[3] It is noted in the Domesday Book as being called "Legesdun"[4] and the name is thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon words Leswe[4] (pasture) and Dun[5] (hill).

A very small hamlet up to late Victorian times, it was developed a little after the arrival of the Sheppey Light Railway in 1903, though grand plans for the establishment of a large resort with hotels never materialised.

On 2 May 1909, John Moore-Brabazon became the first resident British citizen to make a recognised powered heavier-than-air flight in the UK flying from the Aero Club's ground at Leysdown in his Voisin biplane Bird of Passage.

[10] There are several large farms surrounding the village, with a mixture of pasture and arable land, but the local economy is primarily driven by tourism in the summer months, with many visitors coming from London.

During the winter months the shops, clubs and pubs stay open, with the population of Leysdown, Warden and Bay View providing custom.

Briefly, in the early 20th century a significant part of the economy came from the embryonic aviation industry, with the UK's first aircraft factory built in Leysdown in 1909 by the Short Brothers.

According to critic Chris Woodstra, the song "offers a series of detailed snapshots of the different walks of life on a seaside holiday in Leysdown-on-Sea.