ERITH, an urban district in the Dartford parliamentary di vision of Kent, England, 15 m. E. by S. of London, on the Southern railway. Pop. (1931) 32,780. It lies on the south bank of the Thames and extends up the hills above the shore, many villas having been erected on the higher ground. The church of St. John the Baptist (restored) goes back to Norman times and contains many interesting early monuments and brasses. Erith has large engineering and gun factories, and in the neighbourhood are gunpowder, oil, glue and manure works, as well as large brick fields from which sand and loam are also exported. The southern outfall works of the London main drainage system are at Cross ness in the neighbouring lowland called Plumstead marshes. To the west of Erith lie Abbey Wood and Belvedere (the ancient dis trict of Lessness or Lessnes Heath), with the county technical college and secondary school, and the home (1856) for aged merchant seamen in Belvedere park. The tract of Bostall Heath 5 ac.) below Plumstead is maintained by the London county council as an open space. Erith is the headquarters of several yacht clubs. Erith, the name of which is derived from Anglo Saxon meaning the old, or shore, hythe or haven, is mentioned in a Latin charter of the seventh century in connection with a gift of land made by the bishop of the East Saxons. It was anciently a borough, and was granted a market and fairs in 1313. Down to the close of the 17th century it was of some importance as a naval station. Erith council maintains tramway and electricity undertakings and recreation grounds and parks, including Franks park (4o ac.). The district lies within the metropolitan police district of Greater London.