"A proper fine little towne and verie full of stout and adventurous sailers" (William Camden), 2020

Old Leigh is made up of the remnants of the old town of Leigh, much of which was demolished to accommodate its passage.

The village of Leigh can be first traced all the way back to the 11th century where it was first recorded in the domesday book of 1086 as “Legra”, a small fishing hamlet. By the 16th century, it had become significant due to its location at the mouth of the River Thames on the shipping route to London and had become large and prosperous.

By the 18th century, Leigh’s deep water channel had silted up and the towns importance diminished leading to come full circle and reverted to a fishing village. The railway benefited fisherman, enabling them to transport their catch much faster than before to Billingsgate Market in London.