Canvey Island Canvey Island Canvey Island is a civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary in Essex, England. It has an area of and a population of 38,170. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks. Lying only just above sea level it is prone to flooding at exceptional tides, but has nevertheless been inhabited since the Roman invasion of Britain. The island was mainly agricultural land until the 20th century when it became the fastest growing seaside resort in Britain between 1911 and 1951. The North Sea flood of 1953 devastated the island,
Exe Estuary on the west shore is the village of Dawlish Warren with its sand spit extending across the mouth of the estuary. Above this there are fewer settlements on the west shore, with just the villages of Starcross and Cockwood, both adjoining the lower portion of the estuary. The River Clyst also feeds into the estuary, just below Topsham. The River Kenn feeds into the estuary near Kenton. The soil is alluvial, derived from Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian rocks. The estuary is a Special Protection Area and SSSI. It is also a Ramsar site. The Exe Estuary is a site of