The Canvey Island Monster

Photo:The contemporary 'monster'

The contemporary 'monster'

Canvey Island Archive/Geoff Barsby

Photo:A modern day Monkfish - look similar?

A modern day Monkfish - look similar?

DNR Photo by Mike Luisi

my findings

By Liam Heatherson

The Canvey Island Monster was a cryptid (unidentifiable organism, like the Loch-Ness Monster or Bigfoot e.t.c.) which was found as a carcass washed up on Canvey's beach in 1953, and again, much larger this time, in 1954.

In my opinion, from the image taken by Reverend Joseph Overs, it is almost identical to the body of a monkfish. However, other reports tell of it as being a more humanoid specimen.

Perhaps the floods of '53 brought foreign waters, and foreign marine species with it too?

You can read more on Canvey's 'unseen' history, and its remains here at  http://www.beyondthepoint.co.uk

This page was added by Liam Heatherson on 13/11/2012.
Comments about this page

This wasn't the only thing brought up by the river! When I returned to Canvey and lived in Bardenville Road around 1962/3, we had some other rather unwelcome visitors. They were furry, anything up to 2 feet long, had a platypus like flat tail and the head of a rat. My sister noticed the first one, which must have come from the creek, in our back garden. She told mum about an oversized rat. Shortly afterwards, the Coypus were reported in the local press and Islanders warned to keep clear of them as they would attack. I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned them as it was quite scary at the time.

By Yvonne Creasy, nee Burgess
On 08/02/2014

Just saw some photos of a Blobfish, please check and see, although not native to our shores it could be an answer.

By David Paye
On 19/06/2014
Add a comment about this page

If you're already a registered user of this site, please login using the form on the left-hand side of this page.