Essex History

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Essex History

Essex is a wonderful county; its history is fascinating.

Explore this website to find out why Essex is so great

New information on one of Essex's famous witches has been unearthed (literally!). What is the true story of Ursula Kemp, persecuted as a witch in St Osyth in the 16th century? Follow the link below for further information:

The story of an Essex witch.

400,000 BC	Stone Age man at Clacton
2,000 BC	Springfield Cursus
10 43	Camulodunum (Colchester) founded Romans take Camulodunum
60	Boudicca attacks Colchester
654	St Peters on the Wall, Bradwell-on-Sea, founded
894	Battle of Benfleet
991	Battle of Maldon
1016	Battle of Ashingdon
1042	Harold Godwin becomes Earl of Essex
1070	Rayleigh Castle built
1076	William I builds fortress at Colchester
1104	Dunmow Flitch tradition begins
1130-50	Hedingham Castle built
1136	Knights Templar at Cressing
1157	Henry II at Colchester
1231	Hadleigh Castle built
1348	Black Death
1381	Peasants' revolt
1553-58	73 Essex Protestants executed by Mary I
1561	Elizabeth I travels through Essex
1588	Elizabeth I addresses the troops at Tilbury
1619	The Mayflower leaves Essex for America
1645-7	Mathew Hopkins executes 74 ‘witches’
1648	The Siege of Colchester
1682	Tilbury Fort rebuilt
1695	1^st turnpike in Essex set up at Mountnessing
1705	Dick Turpin born at Hempstead
1722	Daniel Defoe’s tours through Essex
1808-10	Harwich Redoubt Fort and Martello Towers built on Essex coast
1819	Public lighting in Chelmsford and Colchester
1884	An earthquake
1898	Marconi’s 1^st radio factory opens in Chelmsford
1947	Harlow New Town
1949	Basildon New Town
1953	The Great Flood
1962	Bradwell Power Station opens
1965	Greater London absorbs adjacent Essex parishes
1969	Stansted airport’s first terminal building opens
1974	Local Government Reorganisation
1987	The Hurricane
1988	Southend and Thurrock become Unitary Authorities

Interesting Facts About Essex

The name Essex originates from "The Land of the East Saxons".

Longest Coast - 350 miles of coastline - the longest in Britain. Fact confirmed by the Essex Police Marine Unit.

A national newspaper undertook an extensive survey in 2008 that highlighted the Essex district of Uttlesford as “the most desirable place to live in the UK".

Tilbury was where Queen Elizabeth I was presented to the English army before being sent to fight the threat of Spanish Invasion.

Danbury Common near Chelmsford is home to the largest population of Adder snakes in the UK.

Essex is one of the few places in the world where the "Little Scarlet" strawberry is grown - the perfect variety for jam making.

The first ever radio broadcast was made from Chelmsford.

Mersea Island is England’s eastern-most inhabited island. Southend pier (at over a mile long) is the longest pleasure pier in the world.

Hatfield Forest - Britain's best preserved small hunting forest created by the Norman Kings.

Greensted Church is the world's oldest wooden church, dating from the 11th century AD.

Southend Airshow: Europe's biggest free airshow.

Saffron Walden has the larges turf maze in the world.

c. J. Williams, 2011