Eastwood, Essex
Encyclopedia
Eastwood is a town four miles west of Southend-on-Sea
in Essex
, England
. It is a suburb
of Southend and part of the Southend-on-Sea unitary district. Eastwood is sometimes called Eastwood Park, such as for local elections.
It is bordered by Rayleigh
to the west, Rochford
to the north-east, and Belfairs, part of Leigh-on-Sea
, to the south. To the north lies Edwards Hall Park, a large area of open countryside, part of which is farmland. This green space extends all the way to Hockley Woods, and Hockley
. There are also several swing parks throughout Eastwood.
Eastwood has good bus
links to both Southend and the surrounding areas, with popular services including Arriva Southend
's route 9 service, and First Essex
's route 20 service. The nearby Southend Airport
is in the process of being re-developed to operate a range of European passenger flights once again. However, the nearest railway stations are Rayleigh station
and Rochford station
on the Great Eastern Main Line
with services to London Liverpool Street
operated by National Express East Anglia, and Leigh-on-Sea station
on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
, with services to London Fenchurch Street
operated by c2c
. There are currently no buses connecting The north side of Eastwood (north of the A127) with south side and it's administrative town of Leigh-on-Sea.
It is a mainly residential area with housing and small clusters of independent local shops scattered throughout. There are several pubs
, including The Oakwood, The Brookside Tavern, The Bellhouse and The Loyal Toast; and also a snooker club (The Green Baize). Along Western Approaches there is a supermarket (Morrisons
) a doctor's clinic (Scott Park Surgery) and a community centre. There is also a larger clinic at Kent Elms corner, with a pharmacy
and library
. The parish is served by the Grade I listed medieval St. Laurence and All Saints Church, Eastwood
which sits at the end of the main runway for Southend Airport.
There is some light industry, mainly centred about the A127 dual carriageway
and Progress Road industrial estate. A large number of car dealerships also lie along the A127.
Eastwood has many infant and junior schools. There is also one secondary school, Eastwood School, a mixed school with about 850 pupils (in 2004). Eastwood School is home to the Eastwood Theatre, which puts on several theatrical productions, as well as other events such as battle of the bands
.
Eastwood has its own small police station
, though it is called a police office as it is only open to the public every Thursday for "Community Surgery" whereby residents can raise any community issues they have. These sessions are hosted by Neighbourhood Specialist Officer PC Neil Gale, who has worked at the station about 5 years.
According to figures from Southend Borough Council, Eastwood has only half the national average of people having degree level qualifications, but the number of home-owners is above average.
and Thundersley
which were part of the Great Forest of Essex. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book
of 1086 as "Estwa", and was held by Suen of Essex, whose father Robert had held it during the reign of Edward the Confessor
. Suen's son, Robert d'Essex, founded Prittlewell Priory
in 1100 A.D. but his descendant, Henry d'Essex
, forfeited all his estates to the Crown in 1163, because of cowardice in battle. After this date the Manor was generally held by the Crown.
In the 13th century, the English Kings would often visit the district for hunting, making Hadleigh Castle
their residence. Henry VIII was the last king known to have hunted here and Eastwood Lodge was the centre of the last reserved portion of hunting land. In 1536, during the Reformation, the Manor was given by Edward VI to Lord Rich
whose descendants became Earls of Warwick
, then by marriage it passed to the Earl of Nottingham
.
The Bristow family purchased the estate and held it until 1866 when it was sold in lots: "Eastwoodbury", the large house which stood immediately to the east of the Church, was on the site of the original Manor house. It was demolished in 1954.
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Southend and part of the Southend-on-Sea unitary district. Eastwood is sometimes called Eastwood Park, such as for local elections.
It is bordered by Rayleigh
Rayleigh, Essex
Rayleigh is a market town and civil parish in the District of Rochford in Essex, England, located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. It lies to the east of central London. It has a population of 30,196, having expanded rapidly in the 1960s.-Toponymy:...
to the west, Rochford
Rochford
Rochford is a small town in the Rochford district of Essex in the East of England. It is sited about 43 miles from Central London and approximately 21 miles from the Essex county town, Chelmsford...
to the north-east, and Belfairs, part of Leigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea , sometimes called Leigh, is a civil parish in Essex, England. It is part of Southend-on-Sea for administrative purposes. It became a civil parish in 1996. The council tax was increased to support it. A town council was formed. Leigh is the only parish in Southend...
, to the south. To the north lies Edwards Hall Park, a large area of open countryside, part of which is farmland. This green space extends all the way to Hockley Woods, and Hockley
Hockley
Hockley is a large village and civil parish in Essex, England located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. More specifically it lies between Rayleigh and Rochford. It came to prominence during the coming of the railway in the 1890s and at the 2001 census had a population of 13,616 people, many...
. There are also several swing parks throughout Eastwood.
Eastwood has good bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
links to both Southend and the surrounding areas, with popular services including Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend is a division of Arriva Southern Counties, a subsidiary of transport group Arriva which operates bus services in and around the Southend-on-Sea, Rochford, Rayleigh, Basildon, and Thurrock areas of Essex...
's route 9 service, and First Essex
First Essex
First Essex Buses Limited is owned by First Group. First Essex carries around 29 million passengers each year on a network of routes serving Essex and the surrounding areas. It arose from an amalgamation of Eastern National and Thamesway Buses, whose yellow/maroon livery has only recently disappeared...
's route 20 service. The nearby Southend Airport
London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport or Southend Airport is a regional airport in the district of Rochford within Essex, England.During the 1960s, Southend was the third-busiest airport in the United Kingdom. It remained London's third-busiest airport in terms of passengers handled until the end of the 1970s,...
is in the process of being re-developed to operate a range of European passenger flights once again. However, the nearest railway stations are Rayleigh station
Rayleigh railway station
Rayleigh railway station serves the town of Rayleigh in Essex, England. The station, and all trains calling there, are operated by National Express East Anglia....
and Rochford station
Rochford railway station
Rochford railway station serves the town of Rochford in Essex, England. The station is managed by National Express East Anglia, who provide all train services. It is situated on the line from Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street. It also used to serve London Southend Airport until the new...
on the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
with services to London Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
operated by National Express East Anglia, and Leigh-on-Sea station
Leigh-on-Sea railway station
Leigh-on-Sea railway station serves the town of Leigh-on-Sea near Southend. This station serves as a park and ride facility. The station is run and served solely by c2c.- History :...
on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London with northeast London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of southern Essex. It is currently known as the Essex Thameside Route by Network Rail...
, with services to London Fenchurch Street
Fenchurch Street railway station
Fenchurch Street railway station, also known as London Fenchurch Street, is a central London railway terminus in the south eastern corner of the City of London, England. The station is one of the smallest terminals in London in terms of platforms and one of the most intensively operated...
operated by c2c
C2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
. There are currently no buses connecting The north side of Eastwood (north of the A127) with south side and it's administrative town of Leigh-on-Sea.
It is a mainly residential area with housing and small clusters of independent local shops scattered throughout. There are several pubs
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, including The Oakwood, The Brookside Tavern, The Bellhouse and The Loyal Toast; and also a snooker club (The Green Baize). Along Western Approaches there is a supermarket (Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
) a doctor's clinic (Scott Park Surgery) and a community centre. There is also a larger clinic at Kent Elms corner, with a pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
and library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
. The parish is served by the Grade I listed medieval St. Laurence and All Saints Church, Eastwood
St. Laurence and All Saints Church, Eastwood
St. Laurence and All Saints is a Grade I listed medieval church in the parish of Eastwood, Essex, England which has been under threat from plans to expand London Southend Airport....
which sits at the end of the main runway for Southend Airport.
There is some light industry, mainly centred about the A127 dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
and Progress Road industrial estate. A large number of car dealerships also lie along the A127.
Eastwood has many infant and junior schools. There is also one secondary school, Eastwood School, a mixed school with about 850 pupils (in 2004). Eastwood School is home to the Eastwood Theatre, which puts on several theatrical productions, as well as other events such as battle of the bands
Battle of the Bands
Battle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
.
Eastwood has its own small police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, though it is called a police office as it is only open to the public every Thursday for "Community Surgery" whereby residents can raise any community issues they have. These sessions are hosted by Neighbourhood Specialist Officer PC Neil Gale, who has worked at the station about 5 years.
According to figures from Southend Borough Council, Eastwood has only half the national average of people having degree level qualifications, but the number of home-owners is above average.
History
Eastwood took its name from its situation on the eastern side of the woods and parkland of RayleighRayleigh, Essex
Rayleigh is a market town and civil parish in the District of Rochford in Essex, England, located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. It lies to the east of central London. It has a population of 30,196, having expanded rapidly in the 1960s.-Toponymy:...
and Thundersley
Thundersley
Thundersley is a district in the north west of the Castle Point Borough, in south east Essex, England, about 35 miles east of London.-Toponymy:...
which were part of the Great Forest of Essex. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as "Estwa", and was held by Suen of Essex, whose father Robert had held it during the reign of Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
. Suen's son, Robert d'Essex, founded Prittlewell Priory
Prittlewell Priory
Prittlewell Priory is a medieval priory in Southend, Essex, England, founded in the 12th century, and is a Grade I listed building.-External links:...
in 1100 A.D. but his descendant, Henry d'Essex
Henry d'Essex
Henry of Essex or Henry d'Essex was a Norman noble who held the honours of Rayleigh, Essex, Haughley , and the office of Constable of England during the reigns of Kings Stephen and Henry II...
, forfeited all his estates to the Crown in 1163, because of cowardice in battle. After this date the Manor was generally held by the Crown.
In the 13th century, the English Kings would often visit the district for hunting, making Hadleigh Castle
Hadleigh Castle
Hadleigh Castle in the English county of Essex overlooks the Thames estuary from a ridge to the south of the town of Hadleigh. Built after 1215 during the reign of Henry III by Hubert de Burgh, the castle was surrounded by parkland and had an important economic, as well as defensive role...
their residence. Henry VIII was the last king known to have hunted here and Eastwood Lodge was the centre of the last reserved portion of hunting land. In 1536, during the Reformation, the Manor was given by Edward VI to Lord Rich
Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich
Sir Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich , was Lord Chancellor during the reign of King Edward VI of England. He was the founder of Felsted School with its associated alms houses in Essex in 1564....
whose descendants became Earls of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
, then by marriage it passed to the Earl of Nottingham
Earl of Nottingham
Earl of Nottingham is a title that has been created seven times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Nottingham, First creation :* John de Mowbray , 5th Baron Mowbray-Earls of Nottingham, Second creation :...
.
The Bristow family purchased the estate and held it until 1866 when it was sold in lots: "Eastwoodbury", the large house which stood immediately to the east of the Church, was on the site of the original Manor house. It was demolished in 1954.