Essex

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I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field.

Essex and the Netherlands

The tradition of generally friendly relations between England and the Netherlands is reflected in the history of Essex. In the 16th century, many Dutch and Flemish refugees came to Essex and the name of the Dutch Quarter in Colchester is a legacy of that time. In the 17th century Dutch engineers would be used to drain part of Essex's coastal marshes.

In the early 1620's Dutchman Cornelius Vermuyden repaired a sea wall at Dagenham and was working to reclaim Canvey Island. The latter project was financed by Joas Croppenburg, a Dutch haberdasher to whom Vermuyden was related by marriage. [31] Around 200 Dutch workers and refugees settled in Canvey around that time, establishing a church on the island. [32] [33]

Civil War

Essex, London and the eastern counties backed Parliament in the English Civil War, but by 1648, this loyalty was stretched. In June 1648 a force of 500 Kentish Royalists landed near the Isle of Dogs, linked up with a small Royalist cavalry force from Essex, fought a battle with local parliamentarians at Bow Bridge, then crossed the River Lea into Essex.

The combined force, bolstered by extra forces, marched towards Royalist held Colchester, but a Parliamentarian force caught up with them just as they were about to enter the city's medieval walls, and a bitter battle was fought but the Royalists were able to retire to the security of the walls. The Siege of Colchester followed, but ten weeks' starvation and news of Royalist defeats elsewhere led the Royalists to surrender. [34]

Geography

The ceremonial county of Essex is bounded by Kent, south of the Thames Estuary; Greater London to the south-west; Hertfordshire, broadly west of the River Lea and the Stort; Cambridgeshire to the northwest; Suffolk broadly north of the River Stour; with the North Sea to the east. The highest point of the county of Essex is Chrishall Common near the village of Langley, close to the Hertfordshire border, which reaches 482 feet (147 m).

Boundaries

Map of the historic county and its constituent hundreds Essex1832Map.png
Map of the historic county and its constituent hundreds

In England, the term county is currently applied to both the ceremonial counties (or lieutenancy areas) and the administrative (or non-metropolitan) counties. It can also be applied to the former historic counties and the former postal counties. Essex therefore, has different boundaries depending on which type of county is being referred to.

The parts of the historic county now administered as London boroughs. Together this area is known as Metropolitan Essex. London Wikivoyage city regions maps - East London.png
The parts of the historic county now administered as London boroughs. Together this area is known as Metropolitan Essex.

Historic county

The largest extent of Essex was the historic (or ancient) county, which included Metropolitan Essex i.e. areas that now lie within the London conurbation such as Romford and West Ham. [35] [36] This boundary of Essex was established in the late Anglo-Saxon period, sometime after the larger former Kingdom of the East Saxons had lost its independence.

It included the whole ceremonial county, as well as the three north-western parishes transferred to Cambridgeshire in 1889, other smaller areas (such as the Bartlow Hills transferred to neighbours at the same time, and the five London boroughs administered as part of Essex until 1965.

Map of the ceremonial county. Areas in pink are the administrative (non-metropolitan) county, areas in yellow are unitary authorities. Together the pink and yellow areas form the ceremonial county. Essex numbered districts.svg
Map of the ceremonial county. Areas in pink are the administrative (non-metropolitan) county, areas in yellow are unitary authorities. Together the pink and yellow areas form the ceremonial county.

Administrative county

The administrative county and County Council was formed in 1889. [37] The county was made a non-metropolitan county (a new type of administrative county) in 1974, meaning the role of the administrative county was redefined, as part of the 1970s local government reorganisation. [38] Its present boundaries were set in 1998 when Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea were separated from the non-metropolitan county to become unitary authorities. [39]

Ceremonial county

In 1997 the Lieutenancies Act defined Essex for ceremonial purposes as the current non-metropolitan county and the unitary authorities formerly part of it. [40]

Postal county

Until 1996, the Royal Mail additionally divided Britain into postal counties, used for addresses. [41] Although it adopted many local government boundary changes, the Royal Mail did not adopt the 1965 London boundary reform due to cost. [42] Therefore, parts of post-1965 Greater London continued to have an Essex address. [43] The postal county of Hertfordshire also extended deep into west Essex, with Stansted isolated as an exclave of postal Essex. In 1996, postal counties were discontinued and replaced entirely by postcodes, though customers may still use a county, which will be ignored in the sorting process. [43]

Sewardstone in the south-west of the ceremonial county, was outside the former Essex postal county, being covered by the London post town (E4).

Coast

The deep estuaries on the east coast give Essex, by some measures, the longest coast of any county. [44] These estuaries mean the county's North Sea coast is characterised by three major peninsulas, each named after the Hundred based on the peninsula:

A consequence of these features is that the broad estuaries defining them have been a factor in preventing any transport infrastructure linking them to neighbouring areas on the other side of the river estuaries, to the north and south.

Settlement patterns

Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colchester claims to be Britain's first city. ColchesterAll Saints Church Natural History Museum tower andwar memorial from Castle Park.jpg
Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colchester claims to be Britain's first city.

The pattern of settlement in the county is diverse. The areas closest to London are the most densely settled, though the Metropolitan Green Belt has prevented the further sprawl of London into the county. The Green Belt was initially a narrow band of land, but subsequent expansions meant it was able to limit the further expansion of many of the commuter towns close to the capital. The Green Belt zone close to London includes many prosperous commuter towns, as well as the new towns of Basildon and Harlow, originally developed to resettle Londoners after the destruction of London housing in the Second World War; they have since been significantly developed and expanded. Epping Forest also prevents the further spread of the Greater London Urban Area. As it is not far from London, with its economic magnetism, many of Essex's settlements, particularly those near or within short driving distance of railway stations, function as dormitory towns or villages where London workers raise their families. In these areas a high proportion of the population commute to London, and the wages earned in the capital are typically significantly higher than more local jobs. Many parts of Essex therefore, especially those closest to London, have a major economic dependence on London and the transport links that take people to work there.

Part of the south-east of the county, already containing the major population centres of Basildon, Southend and Thurrock, is within the Thames Gateway and designated for further development. Parts of the south-west of the county, such as Buckhurst Hill and Chigwell, are contiguous with Greater London neighbourhoods and therefore form part of the Greater London Urban Area.

In rural parts of the county, there are many small towns, villages and hamlets largely built in the traditional materials of timber and brick, with clay tile or thatched roofs.

Administrative history

Before the County Council

Before the creation of the county councils, county-level administration was limited in nature; lord-lieutenants replaced the sheriffs from the time of Henry VIII and took a primarily military role, responsible for the militia and the Volunteer Force that replaced it.

Most administration was carried out by justices of the peace (JPs) appointed by the Lord-Lieutenant of Essex based upon their reputation. The JPs carried out judicial and administrative duties such as maintenance of roads and bridges, supervision of the poor laws, administration of county prisons and setting the County Rate. [48] JPs carried out these responsibilities, mainly through quarter sessions, and did this on a voluntary basis.

At this time the county was sub-divided into units known as Hundreds. At a very early but unknown date, small parts of the county on the east bank of the Stort, near Bishops Stortford and Sawbridgeworth were transferred to Hertfordshire

County Councils

Essex County Council was formed in 1889. However, County Boroughs of West Ham (1889–1965), Southend-on-Sea (1914–1974) [49] and East Ham (1915–1965) formed part of the county but were county boroughs (not under county council control, in a similar manner to unitary authorities today). [50] 12 boroughs and districts provide more localised services such as rubbish and recycling collections, leisure and planning, as shown in the map on the right.

The north-west tip of Essex, the parishes of Great Chishill, Little Chishill and Heydon, were transferred to Cambridgeshire when the County Councils were created in 1889. Parts of a number of other parishes were also transferred at that time, and since.

Greater London established

The boundary with Greater London was established in 1965, when East Ham and West Ham county boroughs and the Barking, Chingford, Dagenham, Hornchurch, Ilford, Leyton, Romford, Walthamstow and Wanstead and Woodford districts as well as a part of Chigwell [50] were transferred to form the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

Two unitary authorities

In 1998, the boroughs of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock were separated from the administrative county of Essex after successful requests to become unitary authorities. [51] [52]

Governance

National

Essex became part of the East of England Government Office Region in 1994 and was statistically counted as part of that region from 1999, having previously been part of the South East England region.

Results of the 2024 UK general election in Essex EssexParliamentaryConstituency2024Results.svg
Results of the 2024 UK general election in Essex

Essex is represented by eighteen seats in the House of Commons, each electing one Member of Parliament (MP). As of the 2024 general election, the county is represented by ten Conservative Party MPs, five from the Labour Party, two from Reform UK and one Liberal Democrat.

The Conservatives have historically dominated in the county. In 2017, the party won all eighteen Essex seats, and repeated this in 2019, receiving over 50% of the vote in every Essex constituency and almost 65% of the county's total votes. In this election, Castle Point recorded the highest Conservative vote share of any constituency in the United Kingdom with 76.7%, and the most marginal seat in the county was Colchester, which the Conservatives still held by a majority of over 9,400 votes. Essex has previously elected a small number of Labour MPs, with the party winning in Thurrock in all but one general election between 1945 and 2005, and also holding Harlow and Basildon from 1997 until 2010. The Liberal Democrats held the seat of Colchester from 1997 until the 2015 election. The 2015 election saw a large vote in Essex for the UK Independence Party (UKIP); the county was the site of UKIP's only victory in the election, with Douglas Carswell retaining the seat of Clacton that he had won in a 2014 by-election. The party also gained support in other Essex constituencies, receiving over 30% of the vote in Thurrock and Castle Point. UKIP's vote share declined in 2017 and the party lost their only seat.

The Conservatives experienced a marked fall in support in Essex at the 2024 general election, receiving fewer than half the votes they did in 2019. Reform UK, led by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, received over 20% of the votes in the county. Two of the party's five MPs elected in 2024 represent Essex constituencies, including Clacton, which was won by Farage. The Labour Party recovered Thurrock and Harlow, gained Colchester and won seats in Southend-on-Sea for the first time in their history. The Liberal Democrats also won in Chelmsford for the first time.

In the 2016 EU referendum, 62.3% of voters in Essex voted to leave the EU, with all 14 District Council areas voting to leave, the smallest margin being in Uttlesford. [53]

Essex
The Hythe, Maldon - geograph.org.uk - 3895331.jpg
Cater House, Chelmsford - geograph.org.uk - 2648271.jpg
Saffron Walden - Sun Inn (former), Church St from W.jpg
Upper: the Hythe, Maldon Lower: Cater House in Chelmsford (left); and the former Sun Inn, Saffron Walden, displaying pargeting (right)
Essex UK locator map 2010.svg
Ceremonial Essex within England
Coordinates: 51°45′N0°35′E / 51.750°N 0.583°E / 51.750; 0.583
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region East
Established Ancient
Time zone UTC+0 (GMT)
  Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
UK Parliament 18 Members of Parliament
Police Essex Police
Largest city Southend-on-Sea
Ceremonial county
Lord Lieutenant Jennifer Tolhurst [1]
Area
[2]
3,664 km2 (1,415 sq mi)
  Rank 11th of 48
Population 
(2022) [2]
1,877,301
  Rank 6th of 48
  Density512/km2 (1,330/sq mi)
Ethnicity
  • 85.1% White British
  • 5.2% Other White
  • 3.7% Asian
  • 2.5% Black
  • 2.4% Mixed
  • 1.1% Other
  • (2021) [3]
UK general election results in Essex
PartyVotes% VotesSeats
201520172019202420152017201920242015201720192024
Conservative Party 436,758528,949577,118270,38249.659.064.832.917181810
Labour Party 171,026261,671189,471235,89119.429.221.228.70005
Reform UK 179,97721.92
Liberal Democrats 58,59246,25495,07878,2386.65.110.69.50001
Green Party 25,99312,34320,43842,5823.01.32.35.20000
UKIP 177,75641,47827320.24.60.0100
Other parties3,7181,6622,2783,9840.40.20.30.50000
Independents 6,9194,17910,22410,0590.70.41.11.20000
Total879,918896,231894,608821,386100%100%100%100%18181818

County-wide

The coat of arms of Essex County Council Attributed arms of the Kingdom of Essex.svg
The coat of arms of Essex County Council

Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service covers the ceremonial county. [54] The county council governs the non-metropolitan county of Essex in England. It has 75 councillors, elected from 70 divisions, some of which elect more than one member, but before 1965, the number of councillors reached over 100. The council is currently under Conservative majority control, with the party holding 52 of the 75 council seats. [2] The council meets at County Hall in the centre of Chelmsford.

At the time of the 2011 census it served a population of 1,393,600, which makes it one of the largest local authorities in England. As a non-metropolitan county council, responsibilities are shared between districts (including boroughs) and in many areas also between civil parish (including town) councils. Births, marriages/civil partnerships and death registration, roads, libraries and archives, refuse disposal, most of state education, of social services and of transport are provided at the county level. [3]

The county council was formed in 1889, governing the administrative county of Essex. The county council was reconstituted in 1974 as a non-metropolitan county council, regaining jurisdiction in Southend-on-Sea; however, the non-metropolitan county was reduced in size in 1998 and the council passed responsibilities to Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Thurrock Council in those districts. For certain services the three authorities co-operate through joint arrangements, such as the Essex fire authority.

Composition of the Essex County Council in 2017 after the county election Results of the Essex County Council elections, 2017.svg
Composition of the Essex County Council in 2017 after the county election

At the 2013 County Council elections the Conservative Party retained overall control of the council, but its majority fell from twenty-two to four councillors. UKIP, Labour and the Liberal Democrats each won nine seats. Out of those three parties, UKIP gained the largest share of the county-wide vote, more than 10% ahead of Labour. [3] The Liberal Democrats remain as the official Opposition, despite winning fewer votes. [3] The Green Party gained two seats on the council, despite its overall share of the vote falling. The independent Loughton Residents Association and the Canvey Island Independent Party both returned one member and an Independent candidate was also elected.

The 2017 County Council elections saw a county-wide wipeout of UKIP. The Conservative Party profited most from this loss, regaining many of the seats it had lost at the previous election. Labour, despite a slight rise in its share of the vote, had fewer councillors elected. The Liberal Democrats also saw a notable revival, but were unable to translate this into seats. The Conservatives retained firm control of the council. The next election will be in 2021.

2017 Essex County Council election
PartyVotes cast%Seats
200920132017±200920132017±200920132017±
Conservative 169,975112,229184,901Increase2.svg 72,67243.334.449.3Increase2.svg 14.9604256Increase2.svg14
Labour 42,33457,29063,470Increase2.svg 6,18010.816.416.9Increase2.svg 0.5196Decrease2.svg 3
Liberal Democrat 79,08535,65151,524Increase2.svg 15,87320.111.613.7Increase2.svg 2.11297Decrease2.svg 2
UKIP 18,18690,81229,796Decrease2.svg 61,0164.627.67.9Decrease2.svg 19.7090Decrease2.svg 9
Green 26,54715,18715,187Steady2.svg6.84.84.3Decrease2.svg 0.5021Decrease2.svg1
Independents5,8454,63112,506Increase2.svg 7,8751.50.62.4Increase2.svg 1.8012Increase2.svg 1
Residents for Uttlesford N/AN/A5,231Increase2.svgN/AN/A1.4Increase2.svg00*(1)0Decrease2.svg 1
Canvey Island Independents 1,6552,7773,654Increase2.svg 8770.40.91.0Increase2.svg 0.1112Increase2.svg1
Loughton Residents 2,7643,2862,824Decrease2.svg 4620.71.10.8Decrease2.svg 0.3111Steady2.svg
Tendring First 5,8664,0931,332Increase2.svg 2,7611.51.40.4Decrease2.svg 1.0000Steady2.svg
BNP 35,037909847Decrease2.svg 628.90.30.2Decrease2.svg 0.1000Steady2.svg
English Democrats 5,21283558Decrease2.svg 1641.30.30.0Decrease2.svg 0.3000Steady2.svg
TUSC N/A431N/ADecrease2.svgN/A0.1N/ADecrease2.svg000Steady2.svg
National Front N/A304N/ADecrease2.svgN/A0.1N/ADecrease2.svg000Steady2.svg
Total392,506328,435372,834100%100%100%757575

County Hall

The county council chamber and main headquarters is at the County Hall in Chelmsford. Before 1938, the council regularly met in London near Moorgate, which with significant parts of the county close to that point and the dominance of railway travel had been more convenient than any place in the county. [55] The County Hall, made a listed building in 2007, dates largely from the mid-1930s and is decorated with fine artworks of that period, mostly the gift of the family who owned the textile firm Courtaulds.

Borough and district level

The county of Essex is divided into 12 district and borough councils with 2 unitary authorities (Southend on Sea and Thurrock). The 12 councils manage housing, local planning, refuse collection, street cleaning, elections and meet in their respective civic offices. The local representatives are elected in parts in local elections, held every year. [56]

Youth councils

The Essex County Council also has a Youth Assembly, 75 members aged between 11 and 19 who aim to represent all young people in their districts across Essex. They decide on the priorities for young people and campaign to make a difference. [57] With this, some district and unitary authorities may have their own youth councils, such as Epping Forest, [58] Uttlesford [59] and Harlow. [60]

All these councillors are elected by their schools. The elections to the Young Essex Assembly occur in the respective schools in which the candidates are standing, likewise for the youth councils at a district and unitary level. These young people will then go on to represent their school and their parish/ward or (in the case of the Young Essex Assembly) their entire district. The initiative seeks to engage younger people in the county and rely on the youth councillors of all status to work closely with schools and youth centres to improve youth services in Essex and help promote the opinions of Essex youth.

Town and parish level

Town and parish councils vary in size from those with a population of around 200 to those with a population of over 30,000. Annual expenditure can vary greatly, depending on the circumstances of the individual council. Parish and town councils (local councils) have the same powers and duties, but a town council may elect a town mayor, rather than a chairman, each year in May.

There are just under 300 town and parish councils within Essex. [56] These Councils have no statutory duties but can contribute to local life in a range of ways, such as maintaining allotments and open spaces, to crime prevention and providing recreation facilities. They can also influence other decision makers and can deliver services to meet local needs. Their powers and duties range

Town and parish councils have the right to become statutory consultees at both district and county level and, although the decision remains with the planning authorities, local councils can influence the decision-making process by making informed comments and recommendations. [56]

Economy

A high proportion of the population, especially in the south, work outside the county, commuting to London and elsewhere by rail and by road. These London-based jobs are often well paid and complement the contribution made by the employers based within Essex.

Industry is largely limited to the south of the county, with the majority of the land elsewhere being given over to agriculture. Harlow is a centre for electronics, science and pharmaceutical companies. Chelmsford has been an important location for electronics companies, such as the Marconi Company, since the industry was born; it is also the location for a number of insurance and financial services organisations and, until 2015, was the home of the soft drinks producer Britvic. Basildon is home to New Holland Agriculture's European headquarters as well as the Ford Motor Company's British HQ. Debden, in Loughton, is home to a production facility for British and foreign banknotes.

Other businesses in the county are dominated by mechanical engineering, including but not limited to metalworking, glassmaking and plastics and the service sector. Colchester is a garrison town and the local economy is helped by the Army's personnel living there. Basildon is the location of State Street Corporation's United Kingdom HQ International Financial Data Services and remains heavily dependent on London for employment, due to its proximity and direct transport routes. Southend-on-Sea is home to the Adventure Island theme park and is one of the few still growing British seaside resorts, benefiting from modern and direct rail links from Fenchurch Street railway station and Liverpool Street station (so that housing is in high demand, especially for financial services commuters), which maintains the town's commercial and general economy.

Parts of eastern Essex suffer from high levels of deprivation; one of the most highly deprived wards is in the seaside town of Clacton. [61] In the Indices of deprivation 2007, Jaywick was identified as the most deprived Lower Super Output Area in Southern England. [62] Unemployment was estimated at 44% and many homes were found to lack very basic amenities. The Brooklands and Grasslands area of Jaywick was found to be the third-most deprived area in England; two areas in Liverpool and Manchester were rated more deprived. In contrast, mid, west and south-west Essex is one of the most affluent parts of eastern England, forming part of the London commuter belt. There is a large middle class here and the area is widely known for its private schools. In 2008, The Daily Telegraph found Ingatestone and Brentwood to be the 14th- and 19th-richest towns in the UK respectively. [63]

Transport

Much of Essex lies within the London commuter belt, with radial transport links to the capital an important part of the area's economy. There are nationally or regionally important ports and airports and these also rely on the Essex infrastructure, causing an additional load on the local road and rail links.

Railway

Essex's railway routes to London are, running clockwise:

  1. Harwich and its port. The nearby port of Felixstowe in Suffolk is served by a separate branch.
  2. The Sunshine Coast Line linking Colchester to the seaside resorts of Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.
  3. Braintree.
  4. Branch from Marks Tey to Sudbury (Suffolk) and villages in-between.
  5. In the densely populated south, there is a branch to Southend Victoria, the Rochford Peninsula and several south Essex towns. This branch has a sub-branch – the Crouch Valley Line – linking Wickford to the remote Dengie Peninsula, including Burnham-on-Crouch and Southminster. [64]

The Essex Thameside franchise is operated by c2c. The Greater Anglia routes (both the West Anglia and Great Eastern Main Line and their branches) are operated by Greater Anglia.

Road

Queen Elizabeth II Bridge spanning the Thames from West Thurrock, Essex, to Dartford, Kent GreenhitheThames5346.JPG
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge spanning the Thames from West Thurrock, Essex, to Dartford, Kent

Essex has six main strategic routes, five of which reflect the powerful influence exerted by London.

The M25 is London's orbital motorway which redistributes traffic across the London area. It includes the Dartford Road Crossings, over the Thames Estuary, linking Essex to Kent.

There are four radial commuter routes into the capital:

The A120 is a major route heading west from the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe (Suffolk) and, like the A12, the route was in use during the Roman period and, in part at least, before then.

Ports and waterborne transport

The Port of Tilbury is one of Britain's three major ports and has proposed a major extension onto the site of the former Tilbury power stations. [65] The port of Harwich has passenger and freight services to the Hook of Holland and a freight service to Europoort. A service to Esbjerg, Denmark ceased in September 2014 [66] and earlier a service to Cuxhaven in Germany was discontinued in December 2005.

The UK's largest container terminal London Gateway at Shell Haven in Thurrock partly opened in November 2013; final completion date is yet to be confirmed. [67] The port was opposed by the local authority and environmental and wildlife organisations. [68] [69] [70]

The ports have branch lines to connect them to the national rail network. These freight movements conflict with the needs of commuter passenger services, limiting their frequency and reliability. [71]

East of the Dartford Road Crossing to Dartford in Kent, across the Thames Estuary, a pedestrian ferry to Gravesend, Kent operates from Tilbury during limited daily hours; there are pedestrian ferries across some of Essex's rivers and estuaries in spring and summer.

Airports

Stansted Airport, in the north west of the county London STN.JPG
Stansted Airport, in the north west of the county

The main airport in Essex is Stansted Airport, serving destinations in Europe, North Africa and Asia. [72] The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, formed in May 2010, agreed not to allow a further runway until a set time period, so curtailing the operator's ambitions for expansion. London Southend Airport, once one of Britain's busiest airports, opened a new runway extension, terminal building and railway station in March 2012. [73] It has a station on the Shenfield to Southend Line, with a direct link to London.

Southend Airport has scheduled flights to Ireland, the Channel Islands and multiple destinations in Europe. Essex has several smaller airfields, some of which owe their origins to military bases built during World War I or World War II, giving pleasure flights or flying lessons; these include Clacton Airfield, Earls Colne Airfield and Stapleford Aerodrome.

Culture and community

Symbols

The flag of the historic county of Essex Flag of Essex.svg
The flag of the historic county of Essex
Depiction of the first king of the East Saxons, AEscwine, his shield showing the three seaxes emblem attributed to him (from John Speed's 1611 Saxon Heptarchy) Erkenwin - John Speed.JPG
Depiction of the first king of the East Saxons, Æscwine, his shield showing the three seaxes emblem attributed to him (from John Speed's 1611 Saxon Heptarchy)

Both the flag of Essex and the county's coat of arms comprise three Saxon seax knives (although they look rather more like scimitars), mainly white and pointing to the right (from the point of view of the observer), arranged vertically one above another on a red background (Gules three Seaxes fesswise in pale Argent pommels and hilts Or, points to the sinister and notches to the base). The three-seax device is also used as the official logo of Essex County Council; this was granted in 1932. [74]

The emblem was attributed to Anglo-Saxon Essex in Early Modern historiography. The earliest reference to the arms of the East Saxon kings was by Richard Verstegan, the author of A Restitution of Decayed Intelligence (Antwerp, 1605), claiming that "Erkenwyne king of the East-Saxons did beare for his armes, three [seaxes] argent, in a field gules". There is no earlier evidence substantiating Verstegan's claim, which is an anachronism for the Anglo-Saxon period seeing that heraldry only evolved in the 12th century, well after the Norman Conquest.

John Speed in his Historie of Great Britaine (1611) follows Verstegan in his descriptions of the arms of Erkenwyne, but he qualifies the statement by adding "as some or our heralds have emblazed". [74]

The cowslip is the county plant of Essex. [75]

The Hay Wain by John Constable shows the Essex landscape on the right bank. John Constable The Hay Wain.jpg
The Hay Wain by John Constable shows the Essex landscape on the right bank.

Patron saint

The East Saxon royal house had converted the Christianity around 604 AD, but subsequently apostasised. In the mid 7th century, a new Christian king, Sigeberht the Good, requested help from the monks of Lindisfarne in promoting Christianity among his people.

St Cedd, an Irish trained Northumbrian monk, sailed south and established a chapel, dedicated to St Peter, on the site of the old Roman fort of Othona (modern Bradwell-on-Sea), a chapel which still stands. Cedd, who was well known for confronting political authority, filled the vacant position of Bishop of London – the Bishop of the East Saxons. The feast day of St Cedd, also known as Essex Day, is marked on 26 October. [76]

Cowslip, the county plant of Essex Primula veris 230405.jpg
Cowslip, the county plant of Essex

Speech

The county has its own Essex dialect, though this has lost ground to other forms so that it is now chiefly spoken in parts of the north and among older residents. It has been partially replaced by Received Pronunciation (RP) and Cockney, a form originally heavily influenced by the Essex dialect. [77]

The prevalence of Cockney, particularly in the south, is the result of the large-scale migration of East Londoners to Essex, the Cockney Diaspora, particularly after World War II. A blend of RP and Cockney is widely heard, and known as Estuary English. [78]

Traditions

Essex is also home to the Dunmow Flitch Trials, a traditional ceremony that takes place every four years and consists of a test of a married couple's devotion to one another. A common claim of the origin of the Dunmow Flitch dates back to 1104 and the Augustinian priory of Little Dunmow, founded by Lady Juga Baynard. Lord of the Manor Reginald Fitzwalter and his wife dressed themselves as humble folk and begged blessing of the Prior a year and a day after marriage. The prior, impressed by their devotion, bestowed upon them a flitch of bacon. Upon revealing his true identity, Fitzwalter gave his land to the priory on condition that a flitch should be awarded to any couple who could claim they were similarly devoted.

By the 14th century, the Dunmow Flitch Trials appear to have achieved a significant reputation outside the local area. The author William Langland, who lived on the Welsh borders, mentions it in his 1362 book The Vision of Piers Plowman in a manner that implies general knowledge of the custom among his readers. [79]

Television

The county is served by BBC East and ITV Anglia, but southern parts of Essex are also served by BBC London and ITV London.

Radio

Local radio stations are BBC Essex, Heart East, Greatest Hits Radio East (formerly Dream 100 FM), Radio Essex (covering Mid and South Essex), Actual Radio (covering Colchester and North East Essex) and Phoenix FM (covering Brentwood and Billericay). [80]

Sport

Cricket

Essex County Cricket Club became a first-class county in 1894. The county has won eight County Championship league titles; six of these were won during the dominant period between 1979 and 1992, with a gap of 25 years before the county's next titles in 2017 and 2019.

Football

The ceremonial county is home to three professional sides, Colchester United, Southend United and Braintree Town. Three additional clubs (West Ham United, Leyton Orient and Dagenham & Redbridge) have grounds located within the historical Essex boundaries. Essex also has a number of other clubs which play below English football's fifth tier. Chelmsford City plays in the National League South. The highest domestic trophy for non-league teams, the FA Trophy, has been won on three occasions by Essex teams: Colchester United (1992), Canvey Island (2001) and by Grays Athletic in 2006. The FA Vase has been won three times by Billericay Town in 1976, 1977 and 1979, and by Stansted in 1984.

Racing

Speedway teams in the county were Lakeside Hammers (formerly Arena Essex Hammers), the Rayleigh Rockets and the Romford Bombers.

During the 2012 London Olympics, Hadleigh Farm played host to the mountain bike races.

Essex has one horse racing venue, Chelmsford City Racecourse at Great Leighs. Horse racing also took place at Chelmsford Racecourse in Galleywood until 1935. The county has one current greyhound racing track, Harlow Stadium. Rayleigh Weir Stadium and Southend Stadium are former greyhound venues.

Other sports

The county is also home to the Romford Raiders and Chelmsford Chieftains ice hockey teams, as well as the amateur rugby league football teams the Eastern Rhinos and Brentwood Eels (Essex Eels). The county's basketball team is Essex Leopards, a defunct teams include the Essex Pirates basketball team.

Notable people

Many famous sports stars have come from or trained in Essex. These have included swimmer Mark Foster; cricket stars Trevor Bailey, Nasser Hussain, Alastair Cook and Graham Gooch; footballers Peter Taylor, James Tomkins, Justin Edinburgh, Nigel Spink; tennis stars John Lloyd and David Lloyd; Olympic gold-winning hurdler Sally Gunnell, Olympic Gold-winning gymnast Max Whitlock; Olympic sailing champion Saskia Clark; World Champion snooker stars Stuart Bingham and Steve Davis; world champion boxers Terry Marsh, Nigel Benn and Frank Bruno; London Marathon winner Eamonn Martin; international rugby players Malcolm O'Kelly and Stuart Barnes; Formula 1 sports car drivers Johnny Herbert, Perry McCarthy and Oliver Bearman.

Education

Education in Essex is substantially provided by three authorities: Essex County Council and the two unitary authorities, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock. In all there are some 90 state secondary schools provided by these authorities, the majority of which are comprehensive, although one in Uttlesford, two in Chelmsford, two in Colchester and four in Southend-on-Sea are selective grammar schools. There are also various independent schools particularly, as mentioned above, in rural parts and the west of the county. [81] [82]

The University of Essex, which was established in 1963, is located just outside Colchester, with two further campuses in Loughton and Southend-on-Sea.

Anglia Ruskin University has a campus in Chelmsford. Lord Ashcroft International Business School, Faculty of Medical Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Anglia Law School, Faculty of Health, Social Care & Education and School of Medicine are located in the campus area.

Writtle University College, at Writtle, near Chelmsford, offers both higher and further education in land-management subjects.

Landmarks and places of interest

Over 14,000 buildings have listed status in the county and around 1,000 of those are recognised as of Grade I or II* importance. [83] The buildings include the 7th century Saxon church of St Peter-on-the-Wall and the clubhouse of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club which was the United Kingdom's entry in the 'International Exhibition of Modern Architecture' held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1932. Southend Pier is in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest pleasure pier in the world

Key
AP Icon.svg Abbey/Priory/Cathedral
UKAL icon.svg Accessible open space
Themepark uk icon.png Amusement/Theme Park
CL icon.svg Castle
Country parks.svg Country Park
EH icon.svg English Heritage
Forestry Commission
HR icon.svg Heritage railway
HH icon.svg Historic House
AP Icon.svg Places of Worship
Museum icon.svg
Museum icon (red).svg
Museum (free/not free)
NTE icon.svg National Trust
Drama-icon.svg Theatre
Zoo icon.jpg Zoo

Notable people

Sister counties and regions

See also

References

Notes

    Sources

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