Stanford-le-Hope is a town and Church of England parish situated in the county of Essex, England. The town is within the unitary authority of Thurrock and located 23.8 miles (38.4 km) east of Charing Cross in London. Its principal claim to fame is that Joseph Conrad lived and wrote there. The town is served by Stanford-le-Hope railway station.
Often known locally simply as Stanford, the town is home to many working-class commuters working in London, thanks to its proximity to the capital and its c2c-operated London, Tilbury and Southend Railway rail connections. One of the main local industries is the nearby oil refinery at Shell Haven, and it soon will be home to the proposed DP World deep sea port, major business and logistics park. Many residents also travel along the nearby A13 to work in the Lakeside Shopping Centre.
As Stanford-le-Hope grows in size, it has started to incorporate neighbouring settlements such as Corringham, Mucking and Fobbing, the latter of which was the scene of one of the uprisings which led to the Peasants' Revolt.
Stanford-le-Hope is bordered to the north by the A13 road and to the south by the Thames Estuary. It is located 12.7 miles (20.5 km) west of Southend-on-Sea.
The River Hope, a tributary of the Thames runs through the town.