Southminster

Southminster
St Leonards, Southminster
Southminster  Southminster shown within Essex
Population	3,776 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	TQ961995
District	Maldon
Shire county	Essex
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SOUTHMINSTER
Postcode district	CM0
Dialling code	01621
Police	Essex
Fire	Essex
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	Maldon and East Chelmsford
List of places: UK • England • Essex

Southminster is a town on the Dengie peninsula in the Maldon district of Essex in the East of England. It lies about three miles north of Burnham-on-Crouch and ten miles south-east of Maldon. To the north is the River Blackwater, which is tidal and since Roman times has been the gateway to trading in the area. Saint Lawrence Bay, which is part of the Southminster area, can be accessed by road.

Accessibility

Isolated 20 miles from Chelmsford, the nearest large town, the town would be very much in decline if it were not for Southminster railway station and employment opportunities at the nearby Bradwell nuclear power station. The station is situated on a single-line branch from Wickford, which was electrified in the 1980s, and provides a service every 45 minutes to Wickford, continuing in peak hours through to Liverpool Street station in the City of London, thus including the town in the London commuter belt.

Facilities

The town has one primary school, a small library, a handful of pubs, a police station, a few local businesses such as 'Martins' convenience store, a holiday park, a bakery and many takeaways.

History

Southminster is a historic village sited in the centre of the Dengie peninsula that once formed a hundred of the same name.

A major horse market used to be held annually in the village.

Southminster marshes were a favourite centre for hare coursing in Victorian times.

Pandole Wood contains ancient earthworks believed to date from the Iron Age. The landscape surrounding the town, and most of the peninsula, is characterized by a pattern of strictly rectangular field boundaries and evidence of a unit of measurement that has been applied to the scheme as a whole. Middle-saxon, or mid-Roman administrations have been suggested as its origin. The late-Roman road leading to St.Peter's chapel cuts across this pattern.

St Leonard's Church

The medieval St Leonard's Church dates mainly from the 15th century, although there are traces of much earlier work. There have been several well-known rectors, including naturalist Rev Walter Henry Hill, and Rev Alexander John Scott who was personal chaplain to Admiral Lord Nelson. After the battle of Trafalgar Nelson died in the arms of Rev Scott. Several artefacts that once belonged to Rev Scott are found in the church.

Nearest places

• Maldon
• Burnham-on-Crouch
• Bradwell-on-sea