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Chelmsford

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For other uses, see Chelmsford (disambiguation).
Chelmsford
Population110,000 
OS grid referenceTL713070
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCHELMSFORD
Postcode districtCM1, CM2
Dialling code01245
PoliceEssex
FireEssex
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Essex
File:Arms-chelmsford.jpg
Chelmsford Borough Council Coat Of Arms


Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England. It lies 31 miles (50 km) northeast of London, approximately halfway between there and Colchester. It is almost exactly in the centre of the county and it has been the county town of Essex since the early 13th century. It is also the seat of the Borough of Chelmsford, which covers a wider area than the town, including the new (ca. 1970s) settlement of South Woodham Ferrers on the banks of the River Crouch. The Borough Council celebrated its centenary in 1988 (it had been incorporated as a municipal borough in 1888 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1882), and the town its 800th anniversary in 1999. Chelmsford Cathedral is the second smallest cathedral in England (after Derby Cathedral)[1], built in the 15th and early 16th centuries when it was the parish church of the prosperous medieval town. The Diocese (established in 1914) covers all of Essex and much of East London. John Dee — noted Elizabethan philosopher and scientist, and also responsible for the English translation of Euclid — was educated at the Chantry School (later re-founded as the Grammar School) in the sixteenth century. Chelmsford is also home to part of the Anglia Ruskin University and to the grammar schools of Chelmsford County High School and King Edward VI Grammar School founded in 1551 by charter of King Edward VI on the site on an earlier educational foundation (although evidence suggests it could have been around in as early as 1292)

Population

The total population of the area covered by the Borough council is 157,748 (ONS 2004 estimate). Approximately 60,000 live in the town and over 42,400 in the surrounding suburban and semi-rural parishes. Around 16,600 live in South Woodham Ferrers. The remainder of the population live in the surrounding rural areas, including the villages of Galleywood, Bicknacre, East, West and South Hanningfield, Boreham, Ford End, Pleshey, Highwood, Good and High Easter, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy, Howe Green, Roxwell, Great and Little Leighs, Broomfield, Great and Little Waltham, Great and Little Baddow, Danbury, Sandon, Rettendon, Runwell, Margaretting, Stock and Writtle. (Source: population derived from 2001 census).

Transport

It is served by Chelmsford railway station. About 10,000 commuters travel to London daily by rail, making Chelmsford the busiest through railway station in England (the busiest overall being Clapham Junction).

The A12 road from London, originally built by the Romans to connect London and Colchester, used to pass through the town, but is now diverted around the east. The £34.8m nine-mile (14 km) bypass opened in November 1986. The A414 is the main east-west route through the Borough, and the A130 and A131 run approximately north-south. The Army & Navy roundabout is notorious for its traffic hold-ups, even though the north-south road at this point is no longer the A12. The junction is unusual for its flyover, where traffic goes one way into town (westerly) until 2.30pm each day and one way (easterly) out of town after 2.30pm. A two-way flyover has been mooted but is very unlikely to happen as it would cost over £20 million.

Chelmsford is around 25 minutes' drive from London Stansted Airport (via A130/A120), and London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London City, Luton and Southend airports are all within reach.

There is a Park & Ride at Sandon, just off the A12 at Junction 18. It runs from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday with 5 bus stops around the town (one near High Chelmer for shopping) and charges £2.00 per adult & free for OAP's or people under the age of 14. It currently has a capacity of 1,200 cars. The new bus terminal is now open, comprising shops and apartments with a totally covered roof. This is used by the town's First Overground Buses which have many routes across the town.

Industry past and present

File:New street.jpg
Marconis New Street Factory in 1920

Originally an agricultural and market town, Chelmsford has been an important centre for industry since the 19th century. Following the opening of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation in 1797, cheaper transportation and raw materials made milling and malting the main industries until the 1850s, when increasing prosperity created a local market for agricultural machinery.

Foundries and engineering works followed including Fell Christy at his Factory (In later years known as Christy Norris Ltd) on the corner of Kings Road and Broomfield Road opened 1858, closed 1985, Coleman and Moreton, Thomas Clarkson (Steam Omnibus manufacturer and Founder of the Eastern National Bus Company) and Eddington and Stevenson (makers of traction engines). The Company Christy Norris still survives, trading as Christy Turner Ltd based in Ipswich. A nearby road to the old Factory was named "Fell Christy" in his honour.

As well as the headquarters of Essex County and Chelmsford Borough Councils, the modern town is home to a range of national and international companies including M&G Group, e2v Technologies, BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies (Insyte) and EBM Papst (UK) Ltd. The continuing importance of Chelmsford as an employment centre is demonstrated by the fact that the number of "in" commuters (mostly from other parts of Essex) almost exactly balances the number of workers commuting into London.

The Marconi Company

Main article: Marconi Company
Arguably Chelmsford's most famous adopted son, Guglielmo Marconi.

In 1898, Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937) the "father of radio", opened the world's first "wireless" factory under the name The Marconi Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company in Hall Street employing around 50 people. The company was later called the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company Ltd. For this reason Chelmsford is credited as the "birthplace of radio", and this phrase can be seen on administrative signs on major roads entering the town. Marconi soon outgrew its Hall Street premises and in 1912 the company moved to a brand new purpose built factory in New Street that still stands today. On June 15, 1920 the factory was the location of the first official publicised sound broadcast in the United Kingdom, featuring Dame Nellie Melba using two 450 feet radio broadcasting masts.

In 1922 the world's first regular wireless broadcasts for entertainment began from the Marconi laboratories at Writtle near Chelmsford — Call sign '2MT' in what was little more than a wooden hut.

Although in 2007 the New Street factory is still operational trading as telent plc, its halcyon days are long gone and its future is very much in doubt with redevelopment of the whole site planned within the next few years [2]. Although the Grade II listed front façade and a few other minor buildings will remain, most of the site will be demolished including the 1930s art deco Marconi House,

Crompton's

Chelmsford became home to the United Kingdom's first electrical engineering works established by Colonel Rookes Evelyn Bell Crompton (1845–1940). Colonel Crompton was a pioneer of electric street lighting, and installed electric street lights to celebrate the incorporation of the Borough of Chelmsford in 1888. Although this made Chelmsford one of the earliest towns to receive electric street lighting, the Council later decided to have it removed because gas was cheaper and the Council owned the gas works.

Crompton set up his original factory known as the 'Arc Works' in Queen Street in 1878. After a fire there in 1885 he built a huge new electrical engineering factory in Writtle Road. The Firm later became Crompton Parkinson. In 1969 Crompton Parkinson moved elsewhere after a takeover by Hawker Siddeley and the site was taken over by the Marconi Company and became the base for the newly formed Marconi Radar Systems Ltd[3]

The factory closed in the 1990s and apart from the frontage on Writtle Road was demolished. A housing development called 'The Village' now occupies the site with road names such as Rookes Cresent, Evelyn Place, Crompton Street and Parkinson Drive as tributes to the former occupier.


Hoffmann Ball Bearings

The United Kingdom's first ball bearing factory was established in Chelmsford in 1898 by cousins Geoffrey and Charles Barrett and bankrolled by American ball bearing machine manufacturer Ernst Hoffmann to which the Company took it's name. The Hoffmann Manufacturing Company soon achieved worldwide fame for their precision-made bearings boasting an accuracy better than 1/10,000 of an inch (2.5 micrometres) for all their products. Hoffmann bearings were later used in the first transatlantic flights. The firm became R.H.P. in 1969 (Ransome Hoffmann and Pollard). The factory that once employed thousands was closed and demolished in the 1980s and the company relocated to Newark on Trent where it still exists. The Rivermead Campus of the Anglia Ruskin University now occupies the site of the old factory at the junction of New Street and Rectory Lane.


Britvic Soft Drinks

Main article: Britvic

Chelmsford is the home of Britvic soft drinks which began life as the British Vitamin Company in 1948. However, the origins of the company can be traced back to a chemist's in the town's Tindal Street, where flavoured waters were on sale as early as the mid-19th century. The company changed its name to Britvic in 1971 after its successful brand, which was launched in 1949.

Britvic has a large factory on Widford Industrial Estate with its head office located in Broomfield Road.

Economy and shopping

High Chelmer Shopping Centre

Chelmsford is largely a commercial town which employs around 80,000 people. There are two medium sized shopping centres — High Chelmer and The Meadows — and two retail parks — Riverside and Chelmer Village. The High Street is full of independent and chain stores. As well as the leading High Street names, there is also a wide variety of specialist retailers, especially in Baddow Road and Moulsham Street which are located at the end of the pedestrianised High Street.

The Central Business District is slowly becoming the financial hub of Essex as many new office buildings are being built. Plans for a major flagship store on the gasworks site near the River Chelmer are being considered to try and push Chelmsford into City Status.[citation needed] Plans to demolish the High Chelmer multi-storey car park for another flagship store and the extension of High Chelmer shopping centre are also being considered.[citation needed]

On January 6, 2005, Chelmsford was granted Fairtrade Town status.

Chelmsford redevelopment

File:Bustation.jpeg
Chelmsford Bus Station prior to being demolished in 2005. Now replaced by a new Bus Station and the development '53 Park Central'.

A major development still in contruction in the West End of Chelmsford just off Duke Street called "53 Park Central" which will contain a new Bus Station, shops and luxury apartments. The Project is nearing completion with the Bus Station already being opened in January 2007.

Another site near the large suburb of Springfield is in its planning stages. It will be a new neighbourhood which is supposed to be an urban village containing 3,500 homes. A controversial Northern Relief Road would be built.

The Public House "The Army and Navy" to which the notorious roundabout gets its name was demolished in March 2007. It will be replaced by a Budget Hotel, a Frankie and Benny's Restaurant and private flats.

One of Chelmsford's tallest buildings, Melbourne Court in Melbourne Avenue will be receiving an £8m investment for extensive refurbishment and to create a new Neighbourhood Centre due for completion in 2009.

Work on the redevelopment of the Marconi Company factory in New Street should begin within the next year or two.[citation needed]

Nightlife

Chelmsford has a vibrant nightlife scene with many Nightclubs, Pubs, Wine Bars and Restaurants in the town centre area, particularly in Duke Street and Moulsham Street. Its central Essex location and good public transport links make the town ideal for revellers to visit from surrounding areas.

Places of interest

File:Chelmsford Cathedral 2007.jpg.jpeg
Chelmsford Catherdral

Places of interest within the Borough include Writtle, where Robert the Bruce is said to have married his second wife Elizabeth de Burgh in 1302. The village also has English Royal connections, with King John building a hunting lodge there in 1211. Much of the site now lies within the grounds of Writtle College, the internationally famous centre for horticulture and agriculture.

A few miles away is the attractive village of Pleshey, where stand the ruins of a once important castle mentioned in William Shakespeare's play Richard II. The entire circuit of the castle walls can still be traced in the village streets.

Chelmsford Cathedral which is located directly behind The Shire Hall. Originally St Mary's Church, it became a Cathedral when the Diocese of Chelmsford was created in 1914. It is the second smallest in England behind Derby Cathedral

Henry VIII's former Palace of Beaulieu is also nearby, now occupied by the New Hall School.

Other places to visit include the RHS Garden, Hyde Hall at Rettendon, and there are numerous open spaces both in the town and elsewhere in the Borough.

The elegant 18 arch Victorian Railway Viaduct that spans the River Can in Central Park. One of 3 Railway Viaducts in the Town that carry the Great Eastern Main Line. Built in 1842 by the Eastern Counties Railway Company and opened for passenger traffic on Wednesday 29 March 1843.

The Shire Hall

The Shire Hall Chelmsford in 2005

The imposing and majestic Shire Hall is situated at the top of the High Street. Opened in 1791 and built by local Architect and County Surveyor John Johnson which features a Portland Stone façade. One of the oldest and most prominent buildings in Chelmsford, it was built as a Court house, which it has remained to this day.

Hylands House and Park

Hylands House and Park just to the west of the town is a country house and parkland, saved from dereliction and purchased by the local council in 1966 after the death of the last private owner. Much damaged by fire and vandalism by the time of the sale, the house has now been completely restored by Chelmsford Borough Council. The house dates originally from 1730, and the park (currently 574 acres or 232 ha) was landscaped by Humphry Repton. It is open to the public and used for a wide range of community events. It is also available for weddings and other private hires including conferences etc.

The park has in recent years been the site of annual music festivals, such as the V Festival and the ill-fated Council-run Chelmsford Spectacular.[citation needed] It has been chosen as the site for the 21st World Scout Jamboree in 2007 and has already hosted Eurojam in the summer of 2005.

History

File:Arms-chelm-rd.jpg
Arms of the former Chelmsford Rural District which did not include the town

In 1199 the Bishop of London was granted a Royal Charter for the town to hold a market, marking the origin of the modern town. An under-cover market, operating Tuesday to Saturday, is still an important part of the town centre over 800 years later. The town's name derives from 'Ceolmaer's ford', which was close to the site of the present bridge.

Before 1199, there were settlements nearby from ancient times. A Neolithic and a late Bronze Age settlement have been found in the Springfield suburb, and the town was occupied by the Romans. A Roman fort was built in 60 AD, and a civilian town grew up around it. The town was given the name of Caesaromagus (the market place of Caesar), although the reason for it being given the great honour of bearing the imperial prefix are now unclear — possibly as a failed 'planned town' provincial capital to replace Londinium or Camulodunum. The remains of a mansio, a combination post office, civic centre and hotel, lie beneath the streets of modern Moulsham, and the ruins of an octagonal temple are located beneath the Odeon roundabout.

An important Anglo-Saxon burial was discovered at Broomfield, to the north of Chelmsford, and the finds are now in the British Museum.

The town became the seat of the local assize during the early 13th century (though assizes were also held at Brentwood) and by 1218 was recognised as the county town of Essex, a position it has retained to the present day.

Chelmsford was significantly involved in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, and Richard II moved on to the town after quelling the rebellion in London. Many of the ringleaders were executed on the gallows at what is now Primrose Hill.

In the 17th century many of the victims of Matthew Hopkins (the self-styled "Witchfinder General") spent their last days imprisoned in Chelmsford, before being tried at the Assizes and hanged for witchcraft.

During World War II Chelmsford, an important centre of light engineering war production, was attacked from the air on several occasions, both by aircraft of the Luftwaffe and by missile. The worst single loss of life took place on Tuesday December 19, 1944, when the 367th Vergeltungswaffe 2 or V2 rocket to hit England fell on a residential street (Henry Road) near the Hoffmans' ball bearing factory and not far from the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company factory which may also have been the target. Thirty-nine people were killed and 138 injured, 47 of them seriously. Several dwellings in Henry Road were completely destroyed and many in nearby streets were badly damaged. A monument to the dead recently restored, is in the Borough cemetery in Writtle Road.

Since the 1980s Chelmsford has suffered from a decline in its manufacturing and defence-related industries especially Marconi with several factories closing. However, the town's location close to London and at the centre of Essex has helped it grow in importance as an administrative and distribution centre.

Geology

From over 600,000 years ago, during the Pleistocene ice age, until the Anglian glaciation around 475,000 years ago, the early River Thames flowed through the area where Chelmsford now stands, from Harlow to Colchester, before crossing what is now the North Sea to become a tributary of the Rhine. Consequently gravel deposits are frequently found in the area and current and former gravel pits in the district are common.

Climate

Being in the south east of England, the town enjoys a warmer climate than most of the United Kingdom and has some of the hottest summers in Britain; it is also one of the driest places in the country. Temperatures often reach the lower 30's°C in the summer. The hottest day on record in the town was August 10 2003 when just under 38°C was recorded.[citation needed] During the winter the Temperature rarely goes below 0°C during the day.

Snow is sometimes seen in the winter months because the town is near to the east coast where cold, moist air is brought in from the North Sea. In recent years there has been up to three inches of snow in January and Febuary which has resulted in minor disruption to transport and caused some schools to close. However, the snow tends not to persist for a significant length of time in any noticeable quantity.

Twin towns

Chelmsford's twin towns include:

Education

Educational establishments in and around Chelmsford include:

Radio stations

Chelmsford is home to two active radio stations:

  • Essex FM — Owned by GCap Media, which moved to studios in Glebe Road in late 2004. It had previously been based in Southend.
  • BBC Essex — On air since 1986, its studios are based in New London Road.

Two other stations with an association with Chelmsford are:

  • Chelmsford Calling — A now defunct community radio station. Aimed at the older generation, it played a mix of jazz and comedy programmes. The station was under a Restricted Service Licence and ceased broadcasting on 11 February 2007 after just under two months on air.
  • Dream 107.7 FM recently moved to studios in Heybridge near Maldon, having vacated its Chelmsford premises in November 2006. This station was previously known as 107.7 Chelmer FM (1998–2002). It is the local station for mid-Essex. Tindle Radio have owned this station since 2002, where it was purchased from Mid Essex Radio Ltd.

Local Newspapers

  • Essex Chronicle. Founded as the "Chelmsford Chronicle" in 1764, the weekly "Essex Chronicle" newspaper is said to be the longest in continuous publication in the country. Until the closure of the printing plant in 2002, the paper was also printed in the town. It is now printed on presses by the Northcliffe Group which now owns the paper.
  • Chelmsford Weekly News. Free to every home.
  • Chelmsford and Maldon Yellow Advertiser. Free to every home.

Chelmsford City Football Club

Main article: Chelmsford City F.C.

Chelmsford City F.C. were formed in 1938 after the collapse of the previous club Chelmsford F.C. City joined the Southern League in time for the start of the 1938-39 season where they finished 10th in the league that was made up of mainly reserve sides from teams in the Football League. In 1939-40 City began competing in the war-leagues in the Eastern Section and won the league in its inaugural season. In the first season after the war City won a very depleted Southern League finishing five points ahead of runners-up Hereford United. In the years after the war City tended to waiver between mid-table and top-of-the-league, and all this in front of crowds nearing the 5000 mark.

But it was in the late 1960s and early 1970s that City enjoyed the best of times finishing in the top five on numerous occasions, they even applied to join the Football League and their ground at New Writtle Street was more than capable of hosting league football, having at the time a capacity of 18,000. But it was a dispute over transfer fees with Wolverhampton Wanderers that would see City denied a spot in the Football League. What followed in the 70's would prove to be the darkest days in City's history. After suffering a humiliating defeat in the FA Cup to minnows Parsons Drove F.C. City went bankrupt, and a whole host of celebrities began to associate themselves with the club including Jimmy Greaves who played for the club and who infamously got sent off and refused to leave the pitch during a match against Barnet, and also comedian Mike Reid who was even on the board of directors.

Luckily City pulled through it, but because they were playing in the Southern League South, they missed the chance to be invited into the newly formed Alliance League (now the Conference). This left the Southern League with two divisions the Midland Division and the Southern Division. In 1982-83 City were included in the newly formed Premier Division and made an immediate impact finishing 4th in 82-83, 3rd in 83-84, they had a bit of a blip in 1984-85, but their nearest chance came the following season when they finished 2nd to Welling United who won the league by an astonishing 23 points. At the time there were concerns at whether Welling's ground was suitable, and there was talk of City taking their place, but the Alliance League accepted Welling's application and so they were promoted.

File:Cccfc.jpg
The Original Chelmsford City Football Ground, New Writtle Street in 1967.

In the following years City bounced between the Premier and the Southern and Eastern Divisions. But what happened next would shock City fans to the bone. In 1997 New Writtle Street was sold-off to developers and City would play their final game at New Writtle Street against Clevedon Town in August 1997. This would lead to City having to play at neighbouring teams grounds. First came a period playing at Maldon Town's Wallace Binder Stadium, unfortunately this wasn't up to many a City fan's standard with its small seated stand and grass terraces. City played there for only one season before a move to local rivals Billericay Town's New Lodge ground. This is where City would play for the next 8 seasons. During this period at New Lodge City where involved in play-offs to the newly formed Conference South, unfortunately City bowed out at the first hurdle to Tiverton Town, and so because of geographical shuffling City found themselves playing outside of the Southern League for the first time since they joined the league when they were formed way back in 1938, when they joined the Ryman Premier League. This would lead to many local derbies against teams such as Heybridge Swifts, Billericay Town, and East Thurrock United.

During season 2005-2006 City returned to the borough of Chelmsford playing their home games at the Melbourne Park Athletics Stadium, in City's first game back they played former landlords Billericay Town in front of crowd nearing 3,000. In this first season back City finished mid-table after a very slow start. During the close-season a major shake up at City saw many players leave and most notably saw the departure of manager Craig Edwards under acrimonious circumstances. Replacing him was former Canvey Island manager Jeff King. With him he brought Glenn Pennyfather and many of his players from Canvey Island. Early season betting odds instantaneously made City favourites, and by Christmas, City topped the league, not only that City found themselves in the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in 7 years. City bowed out in a replay in a closely fought game against Conference high-flyers Aldershot Town, this goes to show the level at which City can compete at.

As the current season draws to its climax City find themselves sitting third in the table and still in the mix for promotion to the Conference South. The future is certainly looking very rosy for this ambitious and well supported City side.

People born in Chelmsford

Trivia

  • The GHQ Line part of the British hardened field defences of World War II runs directly through Chelmsford with many pillboxes still in existence to the North and South of the town.
  • Hylands House doubled as the U.S. White House in the 2004 film Chasing Liberty.
  • Chelmsford prison was used for interior and some exterior scenes of the film version of the TV show Porridge. Filming was allowed in the prison while it was being refurbished after the disastrous fire there in 1978.
  • Chelmsford is also the setting for MTV's alternative teen comedy mini-series the Mighty Moshin' Emo Rangers.
  • Chelmsford is the home of the Essex County Cricket Club
  • Chelmsford two tallest buildings, Melbourne Court built in 1962 in Melbourne Avenue, locally known as Melbourne flats and the new development nearing completion "53 Park Central" in Duke Street share the same height. 43 metres or 141.04 feet, although the tallest structure by far in the Chelmsford area is the Chain Home tower in the urban village Great Baddow which rises to 110 metres or 360ft. It is a local landmark visible throughout the town.
  • Chelmsford is home of Essex street diversions, East Anglia's largest festival of international street theatre and The 3 foot People Festival, the UK's only 4-day festival exclusively for under 5 year-olds.

Nearby places

See also

References

  • Foreman, Stephen: Hylands — the story of an Essex country house and its owners (Ian Henry Publications, 1999)
  • Lee, Janet Olivia: Chelmsford — Birthplace of Radio (Chelmsford Borough Council, 2001)
  • Lowen, Ceri: Hylands House — a brief history and guide (Chelmsford Borough Council, 2005)
  • Wander, Tim: 2MT Writtle — The birth of British Broadcasting (Capella Publications, 1988)
  • Weller-Lewis, Hugh: Chelmsford Borough Guide (Macmillan, 1995)
  • Wickenden, Nick: A Celebration of Chelmsford (Chelmsford Borough Council, 1999)
  • Grieve, Hilda: The Sleepers and the Shadows Volume 1 Chelmsford: a town, its people and its past (Chelmsford Record Office, 1988)
  • Grieve, Hilda: The Sleepers and the Shadows Volume 2 Chelmsford: a town, its people and its past (Chelmsford Record Office, 1994)
  • Begent, Andrew: Chelmsford At War (Ian Henry Publications Ltd, 1999)
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