The name 'Eel Pie' is thought to be derived from Tudor times when Henry VIII thought highly of the Eel Pies which he sampled whilst on the island. During the 1920's and 30's the legendary Eel Pie Hotel became a popular venue for ballroom dancing. During the 50's it was popular for jazz and later

moved into rock in the 1960s. However, in 1967 the hotel was forced to close and in 1971 it burned down in a mysterious fire. Other parts of the island were also destroyed by fire in 1996. Eel Pie Island is now home to about 50 houses and 120 inhabitants and is accessible by a footbridge built in 1957.