Terrel's Heath
Encyclopedia
Terrel's Heath is, in spite of its name, an area of woodland
in Chadwell St Mary
named on the 1938 six-inch Ordnance Survey
map.
, across nearby Orsett Heath
to Hangman's Wood, part of the ancient route from Coalhouse Point in East Tilbury
to the bridge or causeway at Aveley
. It is deciduous
woodland, almost entirely oak
with bluebell
s in the spring, often an indicator of ancient (unplanted) woodland.
. The place-name element "Terrel's" may relates to either the Tyrrel family of Essex or the Torel family. The element "Heath" may relate either to a time when it was not wooded or to include the surrounding area which was until comparatively recently typical heathland. The Tyrell's family were sponsors of All Saints Church, East Horndon
where many family members are buried. It was the family name which was adopted as the original name both the junior and infant schools which later became Woodside Primary School, Grays while the adjacent Secondary School was known as "Torrels". The young 19th Century diarist Martha Randall wrote "Tirrels heath" when describing a November walk on the Heath which was close to her home at Heath Place Farm.
and is now a public open space. It was considerably reduced in size by the construction of the Dock Relief Road which connects the Port
of Tilbury
with the A13. This road now separates Terrel's Heath from the larger Orsett Heath
. Before the road and before the nearby housing estates were there Terrel's Heath would have been part of a large swathe of heathland interspaced with woodland. This included Biggin Heath (heathland belonging to the manor of Biggin
), Chadwell Heath (heathland belonging to the manor of Chadwell St Mary, not the place near Romford), Mucking Heath, Orsett Heath, Socketts Heath and Terrel's Heath all of which were on high ground compared to the nearby marsh and had poor sandy soil with underlying gravel and chalk. Heathland is maintained by animal grazing which prevents the growth of trees or large bushes. If the land ceases to be used for grazing, it reverts to woodland. Terrel's Heath was apparently still being grazed in 1840 when Champion Branfill wrote to William Wigfield on the subject of “rights of pasturage on Tyrrells heath”.
In 1991 an elderly woman was seen running naked around Terrel's Heath. Apparently, she had been suffering from a mental condition.
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
in Chadwell St Mary
Chadwell St Mary
Chadwell-St-Mary is a dispersed settlement in the unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, England. It is one of the traditional parishes in Thurrock and former civil parish. It is a few miles east of the town of Grays and is located north of the modern town of Tilbury which was part of the parish...
named on the 1938 six-inch Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
map.
Location and description
Terrel's Heath is adjacent to Woodside Primary School in Little Thurrock. Separating Terrel's Heath from Woodside School is an ancient bank and ditch that marks the boundary between the traditional parishes of Chadwell St Mary and Little Thurrock. It can be accessed only from the bridle path which runs from Chadwell St MaryChadwell St Mary
Chadwell-St-Mary is a dispersed settlement in the unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, England. It is one of the traditional parishes in Thurrock and former civil parish. It is a few miles east of the town of Grays and is located north of the modern town of Tilbury which was part of the parish...
, across nearby Orsett Heath
Orsett Heath
Orsett Heath is a location and recently built hamlet in the unitary authority of Thurrock, in the ceremonial county of Essex. It is located about twenty miles away from London. Nearby settlements include the towns of Tilbury and Grays Thurrock and the villages of Orsett and Chadwell St Mary. For...
to Hangman's Wood, part of the ancient route from Coalhouse Point in East Tilbury
East Tilbury
East Tilbury is a village in the unitary authority of Thurrock borough, England and one of the traditional parishes in Thurrock.-History:In Saxon times, the location on which the church now stands was surrounded by tidal marshland...
to the bridge or causeway at Aveley
Aveley
Aveley is a place in the Thurrock unitary authority in Essex, England and one of the traditional parishes in Thurrock. It is a suburban development located 16.3 miles east of Charing Cross in London and within the eastern bounds of the M25 motorway.-Location:Aveley is roughly bounded to the north...
. It is deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
woodland, almost entirely oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
with bluebell
Common Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta, commonly known as the common bluebell, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial plant. -Taxonomy:...
s in the spring, often an indicator of ancient (unplanted) woodland.
Name
The name Terrel's heath dates back to at least the mid 17th century when it was recorded (as Tirells Heath) on an estate mapEstate map
Estate maps were maps commissioned by individual landowners or institutions showing their property, typically including fields and buildings.-Development:...
. The place-name element "Terrel's" may relates to either the Tyrrel family of Essex or the Torel family. The element "Heath" may relate either to a time when it was not wooded or to include the surrounding area which was until comparatively recently typical heathland. The Tyrell's family were sponsors of All Saints Church, East Horndon
All Saints Church, East Horndon
All Saints Church, East Horndon, is a redundant Anglican church in the village of East Horndon, Essex, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
where many family members are buried. It was the family name which was adopted as the original name both the junior and infant schools which later became Woodside Primary School, Grays while the adjacent Secondary School was known as "Torrels". The young 19th Century diarist Martha Randall wrote "Tirrels heath" when describing a November walk on the Heath which was close to her home at Heath Place Farm.
History
Terrel's Heath was given to Thurrock Council by the Baker family of Orsett HallOrsett Hall
Orsett Hall was a 17th century grade 2 listed building in Orsett, Essex . It was set in of parkland and was the centre of the Orsett Hall agricultural estate. The house was destroyed by fire on 11 May 2007 and rebuilt in the same style and on the same footprint as the original building in 2009...
and is now a public open space. It was considerably reduced in size by the construction of the Dock Relief Road which connects the Port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
of Tilbury
Tilbury
Tilbury is a town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. As a settlement it is of relatively recent existence, although it has important historical connections, being the location of a 16th century fort and an ancient cross-river ferry...
with the A13. This road now separates Terrel's Heath from the larger Orsett Heath
Orsett Heath
Orsett Heath is a location and recently built hamlet in the unitary authority of Thurrock, in the ceremonial county of Essex. It is located about twenty miles away from London. Nearby settlements include the towns of Tilbury and Grays Thurrock and the villages of Orsett and Chadwell St Mary. For...
. Before the road and before the nearby housing estates were there Terrel's Heath would have been part of a large swathe of heathland interspaced with woodland. This included Biggin Heath (heathland belonging to the manor of Biggin
Biggin, Essex
Biggin is a hamlet and manor in Chadwell St Mary, part of the borough of Thurrock, in the ceremonial county of Essex. It is about north of the town of Tilbury and a similar distance east of Grays Thurrock.-Name:...
), Chadwell Heath (heathland belonging to the manor of Chadwell St Mary, not the place near Romford), Mucking Heath, Orsett Heath, Socketts Heath and Terrel's Heath all of which were on high ground compared to the nearby marsh and had poor sandy soil with underlying gravel and chalk. Heathland is maintained by animal grazing which prevents the growth of trees or large bushes. If the land ceases to be used for grazing, it reverts to woodland. Terrel's Heath was apparently still being grazed in 1840 when Champion Branfill wrote to William Wigfield on the subject of “rights of pasturage on Tyrrells heath”.
In 1991 an elderly woman was seen running naked around Terrel's Heath. Apparently, she had been suffering from a mental condition.