Leysdown-on-Sea
| Leysdown-on-Sea | |
|---|---|
 The sea wall to the east of Leysdown |
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 Leysdown-on-Sea
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| Leysdown-on-Sea shown within Kent | |
| Population | 1,256 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | TR 034 704 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SHEERNESS |
| Postcode district | ME12 4 |
| Dialling code | 01795 |
| Police | Kent |
| Fire | Kent |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
Leysdown-on-Sea is a coastal village on the east side of the Isle of Sheppey in the Borough of Swale in Kent, England. The civil parish is called Leysdown and includes Harty.
It is noted in the Domesday Book as being called Legesdun and the name is thought to be derived from the Saxon words "Leswe" (pasture) and "Dun" (hill).
A very small hamlet up to late Victorian times, it was developed a little after the arrival of the Sheppey Light Railway in 1903, though grand plans for the establishment of a large resort with hotels never materialised. The railway was closed in the 1950s.
On 2 May 1909, John Moore-Brabazon became the first resident British citizen to make a recognised powered heavier-than-air flight in the UK flying from The Aero Club's ground at Leysdown in his Voisin biplane Bird of Passage.
Leysdown is located a mile to the SSE of Warden and three miles to the ESE of Eastchurch. To the SSE lies the hamlet of Shellness and to the southwest is an area of marshland known as the Leysdown marshes. The island is located partly in The Swale and partly in the North Sea with a shingle beach and mudflats extending out to sea. It is recommended in the 2009 Good Beach Guide.
There are several large farms surrounding the village, with a mixture of pasture and arable land, but the local economy is primarily driven by tourism in the summer months, with many visitors coming from London. Leysdown has one of the largest concentrations of holiday parks in Kent, with many caravan and chalet parks. During the winter months the shops, clubs and pubs stay open, with the population of Leysdown, Warden and Bay View providing custom. In the past few years a boot fair has become a regular fixture on Sundays and there is also a market on Saturdays.
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Wikipedia