The county has an area of 3,670 km2 (1,420 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,929,610 in 2024. The south of the county is densely populated, and includes Southend-on-Sea in the south-east andBasildon in the south-centre. The centre and north of the county is more rural, and its principal settlements includeChelmsford in the centre andColchester in the north-east. The districts of Chelmsford, Colchester and Southend hold city status. For local government purposes Essex comprises anon-metropolitan county, with twelve districts, and two unitary authority areas:Thurrock andSouthend-on-Sea. The countyhistorically included north-east Greater London, theRiver Lea forming its western border.
Essex is a low-lying county with a flat coastline. It contains pockets of ancient woodland, includingEpping Forest in the south-west, and in the north-east sharesDedham Valearea of outstanding natural beauty with Suffolk. The coast is one of the longest of any English county, at 562 miles (905 km). It is deeply indented by estuaries, the largest being those of theStour, which forms the Suffolk border, theColne,Blackwater,Crouch, and theThames in the south. Parts of the coast are wetland and salt marsh, including a large expanse atHamford Water, and it contains several large beaches.[5][6]
What is now Essex was occupied by theTrinovantes tribe during theIron Age. They established a settlement at Colchester, which is the oldest recorded town in Britain. The town was conquered by theRomans but subsequently sacked by the Trinovantes during theBoudican revolt. In the Early Middle Ages the region was invaded by theSaxons, who formed theKingdom of Essex; they were followed by the Vikings, who after winning theBattle of Maldon were able to extract the firstDanegeld from KingÆthelred. After the Norman Conquest much of the county became aroyal forest, and in 1381 the populace of the county were heavily involved in thePeasants' Revolt. The subsequent centuries were more settled, and the county's economy became increasingly tied to that of London; in the nineteenth century the railways allowed coastal resorts such asClacton-on-Sea to develop and thePort of London to shift downriver toTilbury. Subsequent development has included the new towns of Basildon andHarlow, the development of theHarwich International Port, and petroleum industry.[5]
In the Iron Age, Essex and parts of southern Suffolk were controlled by the localTrinovantes tribe. Their production of their own coinage marks them out as one of the more advanced tribes on the island, this advantage (in common with other tribes in the south-east) is probably due to theBelgic element within their elite. Their capital was theoppidum (a type of town) ofColchester, Britain's oldest recorded town, which had its own mint.The tribe were in extended conflict with their western neighbours, theCatuvellauni, and steadily lost ground. By AD 10 they had come under the complete control of the Catuvellauni, who took Colchester as their own capital.[8]
TheRoman invasion of AD 43 began with a landing on the south coast, probably in theRichborough area ofKent. After some initial successes against the Britons, they paused to await reinforcements, and the arrival of the EmperorClaudius. The combined army then proceeded to the capital of the Catevellauni-Trinovantes atColchester, and took it.
Claudius held a review of his invasion force onLexden Heath where the army formally proclaimed himImperator. The invasion force that assembled before him included fourlegions, mounted auxiliaries and an elephant corps – a force of around 30,000 men.[9] At Colchester, the kings of 11 British tribes surrendered to Claudius.[10]
Colchester became aRoman Colonia, with the official name Colonia Claudia Victricensis ('the City of Claudius' Victory'). It was initially the most important city in Roman Britain and in it theyestablished a temple to the God-Emperor Claudius. This was the largest building of its kind inRoman Britain.[11][12]
The establishment of the Colonia is thought to have involved extensive appropriation of land from local people, this and other grievances led to the Trinovantes joining their northern neighbours, theIceni, in theBoudiccan revolt.[13] The rebels entered the city, and after a Roman last stand at the temple of Claudius, methodically destroyed it, massacring many thousands. A significant Roman force attempting to relieve Colchester was destroyed in pitched battle, known as theMassacre of the Ninth Legion.
The rebels then proceeded to sackLondon andSt Albans, withTacitus estimating that 70–80,000 people were killed in the destruction of the three cities. Boudicca was defeated in battle, somewhere in the west midlands, and the Romans are likely to have ravaged the lands of the rebel tribes,[14] so Essex will have suffered greatly.
Despite this, the Trinovantes' identity persisted. Roman provinces were divided intocivitas for local government purposes – with a civitas for the Trinovantes strongly implied byPtolemy.[15] Christianity is thought to have been flourishing among the Trinovantes in the fourth century, indications include the remains of a probable church at Colchester,[16] the church dates from sometime after 320, shortly after theConstantine the Greatgranted freedom of worship to Christians in 313. Other archaeological evidence include achi-rho symbol etched on a tile at a site inWickford, and a gold ring inscribed with a chi-rho monogram found atBrentwood.[17]
The late Roman period, and the period shortly after, was the setting for theKing Cole legends based aroundColchester.[18] One version of the legend concernsSt Helena, the mother ofConstantine the Great. The legend makes her the daughter of Coel, Duke of the Britons (King Cole) and in it she gives birth to Constantine in Colchester. This, andrelated legends, are at variance with biographical details as they are now known, but it is likely that Constantine, and his father,Constantius spent time in Colchester during their years in Britain.[19] The presence of St Helena in the country is less certain.
St Peters Chapel, Bradwell. Established by St Cedd, the patron saint of Essex around 662, built on the site of the abandoned Roman fort ofOthona
The nameEssex originates in theAnglo-Saxon period of theEarly Middle Ages and has its root in the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) nameĒastseaxe ('East Saxons'), the eastern kingdom of theSaxons who had come from the continent and settled in Britain. Excavations atMucking have demonstrated the presence of Anglo-Saxon settlers in the early fifth century, however the way in which these settlers became ascendent in the territory of the Trinovantes is not known. Studies suggest a pattern of typically peaceful co-existence, with the structure of the Romano-British landscape being maintained, and with the Saxon settlers believed to have been in the minority.[20]
The first known king of the East Saxons wasSledd in 587, though there are less reliable sources giving an account ofAescwine (other versions call him Erkenwine) founding the kingdom in 527. The early kings of the East Saxons were pagan and uniquely amongst the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms traced their lineage back toSeaxnēat, god of theSaxons, rather thanWoden. Thekings of Essex are notable for their S-nomenclature, nearly all of them begin with the letter S.
TheKingdom of the East Saxons included not just the subsequent county of Essex, but also Middlesex (including theCity of London), much ofHertfordshire and at times also thesub-Kingdom of Surrey. The Middlesex and Hertfordshire parts were known as theProvince of the Middle Saxons since at least the early eighth century but it is not known if the province was previously an independent unit that came under East Saxon control. Charter evidence shows that the Kings of Essex appear to have had a greater control in the core area, east of the Lea and Stort, that would subsequently become the county of Essex. In the core area they granted charters freely, but further west they did so while also making reference to theirMercian overlords.
The early kings were pagan, together with much and perhaps by this time all of the population. Sledd's sonSebert converted to Christianity around 604 andSt Paul's Cathedral in London was established. On Sebert's death in 616 his sons renounced Christianity and drove outMellitus, theBishop of London. The kingdom re-converted afterSt Cedd, a monk fromLindisfarne and now the patron saint of Essex, convertedSigeberht II the Good around 653.
In AD 824,Ecgberht, the King of theWessex and grandfather ofAlfred the Great, defeated the Mercians at theBattle of Ellandun in Wiltshire, fundamentally changing the balance of power in southern England. The small kingdoms of Essex,Sussex and ofKent, previously independent albeit under Mercian overlordship, were subsequently fully absorbed into Wessex.
The later Anglo-Saxon period shows three major battles fought with the Norse recorded in Essex; theBattle of Benfleet in 894, theBattle of Maldon in 991 and theBattle of Assandun (probably at eitherAshingdon orAshdon) in 1016.The county of Essex was formed from the core area, east of theRiver Lea,[21] of the former Kingdom of the East Saxons in the 9th or 10th centuries and divided into groupings calledhundreds.Before theNorman Conquest the East Saxons were subsumed into theKingdom of England.
Having conquered England,William the Conqueror initially based himself atBarking Abbey, an already ancient nunnery, for several months while a secure base, which eventually became theTower of London, could be established in the city. While at Barking William received the submission of some of England's leading nobles. The invaders established a number of castles in the county, to help protect the new elites in a hostile country. There were castles atColchester,Castle Hedingham,Rayleigh,Pleshey and elsewhere.Hadleigh Castle was developed much later, in the thirteenth century.
After the arrival of theNormans, theForest of Essex was established as aroyal forest, however, at that time, the term[22] was a legal term. There was a weak correlation between the area covered by theForest of Essex (the large majority of the county) and the much smaller area covered by woodland. An analysis ofDomesday returns for Essex has shown that theForest of Essex was mostly farmland, and that the county as a whole was 20% wooded in 1086.[23] In 1218, Chelmsford became the county town.[24]
After that point population growth caused the proportion of woodland to fall steadily until the arrival of theBlack Death, in 1348, killed between a third and a half of England's population, leading to a long term stabilisation of the extent of woodland. Similarly, various pressures led to areas being removed from the legalForest of Essex and it ceased to exist as a legal entity after 1327,[25] and after that timeForest Law applied to smaller areas: the forests ofWrittle (nearChelmsford), long lost Kingswood (near Colchester),[23]Hatfield, andWaltham Forest.
The Black Death significantly reduced England's population, leading to a change in the balance of power between the working population on one hand, and their masters and employers on the other. Over a period of several decades, national government brought in legislation to reverse the situation, but it was only partially successful and led to simmering resentment.
By 1381, England's economic situation was very poor due to thewar with France, so a newPoll Tax was levied with commissioners being sent round the country to interrogate local officials in an attempt to ensure tax evasion was reduced and more money extracted. This was hugely unpopular and thePeasants' Revolt broke out inBrentwood on 1 June 1381. The revolt was partly inspired by the egalitarian preaching of the radical Essex priestJohn Ball.
Several thousand Essex rebels gathered atBocking on 4 June, and then divided. Some heading toSuffolk to raise rebellion there, with the rest heading to London, some directly – viaBow Bridge and others may have gone via Kent. A large force of Kentish rebels underWat Tyler, who may himself have been from Essex, also advanced on London while revolt also spread to a number of other parts of the country.
The rebels gained access to the walledCity of London and gained control of theTower of London. They carried out extensive looting in the capital and executed a number of their enemies, but the revolt began to dissipate after the events atWest Smithfield on 15 June, when the Mayor of London,William Walworth, killed the rebel leader Wat Tyler. The rebels prepared to fire arrows at the royal party but the 15 year oldKing Richard II rode toward the crowd and spoke to them, defusing the situation, in part by making a series of promises he did not subsequently keep.[27]
Having bought himself time, Richard was able to receive reinforcements and then crush the rebellion in Essex and elsewhere. His forces defeated rebels in battle atBillericay on 28 June, and there were mass executions including hangings and disembowellings at Chelmsford and Colchester.[28]
The Essex men joined with their allies in attempting to stormAldgate andBishopsgate during an assault known as theSiege of London. The Lancastrians were defeated, and the Essex contingent retreated back over theLea with heavy losses.[29]
Hand-drawn map of Essex by Christopher Saxton in 1576
In 1588Tilbury Fort was chosen as the focal point of the English defences againstKing Philip II'sSpanish Armada, and the large veteran army he had ordered to invade England. The English believed that the Spanish would land near the Fort,[30] soQueen Elizabeth's small and relatively poorly trained forces gathered at Tilbury, where the Queen made herfamous speech to the troops.
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 thatParma orSpain, 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.
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 theDutch 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 1620s DutchmanCornelius Vermuyden repaired a sea wall atDagenham and was working to reclaimCanvey 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]
Essex, London and the eastern counties backed Parliament in theEnglish Civil War, but by 1648, this loyalty was stretched. In June 1648 a force of 500 Kentish Royalists landed near theIsle of Dogs, linked up with a small Royalist cavalry force from Essex, fought abattle with local parliamentarians at Bow Bridge, then crossed the River Lea into Essex.
The combined force, bolstered by extra forces, marched towards Royalist heldColchester, 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. TheSiege of Colchester followed, but ten weeks' starvation and news of Royalist defeats elsewhere led the Royalists to surrender.[34]
The highest point of the county of Essex isChrishall Common near the village ofLangley, close to theHertfordshire border, which reaches 482 feet (147 m).
The largest extent of Essex was the historic (or ancient) county. This boundary of Essex was established in the late Anglo-Saxon period, sometime after the larger formerKingdom 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 theBartlow Hills transferred to neighbours at the same time, and the fiveLondon 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.
Theadministrative county and County Council was formed in 1889.[36] The county was made anon-metropolitan county (a new type of administrative county) in 1974, meaning the role of the administrative county was redefined, as part of the1970s local government reorganisation.[37] Its present boundaries were set in 1998 when Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea were separated from the non-metropolitan county to become unitary authorities.[38]
In 1997 theLieutenancies Act defined Essex for ceremonial purposes as the current non-metropolitan county and the unitary authorities formerly part of it.[39]
Until 1996, theRoyal Mail additionally divided Britain intopostal counties, used for addresses.[40] Although it adopted many local government boundary changes, the Royal Mail did not adopt the1965 London boundary reform due to cost.[41] Therefore, parts of post-1965 Greater London continued to have an Essex address.[42] The postal county of Hertfordshire also extended deep into west Essex, withStansted isolated as an exclave of postal Essex. In 1996, postal counties were discontinued and replaced entirely bypostcodes, though customers may still use a county, which will be ignored in the sorting process.[42]
Sewardstone in the south-west of the ceremonial county, was outside the former Essex postal county, being covered by theLondon post town (E4).
The deep estuaries on the east coast give Essex, by some measures, the longest coast of any county.[43] These estuaries mean the county'sNorth Sea coast is characterised by three major peninsulas, each named after theHundred 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.
Colchester occupies the site ofCamulodunum, the firstmajor city inRoman 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 theMetropolitan 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 thenew towns ofBasildon andHarlow, originally developed to resettle Londoners after the destruction of London housing in theSecond World War; they have since been significantly developed and expanded.Epping Forest also prevents the further spread of theGreater 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 asdormitory 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.
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.
Before the creation of the county councils, county-level administration was limited in nature;lord-lieutenants replaced thesheriffs from the time ofHenry VIII and took a primarily military role, responsible for the militia and theVolunteer Force that replaced it.
Most administration was carried out byjustices of the peace (JPs) appointed by theLord-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.[47] JPs carried out these responsibilities, mainly throughquarter sessions, and did this on a voluntary basis.
At this time the county was sub-divided into units known asHundreds. At a very early but unknown date, small parts of the county on the east bank of the Stort, nearBishops Stortford andSawbridgeworth were transferred toHertfordshire
Essex County Council was formed in 1889. However, County Boroughs ofWest Ham (1889–1965),Southend-on-Sea (1914–1974)[48] andEast 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).[49] 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 ofGreat Chishill, Little Chishill andHeydon, were transferred toCambridgeshire when the County Councils were created in 1889. Parts of a number of other parishes were also transferred at that time, and since.
In 2025, Essex County Council and the fourteen local councils are working with central government on a scheme to reorganise how Essex is governed. A new elected mayor would take on some of the responsibilities of the county council, replace theEssex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, and have new powers devolved from central government. Essex County Council, the two unitary authorities and the twelve borough and district Councils would be also be replaced, with the current plans being for three, four or five unitary authorities.[52]
The Conservatives have historically dominated in the county. In2017, the party won all eighteen Essex seats, and repeated this in2019, 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 mostmarginal seat in the county wasColchester, 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 inThurrock in all but one general election between1945 and2005, and also holdingHarlow andBasildon from1997 until2010. The Liberal Democrats held the seat ofColchester from 1997 until the2015 election. The 2015 election saw a large vote in Essex for theUK Independence Party (UKIP); the county was the site of UKIP's only victory in the election, withDouglas Carswell retaining the seat ofClacton that he had won in a2014 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 in2017 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 leaderNigel 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 inSouthend-on-Sea for the first time in their history. The Liberal Democrats also won inChelmsford for the first time.
Essex Police andEssex County Fire and Rescue Service covers the ceremonial county.[54]Thecounty council governs thenon-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 atCounty Hall in the centre ofChelmsford.
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 (includingboroughs) and in many areas also betweencivil 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 theadministrative county of Essex. The county council was reconstituted in 1974 as anon-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 toSouthend-on-Sea Borough Council andThurrock Council in those districts. For certain services the three authorities co-operate through joint arrangements, such as the Essexfire authority.
The county council chamber and main headquarters is at theCounty Hall inChelmsford. Before 1938, the council regularly met in London nearMoorgate, which with significant parts of the county close to that point and thedominance of railway travel had been more convenient than any place in the county.[56] The County Hall, made alisted 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 firmCourtaulds.
The county of Essex is divided into12 district and borough councils with 2 unitary authorities (Southend on Sea andThurrock). 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.[57]
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.[58] With this, some district and unitary authorities may have their own youth councils, such asEpping Forest,[59]Uttlesford[60] andHarlow.[61]
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 theirparish/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 andparish 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.[57] 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.[57]
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 andpharmaceutical companies. Chelmsford has been an important location forelectronics companies, such as theMarconi 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 producerBritvic.Basildon is home toNew Holland Agriculture's European headquarters as well as theFord Motor Company's British HQ.Debden, inLoughton, is home to a production facility for British and foreignbanknotes.
Other businesses in the county are dominated by mechanical engineering, including but not limited tometalworking,glassmaking and plastics and theservice sector. Colchester is agarrison town and the local economy is helped by theArmy's personnelliving there. Basildon is the location ofState 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 theAdventure Island theme park and is one of the few still growing Britishseaside resorts, benefiting from modern and direct rail links fromFenchurch Street railway station andLiverpool 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 ofClacton.[62] In theIndices of deprivation 2007,Jaywick was identified as the most deprived Lower Super Output Area in Southern England.[63] 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 inLiverpool andManchester 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 theLondon commuter belt. There is a large middle class here and the area is widely known for its private schools. In 2008,The Daily Telegraph foundIngatestone and Brentwood to be the 14th- and 19th-richest towns in the UK respectively.[64]
Much of Essex lies within theLondon 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.
TheLondon, Tilbury and Southend line (operated byc2c) also serves Southend (Southend Central), the Rochford Peninsula and many towns in the densely populated south of the county. The London terminus isFenchurch Street and heading eastward from Barking, the line separates into three, which later merge back into one by the time the railway reachesPitsea.
The West Anglia and Great Eastern Main Line and their branches are operated byGreater Anglia.CrossCountry runs services to Stansted Airport.
Essex has six main strategic routes, five of which reflect the powerful influence exerted by London.
TheM25 is London's orbital motorway which redistributes traffic across the London area. It includes theDartford Road Crossings, over the Thames Estuary, linking Essex to Kent.
There are four radial commuter routes into the capital:
M11 motorway, which also serves Stansted Airport and provides commuter links toCambridge.
A12, to East Anglia via Chelmsford and Colchester. It also serves the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe (Suffolk).
A127, to the Rochford Peninsula, including Southend andSouthend Airport. This is no longer maintained as a trunk road.
A13, to the Rochford Peninsula, also including Southend. It also serves the expandingTilbury andLondon Gateway ports.
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.
There are also multiple other main routes, including: TheA414, connecting Harlow toMaldonTheA130, connecting Chelmsford toCanvey Island And theA131, connecting Chelmsford to Sudbury
TheA11 toNorwich runs along the Essex-Cambridgeshire border for a short distance.
The UK's largest container terminalLondon Gateway atShell Haven inThurrock partly opened in November 2013; final completion date is yet to be confirmed.[68] The port was opposed by the local authority and environmental and wildlife organisations.[69][70][71]
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.[72]
The main airport in Essex isStansted Airport, serving destinations in Europe, North Africa and Asia.[73] 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.[74] It has a station on theShenfield to Southend Line, with a direct link to London.
Southend Airport has scheduled flights to Ireland, theChannel 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 includeClacton Airfield,Earls Colne Airfield andStapleford Aerodrome.
The flag of the historic county of EssexDepiction of the first king of the East Saxons,Æscwine, his shield showing the three seaxes emblem attributed to him (fromJohn Speed's 1611Saxon Heptarchy)
Both theflag of Essex and the county'scoat of arms comprise three Saxonseax knives (although they look rather more likescimitars), 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.[75]
The emblem was attributed toAnglo-Saxon Essex in early modern historiography. The earliest reference to the arms of the East Saxon kings was byRichard Verstegan, the author ofA 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 hisHistorie 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".[75]
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 ofLindisfarne in promoting Christianity among his people.
St Cedd, an Irish trained Northumbrian monk, sailed south and established a chapel, dedicated toSt Peter, on the site of the old Roman fort ofOthona (modernBradwell-on-Sea), a chapel which still stands. Cedd, who was well known for confronting political authority, filledthe vacant position of Bishop of London – the Bishop of the East Saxons. The feast day of St Cedd, also known asEssex Day, is marked on 26 October.[77]
The county has its ownEssex 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 byReceived Pronunciation (RP) andCockney, a form originally heavily influenced by the Essex dialect.[78]
The prevalence of Cockney, particularly in the south, is the result of the large-scale migration ofEast Londoners to Essex,the Cockney Diaspora, particularly afterWorld War II. A blend of RP and Cockney is widely heard, and known asEstuary English.[79]
Essex is also home to theDunmow 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 theAugustinianpriory 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 aflitch 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 authorWilliam Langland, who lived on the Welsh borders, mentions it in his 1362 bookThe Vision of Piers Plowman in a manner that implies general knowledge of the custom among his readers.[80]
Essex County Cricket Club became afirst-class county in 1894. The county has won eightCounty 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.
The county is also home to the Romford Raiders andChelmsford Chieftains ice hockey teams, as well as the amateurrugby league football teams the Eastern Rhinos and Brentwood Eels (Essex Eels). The county's basketball team isEssex Leopards, a defunct teams include theEssex Pirates basketball team.
Education in Essex is substantially provided by three authorities:Essex County Council and the two unitary authorities,Southend-on-Sea andThurrock. In all there are some 90 state secondary schools provided by these authorities, the majority of which are comprehensive, although one inUttlesford, two inChelmsford, two inColchester and four inSouthend-on-Sea are selectivegrammar schools. There are also various independent schools particularly, as mentioned above, in rural parts and the west of the county.[82][83]
TheUniversity of Essex, which was established in 1963, is located just outside Colchester, with two further campuses inLoughton 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.
Over 14,000 buildings havelisted status in the county and around 1,000 of those are recognised as of Grade I or II* importance.[84] The buildings include the 7th century Saxon church ofSt Peter-on-the-Wall and the clubhouse of theRoyal Corinthian Yacht Club which was the United Kingdom's entry in the 'International Exhibition of Modern Architecture' held at theMuseum of Modern Art in New York City in 1932.Southend Pier is in theGuinness Book of Records as the longest pleasure pier in the world
Ashingdon (The site of theBattle of Ashingdon in 1016), near Southend, with its isolated St Andrews Church and site of England's earliest aerodrome at South Fambridge
^Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England, p46. Barbara Yorke. Yorke makes reference to research by Rodwell and Rodwell (1986) and Bassett (1989)
^Dunnett, Rosalind (1975) [1975].The Trinovantes. London: Duckworth. p. passim.ISBN0-7156-0843-6.
^Described in 'The Essex Landscape', by John Hunter, Essex Record Office, 1999. Chapter 4
^Crummy, Philip (1997) City of Victory; the story of Colchester – Britain's first Roman town. Published by Colchester Archaeological Trust (ISBN1 897719 04 3)
^Wilson, Roger J.A. (2002) A Guide to the Roman Remains in Britain (Fourth Edition). Published by Constable. (ISBN1-84119-318-6)
^Dunnett, Rosalind (1975) [1975].The Trinovantes. London: Duckworth. p. 48.ISBN0-7156-0843-6.
^Dunnett, Rosalind (1975) [1975].The Trinovantes. London: Duckworth. p. 51.ISBN0-7156-0843-6.
^Rippon, Stephen (2018) [2018].Kingdom, Civitas, and County. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 108.ISBN978-0-19-875937-9.
^Dunnett, Rosalind (1975) [1975].The Trinovantes. London: Duckworth. p. 58.ISBN0-7156-0843-6. the reference relates to the flourishing nature of Christiantity in fourth century Essex and the finds at Wickford and Brentwood
^Gray, Adrian (1987) [1987].Tales of Old Essex. Berkshire: Countryside Books. p. 27.ISBN0-905392-98-1.
^Dunnett, Rosalind (1975) [1975].The Trinovantes. London: Duckworth. p. 51.ISBN0-7156-0843-6. The source states that the earliest record in the 14th century Colchester Oath Book, but recounted by Daniel Defoe and others
^Yorke, Barbara (2005) [1990].Kings and Kingdoms of Early Anglo-Saxon England. London and new York: Routledge. p. 45.ISBN0-415-16639-X.
^The Essex Landscape, a study of its form and history. John Hunter, pub Essex Record Office 1999.ISBN1-898529-15-9
^Raymond Grant (1991).The royal forests of England. Wolfeboro Falls, NH: Alan Sutton.ISBN0-86299-781-X.OL1878197M. 086299781X. see table, p224 for Essex Stanestreet and p221-229 for details of each forest
^The English: A Social History 1066-1945. p36-37 Christopher Hibbert, Paladin Publishing 1988, ISBN 0 586 08471 1
^Commentary on the Battle of Billericay and the aftermath of the revolt in Essex:Whybra, Julian."The Battle of Norsey Wood, 1381"(PDF). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 30 October 2021.
^Overview of the events of 1471:Rickard, J (27 February 2014)."Siege of London, 12-15 May 1471".Military History Encyclopedia on the Web.Archived from the original on 1 February 2020.
^Connatty, Mary (1987) [1987].The National Trust Book of the Armada. London: Kingfisher Books. p. 25.ISBN0-86272-282-9.
^OPSIArchived 4 January 2009 at theWayback Machine – The Essex (Boroughs of Colchester, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock and District of Tendring) (Structural, Boundary and Electoral Changes) Order 1996
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