Navestock
Encyclopedia
Navestock is a civil parish
in the Borough of Brentwood
in south Essex
, in the East of England
region of the United Kingdom
. It is located approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) North West of the town of Brentwood
and the M25 motorway
cuts through the western edge of the parish. It covers an area of in excess of 1800 hectares (4500 acres) and had a population of 510 in 2001. The name means ‘the stump on the headland’, which reflects its topography and landscape.
. It is not served well by main roads and so despite being well within the London commuter belt
has undergone little recent housing development, and retains a feeling of remoteness. There is no traditional nucleated village in Navestock, but there is a concentration of houses at Navestock Side
in the east of the parish and a rather more dispersed one at Navestock Heath in the centre. The medieval church and hall are in an isolated position about a mile further north from Navestock Heath.
The greater part of the parish sits on top of two spurs divided by a stream flowing north into the River Roding
, which forms the northern boundary of the parish. The highest point is 103m near Navestock Side in the eastern edge of the parish, while much of the centre and south of the parish forms a plateau generally above 70 metres. The land falls away steeply to the north to the Roding valley, the lowest point being below 30m where the Roding leaves the parish in the far north-west corner.
, which has been played on the green at Navestock Side since the 18th century.
According to the census of 1801 the population of Navestock was 623, and reached a peak of 982 in 1851. There was then a gradual decline in population during the period of agricultural depression in the late 19th century and the 1901 census recorded only 692 inhabitants After fluctuating at around that level in the first half of the 20th century the population has declined further and was only 510 in 2001. This makes Navestock unusual in that despite its proximity to London its population is below its level of two hundred years ago.
Historically Navestock was included in the hundred
of Ongar
. It formed part of the Ongar Rural District
Council from 1894 until that authority was absorbed into Epping and Ongar Rural District
Council in 1955. Following local government reorganisation in 1974 it has been part of the Borough of Brentwood. The present civil parish retains largely the same boundaries as the ancient parish as it existed prior to the mid-19th century, and forms part of the 'Brizes and Doddinghurst' district council ward.
, now a Catholic retreat centre.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Borough of Brentwood
Brentwood (borough)
Brentwood is a local government district and borough in Essex in the East of England.-History & Geography:The borough is named after the town of Brentwood which is the main development in the area. There are still large areas of woodland including Shenfield Common, Hartswood , Weald Country Park,...
in south 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...
, in the East of England
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
region of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is located approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) North West of the town of Brentwood
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
and the M25 motorway
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
cuts through the western edge of the parish. It covers an area of in excess of 1800 hectares (4500 acres) and had a population of 510 in 2001. The name means ‘the stump on the headland’, which reflects its topography and landscape.
Geography
Navestock remains a rural and agricultural parish despite being less than 30 km from central LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It is not served well by main roads and so despite being well within the London commuter belt
London commuter belt
The London commuter belt is the metropolitan area surrounding London, England from which it is practical to commute to work in the capital. It is alternatively known as the Greater South East, the London metropolitan area or the Southeast metropolitan area...
has undergone little recent housing development, and retains a feeling of remoteness. There is no traditional nucleated village in Navestock, but there is a concentration of houses at Navestock Side
Navestock Side
Navestock Side is a hamlet near the A128 road, in the Brentwood District, in the county of Essex, England. It is located about three miles away from the town of Brentwood. It has a small country house called Abbotswick....
in the east of the parish and a rather more dispersed one at Navestock Heath in the centre. The medieval church and hall are in an isolated position about a mile further north from Navestock Heath.
The greater part of the parish sits on top of two spurs divided by a stream flowing north into the River Roding
River Roding
The River Roding is a river in England that rises near Dunmow, flows through Essex and forms Barking Creek as it reaches the River Thames in London....
, which forms the northern boundary of the parish. The highest point is 103m near Navestock Side in the eastern edge of the parish, while much of the centre and south of the parish forms a plateau generally above 70 metres. The land falls away steeply to the north to the Roding valley, the lowest point being below 30m where the Roding leaves the parish in the far north-west corner.
History
The western edge of the parish was within the ancient forest of Essex, and two boundary stones still mark its limits. Enclosure of common land took place in 1770. Navestock was an early centre for cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, which has been played on the green at Navestock Side since the 18th century.
According to the census of 1801 the population of Navestock was 623, and reached a peak of 982 in 1851. There was then a gradual decline in population during the period of agricultural depression in the late 19th century and the 1901 census recorded only 692 inhabitants After fluctuating at around that level in the first half of the 20th century the population has declined further and was only 510 in 2001. This makes Navestock unusual in that despite its proximity to London its population is below its level of two hundred years ago.
Historically Navestock was included in the hundred
Hundred (division)
A hundred is a geographic division formerly used in England, Wales, Denmark, South Australia, some parts of the United States, Germany , Sweden, Finland and Norway, which historically was used to divide a larger region into smaller administrative divisions...
of Ongar
Ongar (hundred)
Hundred of Ongar was an ancient hundred in the west of the county of Essex, England. It was centred on the town of Chipping Ongar.It contained the following parishes: *Abbess Roding*Beauchamp Roding*Berners Roding*Bobbingworth or Bovinger*Chigwell...
. It formed part of the Ongar Rural District
Ongar Rural District
Ongar Rural District was a local government district in Essex, England from 1894 to 1955.. It included the small town of Chipping Ongar and the parishes surrounding it....
Council from 1894 until that authority was absorbed into Epping and Ongar Rural District
Epping and Ongar Rural District
Epping and Ongar Rural District was a rural district in the county of Essex, England. It was created in 1955 by the merger of the disbanded Ongar Rural District and most of the disbanded Epping Rural District, except the civil parishes of Great Parndon, Harlow, Latton, Little Parndon and...
Council in 1955. Following local government reorganisation in 1974 it has been part of the Borough of Brentwood. The present civil parish retains largely the same boundaries as the ancient parish as it existed prior to the mid-19th century, and forms part of the 'Brizes and Doddinghurst' district council ward.
Places of interest
The country house Abbotswick HallAbbotswick
Abbotswick at Navestock Side, in the English county of Essex is a small country house standing in a well-timbered garden with a small lake. It dates from about 1800 but was rebuilt early in the 20th century. In 1817 it was described as the seat of Adam Chadwick.In 1986 a charitable trust was...
, now a Catholic retreat centre.
External links
- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=15611
- http://www.essexinfo.net/navestock/
- http://www.freewebs.com/navestockcc/
- http://essex1841.com/Navestock-1841.php