiers and tobogganers.