| Tiptree | |
|---|---|
 Messing Maypole mill | |
  Tiptree Location withinEssex | |
| Population | 9,600 (2021)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TL895165 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | COLCHESTER |
| Postcode district | CO5 |
| Dialling code | 01621 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| 51°49′N0°45′E / 51.81°N 0.75°E /51.81; 0.75 | |
Tiptree is a village andcivil parish in the English county ofEssex, situated 10 miles (16 km) south-west ofColchester and around 50 miles (80 km) north-east of London. Surrounding villages includeMessing,Tolleshunt Knights,Tolleshunt Major,Layer Marney,Inworth,Birch,Great Braxted,Great Totham andLittle Totham.
The area was recorded in the Domesday Book 1086 as Woodland for Swine part of the Great Forest of Essex until the 1200s when King John ordered deforestation. An area of over 1,000 acres of wasteland became known as the land of heath and thief frequented by smugglers, vagabonds and thieves. From records and maps the following were names for the area Tipentrie, Typpetre, Tippetre, Typeltre, Typetre, Tiptre Heth, Tiptree Comon and heath. The name could mean "Tippa's tree".[2] or the town of the Prior of Tipper, the celtic term for town being try and a Prior of Tiptree Priory or house having been given licence to impark sixty acres of his own soil within the Forest of Essex.Tiptree did not become an official parish until 1934. The area which became known as Tiptree Heath was previously part of 7 different parishes Tolleshunt Knights, Inworth, Messing, Great Braxted, Great Wigborough, Tollesbury, Tolleshunt D'arcy with sections of the heath known as Whittakers Heath, Sadlers Heath, Messing Heath and Paternoster Heath.
The population of the civil parish at the2011 census was 9,152; by the2021 census, this has risen to 9,600.[3] The village has been expanding rapidly for several years with large numbers of new houses and estates being built, though it stills retains the title of being a village. The 'village' status was the subject of a localreferendum in 1999 but residents and secondary school pupils rejected town status. Tiptree is amongst the contenders for the title of 'largest village in England'.
Tiptree has four primary schools: St Luke's Church of England Primary school, Milldene Primary School, Tiptree Heath Primary School and Baynard's Primary School.Thurstable School provides secondary and sixth form education.Messing Maypole Mill, a Grade II* listedtower mill, and the preserves companyWilkin & Sons, whose products use the village name as part of their brand, are located in the village.
Tiptree is within theCity of Colchester and is administered by Tiptree Parish Council,Colchester City Council andEssex County Council. It is within theParliamentary constituency of Witham.
Tiptree was the site of the Tiptree sneeze, an event that occurred on 22 February 2014 at a concert by the London Central Fellowship Band at St. Luke's Parish Church where a trombonistsneezed into histrombone while playing. A video of the event was posted to YouTube and wentviral in 2014.[4][5]
Tiptree Heath lies to the south of Tiptree. The 25-hectareheath is the largest surviving fragment of heathland in Essex and is aSite of Special Scientific Interest.[6] Historically the area was a focal point for smugglers, who used the secluded water inlets ofTollesbury,Salcott cum Virley andMersea, and often hid their contraband within the overgrown heathland. Species found on the heath include Cross-leaved Heather (Erica tetralix), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) and Ling or Common Heather (Calluna). To help maintain the heath,Dexter cattle are grazed there during the summer[7] and a herd of hardyExmoor ponies throughout the year.[8]Tiptree Parish Field is aLocal Nature Reserve.[9][10]
Anelectoral ward in the same name exists. This ward had a population of 7,583 at the 2011 Census.[11]
Tiptree is a brand offruit preserves manufactured in the village byWilkin & Sons. The business was founded by the Wilkins family, a local farmers, in 1885.[12]
Within the Church of England, the village is part of the United Benefice ofTolleshunt Knights with Tiptree and Great Braxted.[13]
There are three other churches in the village, Kingsland Church,[14] Tiptree United Reformed Church,[15] and St John Houghton, a Roman Catholic church.[16]
From about 1904 until 1951 the village was served by theKelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway (locally known as the Crab and Winkle Line). It was an early victim of the mid-20th century cutbacks to theBritish Rail network andTiptree railway station closed in 1951. The nearest operational railway station isKelvedon on the mainNorwich toLondon Liverpool Street line.
Today, the village is bisected by the B1022Colchester toMaldon road, and the B1023 Kelvedon toTollesbury road. Tiptree is also close to the mainA12 trunk road which passes through Essex. Bus services link the village to surrounding towns.
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