Wednesday, 5 September 2007
Friday, 20 April 2007
Thursday, 19 April 2007
Comment on Information
Lisa,
This is really excellent and provides invaluable additional information for our work with the schools-in particular it enriches the individual trail sections as they have been allocated to schools.
Bob Fisher
Photographer for Project
This is really excellent and provides invaluable additional information for our work with the schools-in particular it enriches the individual trail sections as they have been allocated to schools.
Bob Fisher
Photographer for Project
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
The Basildon Development Corporations Plans
First Master Plan
The first task of the Corporation was to work on a Master Plan of development of Basildon.
The Technical Report which accompanied that first plan in 1951 is now an historical document.
Up to the end of the 19th Century the whole of the part of Essex that contained Basildon was typical farming country. "With the coming of the direct railway from London to Shoeburyness in 1888 there was a change. People from the East end of London began to migrate here. Agriculture was depressed at this time and in 1890 Viscount Down sol Pitsea Hall Farm to the Land Company. Land divided into plots between 1901 - 1903, "Champagne Sales" were held. Then more land was divided into plots at Pitsea, Vange, Langdon Hills and Laindon. The great invasion from the East end of London started after the 1914/18 war, because of housing shortages and hunger for land. Many became Weekenders. Acute housing shortages after the 1939/49 war caused nearly all the plotland dwellings to become permanently occupied. Apart from Laindon Hills, the area was not well wooded. Many of the larger hedgerow trees had been cut down where development had taken place, while many of those remaining were Elms which had been attacked by disease. Bramble and thorn scrub had grown up in extensive areas of vacant land.
Pattern of Development
The designated area cover 7,834 acres, being less than six miles long from east to west and three miles across from north to south. Of this total area, some 4,300 acres consisted of scattered development - smallholding and wasteland which had been sold off for building but never built upon. The remaining 3,500 acres was farmland of variable quality.
The developed area of 4,300 acres contained a population of about 25,000 people, or not quite six people to an acre. This population was chiefly centred in two districts - Laindon - Langdon Hills -Lee Chapel to the west and Pitsea - Vange - Basildon to the east.
Climate - low rainfall and was one of the driest in England
Geology - Nearly the whole of the designated area was covered with London Clay, the only exceptions being small areas of Claygate beds and Bagshot sand capping the high ground (VangeHills and Langdon Hills) and an are of alluvium on Pitsea and Vange marshes.
Under this heading in the Report, specific mention was made of London Clay belt which could affect foundations of buildings constructed in the area - a fact which constantly plagued the planners in their quest to find new building methods in later years.
The London Clay, said the Report, was a stiff brown clay down to a depth of 10 feet, below which was a blue-brown clay. "This clay shrinks and cracks when dried in normal summer weather down to a depth of about three feet."
Shrinkage of the clay to greater depths was often caused by tree toots which withdrew moisture from the clay up to 10 feet from the end of their roots which normally spread to a distance equal to the height of the tree.
Sulphate concentrations were generally present in the dry clay and in the ground water in such proportions as to require the use of high alumina cement for foundations and for the sewer constructions over four feet depth. The sulphate also attacks iron pipes, said the Report.
Sewers - It was stated that of the 8,550 properties in the Basildon area, over 6,000 were not connected to the sewer. Those connected included 1,400 in Laindon and Langdon Hills; 350 in Basildon, Nevendon and part of Pitsea and 800 in Vange and part of Pitsea.
Roads - Within the designated area there were 16.5 miles of existing classified roads, 20.3 miles of adopted roads and some 78.2 miles of unmade roads.
Traffic - The Report referred to congestion at week-ends on the A.13 and A.127 roads with traffic flows being in the region of 890 and 1,600 vehicles an hour respectively. It said Police control was often necessary on the A.127 at the Laindon roundabout; the Cricketers crossroads at Nevendon and on the A.13 at the Rectory Road, Pitsea, junction.
Bus Services - Considering the Report was dated 1951, the bus services existing in the district compared most favourably with those 30 years later.
For example, five companies operated in the area and they provided from Laindon, a half-hourly service to Billericay and an hourly service to Brentwood, Chelmsford, Corringham, Clacton, Grays and Tilbury.
Buses also met trains from Laindon Station and went on a circular route round the town via the High Road, Wash Road, Pipps Hill, Basildon Road, Arterial Road and back to Laindon Station.
From Pitsea, bus travellers had a 10 minute service to Southend and Grays; a half hourly service to Wickford and an hourly service to Romford. Buses going to Basildon also met most trains from Pitsea Station.
Land Use - Rather less than half the designated area of 7,834 acres was under cultivation, according to the Report. "The farmland is not first class but is regarded by the Minister of Agriculture as of value for corn production." Some 3,128 were farmed privately and 420 came under the Essex Agricultural Committee. Another 380 acres was cultivated by smallholders.
Conditions of Dwellings - The Report disclosed that only just over 3,000 of the 8,716 properties in the designated area came up to the standards required by the Housing Acts of 1936. Of these, only 2,045 were of brick and tile construction and some 1,880 were either of bad structure or condition or derelict.
Population Density - The existing population of Basildon in 1951 - estimated at 25,000 - was spread out at about six persons to the acre. The low residential density was caused by large amounts of undeveloped land within the substantially developed areas. Also, it was due to the "great depth and wide frontages of many of the developed plots."
Problems facing the Planners
The first task of the Corporation was to work on a Master Plan of development of Basildon.
The Technical Report which accompanied that first plan in 1951 is now an historical document.
Up to the end of the 19th Century the whole of the part of Essex that contained Basildon was typical farming country. "With the coming of the direct railway from London to Shoeburyness in 1888 there was a change. People from the East end of London began to migrate here. Agriculture was depressed at this time and in 1890 Viscount Down sol Pitsea Hall Farm to the Land Company. Land divided into plots between 1901 - 1903, "Champagne Sales" were held. Then more land was divided into plots at Pitsea, Vange, Langdon Hills and Laindon. The great invasion from the East end of London started after the 1914/18 war, because of housing shortages and hunger for land. Many became Weekenders. Acute housing shortages after the 1939/49 war caused nearly all the plotland dwellings to become permanently occupied. Apart from Laindon Hills, the area was not well wooded. Many of the larger hedgerow trees had been cut down where development had taken place, while many of those remaining were Elms which had been attacked by disease. Bramble and thorn scrub had grown up in extensive areas of vacant land.
Pattern of Development
The designated area cover 7,834 acres, being less than six miles long from east to west and three miles across from north to south. Of this total area, some 4,300 acres consisted of scattered development - smallholding and wasteland which had been sold off for building but never built upon. The remaining 3,500 acres was farmland of variable quality.
The developed area of 4,300 acres contained a population of about 25,000 people, or not quite six people to an acre. This population was chiefly centred in two districts - Laindon - Langdon Hills -Lee Chapel to the west and Pitsea - Vange - Basildon to the east.
Climate - low rainfall and was one of the driest in England
Geology - Nearly the whole of the designated area was covered with London Clay, the only exceptions being small areas of Claygate beds and Bagshot sand capping the high ground (VangeHills and Langdon Hills) and an are of alluvium on Pitsea and Vange marshes.
Under this heading in the Report, specific mention was made of London Clay belt which could affect foundations of buildings constructed in the area - a fact which constantly plagued the planners in their quest to find new building methods in later years.
The London Clay, said the Report, was a stiff brown clay down to a depth of 10 feet, below which was a blue-brown clay. "This clay shrinks and cracks when dried in normal summer weather down to a depth of about three feet."
Shrinkage of the clay to greater depths was often caused by tree toots which withdrew moisture from the clay up to 10 feet from the end of their roots which normally spread to a distance equal to the height of the tree.
Sulphate concentrations were generally present in the dry clay and in the ground water in such proportions as to require the use of high alumina cement for foundations and for the sewer constructions over four feet depth. The sulphate also attacks iron pipes, said the Report.
Sewers - It was stated that of the 8,550 properties in the Basildon area, over 6,000 were not connected to the sewer. Those connected included 1,400 in Laindon and Langdon Hills; 350 in Basildon, Nevendon and part of Pitsea and 800 in Vange and part of Pitsea.
Roads - Within the designated area there were 16.5 miles of existing classified roads, 20.3 miles of adopted roads and some 78.2 miles of unmade roads.
Traffic - The Report referred to congestion at week-ends on the A.13 and A.127 roads with traffic flows being in the region of 890 and 1,600 vehicles an hour respectively. It said Police control was often necessary on the A.127 at the Laindon roundabout; the Cricketers crossroads at Nevendon and on the A.13 at the Rectory Road, Pitsea, junction.
Bus Services - Considering the Report was dated 1951, the bus services existing in the district compared most favourably with those 30 years later.
For example, five companies operated in the area and they provided from Laindon, a half-hourly service to Billericay and an hourly service to Brentwood, Chelmsford, Corringham, Clacton, Grays and Tilbury.
Buses also met trains from Laindon Station and went on a circular route round the town via the High Road, Wash Road, Pipps Hill, Basildon Road, Arterial Road and back to Laindon Station.
From Pitsea, bus travellers had a 10 minute service to Southend and Grays; a half hourly service to Wickford and an hourly service to Romford. Buses going to Basildon also met most trains from Pitsea Station.
Land Use - Rather less than half the designated area of 7,834 acres was under cultivation, according to the Report. "The farmland is not first class but is regarded by the Minister of Agriculture as of value for corn production." Some 3,128 were farmed privately and 420 came under the Essex Agricultural Committee. Another 380 acres was cultivated by smallholders.
Conditions of Dwellings - The Report disclosed that only just over 3,000 of the 8,716 properties in the designated area came up to the standards required by the Housing Acts of 1936. Of these, only 2,045 were of brick and tile construction and some 1,880 were either of bad structure or condition or derelict.
Population Density - The existing population of Basildon in 1951 - estimated at 25,000 - was spread out at about six persons to the acre. The low residential density was caused by large amounts of undeveloped land within the substantially developed areas. Also, it was due to the "great depth and wide frontages of many of the developed plots."
Problems facing the Planners
These were:
1. The awkward shape of the area (6 miles by 3 miles) bounded on the north and south by major roads.
2. The bisection of the area by a railway running from east to west; the ground to the north being undulating (40 ft to 190 ft above ordnance datum0 and the ground to the south being hilly (10 ft to 370 ft above ordnance datum); the unsuitability of much of the latter for development not only on account of the slopes but because of its landscape value over a wide area.
3. The existence of two centres of urban sprawl - Laindon in the west with a population of 12,000 and Pitsea three and a half miles to the east with a population of 13,000.
4. The existence of two considerable areas of land difficult to drain - one in the centre running out to the northern boundary and the other in the north eastern corner of the area.
5. The existence of a large number of sub-standard properties at a very low density; many miles of unmade roads without sewers and metalled roads going back to the time when the area was agricultural.
Summary of the Master Plan proposals
1. The establishment of a balanced town of 80,000 people.
2. A main road plan forming a wide letter 'H' with the two existing major roads, the A.127 and the A.13, making the two uprights.
3. The vital function of the Town Centre if it were to succeed commercially, was to be the focus of town life and of the region. It was therefore sited in the centre of the area. As the land to the north of the centre was difficult to drain, it was to be left for recreational use (eventually Gloucester Park).
4. Industry was sited in two reasonably level areas of ground alongside the Arterial Road, it being considered that good road communications were more important to industries than direct access to railway sidings. The report suggested these areas which covered about 328 acres would provide work for 16,000 people and have good communications to all parts of the town.
5. With regard to housing, three new housing neighbourhoods were planned, which together with the six existing areas of Laindon, Lee Chapel. Langdon Hills, Vange, Basildon and Pitsea would make up nine areas altogether. Each was to be provided with its own primary schools, shops and playing fields etc.
6. The existing major shopping centres of Laindon and Vange/Pitsea were to be retained but reduced from a straggle along classified roads to compact shopping areas.
7. Thirteen secondary school sites (two existing) would be sited between neighbourhoods, partly to break up the continuous flow of housing but mainly because the sites would be accessible to the catchment areas they would serve. A College of Further Education was sited in a central position north of the town centre. (N.B This was later changed from Gloucester Park to the eventual site in Nethermayne).
8. The needs of service industry were to be met by the provision of four sites, three of them next to the railway stations at Laindon, Pitsea, and the proposed new Basildon station. A fourth site north of Laindon was considered ripe for development and would be used to meet immediate needs while the others were being established.
9. Provision would be made for public open space and playing fields on a scale of 8.8 acres per 1,000 population. This would be sited throughout the developed area of the town in such a way as to preserve the best landscape features and to provide a continuous flow of unbuilt-on lands on strategic lines within the town. Over 2,000 acres would remain in agricultural use.
10. Sparsely developed plotlands to the extreme west (Dunton) North of the Arterial Road and in small areas elsewhere, was earmarked for ultimate return to agriculture.
The Report stated that owing to existing conditions, it was impossible to provide Green Belt all round the town within the designated area. The provision of this Belt therefore rested with the Essex County Council in controlling development outside the boundaries of the town.
Snippets from continuation "107 acres were set aside of the planning of the Town Centre - the land allocated included - administrative buildings 16 acres; commercial buildings 39 acres; and cultural and recreational buildings 27 acres."
Parking provision for 2,000 cars, a figure which was then way ahead of other normal towns but which due to the mushroom growth of car ownership, was to prove vastly inadequate later on.
At this time the intention was to have only 270 shops in the town centre and another 100 each at Laindon/Langdon Hills and Pitsea/Vange. A further 100 would spread around the housing neighbourhoods.
"Steps must be taken by the Development Corporation and the Planning Authority" the Report continued, "to improve the standards of design and construction of all buildings put up in the designated area and to see that they are in the right place.
"The present development is scattered haphazardly over about 4,300 acres of land. To continue and to consolidate such a sprawl can only make the creation of a New Town more difficult and more expensive" it concluded.
THE CORPORATION'S FIRST MASTER PLAN SUMMARISED ABOVE WAS APPROVED BY THE MINISTER OF HOUSING THE RT. HON. HUGH DALTON, M.P. IN AUGUST 1951. ALTHOUGH DETAILED AMENDMENTS WERE MADE OVER THE YEARS, IT WAS TO FORM THE BASIS FOR BASILDON'S DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEXT 35 YEARS.
The Great Words of Rt. Hon Lewis Silken MP
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas
"Basildon will become a city which people from all over the world will want to visit."
"It will be a place where all classes of the community can meet freely together on equal terms and enjoy common cultural and recreational facilities."
"Basildon will not be a place which is ugly, grimy and full of paving stones like many large modern towns. It will be something which the people deserve, the possible town that modern knowledge, commerce, science and civilisation can produce."
Words spoken by the Rt. Hon Lewis Silken MP Minister of Towns and Country Planning in Clement Attlee's Post-War Labour Govt., when he came to Laindon on a murky night in October 1948 to address a packed public meeting at Laindon High Road School.
Where most local residents secretly hoped it would never materialise there were hundreds of others in the bomb devastated areas of London like East and Westham who prayed for it to go ahead.
Lewis Silken said in an explanatory memorandum to Billericay Council in Aug 1948, he stated that Basildon's primary purpose was to afford an outlet for the excess population in the London area, to bring employment to the area and to provide sadly lacking amenities.
He also said "In Westham one building in every four has been destroyed, a quarter of the place has been laid flat. They have 20,000 on the waiting list for housing and their conditions are so bad as to be desperate. The plight at Eastham is very similar."
The minister went on to give people an assurance, "Many of you," he said "built your own places at great sacrifice. Some of you want to spend the rest of your days in peace and quiet, I sympathise."
"I will give you this assurance:- Our business in coming here is not to destroy but to build. We have no intention of pulling down on a large scale any of the buildings which already exist. But in between the two towns of Pitsea and Laindon there is a large area, and I propose to use it to form the nucleus of the New Town."
It is now part of history that the New Town did arrive - the decision to go ahead being given by the Govt in December 1948 following a public inquiry.
A Development Corporation to mastermind the planning was appointed by the Minister on January 24th 1949 under the chairmanship of Sir Lancelot Keay K.B.E a past president of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Director of Housing in Liverpool.
"Basildon will become a city which people from all over the world will want to visit."
"It will be a place where all classes of the community can meet freely together on equal terms and enjoy common cultural and recreational facilities."
"Basildon will not be a place which is ugly, grimy and full of paving stones like many large modern towns. It will be something which the people deserve, the possible town that modern knowledge, commerce, science and civilisation can produce."
Words spoken by the Rt. Hon Lewis Silken MP Minister of Towns and Country Planning in Clement Attlee's Post-War Labour Govt., when he came to Laindon on a murky night in October 1948 to address a packed public meeting at Laindon High Road School.
Where most local residents secretly hoped it would never materialise there were hundreds of others in the bomb devastated areas of London like East and Westham who prayed for it to go ahead.
Lewis Silken said in an explanatory memorandum to Billericay Council in Aug 1948, he stated that Basildon's primary purpose was to afford an outlet for the excess population in the London area, to bring employment to the area and to provide sadly lacking amenities.
He also said "In Westham one building in every four has been destroyed, a quarter of the place has been laid flat. They have 20,000 on the waiting list for housing and their conditions are so bad as to be desperate. The plight at Eastham is very similar."
The minister went on to give people an assurance, "Many of you," he said "built your own places at great sacrifice. Some of you want to spend the rest of your days in peace and quiet, I sympathise."
"I will give you this assurance:- Our business in coming here is not to destroy but to build. We have no intention of pulling down on a large scale any of the buildings which already exist. But in between the two towns of Pitsea and Laindon there is a large area, and I propose to use it to form the nucleus of the New Town."
It is now part of history that the New Town did arrive - the decision to go ahead being given by the Govt in December 1948 following a public inquiry.
A Development Corporation to mastermind the planning was appointed by the Minister on January 24th 1949 under the chairmanship of Sir Lancelot Keay K.B.E a past president of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Director of Housing in Liverpool.
Saturday, 14 April 2007
Further Reference
Interesting stories could be told of many more of Essex's older brick building, details of which should be sought in Pevsner's Essex Volume in the Building of England series.
Find the info about Trafford House in relation to Manchester United football ground.
Vin mentioned how many trees the council planted in Gloucester Park, find out the species too.
There is evidence that an annual fair was held at Basildon form the Middle Ages until 1848 when the last reference appears in White's Directory of the County. The site may have been where Fairhouse Farm used to stand and where Fairhouse School stands now.
Ironsides - Civil War?
Much information on social history through the centuries is available in the Hundred Rolls, the Manor Court Rolls (from 1500), the Quarter Session Rolls (from 1550) and the Church Records (from 1700).
Find the info about Trafford House in relation to Manchester United football ground.
Vin mentioned how many trees the council planted in Gloucester Park, find out the species too.
There is evidence that an annual fair was held at Basildon form the Middle Ages until 1848 when the last reference appears in White's Directory of the County. The site may have been where Fairhouse Farm used to stand and where Fairhouse School stands now.
Ironsides - Civil War?
Much information on social history through the centuries is available in the Hundred Rolls, the Manor Court Rolls (from 1500), the Quarter Session Rolls (from 1550) and the Church Records (from 1700).
Basildon - A General History
Basildon – Ancient Times to the Sixties
From a combination of Memories of Basildon – Jim Reeve and talking to Maud Sargeant, copies of papers kept in the back of Basildon Library and what was already written about the trail.
There is evidence of ancient man having living in Basildon and surrounding area, proof of this is the stone hammer of Neolithic man or Bronze Age man found in Timberlog Lane.
There is also proof of Celts, Saxons and Romans living in the area. The name of Basildon has Saxon origins in Beorhtel Hill.
When Swan Mead school was built (not far from Puck Lane) sixty bronze pieces were discovered which were thought to date back to 1000 BC and
750 BC.
Vange Hall which is near where Puck Lane meets Clay Hill Road – Fragments of Celtic Spear heads and sword blades have been found and Roman tiles and bricks.
In the latter part of the Iron Age, Britain was occupied by many tribes each with it's own King, capital and territory. The native tribe of the Kingdom of Essex were Trinovantes.Julius Caesar in the latter of his two landings in 55 and 54BC probably came across the Thames into this area.
(Basildon Library - photocopied anonymous -The Cantii tribe from what is now Kent extended their power across the Thames and Dubnovellaunus ruled in Trinovantian territory from AD 10 and extended his control over a large area of south east England from his capital at Camuldonum (Colchester). The Romans called him "King of the Britons". Two of his coins were found at Billericay at Roman Way. Cunobolin died in AD 42 and the following year saw the invasion of Britain by the Emperor Claudius. His army of some 40,000 men crossed the Thames and probably marched through this area on their way to capture Colchester from where the conquest of the remainder of Britain was planned.
The Saxons, the Danes, the Vikings (who tried to loot Basildon area via Canvey) and William the Conqueror, to name only a few of the invaders, have all left their mark. The name of Basildon means "Beorhtels Hill", is of Saxon origin.
In William's Domesday Book Basildon appears under the name of "The Hundred of Barstable". A Hundred being a division of pre-Conquest land.
Though the Black Death in 1388 brought a decline in population and a change in occupation from agriculture to sheep farming for the men left, there was still the desire to enjoy life. Basildon had its own fair each year until 1848, the site possibly being whre Fairhouse Farm originally stood and where Fairhouse School stands now.
Many from Basildon, incidentally, joined the Ironsides in the 17th Centurey (??).
The railway from Fenchurch Steet reached Pitsea in 1854, Liverpool to Southend (Wickford) in in 1889. Until then Basildon had changed little.
In 1916 during the First World War, Basildon was to see the destruction of the L32 German Zeppelin and the killing of its crew of 22. In the last war air raiders, more often than not, were intercepted over the area by Hurricanes and Spitfires andthe district was splattered with its fair share of bombs. V2 Rockets and the dreaded Flying Bombs - aimed at London but very often falling short of thier target.
In 1690 floods in Vange were so disastrous that assistance was sought of Cornelius Vandenanker, as distinguished Dutch engineer who reclaimed marshes from Dagenham to Canvey.
Many local clergymen were turned out of their livings by Cromwell and te Parochial Inquisition of 1650 showed that a William Heywood, incumbent of Laindon cum Basildon (or Bassendon as it was called at this time) had been replaced by Mr Morrre and his assistant, Mr Gale.
One eighteenth-century history says of Basildon "It may be conjectured that this quiet scene was at one period the metropolis of the district," illustrating the full circle Basildon has turned - from town to remote vilage and back to town - in the course of about 1,000 years. Where was the Hall, which must have been near the focal point of the hundred's activities? Another authority says it lay "about half a mile from Basildon church towards Vange. In a pasture field near the church, called Town Field, foundations or buildings have been ploughed up, whence the country people infer that the town stood there."
The Church referred to was Holy Cross, which stands quiet and secluded on rising ground at the top of Church Road. Here is the centre of old Basildon village itself.
It derived its name from a Saxon, Beorhtel, who owned land in the area. The hilly nature of the land to the north of the church made it known as Beorhtel's Hill (dun was Saxon word for hill) and so Beorhtel's dun slowly become Basildon over the centuries.
Hereabouts must surely have stood a thriving community when Basildon or Barstable Hall stood at the centre of Barstable hundred. Now the church serves to remind of a long-vanished town centre, hidden away from town centre of today and forgotten.)
Gypsies have been coming to this area for hundreds of years. Church registers mention them in 1690.In the 17C beer was a normal drink for all the family since water was often impure and Tea and other beverages were unknown. In those times most farm and large houses had brew houses.In the 1300's, wood was the only fuel used in Essex as most of this area was covered in forest.
Modern Basildon has its roots in the decision of The Land Company in 1891 to buy up land from cash strapped farmers and sell it on in plots.
The farmers had more or less lost the fight with the cheaper imported grain from America and Canada.
The Land Companies idea coincided with the expansion of the railway and they teamed up together to organise specially priced trips to Laindon, Pitsea and Wickford.
Posters went up in London advertising the benefits of living in the country, it sounded like heaven! The plots were priced as little as £10.
People came in droves and were met at the stations by horse and carts, which took them out to the farms. They were entertained in marquees with meals and drinks which cost 2s 6d. Once buyers were in the right frame of mind the sale began. Plots nearest to the station went first.
On the plots they first lived in bell tents, old railway carriage coaches, ships cabin – anything to give shelter.
Although at first there were more weekend homes, in 1939 when the war was declared the weekend plotlanders came down to live to escape the bombings.
In Essex over 20 lives were lost and over 6,000 homes were damaged.
Twenty-six planes were shot down in the area, unfortunately more allied than German. The enemy planes were following the River Thames and jettisoned their bombs on the Essex countryside before heading out over the North Sea.
The idealistic plot land life was brought to a dramatic end by the 1946 New Towns Act, introduced by the Labour Govt of the day, (it was an answer to unmade roads, housing shortage and unemployment).
Many of the electorate strongly contested the proposal forming opposition groups. Despite opposition ‘The Basildon Development Corporation was established – the first Chairman – Sir Lancelot Keay.
Basildon became the dominant partner and took over Billericay council.
In the past Laindon and Pitsea were more dominant than Basildon.
1801 population Laindon – 304
Basildon - 62
Pitsea – 211
In 2001 the whole area of Basildon plus Wickford and Billericay – 165,668
When some of the Plotlanders found out that the land was going to be developed they sold up to Basildon Development Corporation and moved to different parts of the country. Many were frightened of the future. Some of the owners were pleased to sell to the corporation and move into a brand new house.
Gradually all the Plotlanders sold up as when there were few remaining they felt lonely. Some emigrated to Australia and Canada.
In the 1950’s they started building Basildon, and the construction of the Laindon Link (nr the Armillary Sundial). Giant earthmovers moved in, tearing down trees and cutting the roadway.
When the Basildon Corporation started taking over there was not enough resistance. People did not realize what was happening.
Once owners were served with a compulsory purchase order they started getting indignant but it was too late. It felt quite unfair to the Plotlanders.
Basildon Development Corporation brought in new people, they offered jobs and cheap places to live.
In 1956 John Radley went to work for them and was offered a 3 bed roomed house for £2s, 1 shilling and 8 pence, or a 2 bed roomed house for £1, 18 shillings and 9 pence.
For a television they had to go to Radio Rentals in Westcliff as there were no television shops in the Basildon area.
2 bad things – Corporal punishment in schools, and in Carreras a factory in Basildon if a woman got married she got sacked!!
Keay House (Keay comes from the name of the name of Sir Lancelot Keay
‘The Basildon Development Corporation’s’ first Chairman.
Keay House was opposite where WH Smiths is now.
Rumours of Basildon
Brooke House was starting to lean and everyone had to move out was one, and a Chinese restaurant was caught serving Kit-E- Kat.
It was very safe in the ‘50’s hardly any crime.
Basildon Development Corporation was based in Pitsea then moved to Cherrydown.
Slightly unrelated information
Timberlog Lane is thus called because the old timber carts used to come round there from the river, they would make with wide swerving tracks with their cart.
Another story about Timberlog lane is that the Romans dragged timber down it to Vange Wharf (these logs and timber were probably shipped down to shipyards, notably Brightlinsea, who were responsible for providing much of the fleet from the 13th century to the 16th C) and the reason the lane was windy isn't that the carters were drunk though they might well have been but that when land was enclosed lanes often had to wind around the newly enclosed fields rather than go straight across as they had previously before the enclosure.
Saturday 14th April from 'Portrait of Essex - S.A Manning, published in 1977 - lent to me by Sue Randle.
After the 2nd World War the local authorities concerned were unable to undertake the vast task of clearing what had become a large rural slum divided into some 30,000 ownerships. Accordingly they petitioned the minister to designate the area as the site of a New Town, and this action was taken early in 1949.
Now, with a population of 85,000 (1977) more than 20,000 homes, and some 200 factories, Basildon stretches for about six miles, from Pitsea in the east to Laindon in the west, the whole set around a new town centre. This is intended to be the commercial, administrative and recreational centre and to act as a focal point not only for the surrounding residential neighbourhoods but for the whole district. Planned as a pedestrian precinct, it is the site of the principal shops (more than 200), an open market, and parking facilities for some 4,000 cars.
Maurice Lamberts Mother and child here, in Town Square, symbolizes the young and growing area of Basildon whose District Council uses an interpretation of the statue as its symbol.
The first housing areas were developed east of the town centre in Barstable and Fryern neighbourhoods. Short terraces of brick-built houses, some white-rendered, were built at relatively low densities.
In the later neighbourhoods one can also find abundant evidence of increases in housing density, the tendency towards an increasing close-knit character. More space is often available within homes. Smaller gardens but safe play areas are available.
In 1977 Basildon had an Amateur Operatic society, (shortly to celebrate it's 50th Anniversary (1977)) and YOBA Youth Opera Basildon Area, whose members have taken part in La Boheme, Orpheus in the Underworld, and other productions.
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas
Basildon Development Corporation planted a hundred thousand trees across Basildon, unfortunately they lost 6,000 Elms due to Dutch Elm Disease.
The Development Corporations landscape staff under Harry Bradley in particular made a brave effort to stem the disease and even imported 1,500 minute wasps from Vienna in 1971.
In addition to using a series of chemical injections on infected trees.
The wasps were said to be Dutch Elm bugs most deadly enemy. But to no avail, by Sept 1973 local newspapers reported the battle appeared to have been lost.
A College of Further Education was going to be sited in a central position north of the town i.e. Gloucester Park, which changed to the eventual site in Nethermayne.
vin said...
Pool with Sculpture immediately to the West and Souith of the Piloti Underscoft of Brooke House:1962. London rectangular pool with raised granite clad sides and coping, within which is set at the East end, a bronze sculpture 'Mother and Child' and fountain, by Maurice Lambert. The pool was designed as a foreground to Brooke House and us Grade II listed.East Square: Sunken square designed to complement Brooke House. Broad flight od stairs to lower level along Westv side, curved ramp with cobble clad retaining walls, with painted steel railings and hardwood handrail above. Esat side has double row of shops at ground and first floor level (part of Freedon House and not included in listing), with projecting 'L' plan reinforced concrete beam and with painted steel railings with hardwood handrail above. At foot of staircase is a purpose-built bench with vertical slats of teak fixed to a tubular steel framework. All part of a group with Brooke House which it happens to complement. This is also a Grade II listed building
15 April 2007 13:54
vin said...
BASILDON PLOTLANDSAt the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, agricultural depression meant that many Essex farms were semi-derelict or derelict and abandoned, particularly on the heavy London clay lands of south and east Essex. Enterprising entrepreneurs bought up these farms at rock bottom prices, splitting them up into individual plots to be sold separately. Advertised as an opportunity to live in an arcadian paradise, the sales were often promoted by means of cheap train excursions to view the sites, accompanied by free food and drink on arrival. These 'Plotlands' proved very attractive to people living in the cramped slum conditions of the east end. However, such rather anarchic development brought many problems. By 1898 plotland dwellers were being described as 'squatters' whose style of living 'might do in the Australian bush or the American backwoods, but it is hardly what one might expect in the highly civilised county of Essex'. The high point of plotland development came between the First and Second World Wars when there was a major concentration of plotland settlements in the Basildon area. In the 1950's and 60's Basildon New Town was designed and built to replace these rather ramshackle building.
Daphne said:
I know that where Fairhouse school is, they used to have a fair held there every year. It was way before my time that they had the fairs.
From a combination of Memories of Basildon – Jim Reeve and talking to Maud Sargeant, copies of papers kept in the back of Basildon Library and what was already written about the trail.
There is evidence of ancient man having living in Basildon and surrounding area, proof of this is the stone hammer of Neolithic man or Bronze Age man found in Timberlog Lane.
There is also proof of Celts, Saxons and Romans living in the area. The name of Basildon has Saxon origins in Beorhtel Hill.
When Swan Mead school was built (not far from Puck Lane) sixty bronze pieces were discovered which were thought to date back to 1000 BC and
750 BC.
Vange Hall which is near where Puck Lane meets Clay Hill Road – Fragments of Celtic Spear heads and sword blades have been found and Roman tiles and bricks.
In the latter part of the Iron Age, Britain was occupied by many tribes each with it's own King, capital and territory. The native tribe of the Kingdom of Essex were Trinovantes.Julius Caesar in the latter of his two landings in 55 and 54BC probably came across the Thames into this area.
(Basildon Library - photocopied anonymous -The Cantii tribe from what is now Kent extended their power across the Thames and Dubnovellaunus ruled in Trinovantian territory from AD 10 and extended his control over a large area of south east England from his capital at Camuldonum (Colchester). The Romans called him "King of the Britons". Two of his coins were found at Billericay at Roman Way. Cunobolin died in AD 42 and the following year saw the invasion of Britain by the Emperor Claudius. His army of some 40,000 men crossed the Thames and probably marched through this area on their way to capture Colchester from where the conquest of the remainder of Britain was planned.
The Saxons, the Danes, the Vikings (who tried to loot Basildon area via Canvey) and William the Conqueror, to name only a few of the invaders, have all left their mark. The name of Basildon means "Beorhtels Hill", is of Saxon origin.
In William's Domesday Book Basildon appears under the name of "The Hundred of Barstable". A Hundred being a division of pre-Conquest land.
Though the Black Death in 1388 brought a decline in population and a change in occupation from agriculture to sheep farming for the men left, there was still the desire to enjoy life. Basildon had its own fair each year until 1848, the site possibly being whre Fairhouse Farm originally stood and where Fairhouse School stands now.
Many from Basildon, incidentally, joined the Ironsides in the 17th Centurey (??).
The railway from Fenchurch Steet reached Pitsea in 1854, Liverpool to Southend (Wickford) in in 1889. Until then Basildon had changed little.
In 1916 during the First World War, Basildon was to see the destruction of the L32 German Zeppelin and the killing of its crew of 22. In the last war air raiders, more often than not, were intercepted over the area by Hurricanes and Spitfires andthe district was splattered with its fair share of bombs. V2 Rockets and the dreaded Flying Bombs - aimed at London but very often falling short of thier target.
In 1690 floods in Vange were so disastrous that assistance was sought of Cornelius Vandenanker, as distinguished Dutch engineer who reclaimed marshes from Dagenham to Canvey.
Many local clergymen were turned out of their livings by Cromwell and te Parochial Inquisition of 1650 showed that a William Heywood, incumbent of Laindon cum Basildon (or Bassendon as it was called at this time) had been replaced by Mr Morrre and his assistant, Mr Gale.
One eighteenth-century history says of Basildon "It may be conjectured that this quiet scene was at one period the metropolis of the district," illustrating the full circle Basildon has turned - from town to remote vilage and back to town - in the course of about 1,000 years. Where was the Hall, which must have been near the focal point of the hundred's activities? Another authority says it lay "about half a mile from Basildon church towards Vange. In a pasture field near the church, called Town Field, foundations or buildings have been ploughed up, whence the country people infer that the town stood there."
The Church referred to was Holy Cross, which stands quiet and secluded on rising ground at the top of Church Road. Here is the centre of old Basildon village itself.
It derived its name from a Saxon, Beorhtel, who owned land in the area. The hilly nature of the land to the north of the church made it known as Beorhtel's Hill (dun was Saxon word for hill) and so Beorhtel's dun slowly become Basildon over the centuries.
Hereabouts must surely have stood a thriving community when Basildon or Barstable Hall stood at the centre of Barstable hundred. Now the church serves to remind of a long-vanished town centre, hidden away from town centre of today and forgotten.)
Gypsies have been coming to this area for hundreds of years. Church registers mention them in 1690.In the 17C beer was a normal drink for all the family since water was often impure and Tea and other beverages were unknown. In those times most farm and large houses had brew houses.In the 1300's, wood was the only fuel used in Essex as most of this area was covered in forest.
Modern Basildon has its roots in the decision of The Land Company in 1891 to buy up land from cash strapped farmers and sell it on in plots.
The farmers had more or less lost the fight with the cheaper imported grain from America and Canada.
The Land Companies idea coincided with the expansion of the railway and they teamed up together to organise specially priced trips to Laindon, Pitsea and Wickford.
Posters went up in London advertising the benefits of living in the country, it sounded like heaven! The plots were priced as little as £10.
People came in droves and were met at the stations by horse and carts, which took them out to the farms. They were entertained in marquees with meals and drinks which cost 2s 6d. Once buyers were in the right frame of mind the sale began. Plots nearest to the station went first.
On the plots they first lived in bell tents, old railway carriage coaches, ships cabin – anything to give shelter.
Although at first there were more weekend homes, in 1939 when the war was declared the weekend plotlanders came down to live to escape the bombings.
In Essex over 20 lives were lost and over 6,000 homes were damaged.
Twenty-six planes were shot down in the area, unfortunately more allied than German. The enemy planes were following the River Thames and jettisoned their bombs on the Essex countryside before heading out over the North Sea.
The idealistic plot land life was brought to a dramatic end by the 1946 New Towns Act, introduced by the Labour Govt of the day, (it was an answer to unmade roads, housing shortage and unemployment).
Many of the electorate strongly contested the proposal forming opposition groups. Despite opposition ‘The Basildon Development Corporation was established – the first Chairman – Sir Lancelot Keay.
Basildon became the dominant partner and took over Billericay council.
In the past Laindon and Pitsea were more dominant than Basildon.
1801 population Laindon – 304
Basildon - 62
Pitsea – 211
In 2001 the whole area of Basildon plus Wickford and Billericay – 165,668
When some of the Plotlanders found out that the land was going to be developed they sold up to Basildon Development Corporation and moved to different parts of the country. Many were frightened of the future. Some of the owners were pleased to sell to the corporation and move into a brand new house.
Gradually all the Plotlanders sold up as when there were few remaining they felt lonely. Some emigrated to Australia and Canada.
In the 1950’s they started building Basildon, and the construction of the Laindon Link (nr the Armillary Sundial). Giant earthmovers moved in, tearing down trees and cutting the roadway.
When the Basildon Corporation started taking over there was not enough resistance. People did not realize what was happening.
Once owners were served with a compulsory purchase order they started getting indignant but it was too late. It felt quite unfair to the Plotlanders.
Basildon Development Corporation brought in new people, they offered jobs and cheap places to live.
In 1956 John Radley went to work for them and was offered a 3 bed roomed house for £2s, 1 shilling and 8 pence, or a 2 bed roomed house for £1, 18 shillings and 9 pence.
For a television they had to go to Radio Rentals in Westcliff as there were no television shops in the Basildon area.
2 bad things – Corporal punishment in schools, and in Carreras a factory in Basildon if a woman got married she got sacked!!
Keay House (Keay comes from the name of the name of Sir Lancelot Keay
‘The Basildon Development Corporation’s’ first Chairman.
Keay House was opposite where WH Smiths is now.
Rumours of Basildon
Brooke House was starting to lean and everyone had to move out was one, and a Chinese restaurant was caught serving Kit-E- Kat.
It was very safe in the ‘50’s hardly any crime.
Basildon Development Corporation was based in Pitsea then moved to Cherrydown.
Slightly unrelated information
Timberlog Lane is thus called because the old timber carts used to come round there from the river, they would make with wide swerving tracks with their cart.
Another story about Timberlog lane is that the Romans dragged timber down it to Vange Wharf (these logs and timber were probably shipped down to shipyards, notably Brightlinsea, who were responsible for providing much of the fleet from the 13th century to the 16th C) and the reason the lane was windy isn't that the carters were drunk though they might well have been but that when land was enclosed lanes often had to wind around the newly enclosed fields rather than go straight across as they had previously before the enclosure.
Saturday 14th April from 'Portrait of Essex - S.A Manning, published in 1977 - lent to me by Sue Randle.
After the 2nd World War the local authorities concerned were unable to undertake the vast task of clearing what had become a large rural slum divided into some 30,000 ownerships. Accordingly they petitioned the minister to designate the area as the site of a New Town, and this action was taken early in 1949.
Now, with a population of 85,000 (1977) more than 20,000 homes, and some 200 factories, Basildon stretches for about six miles, from Pitsea in the east to Laindon in the west, the whole set around a new town centre. This is intended to be the commercial, administrative and recreational centre and to act as a focal point not only for the surrounding residential neighbourhoods but for the whole district. Planned as a pedestrian precinct, it is the site of the principal shops (more than 200), an open market, and parking facilities for some 4,000 cars.
Maurice Lamberts Mother and child here, in Town Square, symbolizes the young and growing area of Basildon whose District Council uses an interpretation of the statue as its symbol.
The first housing areas were developed east of the town centre in Barstable and Fryern neighbourhoods. Short terraces of brick-built houses, some white-rendered, were built at relatively low densities.
In the later neighbourhoods one can also find abundant evidence of increases in housing density, the tendency towards an increasing close-knit character. More space is often available within homes. Smaller gardens but safe play areas are available.
In 1977 Basildon had an Amateur Operatic society, (shortly to celebrate it's 50th Anniversary (1977)) and YOBA Youth Opera Basildon Area, whose members have taken part in La Boheme, Orpheus in the Underworld, and other productions.
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas
Basildon Development Corporation planted a hundred thousand trees across Basildon, unfortunately they lost 6,000 Elms due to Dutch Elm Disease.
The Development Corporations landscape staff under Harry Bradley in particular made a brave effort to stem the disease and even imported 1,500 minute wasps from Vienna in 1971.
In addition to using a series of chemical injections on infected trees.
The wasps were said to be Dutch Elm bugs most deadly enemy. But to no avail, by Sept 1973 local newspapers reported the battle appeared to have been lost.
A College of Further Education was going to be sited in a central position north of the town i.e. Gloucester Park, which changed to the eventual site in Nethermayne.
vin said...
Pool with Sculpture immediately to the West and Souith of the Piloti Underscoft of Brooke House:1962. London rectangular pool with raised granite clad sides and coping, within which is set at the East end, a bronze sculpture 'Mother and Child' and fountain, by Maurice Lambert. The pool was designed as a foreground to Brooke House and us Grade II listed.East Square: Sunken square designed to complement Brooke House. Broad flight od stairs to lower level along Westv side, curved ramp with cobble clad retaining walls, with painted steel railings and hardwood handrail above. Esat side has double row of shops at ground and first floor level (part of Freedon House and not included in listing), with projecting 'L' plan reinforced concrete beam and with painted steel railings with hardwood handrail above. At foot of staircase is a purpose-built bench with vertical slats of teak fixed to a tubular steel framework. All part of a group with Brooke House which it happens to complement. This is also a Grade II listed building
15 April 2007 13:54
vin said...
BASILDON PLOTLANDSAt the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, agricultural depression meant that many Essex farms were semi-derelict or derelict and abandoned, particularly on the heavy London clay lands of south and east Essex. Enterprising entrepreneurs bought up these farms at rock bottom prices, splitting them up into individual plots to be sold separately. Advertised as an opportunity to live in an arcadian paradise, the sales were often promoted by means of cheap train excursions to view the sites, accompanied by free food and drink on arrival. These 'Plotlands' proved very attractive to people living in the cramped slum conditions of the east end. However, such rather anarchic development brought many problems. By 1898 plotland dwellers were being described as 'squatters' whose style of living 'might do in the Australian bush or the American backwoods, but it is hardly what one might expect in the highly civilised county of Essex'. The high point of plotland development came between the First and Second World Wars when there was a major concentration of plotland settlements in the Basildon area. In the 1950's and 60's Basildon New Town was designed and built to replace these rather ramshackle building.
Daphne said:
I know that where Fairhouse school is, they used to have a fair held there every year. It was way before my time that they had the fairs.
Route A - Laindon Park
From a combination of Memories of Basildon – Jim Reeve and talking to Maud Sargeant, copies of papers kept in the back of Basildon Library and what was already written about the trail.
Head towards the Murrayfield Pavilion (built 1967)
27 April 2007 14:14 vin said... Murrayfield PavilionIn 1961 Walter Flack of the Murrayfield Real Estate Company offered to donote £15,000 towards a sports centre for the town. In 1966 the Company agreed that the money could be used towards a pavilion for Gloucester Park. This would provide changing facilities, refreshments, and act as a Cricket scoreboard for county class cricket matches.
Following the foot path/cycle track parallel to Cranes Farm Road.
Continue along this path round the back of the pavilion following the signs to Swimming Pool/Boating Lake.
BASILDON -Birth of a City - Peter Lucas As the land to the north of the centre was difficult to drain, it was to be left for recreational use (eventually Gloucester Park).
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 Gloucester Park, the 355 acre town park, lies in the north-west quarter of the town. The six acre fishing lake, north of he swimming pool, is a central feature. On the town centre side there are pitches for football, rugby football and cricket, and other facilities, including an artificially surfaced practice cricket wicket, a floodlit hard-surfaced play area, a floodlit running-track and a field events area. A cafe and bar administered by the Basildon Sports Council Club are situated in the Murrayfield Pavilion where there is a changing accommodation with showers too.
Follow the sign to Boating Lake/Town Centre (skateboard area on your left). Continue along this path which circles the boating lake, with the swimming pool built in 1967, on your left.
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 The covered and heated swimming pool in the southern part of Gloucester Park, close to the town centre, is well used. With a main championship-sized pool and a teaching-pool, it is open to the public throughout the week, private and class instruction.
Vin Said: Originally Basildon District Council wanted to provide an "Olympic" size swimming pool for the New Town, but the numbers of people it would serve and the prohibitively high construction cost would mean that admission charges could not be kept to a reasonable level without a very considerable change to the Council's resources. It was therefore decided to provide a pool of "Championship" size within the Amateur Swimming Association's rules and requirements. The decision to incorporate a swimming pool into Gloucester Park enabled the pool to be integrated into the park design enhancing both elements.The architect says: ' I introduced a design which reflected the function of the building which required greater headroom over the diving stage and less at the shallow end of the main hall. This resulted in a sloping roof and the teaching pool with a flat ceiling level acting as visual stop. The cafe and the administrative offices formed a connecting link between the two pools, thus the design consisted of three linked elements'.Considerable research was undertaken into the design details under the astute leadersip of Kenneth Cotton RIBA, who introduced several innovative features that at the time were unique in swimming pool design.Amongst these were a pressurized roof space to resist humid treated water vapour from attaching to the metal roof members, and a system of water circulation whereby treated water was brought into the pool by means of nozzles in the floor of the tank. These in turn were regulated to provide greater volumne of treated water in the areas of greatest bathing load. This system involved the design of a special scum channel and became known as the 'Surflow System'. Other features included a box structural corridor to withstand the water pressure created by the pool and the outside lake. Within the corridor there were inspection panels to enable the swimming coaches to observe the style and activities of the swimmers being trained.Within the general concept of the advanced design of the 'pool', a sun terrace was created opening off the main pool surround and projecting over one of the lakes that was incorporated into the Gloucester Park design. 16 April 2007 03:13
Vin Said: GLOUCESTER PARK SWIMMING POOL"This swimming pool building is a rarity amongst municipal swimmimg pool structures of the period. It was designed with real conviction and flare. The vivacity of this post-modernist structure clearly made a very positive statement for the New Town in the 1960's" Vin HarropEssex Architecture Centre
Turn right under Broadmayne noticing the Animal Frieze in concrete by Wendy Taylor, on either side of the tunnel, then take a sharp left at a sign marked Town Centre. Cross over Westgate then turn right into St. Martin’s Square on the church side with the Bell Tower on your right.
Vin Said: Before you reach St Martin's Square from Broadmayne, look over to your left on the other side of Broadmayne and you will see a small building with a very pointed roof. This is the Basildon Community Resourse Centre,opened on the 1 November 1983 by Lord Len Murray. It was originally called the The Unemployed Workers Centre, but changed its name when it became a registered charity in 1996. That name was chosen by the Transports and General Workers Union who helped fund the building. The rest of the money came from the Basildon Development Corporation, and the structure is based on a Potten A Frame, a Scandinavian design transported here from Sweden. When it was constructed it had a silver roof, but this caused a reflection on the widnscreens of passing cars so the roof was painted green. Many people know the building by its nickname, the 'Toblerone'. 26 April 2007 12:03
St. Martins Bell Tower is an original concept by Douglas Galloway officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 12th March 1999; it is a unique free-standing faceted glass and steel tower built to mark the new millennium. It is an 85 foot octagonal spire of Neo-Gothic design compromising over 300 square metres of glass. It has 8 bells.
THE BELL TOWER
There are eight bells
1st bell weights 204Kg;
2nd, 205Kg;
3rd, 254KG;
4th, 255Kg;
5th, 255Kg;
6th, 306Kg;
7th, 357Kg
8th, the Tenor Bell weights 565 Kg.ells, the tenor bell was made in 1441 and was the first bell cast by a woman, Joanne Hill.
St. Martin Le Tours church was built in 1962 and designed by local architect, Trena Cotton. Notice the figure of The Bailor Christ above the South Porch. This was designed and constructed in fibreglass by the sculptor, T.B. Huxley-Jones and erected in 1968. The church contains some magnificent stained glass windows installed in 1989, designed and made by Joseph Nuttgens.
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas
Mr Huxley-Jones - The Bailor Christ. Just a few months after the statue had been officially dedicated, Mr. Huxley-Jones was admitted to St. Johns Hospital, Chelmsford with a heart condition. He died there four days later on Dec 10th 1968, it was the last work he did.
Vin said:- The history of St Martin's Church begins in the thirteeth century when a Christian Community was established at St Nicholas, Laindon. Throughout the centuries Christians in that area worshiped there. With the advent of the New Town the congregation faced up to the challenge tat was presented to it under the leadership of the then rector, the Reverend Bill Winfield and helped to build a new church in the centre of the town.On 27 February 1960 land on which the church is built was conveyed to the Church Commissioners and the Rector of Basildon and building began. On Saturday, 15 October 1960 the foundation stone was laid by Sir Humfrey Gale who was at that time Chairman of Basildon DEvelopment Corporation. Two years later on 10 December 1962 the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chelmsford and placed under the patronage of St Maryin of Tours. The church was designed by Mrs T. M. Cotton RIBA. In his sermon the bishop expressed the hope that St Martin's would be 'a pounding heart of the community'.To celebrate the jubilee of the consecration of St Martin's the Church Council decided to commission Stained Glass Windows to replace the clear glass ones They were paid for by Basildon District Council, local industry, Barclays bank and the Ford Motor Company,at a cost of £6,000 for each bay. The commission was given to Mr Joseph Nuttgens and it was the largest commission to be given since the building of Coventry Cathedral.
*In the post war re-organisation of the central parishes St. Nicholoas's in the High Street in Colchester was pulled down, its bells going to St. Martins Church in Basildon.
Barstable Cottage (was sometimes called Hotwater Hall) once stood where Marks and Spencer’s stands today. It stood at the end of Hotwater Lane.
The manor courts were notably held here and it is suggested that those summoned here were in ‘hot water.’ Another story is that this was an area that criminals did their penance and had to manually dig up the fields in the area, and they were referred to as ‘those who were in hot water.’
Barstable Cottage was entirely wooden apart from its chimney stack.
The Development Corporation bought it from its owners for £150.
Turn left into St. Martins Gardens following the path through St Michael’s Walk on the right ad walk through St. Martins Gardens leaving the gardens at the exit facing the Towngate Theatre. The Towngate Theatre was built in 1988 and the adjoining Basildon (Bas) Centre was built in 1989.
vin said... Where Argus now stands were the temporary offices of Basildon Urban District Council. These were single story, portacabin type buildings stretching from the Westgate Shopping Centre to Fodderwick and out as far as Southerhay. To the East of the council offices the Arts Centre stood, fronting onto Towngate and Roundacre. The 'centre' was opened on 21 September 1968 with the premiere screening of the film 'Never Strike a Woman'.
27 April 2007 14:25
vin said...
ADDENDUM The Film which opened the Arts Centre on 21 September 1968 was " Never strike a lady except with a daisy", the latest film by the Czech director, Zdenek Podskalsky
Bullet Points for Route A
Head towards the Murrayfield Pavilion (built 1967)
27 April 2007 14:14 vin said... Murrayfield PavilionIn 1961 Walter Flack of the Murrayfield Real Estate Company offered to donote £15,000 towards a sports centre for the town. In 1966 the Company agreed that the money could be used towards a pavilion for Gloucester Park. This would provide changing facilities, refreshments, and act as a Cricket scoreboard for county class cricket matches.
Following the foot path/cycle track parallel to Cranes Farm Road.
Continue along this path round the back of the pavilion following the signs to Swimming Pool/Boating Lake.
BASILDON -Birth of a City - Peter Lucas As the land to the north of the centre was difficult to drain, it was to be left for recreational use (eventually Gloucester Park).
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 Gloucester Park, the 355 acre town park, lies in the north-west quarter of the town. The six acre fishing lake, north of he swimming pool, is a central feature. On the town centre side there are pitches for football, rugby football and cricket, and other facilities, including an artificially surfaced practice cricket wicket, a floodlit hard-surfaced play area, a floodlit running-track and a field events area. A cafe and bar administered by the Basildon Sports Council Club are situated in the Murrayfield Pavilion where there is a changing accommodation with showers too.
Follow the sign to Boating Lake/Town Centre (skateboard area on your left). Continue along this path which circles the boating lake, with the swimming pool built in 1967, on your left.
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 The covered and heated swimming pool in the southern part of Gloucester Park, close to the town centre, is well used. With a main championship-sized pool and a teaching-pool, it is open to the public throughout the week, private and class instruction.
Vin Said: Originally Basildon District Council wanted to provide an "Olympic" size swimming pool for the New Town, but the numbers of people it would serve and the prohibitively high construction cost would mean that admission charges could not be kept to a reasonable level without a very considerable change to the Council's resources. It was therefore decided to provide a pool of "Championship" size within the Amateur Swimming Association's rules and requirements. The decision to incorporate a swimming pool into Gloucester Park enabled the pool to be integrated into the park design enhancing both elements.The architect says: ' I introduced a design which reflected the function of the building which required greater headroom over the diving stage and less at the shallow end of the main hall. This resulted in a sloping roof and the teaching pool with a flat ceiling level acting as visual stop. The cafe and the administrative offices formed a connecting link between the two pools, thus the design consisted of three linked elements'.Considerable research was undertaken into the design details under the astute leadersip of Kenneth Cotton RIBA, who introduced several innovative features that at the time were unique in swimming pool design.Amongst these were a pressurized roof space to resist humid treated water vapour from attaching to the metal roof members, and a system of water circulation whereby treated water was brought into the pool by means of nozzles in the floor of the tank. These in turn were regulated to provide greater volumne of treated water in the areas of greatest bathing load. This system involved the design of a special scum channel and became known as the 'Surflow System'. Other features included a box structural corridor to withstand the water pressure created by the pool and the outside lake. Within the corridor there were inspection panels to enable the swimming coaches to observe the style and activities of the swimmers being trained.Within the general concept of the advanced design of the 'pool', a sun terrace was created opening off the main pool surround and projecting over one of the lakes that was incorporated into the Gloucester Park design. 16 April 2007 03:13
Vin Said: GLOUCESTER PARK SWIMMING POOL"This swimming pool building is a rarity amongst municipal swimmimg pool structures of the period. It was designed with real conviction and flare. The vivacity of this post-modernist structure clearly made a very positive statement for the New Town in the 1960's" Vin HarropEssex Architecture Centre
Turn right under Broadmayne noticing the Animal Frieze in concrete by Wendy Taylor, on either side of the tunnel, then take a sharp left at a sign marked Town Centre. Cross over Westgate then turn right into St. Martin’s Square on the church side with the Bell Tower on your right.
Vin Said: Before you reach St Martin's Square from Broadmayne, look over to your left on the other side of Broadmayne and you will see a small building with a very pointed roof. This is the Basildon Community Resourse Centre,opened on the 1 November 1983 by Lord Len Murray. It was originally called the The Unemployed Workers Centre, but changed its name when it became a registered charity in 1996. That name was chosen by the Transports and General Workers Union who helped fund the building. The rest of the money came from the Basildon Development Corporation, and the structure is based on a Potten A Frame, a Scandinavian design transported here from Sweden. When it was constructed it had a silver roof, but this caused a reflection on the widnscreens of passing cars so the roof was painted green. Many people know the building by its nickname, the 'Toblerone'. 26 April 2007 12:03
St. Martins Bell Tower is an original concept by Douglas Galloway officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 12th March 1999; it is a unique free-standing faceted glass and steel tower built to mark the new millennium. It is an 85 foot octagonal spire of Neo-Gothic design compromising over 300 square metres of glass. It has 8 bells.
THE BELL TOWER
There are eight bells
1st bell weights 204Kg;
2nd, 205Kg;
3rd, 254KG;
4th, 255Kg;
5th, 255Kg;
6th, 306Kg;
7th, 357Kg
8th, the Tenor Bell weights 565 Kg.ells, the tenor bell was made in 1441 and was the first bell cast by a woman, Joanne Hill.
St. Martin Le Tours church was built in 1962 and designed by local architect, Trena Cotton. Notice the figure of The Bailor Christ above the South Porch. This was designed and constructed in fibreglass by the sculptor, T.B. Huxley-Jones and erected in 1968. The church contains some magnificent stained glass windows installed in 1989, designed and made by Joseph Nuttgens.
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas
Mr Huxley-Jones - The Bailor Christ. Just a few months after the statue had been officially dedicated, Mr. Huxley-Jones was admitted to St. Johns Hospital, Chelmsford with a heart condition. He died there four days later on Dec 10th 1968, it was the last work he did.
Vin said:- The history of St Martin's Church begins in the thirteeth century when a Christian Community was established at St Nicholas, Laindon. Throughout the centuries Christians in that area worshiped there. With the advent of the New Town the congregation faced up to the challenge tat was presented to it under the leadership of the then rector, the Reverend Bill Winfield and helped to build a new church in the centre of the town.On 27 February 1960 land on which the church is built was conveyed to the Church Commissioners and the Rector of Basildon and building began. On Saturday, 15 October 1960 the foundation stone was laid by Sir Humfrey Gale who was at that time Chairman of Basildon DEvelopment Corporation. Two years later on 10 December 1962 the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chelmsford and placed under the patronage of St Maryin of Tours. The church was designed by Mrs T. M. Cotton RIBA. In his sermon the bishop expressed the hope that St Martin's would be 'a pounding heart of the community'.To celebrate the jubilee of the consecration of St Martin's the Church Council decided to commission Stained Glass Windows to replace the clear glass ones They were paid for by Basildon District Council, local industry, Barclays bank and the Ford Motor Company,at a cost of £6,000 for each bay. The commission was given to Mr Joseph Nuttgens and it was the largest commission to be given since the building of Coventry Cathedral.
*In the post war re-organisation of the central parishes St. Nicholoas's in the High Street in Colchester was pulled down, its bells going to St. Martins Church in Basildon.
Barstable Cottage (was sometimes called Hotwater Hall) once stood where Marks and Spencer’s stands today. It stood at the end of Hotwater Lane.
The manor courts were notably held here and it is suggested that those summoned here were in ‘hot water.’ Another story is that this was an area that criminals did their penance and had to manually dig up the fields in the area, and they were referred to as ‘those who were in hot water.’
Barstable Cottage was entirely wooden apart from its chimney stack.
The Development Corporation bought it from its owners for £150.
Turn left into St. Martins Gardens following the path through St Michael’s Walk on the right ad walk through St. Martins Gardens leaving the gardens at the exit facing the Towngate Theatre. The Towngate Theatre was built in 1988 and the adjoining Basildon (Bas) Centre was built in 1989.
vin said... Where Argus now stands were the temporary offices of Basildon Urban District Council. These were single story, portacabin type buildings stretching from the Westgate Shopping Centre to Fodderwick and out as far as Southerhay. To the East of the council offices the Arts Centre stood, fronting onto Towngate and Roundacre. The 'centre' was opened on 21 September 1968 with the premiere screening of the film 'Never Strike a Woman'.
27 April 2007 14:25
vin said...
ADDENDUM The Film which opened the Arts Centre on 21 September 1968 was " Never strike a lady except with a daisy", the latest film by the Czech director, Zdenek Podskalsky
Bullet Points for Route A
- Murray Field Pavilion built in 1967, provides changing facilities, refreshments and acts as a Cricket scoreboard for county class cricket matches.
- Gloucester Park - As the land was difficult to drain it was to be left for recreational use.
- Swimming Pool built 1967
- Animal Frieze in concrete by Wendy Taylor on the underpass.
- St Martins Bell Tower by Douglas Galloway - opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 12th March 1999. Built to mark the new millenium. 8 Bells, the tenor bell was made in 1441 and was the first bell to be cast by a woman, Joanne Hill.
- St. Martin Le Tours Church - built in 1962 by Trena Cotton.
- Bailor Christ designed and constructed in fibre glass by the sculptor T.B. Huxley-Jones, erected in 1968.
- The magnificent stained glass windows installed in 1989, designed by Joseph Nuttgens.
- Barstable Cottage once stood where Marks and Spencers is now, it was entirely made by wood aprt from it's chimney stacks, and surrounded by fields.
- Towngate Theatre built 1988
- Bas Centre 1989
Route B - St. Anne Line
From a combination of Memories of Basildon – Jim Reeve and talking to Maud Sargeant, copies of papers kept in the back of Basildon Library and what was already written about the trail.
Walk towards the theatre passing over the Sundial designed and constructed by Tam Giles 1997, set into the floor in front of the Towngate Theatre, then to your left walk past the wooden sculpture of The Woodman by Dave Chapple, a local sculptor. Take the path to the side of the Towngate Theatre built in 1988 with the Westgate Shopping Park built in 1999 on your left.
St. Martins Bell Tower is an original concept by Douglas Galloway officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 12th March 1999; it is a unique free-standing faceted glass and steel tower built to mark the new millennium. It is an 85 foot octagonal spire of Neo-Gothic design compromising over 300 square metres of glass.
It has 8 bells.
THE BELL TOWER
There are eight bells
1st bell weights 204Kg;
2nd, 205Kg;
3rd, 254KG;
4th, 255Kg;
5th, 255Kg;
6th, 306Kg;
7th, 357Kg
8th, the Tenor Bell weights 565 Kg.ells, the tenor bell was made in 1441 and was the first bell cast by a woman, Joanne Hill.St.
Martin Le Tours church was built in 1962 and designed by local architect, Trena Cotton.
*In the post war re-organisation of the central parishes St. Nicholoas's in the High Street in Colchester was pulled down, its bells going to St. Martins Church in Basildon.
Notice the figure of The Bailor Christ above the South Porch. This was designed and constructed in fibreglass by the sculptor, T.B. Huxley-Jones and erected in 1968. The church contains some magnificent stained glass windows installed in 1989, designed and made by Joseph Nuttgens.
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter LucasMr Huxley-Jones - The Bailor Christ. Just a few months after the statue had been officially dedicated, Mr. Huxley-Jones was admitted to St. Johns Hospital, Chelmsford with a heart condition. He died there four days later on Dec 10th 1968, it was the last work he did.
Vin said:- The history of St Martin's Church begins in the thirteeth century when a Christian Community was established at St Nicholas, Laindon. Throughout the centuries Christians in that area worshiped there. With the advent of the New Town the congregation faced up to the challenge tat was presented to it under the leadership of the then rector, the Reverend Bill Winfield and helped to build a new church in the centre of the town.On 27 February 1960 land on which the church is built was conveyed to the Church Commissioners and the Rector of Basildon and building began. On Saturday, 15 October 1960 the foundation stone was laid by Sir Humfrey Gale who was at that time Chairman of Basildon Development Corporation. Two years later on 10 December 1962 the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chelmsford and placed under the patronage of St Martin of Tours. The church was designed by Mrs T. M. Cotton RIBA. In his sermon the bishop expressed the hope that St Martin's would be 'a pounding heart of the community'.To celebrate the jubilee of the consecration of St Martin's the Church Council decided to commission Stained Glass Windows to replace the clear glass ones They were paid for by Basildon District Council, local industry, Barclays bank and the Ford Motor Company,at a cost of £6,000 for each bay. The commission was given to Mr Joseph Nuttgens and it was the largest commission to be given since the building of Coventry Cathedral.
*In the post war re-organisation of the central parishes St. Nicholoas's in the High Street in Colchester was pulled down, its bells going to St. Martins Church in Basildon.
Barstable Cottage (was sometimes called Hotwater Hall) once stood where Marks and Spencer’s stands today. It stood at the end of Hotwater Lane.The manor courts were notably held here and it is suggested that those summoned here were in ‘hot water.’ Another story is that this was an area that criminals did their penance and had to manually dig up the fields in the area, and they were referred to as ‘those who were in hot water.’Barstable Cottage was entirely wooden apart from its chimney stack.The Development Corporation bought it from its owners for £150.Turn left into St. Martins Gardens following the path through St Michael’s Walk on the right ad walk through St. Martins Gardens leaving the gardens at the exit facing the Towngate Theatre. The Towngate Theatre was built in 1988 and the adjoining Basildon (Bas) Centre was built in 1989.
vin said... Where Argus now stands were the temporary offices of Basildon Urban District Council. These were single story, portacabin type buildings stretching from the Westgate Shopping Centre to Fodderwick and out as far as Southerhay. To the East of the council offices the Arts Centre stood, fronting onto Towngate and Roundacre. The 'centre' was opened on 21 September 1968 with the premiere screening of the film 'Never Strike a Woman'.
vin said...ADDENDUM The Film which opened the Arts Centre on 21 September 1968 was " Never strike a lady except with a daisy", the latest film by the Czech director, Zdenek Podskalsky
vin said... The first Director of the Basildon Arts Centre, forerunner of the Towngate Theatre, was Vin Harrop (1967- 1972) During his tenure the theatre staged productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Ballet and many West-End hits, the jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, the pianist and conductor, Andre Previn and the opera singer John Heddle Nash. and the commediene, Joyce Grenfell. Exhibitions were mounted by many famous artists, including John Piper, Alan Sorrel and John Bratby.
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 In 1968 Lord Goodman, Chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain, opened the Arts Centre, a temporary building which it is hoped to replace by permanent accommodation in the proposed new civic centre. (1977) Situated in the town centre, it has a theatre seating 454, studios for pottery, painting, music and photography, a comfortable lounge bar, and exhibitions of the work of local and other artists. The local council, Basildon and District Arts Association, and independent groups use the theatre to bring many forms of entertainment to the town, opera, jazz, classical music, ballet, poetry and pantomime having all been presented there. Not the least important are amateur productions by drama groups and other local societies. Films are shown at the Arts Centre, and also at the two cinemas opened in 1971 in the town centre.
vin said... The Art Centre stood where the Westgate Shopping Centre is today
Cross over Westgate again turning right along the narrow footpath, them sharp left taking care not to walk on the cycle track. Turn left when you reach the main footpath and walk straight ahead, through the underpass of Southernhay and into Roundacre. Her you will find the Armillary Sundial in stainless steel designed by Wendy Taylor.
‘In the 1950’s they started building Basildon, and the construction of the Laindon Link which you can see from the Armillary Sundial. Giant earth movers moved in tearing down trees and cutting out the roadway.’
Tom Wright was responsible for getting the metal sculpture to the underpass (with a police escort).
Walk round the Sundial in an anticlockwise direction. On exiting Roundacre turn sharp right taking the slope to Southernhay opposite the Bathstore (built in 2006).
Turn left along Southernhay then veer left again walking alongside Brantano Footwear. Turn left into Fodderwick by The Moon on the Square and enter St Martin’s Square.
When you walk through the Town Square, you see a good example of stark angularity favoured by 1960’s architects.
The Town Square itself began to take shape by 1958 with the development of shops.
You first pass the mosaic panel by Geoffrey Clark, to the right, high up on the wall facing Marks and Spencer’s, and now partly obscured by a canopy.
‘Where Wilkins stands once stood the wooden buildings of the Library and Council Offices.
Continue into the Town Square past the The Town Clock an impressive example of 1960’s design, installed in 1965, then Costa Coffee.
In the square there was a large supermarket who gave pink stamps with your purchase. Where Halifax Bank stands now was Tesco opposite was John Waltons, gents outfitters, it was one of the first shops and was opened by the late comedian Arthur Askey.
Opposite John Waltons was Tesco, which may have been the first supermarket in Basildon.
Later Superfare opened. Behind Superfare was Halfords.
There was a gents hairdressers called ‘Jeffries.’
Other shops were Martins or Forbuoys and MacFisheries.
There was a Chinese restaurant above where Barclays stands and Primark is where the Co-op stood.
Keay House was opposite to where W.H. Smith’s is now.
Woolworth and Sainsbury’s stores were opposite where the fountain is now.’
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas A second not so famous sculpture commissioned in 1960 was the £2,000 'Homer' by Mr. S.E. McWilliam. The Sculpture, also in bronze showed the poet in a squatting position with a dove on his shoulder and a lyre on one arm. A gift to Basildon from Liverpool MP Mr Harold Lever, 'Homer' had several homes in the town before coming to rest in the foyer of the Eastgate Management Centre.
Vin said.... A bronze statue of Homer once stood in the foyer of Keay House following its removal from the Town Square. One night the statue vanished but the theives left behind the plinth, which has subsequently disappeared. Legend has it that Homer was stolen to be melted down, because there has never been any trace of this 8th century Greek epic poet and writer of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the former telling the story of the siege of Troy and the latter the adventures of Ulysses returning from it.
Keay House mural - Mr Anthony Holloway A.R.C.A built in four feet squares in red, blue, yellow and green with no title, meaning or message.
vin said... Keay House at 88 Town Square, now called Southgate House, used to jut out into Town Square, and one its fascia was a mural in tile mosiac created by the artist
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977
Basildon Bowl, the ten-pin bowling alley in the town centre, had closed, but the council decided to lease part and it now (1977) operates ten of the 24 lanes, the rest of the place is used for bingo.
Just before Brook House you will see the iconic Mother and Child set in the fountain pool , this bronze statue by Maurice Lambert, which cost £4,000 in 1961. This has come to symbolise the growth of the New Town. The statue forms the central part of the Town’s Crest and is incorporated into the chain of office of the chairman of Basildon Council.
Right in front of you is Brooke House designed by Sir Basil Spence, the town centres only housing unit opened on July 7th 1962. A 14 storey block of 84 flats, it was named after Henry Brooke, the former Housing Minister. The block is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 ‘V’ shaped reinforced concrete stanchions. It is a Grade 2 listed building.
Brooke House, built in the early 60s was named after the then minister for housing and local government, Henry Brooke MP.It is a 14-storey tower block designed by Sir Basil Spence, which stands majestically at the east side of Town Square. This iconic concrete structure with dark brown handmade brick cladding and aluminium glazed screens and windows is arranged on a rectangular plan with 6 flats to each floor, with a central access corridor on each floor , served by glazed staircases at either end of the building. The block is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 ‘V’ shaped reinforced concrete stanchions This high-rise block was designed to introduce high-density residential accommodation into the town centre to contrast with the predominantly horizontal emphasis of the surrounding shops. Brooke House is a Grade II listed building and as such, it is protected for the people of Basildon and is not part of their built heritage.
15 April 2007 04:04 - By Vin
‘There was a rumour going about that Brooke House was starting to lean and everyone had to get out – Brooke House actually moves but if it didn’t give it would crumble.
‘Another rumour was that one of the Chinese restaurants was selling Kit E Kat.’
‘When the Basildon Corporation started taking over there was not enough resistance. People did not realise what was happening. Once owners were served with compulsory purchase orders they started getting indignant but it was too late it felt quite unfair to the plotlanders.’ (should this go in?)
On the south elevation of Freedom House, built in 1960, and on East Walk (1965) across from Brooke House, look up an you will see an untitled tenor clef shaped cast aluminium sculpture with stainless steel wires, by A.J. Poole, erected in 1960.
The Eastgate was built in 1985, which includes the Cats Cradle ‘ Pussiwillow III’ clock by Rowland Emmett (who designed the car in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) commissioned by Basildon Development Corporation in 1980.
Continue along East Walk (1965) keeping Toys R Us on your left.
Take the long underpass, through Wendy Taylor’s Compass Bowl, then up the steps on the right and into Southernhay (1965) with the large British Telecommunications Exchange behind you, then veering left on to a short path which leads into the Kingswood neighbourhood and Nether Priors road.
Bullet Points for Route B
Walk towards the theatre passing over the Sundial designed and constructed by Tam Giles 1997, set into the floor in front of the Towngate Theatre, then to your left walk past the wooden sculpture of The Woodman by Dave Chapple, a local sculptor. Take the path to the side of the Towngate Theatre built in 1988 with the Westgate Shopping Park built in 1999 on your left.
St. Martins Bell Tower is an original concept by Douglas Galloway officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 12th March 1999; it is a unique free-standing faceted glass and steel tower built to mark the new millennium. It is an 85 foot octagonal spire of Neo-Gothic design compromising over 300 square metres of glass.
It has 8 bells.
THE BELL TOWER
There are eight bells
1st bell weights 204Kg;
2nd, 205Kg;
3rd, 254KG;
4th, 255Kg;
5th, 255Kg;
6th, 306Kg;
7th, 357Kg
8th, the Tenor Bell weights 565 Kg.ells, the tenor bell was made in 1441 and was the first bell cast by a woman, Joanne Hill.St.
Martin Le Tours church was built in 1962 and designed by local architect, Trena Cotton.
*In the post war re-organisation of the central parishes St. Nicholoas's in the High Street in Colchester was pulled down, its bells going to St. Martins Church in Basildon.
Notice the figure of The Bailor Christ above the South Porch. This was designed and constructed in fibreglass by the sculptor, T.B. Huxley-Jones and erected in 1968. The church contains some magnificent stained glass windows installed in 1989, designed and made by Joseph Nuttgens.
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter LucasMr Huxley-Jones - The Bailor Christ. Just a few months after the statue had been officially dedicated, Mr. Huxley-Jones was admitted to St. Johns Hospital, Chelmsford with a heart condition. He died there four days later on Dec 10th 1968, it was the last work he did.
Vin said:- The history of St Martin's Church begins in the thirteeth century when a Christian Community was established at St Nicholas, Laindon. Throughout the centuries Christians in that area worshiped there. With the advent of the New Town the congregation faced up to the challenge tat was presented to it under the leadership of the then rector, the Reverend Bill Winfield and helped to build a new church in the centre of the town.On 27 February 1960 land on which the church is built was conveyed to the Church Commissioners and the Rector of Basildon and building began. On Saturday, 15 October 1960 the foundation stone was laid by Sir Humfrey Gale who was at that time Chairman of Basildon Development Corporation. Two years later on 10 December 1962 the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chelmsford and placed under the patronage of St Martin of Tours. The church was designed by Mrs T. M. Cotton RIBA. In his sermon the bishop expressed the hope that St Martin's would be 'a pounding heart of the community'.To celebrate the jubilee of the consecration of St Martin's the Church Council decided to commission Stained Glass Windows to replace the clear glass ones They were paid for by Basildon District Council, local industry, Barclays bank and the Ford Motor Company,at a cost of £6,000 for each bay. The commission was given to Mr Joseph Nuttgens and it was the largest commission to be given since the building of Coventry Cathedral.
*In the post war re-organisation of the central parishes St. Nicholoas's in the High Street in Colchester was pulled down, its bells going to St. Martins Church in Basildon.
Barstable Cottage (was sometimes called Hotwater Hall) once stood where Marks and Spencer’s stands today. It stood at the end of Hotwater Lane.The manor courts were notably held here and it is suggested that those summoned here were in ‘hot water.’ Another story is that this was an area that criminals did their penance and had to manually dig up the fields in the area, and they were referred to as ‘those who were in hot water.’Barstable Cottage was entirely wooden apart from its chimney stack.The Development Corporation bought it from its owners for £150.Turn left into St. Martins Gardens following the path through St Michael’s Walk on the right ad walk through St. Martins Gardens leaving the gardens at the exit facing the Towngate Theatre. The Towngate Theatre was built in 1988 and the adjoining Basildon (Bas) Centre was built in 1989.
vin said... Where Argus now stands were the temporary offices of Basildon Urban District Council. These were single story, portacabin type buildings stretching from the Westgate Shopping Centre to Fodderwick and out as far as Southerhay. To the East of the council offices the Arts Centre stood, fronting onto Towngate and Roundacre. The 'centre' was opened on 21 September 1968 with the premiere screening of the film 'Never Strike a Woman'.
vin said...ADDENDUM The Film which opened the Arts Centre on 21 September 1968 was " Never strike a lady except with a daisy", the latest film by the Czech director, Zdenek Podskalsky
vin said... The first Director of the Basildon Arts Centre, forerunner of the Towngate Theatre, was Vin Harrop (1967- 1972) During his tenure the theatre staged productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Ballet and many West-End hits, the jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, the pianist and conductor, Andre Previn and the opera singer John Heddle Nash. and the commediene, Joyce Grenfell. Exhibitions were mounted by many famous artists, including John Piper, Alan Sorrel and John Bratby.
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 In 1968 Lord Goodman, Chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain, opened the Arts Centre, a temporary building which it is hoped to replace by permanent accommodation in the proposed new civic centre. (1977) Situated in the town centre, it has a theatre seating 454, studios for pottery, painting, music and photography, a comfortable lounge bar, and exhibitions of the work of local and other artists. The local council, Basildon and District Arts Association, and independent groups use the theatre to bring many forms of entertainment to the town, opera, jazz, classical music, ballet, poetry and pantomime having all been presented there. Not the least important are amateur productions by drama groups and other local societies. Films are shown at the Arts Centre, and also at the two cinemas opened in 1971 in the town centre.
vin said... The Art Centre stood where the Westgate Shopping Centre is today
Cross over Westgate again turning right along the narrow footpath, them sharp left taking care not to walk on the cycle track. Turn left when you reach the main footpath and walk straight ahead, through the underpass of Southernhay and into Roundacre. Her you will find the Armillary Sundial in stainless steel designed by Wendy Taylor.
‘In the 1950’s they started building Basildon, and the construction of the Laindon Link which you can see from the Armillary Sundial. Giant earth movers moved in tearing down trees and cutting out the roadway.’
Tom Wright was responsible for getting the metal sculpture to the underpass (with a police escort).
Walk round the Sundial in an anticlockwise direction. On exiting Roundacre turn sharp right taking the slope to Southernhay opposite the Bathstore (built in 2006).
Turn left along Southernhay then veer left again walking alongside Brantano Footwear. Turn left into Fodderwick by The Moon on the Square and enter St Martin’s Square.
When you walk through the Town Square, you see a good example of stark angularity favoured by 1960’s architects.
The Town Square itself began to take shape by 1958 with the development of shops.
You first pass the mosaic panel by Geoffrey Clark, to the right, high up on the wall facing Marks and Spencer’s, and now partly obscured by a canopy.
‘Where Wilkins stands once stood the wooden buildings of the Library and Council Offices.
Continue into the Town Square past the The Town Clock an impressive example of 1960’s design, installed in 1965, then Costa Coffee.
In the square there was a large supermarket who gave pink stamps with your purchase. Where Halifax Bank stands now was Tesco opposite was John Waltons, gents outfitters, it was one of the first shops and was opened by the late comedian Arthur Askey.
Opposite John Waltons was Tesco, which may have been the first supermarket in Basildon.
Later Superfare opened. Behind Superfare was Halfords.
There was a gents hairdressers called ‘Jeffries.’
Other shops were Martins or Forbuoys and MacFisheries.
There was a Chinese restaurant above where Barclays stands and Primark is where the Co-op stood.
Keay House was opposite to where W.H. Smith’s is now.
Woolworth and Sainsbury’s stores were opposite where the fountain is now.’
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas A second not so famous sculpture commissioned in 1960 was the £2,000 'Homer' by Mr. S.E. McWilliam. The Sculpture, also in bronze showed the poet in a squatting position with a dove on his shoulder and a lyre on one arm. A gift to Basildon from Liverpool MP Mr Harold Lever, 'Homer' had several homes in the town before coming to rest in the foyer of the Eastgate Management Centre.
Vin said.... A bronze statue of Homer once stood in the foyer of Keay House following its removal from the Town Square. One night the statue vanished but the theives left behind the plinth, which has subsequently disappeared. Legend has it that Homer was stolen to be melted down, because there has never been any trace of this 8th century Greek epic poet and writer of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the former telling the story of the siege of Troy and the latter the adventures of Ulysses returning from it.
Keay House mural - Mr Anthony Holloway A.R.C.A built in four feet squares in red, blue, yellow and green with no title, meaning or message.
vin said... Keay House at 88 Town Square, now called Southgate House, used to jut out into Town Square, and one its fascia was a mural in tile mosiac created by the artist
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977
Basildon Bowl, the ten-pin bowling alley in the town centre, had closed, but the council decided to lease part and it now (1977) operates ten of the 24 lanes, the rest of the place is used for bingo.
Just before Brook House you will see the iconic Mother and Child set in the fountain pool , this bronze statue by Maurice Lambert, which cost £4,000 in 1961. This has come to symbolise the growth of the New Town. The statue forms the central part of the Town’s Crest and is incorporated into the chain of office of the chairman of Basildon Council.
Right in front of you is Brooke House designed by Sir Basil Spence, the town centres only housing unit opened on July 7th 1962. A 14 storey block of 84 flats, it was named after Henry Brooke, the former Housing Minister. The block is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 ‘V’ shaped reinforced concrete stanchions. It is a Grade 2 listed building.
Brooke House, built in the early 60s was named after the then minister for housing and local government, Henry Brooke MP.It is a 14-storey tower block designed by Sir Basil Spence, which stands majestically at the east side of Town Square. This iconic concrete structure with dark brown handmade brick cladding and aluminium glazed screens and windows is arranged on a rectangular plan with 6 flats to each floor, with a central access corridor on each floor , served by glazed staircases at either end of the building. The block is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 ‘V’ shaped reinforced concrete stanchions This high-rise block was designed to introduce high-density residential accommodation into the town centre to contrast with the predominantly horizontal emphasis of the surrounding shops. Brooke House is a Grade II listed building and as such, it is protected for the people of Basildon and is not part of their built heritage.
15 April 2007 04:04 - By Vin
‘There was a rumour going about that Brooke House was starting to lean and everyone had to get out – Brooke House actually moves but if it didn’t give it would crumble.
‘Another rumour was that one of the Chinese restaurants was selling Kit E Kat.’
‘When the Basildon Corporation started taking over there was not enough resistance. People did not realise what was happening. Once owners were served with compulsory purchase orders they started getting indignant but it was too late it felt quite unfair to the plotlanders.’ (should this go in?)
On the south elevation of Freedom House, built in 1960, and on East Walk (1965) across from Brooke House, look up an you will see an untitled tenor clef shaped cast aluminium sculpture with stainless steel wires, by A.J. Poole, erected in 1960.
The Eastgate was built in 1985, which includes the Cats Cradle ‘ Pussiwillow III’ clock by Rowland Emmett (who designed the car in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) commissioned by Basildon Development Corporation in 1980.
Continue along East Walk (1965) keeping Toys R Us on your left.
Take the long underpass, through Wendy Taylor’s Compass Bowl, then up the steps on the right and into Southernhay (1965) with the large British Telecommunications Exchange behind you, then veering left on to a short path which leads into the Kingswood neighbourhood and Nether Priors road.
Bullet Points for Route B
- St Martins Bell Tower by Douglas Galloway - opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 12th March 1999. Built to mark the new millenium. 8 Bells, the tenor bell was made in 1441 and was the first bell to be cast by a woman, Joanne Hill.
- St. Martin Le Tours Church - built in 1962 by Trena Cotton.
- Bailor Christ designed and constructed in fibre glass by the sculptor T.B. Huxley-Jones, erected in 1968.
- The magnificent stained glass windows installed in 1989, designed by Joseph Nuttgens.
- Barstable Cottage once stood where Marks and Spencers is now, it was entirely made by wood apart from it's chimney stacks, and surrounded by fields.
- In front of the theatre is the sundial designed and constructed by Tam Giles 1997.
- Wooden Sculpture of the Woodman by Dave Chapple, a local sculptor.
- Towngate Theatre built in 1988.
- Bas Centre built in 1989.
- Westgate Shopping Park built in 1999.
- Armillary Sundial in stainless steel designed by Wendy Taylor.
- Town Centre - a good example of of stark angularity favoured by 1960's architects.
- The Town Centre began to take shape in 1958.
- Opposite Marks and Spencers (partly obscured by a canopy) is a mosaic panel by Geoffrey Clark.
- The Town Clock an impressive example of 1960’s design, installed in 1965.
- Keay House mural by Mr. Anthony Holloway A.R.C.A (no title, meaning or message). Keay House used to jut out into the town square.
- The Iconic Mother and Child, bronze statue by Maurice Lambert which cost 4,000 in 1961.
- Brooke House designed by Sir Basil Spence and was named after Sir Henry Brooke, the former Housing Minister. 14 Storey block of 84 flats. It is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 'V' shaped reinforced concrete stanchions. It's a Grade 2 listed building.
- Untitled Tenor Clef aluminium sculpture, on the south elevation of Freedom House, by A.J. Poole, erected in 1960.
- Eastgate was built in 1985.
- The Cat's Cradle 'Pussiwillow III' clock by Rowland Emmett (who designed the car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
- Wendy Taylors Compass Bowl.
Route C - Pitsea
From a combination of Memories of Basildon – Jim Reeve and talking to Maud Sargeant, copies of papers kept in the back of Basildon Library and what was already written about the trail.
Continue along Nether Priors past West Thorpe on your right then take the next right into Clickett Hill.
At the top of the hill, take the second turning on the right into East Thorpe following the footpath on the left-hand side of the road. To your right you will see the remains of a moat that once surrounded Basildon Hall in medieval times.
The Hall has been recorded as an ancient monument, and in actual fact featured in the Domesday Book, which is a collection of information from 1066. The Hall was demolished in 1961, and the moat drained.
‘The old Barstable Manor, which occupied an almost central position in the hundred to which it gave its name.
The hundred was the Saxon division of the Shire or County, and its meeting place was the hundred moot. The hall was probably the meeting place of the Basildon Moot. ‘Stapol’ means post or pillar and suggests a meeting place and ‘Bar’ may either represent a personal name or the description of the post.’
‘During the agricultural depression following the Napoleonic Wars there were outbreaks of machine breaking and incendiarism (incendiary means either 1. A bomb which causes fire, or 2. Which causes fire). In 1830 property worth £3,000 was destroyed at Basildon Hall, we know the hall was rebuilt at one time.’
Daphne said:
Ghost of Barstable Hall
Back in the 1830's Barstable Hall/Manor was an Inn, a lady who wore a read cloak was staying there, when a traveller at the Inn foolishly let a candle burn on the top of a bottle containing some whisky. He fell asleep, the candle burnt down and dropped into bottle, the bottle exploded. The house burnt down and the lady in the red cloak, as far as we know, lost her life in the fire, so did the traveller. The house got re-built. She was spotted by quite a few people including Daphne's Mother and was also spotted at the Holy Cross Church. Dogs used to howl when they walked past the church.
The next time the building was damaged was in 1930 something. A German owned it. It got burnt down when he was interned, as he was the enemy race in the war locals ransacked the house and pulled it down and set fire to it. When the German man came out of prison her re-built it by himself (2nd re-build).
The German man was Daphne's families landlord and his name was Mr. Brasner. They rented the house from him in 1942. The family had come from Romford when Daphne was eight years old, they lived in it through the war years until 1956 when the Basildon Development Corporation compulsory purchased the now named Basildon Hall from Mr. Brasner.
The hall was a small holding when Daphne's family moved in, the surrounding farmlands grew Barley and Flax. They used to have prisoners of war up at the fields to pull the flax. Daphne's family had a couple of prisoners help them on their small holding.
The nearest neighbours were about half a mile away. The land was right onto the railway embankment, as children they sometimes used to jump down onto the railway line (not advisable) and run along to what was called Gales Corner (a small groceries belonging to a man with the last name Gale) this later turned into the Bull Pub, then it was the Power House, and now it is block of flats. Church Road turned into Timberlog Lane and now to Clayhill Road.
All around Basildon Hall was orchards, chicken houses, duck houses, pig styes and stables.
By the sycamore tree is a dip with some deeper green grass, this is where the main well was, they used to throw the bucket down to get the water up. It was quite a big brick built well, sometimes other things would come out of it. One time Daphne's husband got some water from the well, brought it up to her and there was a dead mouse in it, she'd been making her daughters bottle with it - they would have boiled it first. They had five wells altogether, one was in the stable and they called that the cattle well. The water from the wells came from an underground spring, they used to have filters made of charcoal and sand, so it filtered the water making it clean enough to drink.
The moat went right around the house, except for a part that didn't have water and that was their drive, they used to have a horse and cart go over the drive. People stopped generally using horse and cart in the sixties. The moat was stocked with roach, carp, stickleback, and it attracted newts and also water snakes. Daphne's Dad was a keen fisherman.
The railway has encroached on the land a bit more, but by the side near the railway of the remaining moat there were more pig styes.
Daphne's brother found a dead body of a woman, she had killed herself because she thought she had cancer. She had died a couple of weeks before she was found.
vin said...Christmas, 1954, 33-years-old mother of three young children, Mrs Hetty Biney, disappeared from her home in Redgrave Road, Vange. She was on her way to St Andrew's Hospital, Billericay for a check up following an earlier operation, but she never got there. She was last see having a cup of tea and a cake at the Welcome Cafe in Timberlog Lane, near the junction with Luncies Road, but when her husband came home from work she was missing. The police were alerted and a search was made the following day and neighbours scoured the fields and ponds in the locality. Eventually, Mrs Biney's rat eaten body was found on 8 January 1955 in a disused pigsty near Basildon Hall, about one mile from her home. An empty bottle of pills was by her side.
The house had eleven rooms, vinyl on the floor rather than tiles. It had a conservatory with stained glass windows. On top of the conservatory was a sun roof, a big flat concrete part where they stepped out of their window and sunbathed. The parlour (or best room) had stained glass windows too. You can still see some paving slabs, the remains of a concrete path that went round the house.
Mr Brasner planted the orchards and trees, there used to be Greengage trees, Bullis and Cherry Plum that used to grow around the edge of the moat. The front of the house was facing the opposite direction to the railway, on the left hand corner.
The conservatory was on the left hand side to the front door.
The family used to take in lodgers, people that came down from London for a weekend or a week in the summer holidays. Daphne used to wait table and her mum used to cook all the meals.
Wildlife: There was a lot of adders, water snakes and grass snakes. The water snakes you'd see in the moat had red just underneath their eyes. There was nearby land, possibly an orchard that had masses of adders, big snakes. There seems to be very few of them in existence now.
They got used to diving in ditches or running to the woodlands for cover when enemy planes flew overhead. Sometimes they would go back and collect the tracer bullets, it was normal life to them, they took it as matter of fact.
Daphne remembers her sisters friends house got bombed, and her mum died. She turned up at the school in her night gown. They said "Why are you still in your nightie?"
She replied "My mums dead."
There were very few shops around except 'Holidays Post Office' called this as Mr. Holiday ran it. It was a general store that sold lots of things including paraffin and radio's. Radios had to be charged up (usually monthly) by accumulators, these were like a glass container. They used to listen to Dick Barton and the Archers on the radio.
They had no gas, the oven called a Kitchener was a black stove with a fire inside. They used to light the rooms by candle light. They also had outside toilets, (no sanitation).
At the bottom of the road was a Standpipe, it was brick built and only certain people had a key to it. Sometimes the wells dried up and Daphne's mum would phone someone up who would bring a big tanker and fill the well with water. It was only in desperate circumstances that they could get water from the Standpipe. When they did a lady would let them fill up their buckets that they carried with a long stick. They would have to climb up the hill with sticks and buckets and they were only young, if their buckets were only half full by the time they got home their mum would really tell them off. In the winter time the moat used to ice over, if it was solid enough the children would skate on it. In the summertime Daphne's brother would have a punt, a sort of boat with a long stick, he would push his stick against the mud on the moat bottom and sail around the moat.
Continue along this path over the railway line and into Puck Lane marked on a sign at the side of the path at the end of Osbourne Road, close to a litter bin. Puck Lane has houses to the left and Puck Woods to the right.
‘When Swan Mead School was built (nr Puck Lane) sixty bronze pieces were discovered which were thought to date back to 1000 BC and 750 BC.’
Follow the often winding and narrow lane until you reach Clay Hill Road.
‘Vange Hall was the site where fragments of Celtic spear heads and sword blades have been found, also Roman tiles and bricks.’
We have subsequently discoverd after studying even older maps, that Vange Hall was south of the Puck Lane-Clay Hill Road intersection, at a point which now lies in the middle of what is now Basildon Golf Course, approximately midway between Basildon Hall and the Five Bells roundabout.
Bullet Points for Route C
Continue along Nether Priors past West Thorpe on your right then take the next right into Clickett Hill.
At the top of the hill, take the second turning on the right into East Thorpe following the footpath on the left-hand side of the road. To your right you will see the remains of a moat that once surrounded Basildon Hall in medieval times.
The Hall has been recorded as an ancient monument, and in actual fact featured in the Domesday Book, which is a collection of information from 1066. The Hall was demolished in 1961, and the moat drained.
‘The old Barstable Manor, which occupied an almost central position in the hundred to which it gave its name.
The hundred was the Saxon division of the Shire or County, and its meeting place was the hundred moot. The hall was probably the meeting place of the Basildon Moot. ‘Stapol’ means post or pillar and suggests a meeting place and ‘Bar’ may either represent a personal name or the description of the post.’
‘During the agricultural depression following the Napoleonic Wars there were outbreaks of machine breaking and incendiarism (incendiary means either 1. A bomb which causes fire, or 2. Which causes fire). In 1830 property worth £3,000 was destroyed at Basildon Hall, we know the hall was rebuilt at one time.’
Daphne said:
Ghost of Barstable Hall
Back in the 1830's Barstable Hall/Manor was an Inn, a lady who wore a read cloak was staying there, when a traveller at the Inn foolishly let a candle burn on the top of a bottle containing some whisky. He fell asleep, the candle burnt down and dropped into bottle, the bottle exploded. The house burnt down and the lady in the red cloak, as far as we know, lost her life in the fire, so did the traveller. The house got re-built. She was spotted by quite a few people including Daphne's Mother and was also spotted at the Holy Cross Church. Dogs used to howl when they walked past the church.
The next time the building was damaged was in 1930 something. A German owned it. It got burnt down when he was interned, as he was the enemy race in the war locals ransacked the house and pulled it down and set fire to it. When the German man came out of prison her re-built it by himself (2nd re-build).
The German man was Daphne's families landlord and his name was Mr. Brasner. They rented the house from him in 1942. The family had come from Romford when Daphne was eight years old, they lived in it through the war years until 1956 when the Basildon Development Corporation compulsory purchased the now named Basildon Hall from Mr. Brasner.
The hall was a small holding when Daphne's family moved in, the surrounding farmlands grew Barley and Flax. They used to have prisoners of war up at the fields to pull the flax. Daphne's family had a couple of prisoners help them on their small holding.
The nearest neighbours were about half a mile away. The land was right onto the railway embankment, as children they sometimes used to jump down onto the railway line (not advisable) and run along to what was called Gales Corner (a small groceries belonging to a man with the last name Gale) this later turned into the Bull Pub, then it was the Power House, and now it is block of flats. Church Road turned into Timberlog Lane and now to Clayhill Road.
All around Basildon Hall was orchards, chicken houses, duck houses, pig styes and stables.
By the sycamore tree is a dip with some deeper green grass, this is where the main well was, they used to throw the bucket down to get the water up. It was quite a big brick built well, sometimes other things would come out of it. One time Daphne's husband got some water from the well, brought it up to her and there was a dead mouse in it, she'd been making her daughters bottle with it - they would have boiled it first. They had five wells altogether, one was in the stable and they called that the cattle well. The water from the wells came from an underground spring, they used to have filters made of charcoal and sand, so it filtered the water making it clean enough to drink.
The moat went right around the house, except for a part that didn't have water and that was their drive, they used to have a horse and cart go over the drive. People stopped generally using horse and cart in the sixties. The moat was stocked with roach, carp, stickleback, and it attracted newts and also water snakes. Daphne's Dad was a keen fisherman.
The railway has encroached on the land a bit more, but by the side near the railway of the remaining moat there were more pig styes.
Daphne's brother found a dead body of a woman, she had killed herself because she thought she had cancer. She had died a couple of weeks before she was found.
vin said...Christmas, 1954, 33-years-old mother of three young children, Mrs Hetty Biney, disappeared from her home in Redgrave Road, Vange. She was on her way to St Andrew's Hospital, Billericay for a check up following an earlier operation, but she never got there. She was last see having a cup of tea and a cake at the Welcome Cafe in Timberlog Lane, near the junction with Luncies Road, but when her husband came home from work she was missing. The police were alerted and a search was made the following day and neighbours scoured the fields and ponds in the locality. Eventually, Mrs Biney's rat eaten body was found on 8 January 1955 in a disused pigsty near Basildon Hall, about one mile from her home. An empty bottle of pills was by her side.
The house had eleven rooms, vinyl on the floor rather than tiles. It had a conservatory with stained glass windows. On top of the conservatory was a sun roof, a big flat concrete part where they stepped out of their window and sunbathed. The parlour (or best room) had stained glass windows too. You can still see some paving slabs, the remains of a concrete path that went round the house.
Mr Brasner planted the orchards and trees, there used to be Greengage trees, Bullis and Cherry Plum that used to grow around the edge of the moat. The front of the house was facing the opposite direction to the railway, on the left hand corner.
The conservatory was on the left hand side to the front door.
The family used to take in lodgers, people that came down from London for a weekend or a week in the summer holidays. Daphne used to wait table and her mum used to cook all the meals.
Wildlife: There was a lot of adders, water snakes and grass snakes. The water snakes you'd see in the moat had red just underneath their eyes. There was nearby land, possibly an orchard that had masses of adders, big snakes. There seems to be very few of them in existence now.
They got used to diving in ditches or running to the woodlands for cover when enemy planes flew overhead. Sometimes they would go back and collect the tracer bullets, it was normal life to them, they took it as matter of fact.
Daphne remembers her sisters friends house got bombed, and her mum died. She turned up at the school in her night gown. They said "Why are you still in your nightie?"
She replied "My mums dead."
There were very few shops around except 'Holidays Post Office' called this as Mr. Holiday ran it. It was a general store that sold lots of things including paraffin and radio's. Radios had to be charged up (usually monthly) by accumulators, these were like a glass container. They used to listen to Dick Barton and the Archers on the radio.
They had no gas, the oven called a Kitchener was a black stove with a fire inside. They used to light the rooms by candle light. They also had outside toilets, (no sanitation).
At the bottom of the road was a Standpipe, it was brick built and only certain people had a key to it. Sometimes the wells dried up and Daphne's mum would phone someone up who would bring a big tanker and fill the well with water. It was only in desperate circumstances that they could get water from the Standpipe. When they did a lady would let them fill up their buckets that they carried with a long stick. They would have to climb up the hill with sticks and buckets and they were only young, if their buckets were only half full by the time they got home their mum would really tell them off. In the winter time the moat used to ice over, if it was solid enough the children would skate on it. In the summertime Daphne's brother would have a punt, a sort of boat with a long stick, he would push his stick against the mud on the moat bottom and sail around the moat.
Continue along this path over the railway line and into Puck Lane marked on a sign at the side of the path at the end of Osbourne Road, close to a litter bin. Puck Lane has houses to the left and Puck Woods to the right.
‘When Swan Mead School was built (nr Puck Lane) sixty bronze pieces were discovered which were thought to date back to 1000 BC and 750 BC.’
Follow the often winding and narrow lane until you reach Clay Hill Road.
‘Vange Hall was the site where fragments of Celtic spear heads and sword blades have been found, also Roman tiles and bricks.’
We have subsequently discoverd after studying even older maps, that Vange Hall was south of the Puck Lane-Clay Hill Road intersection, at a point which now lies in the middle of what is now Basildon Golf Course, approximately midway between Basildon Hall and the Five Bells roundabout.
Bullet Points for Route C
- You will see the remains of a moat that used to surround the Basildon Hall which stood from medieval times until 1961.
- The original hall was built before 1066 as it was recorded in the Domesday Book which is a collection of information from this time.
- The hall was demolished and the moat was drained in 1961 by the Basildon Development Corporation.
- Ghost of Barstable Hall Back in the 1830's Barstable Hall/Manor was an Inn, a lady who wore a read cloak was staying there, when a traveller at the Inn foolishly let a candle burn on the top of a bottle containing some whisky. He fell asleep, the candle burnt down and dropped into bottle, the bottle exploded. The house burnt down and the lady in the red cloak, as far as we know, lost her life in the fire, so did the traveller. The house got re-built. She was spotted by quite a few people including Daphne's Mother and was also spotted at the Holy Cross Church. Dogs used to howl when they walked past the church.
- The next time the building was damaged was in 1930 something. A German owned it. It got burnt down when he was interned, as he was the enemy race in the war locals ransacked the house and pulled it down and set fire to it. When the German man came out of prison her re-built it by himself (2nd re-build).
- Daphne Andrews family rented the house from 1942 to 1956. (During the war years).
- All around Basildon Hall was orchards, chicken houses, duck houses, pig styes and stables.
- By the sycamore tree is a dip with some deeper green grass, this is where the main well was, they used to throw the bucket down to get the water up. It was quite a big brick built well, sometimes other things would come out of it. One time Daphne's husband got some water from the well, brought it up to her and there was a dead mouse in it, she'd been making her daughters bottle with it!
- They had five wells altogether, one was in the stable and they called that the cattle well. The water from the wells came from an underground spring, they used to have filters made of charcoal and sand, so it filtered the water making it clean enough to drink.
- The moat went right around the house, except for a part that didn't have water and that was their drive. The moat was stocked with roach, carp, stickleback, and it attracted newts and also water snakes.
- They used to have a horse and cart, horse and cart was less in common use from the late 50's.
- The house had eleven rooms, vinyl on the floor rather than tiles. It had a conservatory with stained glass windows. On top of the conservatory was a sun roof, a big flat concrete part where they stepped out of their window and sunbathed. The parlour (or best room) had stained glass windows too. You can still see some paving slabs, the remains of a concrete path that went round the house.
- The front of the house was facing the opposite direction to the railway, on the left hand corner. The conservatory was on the left hand side to the front door.
- Wildlife: There was a lot of adders, water snakes and grass snakes. The water snakes you'd see in the moat had red just underneath their eyes. There was nearby land, possibly an orchard that had masses of adders, big snakes. There seems to be very few of them in existence now.
- They got used to diving in ditches or running to the woodlands for cover when enemy planes flew overhead. Sometimes they would go back and collect the tracer bullets, it was normal life to them, they took it as matter of fact.
- They had no gas, the oven called a Kitchener was a black stove with a fire inside. They used to light the rooms by candle light. They also had outside toilets.
- At the bottom of the road was a Standpipe, it was brick built and only certain people had a key to it. Sometimes the wells dried up and Daphne's mum would phone someone up who would bring a big tanker and fill the well with water.
- It was only in desperate circumstances that they could get water from the Standpipe. When they did a lady would let them fill up their buckets that they carried with a long stick. They would have to climb up the hill with sticks and buckets and they were only young, if their buckets were only half full by the time they got home their mum would really tell them off.
- In the winter time the moat used to ice over, if it was solid enough the children would skate on it. In the summertime Daphne's brother would have a punt, a sort of boat with a long stick, he would push his stick against the mud on the moat bottom and sail around the moat.
- ‘When Swan Mead School was built (nr Puck Lane) sixty bronze pieces were discovered which were thought to date back to 1000 BC and 750 BC.’
- ‘Vange Hall was the site where fragments of Celtic spear heads and sword blades have been found, also Roman tiles and bricks.’
Route D - Bardfield
From a combination of Memories of Basildon – Jim Reeve and talking to Maud Sargeant, copies of papers kept in the back of Basildon Library and what was already written about the trail.
Turn right into Clay Hill Road.
‘Vange Hall which is near where Puck Lane meets Clay Hill Road, was the site where fragments of Celtic spear heads and sword blades have been found, also Roman tiles and bricks.
Witchards off Clay Hill Road. The name was rumoured to be derived from a Basildon ghost story.
A bowling alley mechanic claimed he had seen a headless ghost at the Basildon Bowl in Southernhay, Basildon, in September 1978.
Bob Spooner (20) of Thorrington Close, Basildon was so shocked he had to be taken home by his manager Norman Waggot, reported the local newspaper.
"It really put the wind up me" said Bob. "I dropped the screwdriver I was carrying and ran to tell Mr.Waggot". Bob said the ghost was dressed in overalls and was leaning over a bench in the workshop. But he had no head.
He said that several workers at the Bowl knew there was "something funny" about the building. Sometimes "a kind of mist descends and holds you back like cobwebs".
Another mechanic Peter Greenway said the staff often had a laugh about it but nobody could ever give a satisfactory explanation. "One day one of the pin spotter machines did a full cycle on its own when the electricity was turned off" he said.
This story was written so much better by Peter Lucas - BASILDON - Birth of a City
vin said... Each Neighbourhood had its own Shopping Centre and Neighbourhood Community Hall. There is one a Kingswood next to the Owl and the Pussycat Pub in Clay Hill Road opposite Kingswood Junior School. These halls are under the control of the control of the Community Associations for the respective neighbourhoods.
Daphne Andrews said:- Clay Hill Road used to be known as Bull Road
Pat Watkins said:- There was a Bull Pub, nearby to where the shops are at Clay Hill Road
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas In 1963 17 cannon shells were discovered by builders on a house site off Sparrows Herne.
From Sue - As you go past Kingswood Medical Centre there is a dip in the land where a stream used to run.You can follow the course of this stream if you follow the line of oak trees across the road and on through the back gardens of Sparrows Herne. The land where 31 and 33 Sparrows Herne now stand used to be a Market Garden and for many years the owner could not be traced. They built the houses after the rest of the Bird's estate on a raft of concrete to prevent subsidence. The stream made the land very damp.
Continue down Clay Hill Road and you will see Kingswood Medical Centre on your right the Owl and the Pussycat on your left, and then proceed a little way ahead (at 800 metres) you will see Kingswood Primary School on your right. Then approximately 1000 metres from Puck Lane you should turn left leaving Clay Hill Road and entering Cherrydown East. There is a Ford Car showroom on your left.
At the end of Cherrydown East, you will see a sculpture on the right-hand side. This is ‘Water Feature’ by William Mitchell.
Basildon Development Corporation was based in Pitsea then moved to Cherrydown.
You now come to a large roundabout turn right here and continue past the Ford Offices, Trafford House, built in 1977, and named after Trafford Park in Manchester, where Henry Ford produced the Model T car.
Vin said - Trafford house was named this as Trafford Park in N.W. Manchester was the first place in England where Henry Ford set up business in England and made the Model T Ford (T stands for Trafford).
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977
A more recent development at Basildons towncentre is Station House, a vast air-conditioned office building.
Closely connected with the Fenchurch St to Southend Line by a covered walkway, it should help provide office jobs, the scarcity which has led many workers to trawl to London and Southend.
From www.basildon.com Basildon railway station opened on Monday 25th November 1974 after a long campaign begun in the 1950s. There were initial concerns that British Rail might close either Laindon or Pitsea but this proved unfounded.The original proposed site was further east at the junction of Clay Hill Road and Southernhay, which at that time was undeveloped. A signboard was even erected at this site but removed in 1963 when plans fell into doubt.At the time of opening the booking office was to the left of the front entrance, with the rear entrance opening out onto a covered walkway to Station House.To the left of the rear entrance stood a small shop run by John Menzies. During modernisation in the 1990s the booking office was re-sited directly opposite the main entrance and the rear entrance was bricked up. At the same time the station shop was moved to the left of the front entrance. Access to the platforms is by separate stairways to the right and left of the ticket gates. This access area was widened during refurbishment with turnstiles installed. Each of the two platforms has a waiting room and a lift for the disabled. The waiting rooms had door access but both are now 'open'.The windows overlooking the road were covered behind a Network South-East hoarding board until the early 2000s, when a facelift to the front of the building incorporating a new covered entrance was completed.From its completion to 1977, Station House had remained unoccupied. When the Ford Motor Company took over occupation they had it renamed Trafford House, which it remains to this day.
March 1975 - Station House office complex, built alongside the new Basildon Station in Cherrydown East, completed. The eight storey high building, occupying 741,000 sq. ft. of floor space, remained empty until 1977 when it was renamed Trafford House & became the headquarters of the Ford Motor Company's European Truck Division.
From www.ford.com Ford Motor Company entered the business world on June 16, 1903, when Henry Ford and 11 business associates signed the company's articles of incorporation. With $28,000 in cash, the pioneering industrialists gave birth to what was to become one of the world's largest corporations. Few companies are as closely identified with the history and development of industry and society throughout the 20th century as Ford Motor Company.
As with most great enterprises, Ford Motor Company's beginnings were modest. The company had anxious moments in its infancy. The earliest record of a shipment is July 20, 1903, approximately one month after incorporation, to a Detroit physician. With the company's first sale came hope—a young Ford Motor Company had taken its first steps.
Becoming a Global Company
In the 50's came the Thunderbird and the chance to own a part of Ford Motor Company. The company went public and, on Feb. 24, 1956, had about 350,000 new stockholders. Henry Ford II's keen perception of political and economic trends in the 50's led to the global expansion of FMC in the 60's, and the establishment of Ford of Europe in 1967, 20 years ahead of the European Economic Community's arrival. The company established its North American Automotive Operations in 1971, consolidating U.S., Canadian, and Mexican operations more than two decades ahead of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Vin said:THe Ford Motor Company was founded on 16 June 1903. The first Model T Ford built in England was at Trafford Park, Manchester. The factory opened in 1911 and 30,0000 Model T's were manufactured over the years.
Turn right into Clay Hill Road.
‘Vange Hall which is near where Puck Lane meets Clay Hill Road, was the site where fragments of Celtic spear heads and sword blades have been found, also Roman tiles and bricks.
Witchards off Clay Hill Road. The name was rumoured to be derived from a Basildon ghost story.
A bowling alley mechanic claimed he had seen a headless ghost at the Basildon Bowl in Southernhay, Basildon, in September 1978.
Bob Spooner (20) of Thorrington Close, Basildon was so shocked he had to be taken home by his manager Norman Waggot, reported the local newspaper.
"It really put the wind up me" said Bob. "I dropped the screwdriver I was carrying and ran to tell Mr.Waggot". Bob said the ghost was dressed in overalls and was leaning over a bench in the workshop. But he had no head.
He said that several workers at the Bowl knew there was "something funny" about the building. Sometimes "a kind of mist descends and holds you back like cobwebs".
Another mechanic Peter Greenway said the staff often had a laugh about it but nobody could ever give a satisfactory explanation. "One day one of the pin spotter machines did a full cycle on its own when the electricity was turned off" he said.
This story was written so much better by Peter Lucas - BASILDON - Birth of a City
vin said... Each Neighbourhood had its own Shopping Centre and Neighbourhood Community Hall. There is one a Kingswood next to the Owl and the Pussycat Pub in Clay Hill Road opposite Kingswood Junior School. These halls are under the control of the control of the Community Associations for the respective neighbourhoods.
Daphne Andrews said:- Clay Hill Road used to be known as Bull Road
Pat Watkins said:- There was a Bull Pub, nearby to where the shops are at Clay Hill Road
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas In 1963 17 cannon shells were discovered by builders on a house site off Sparrows Herne.
From Sue - As you go past Kingswood Medical Centre there is a dip in the land where a stream used to run.You can follow the course of this stream if you follow the line of oak trees across the road and on through the back gardens of Sparrows Herne. The land where 31 and 33 Sparrows Herne now stand used to be a Market Garden and for many years the owner could not be traced. They built the houses after the rest of the Bird's estate on a raft of concrete to prevent subsidence. The stream made the land very damp.
Continue down Clay Hill Road and you will see Kingswood Medical Centre on your right the Owl and the Pussycat on your left, and then proceed a little way ahead (at 800 metres) you will see Kingswood Primary School on your right. Then approximately 1000 metres from Puck Lane you should turn left leaving Clay Hill Road and entering Cherrydown East. There is a Ford Car showroom on your left.
At the end of Cherrydown East, you will see a sculpture on the right-hand side. This is ‘Water Feature’ by William Mitchell.
Basildon Development Corporation was based in Pitsea then moved to Cherrydown.
You now come to a large roundabout turn right here and continue past the Ford Offices, Trafford House, built in 1977, and named after Trafford Park in Manchester, where Henry Ford produced the Model T car.
Vin said - Trafford house was named this as Trafford Park in N.W. Manchester was the first place in England where Henry Ford set up business in England and made the Model T Ford (T stands for Trafford).
Saturday 14th April - Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977
A more recent development at Basildons towncentre is Station House, a vast air-conditioned office building.
Closely connected with the Fenchurch St to Southend Line by a covered walkway, it should help provide office jobs, the scarcity which has led many workers to trawl to London and Southend.
From www.basildon.com Basildon railway station opened on Monday 25th November 1974 after a long campaign begun in the 1950s. There were initial concerns that British Rail might close either Laindon or Pitsea but this proved unfounded.The original proposed site was further east at the junction of Clay Hill Road and Southernhay, which at that time was undeveloped. A signboard was even erected at this site but removed in 1963 when plans fell into doubt.At the time of opening the booking office was to the left of the front entrance, with the rear entrance opening out onto a covered walkway to Station House.To the left of the rear entrance stood a small shop run by John Menzies. During modernisation in the 1990s the booking office was re-sited directly opposite the main entrance and the rear entrance was bricked up. At the same time the station shop was moved to the left of the front entrance. Access to the platforms is by separate stairways to the right and left of the ticket gates. This access area was widened during refurbishment with turnstiles installed. Each of the two platforms has a waiting room and a lift for the disabled. The waiting rooms had door access but both are now 'open'.The windows overlooking the road were covered behind a Network South-East hoarding board until the early 2000s, when a facelift to the front of the building incorporating a new covered entrance was completed.From its completion to 1977, Station House had remained unoccupied. When the Ford Motor Company took over occupation they had it renamed Trafford House, which it remains to this day.
March 1975 - Station House office complex, built alongside the new Basildon Station in Cherrydown East, completed. The eight storey high building, occupying 741,000 sq. ft. of floor space, remained empty until 1977 when it was renamed Trafford House & became the headquarters of the Ford Motor Company's European Truck Division.
From www.ford.com Ford Motor Company entered the business world on June 16, 1903, when Henry Ford and 11 business associates signed the company's articles of incorporation. With $28,000 in cash, the pioneering industrialists gave birth to what was to become one of the world's largest corporations. Few companies are as closely identified with the history and development of industry and society throughout the 20th century as Ford Motor Company.
As with most great enterprises, Ford Motor Company's beginnings were modest. The company had anxious moments in its infancy. The earliest record of a shipment is July 20, 1903, approximately one month after incorporation, to a Detroit physician. With the company's first sale came hope—a young Ford Motor Company had taken its first steps.
Becoming a Global Company
In the 50's came the Thunderbird and the chance to own a part of Ford Motor Company. The company went public and, on Feb. 24, 1956, had about 350,000 new stockholders. Henry Ford II's keen perception of political and economic trends in the 50's led to the global expansion of FMC in the 60's, and the establishment of Ford of Europe in 1967, 20 years ahead of the European Economic Community's arrival. The company established its North American Automotive Operations in 1971, consolidating U.S., Canadian, and Mexican operations more than two decades ahead of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Vin said:THe Ford Motor Company was founded on 16 June 1903. The first Model T Ford built in England was at Trafford Park, Manchester. The factory opened in 1911 and 30,0000 Model T's were manufactured over the years.
Continue past the railway station going under the railway line and into Southernhay. Take the underpass on your right, which eventually brings you into Market Pavement.
From Route E ( I thought it might fill it out a bit more) At Market Pavement where the first shop opened on 16th August 1958.In 1961 where the market now stands were three butchers, 2 bakers and a store owned by Littlewoods. In the 60’s when the Market opened at first all the market traders had sheets on the floor, but they sold everything.Opposite is the Bus Station, and Blenheim House, built in 1961, which used to house the Locarno Ballroom. Here you will see a 96m x 4m mosaic by John Gordon, consisting of 16,000 hand printed tiles running across the buildings fascia.
From Paul Dawson - a Market Manager
Basildon Market will be 50 years old next year. It was originally managed and organised by the council from 1958, although we owned the land.
The Market Traders took it over about 12 years ago. They have 41 log cabins,65 stalls and 3 mobile units. The majority of the traders are local with a variation of different stalls from tattooists to greengrocers, health food to fishmongers.
Some traders have been here from day one, some have been here for 35 - 40 years.
The market trade used to be hereditary, passed down from father to son, it isn't anymore.
In the hey day of the Market every part was used of the site including the car park, the traders used to park in the swimming pool car park, and another car park.
In the regeneration the council would like to have their council offices where the market is, the market doesn't want this they want to stay where they are, Paul also claims that the town is busier when the market is on.
Before the supermarket became quite so powerful there used to be 19 greengrocers and now there are only three. Three greengrocers is good for a market these days.
There used to be more of a greengrocery and a produce market, now days it's more of a general market.
The market managers are trying to encourage people to come back and shop at the market, they will soon have parking bays for the public to pull up and load up their merchandise, short term parking bays.
The benefits of the market are variation and atmosphere.
Bullet Points for Route D
- Vange Hall (opp Puck Lane and further down) was the site where fragments of Celtic Spear heads and sword blades have been found also Roman tiles and bricks.
- Clay Hill Road used to called Bull Rd (and before that Timberlong Lane).
- Witchards is supposedly named after a ghost story where a bowling alley mechanic saw a headless ghost in 1978. (Saw it at the bowling alley).
- At the end of Cherrydown 'Water Feature' by William Mitchell
- Trafford House - named after Trafford Park in N.W. Manchester. The first place in England where Henry Ford set up business and made the Model T Ford.
- Railway Station opened on 25th November 1974.
- Market will be 50 years old next year.
Before Supermarkets became so powerful, at one time there were 19 Greengrocers in the markets Hey Day, now there are three - but that is good at todays standard.
Route E - Cherry Tree
From a combination of Memories of Basildon – Jim Reeve and talking to Maud Sargeant, copies of papers kept in the back of Basildon Library and what was already written about the trail.
At Market Pavement where the first shop opened on 16th August 1958.
In 1961 where the market now stands were three butchers, 2 bakers and a store owned by Littlewoods. In the 60’s when the Market opened at first all the market traders had sheets on the floor, but they sold everything.
From Paul Dawson - a Market Manager Basildon Market will be 50 years old next year. It was originally managed and organised by the council from 1958, although we owned the land. The Market Traders took it over about 12 years ago. They have 41 log cabins,65 stalls and 3 mobile units. The majority of the traders are local with a variation of different stalls from tattooists to greengrocers, health food to fishmongers. Some traders have been here from day one, some have been here for 35 - 40 years. The market trade used to be hereditary, passed down from father to son, it isn't anymore. In the hey day of the Market every part was used of the site including the car park, the traders used to park in the swimming pool car park, and another car park. In the regeneration the council would like to have their council offices where the market is, the market doesn't want this they want to stay where they are, Paul also claims that the town is busier when the market is on. Before the supermarket became quite so powerful there used to be 19 greengrocers and now there are only three. Three greengrocers is good for a market these days. There used to be more of a greengrocery and a produce market, now days it's more of a general market. The market managers are trying to encourage people to come back and shop at the market, they will soon have parking bays for the public to pull up and load up their merchandise, short term parking bays. The benefits of the market are variation and atmosphere.
Opposite is the Bus Station, and Blenheim House, built in 1961, which used to house the Locarno Ballroom. Here you will see a 96m x 4m mosaic by John Gordon, consisting of 16,000 hand printed tiles running across the buildings fascia. From here, you will see in the distance the all-glass Norwich Union building. Follow the signpost to Town Square/Market Square. At the end of Market Pavement, turn right into Town Square (1965).
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas:- The mural was believed to be one of the largest in the country when it was installed. The tiles were 6 inches sq by designer John Gordon and staff.
‘Where Wilkins stands once stood the wooden buildings of the Library and Council Offices.
Continue into the Town Square past the The Town Clock an impressive example of 1960’s design, installed in 1965, then Costa Coffee.
In the square there was a large supermarket that gave pink stamps with your purchase. Where Halifax Bank stands now was Tesco opposite was John Walton’s, gents outfitters, it was one of the first shops and was opened by the late comedian Arthur Askey.
Opposite John Waltons was Tesco, which may have been the first supermarket in Basildon.
Later Superfare opened. Behind Superfare was Halfords.
There was a gents hairdressers called ‘Jeffries.’
Other shops were Martins or Forbuoys and MacFisheries.
There was a Chinese restaurant above where Barclays stands and Primark is where the Co-op stood.
Keay House was opposite to where W.H. Smith’s is now.
Keay House mural - Mr Anthony Holloway A.R.C.A built in four feet squares in red, blue, yellow and green with no title, meaning or message.
vin said... Keay House at 88 Town Square, now called Southgate House, used to jut out into Town Square, and one its fascia was a mural in tile Mosaic created by the artist.
Woolworth and Sainsbury’s stores were opposite where the fountain is now.’
Just before Brook House you will see the iconic Mother and Child set in the fountain pool, this bronze statue by Maurice Lambert, which cost £4,000 in 1961. This has come to symbolise the growth of the New Town. The statue forms the central part of the Town’s Crest and is incorporated into the chain of office of the chairman of Basildon Council.
Right in front of you is Brooke House designed by Sir Basil Spence, the town centres only housing unit opened on July 7th 1962. A 14-storey block of 84 flats, it was named after Henry Brooke, the former Housing Minister. The block is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 ‘V’ shaped reinforced concrete stanchions. It is a Grade 2 listed building.
‘There was a rumour going about that Brooke House was starting to lean and everyone had to get out – Brooke House actually moves but if it didn’t give it would crumble.
‘Another rumour was that one of the Chinese restaurants was selling Kit E Kat.’
‘When the Basildon Corporation started taking over there was not enough resistance. People did not realise what was happening. Once owners were served with compulsory purchase orders they started getting indignant but it was too late it felt quite unfair to the plotlanders.’ (should this go in?)
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas A 2nd not so famous sculpture commissioned in 1960 was the £2,000 'Homer' by Mr. S.E. McWilliam. The Sculpture, also in bronze showed the poet in a squatting position with a dove on his shoulder and a lyre on one arm. A gift to Basildon from Liverpool MP Mr Harold Lever, 'Homer' had several homes in the town before coming to rest in the foyer of the Eastgate Management Centre.
On the south elevation of Freedom House, built in 1960, and on East Walk (1965) across from Brooke House, look up an you will see an untitled tenor clef shaped cast aluminium sculpture with stainless steel wires, by A.J. Poole, erected in 1960.
The Eastgate was built in 1985, which includes the Cats Cradle ‘ Pussiwillow III’ clock by Rowland Emmett (who designed the car in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) commissioned by Basildon Development Corporation in 1980.
Turn left by Toys R Us and walk along the pedestrianised section of Southernhay. When you reach Great Oaks cross at the pedestrian crossing taking the footpath to the right of Staples Office Store.
Cross Broadmayne by the crossing at the rear of Staples, then walk on into Ghyllgrove road and neighbourhood, built in 1960.
Continue along the footpath for 500 metres crossing first Audley Way.
Audley Way - The manorial name of Audley commemorates the gift to Sir Thomas Audley by Henry VIII of the lands of the Abbey of Walden in 1538.
(Basildon libraries anonymous copies - Beehive Lane that runs alongside Ghyllgrove - It is just the name where beehives were kept.
Braybrooke which is off Audley way which is off Ghyllgrove - The first Lord Braybrooke in the late 18th Century took over Audley End, "the noblest house in Essex", on which he spent £100,000 on restorations.The third Lord Braybrooke is famous as the first editor of Pepys. The present Lord Braybrooke is the 9th holder of the title.)
Then you pass The Gore:
The Gore - A farm in Rochford Hundred. This farm was mentioned in the Court Rolls in 1374.
Come to Butneys on your left.
‘Honeypot Lane runs next to Ghyllgrove. The name came from the soft, sticky, London clay mud bath to which the road reverted whenever it rained, in winter it was particularly unpassable. It has been said that one wet winter there were boat races held in Honeypot Lane and the cows were fed and milked in the fields due to being firmly stuck in the mud.’
‘In 1906 it was the site of the famous ‘Basildon Murder.’ Richard and Robert Buckham aged 20 and 17 years were accused of Killing the Watson’s, a neighbouring married couple. Their dried up pond had forced them to collect water from the brother’s pond on Sawyers Farm. Richard Buckham eventually confessed to shooting them in a ‘blind rage’ and was hanged. Robert was acquitted.’
Just past the Butneys junction, on the left-hand side there is a kissing gate leading into Gloucester Park.
Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 Gloucester Park, the 355 acre town park, lies in the north-west quarter of the town. The six acre fishing lake, north of he swimming pool, is a central feature. On the town centre side there are pitches for football, rugby football and cricket, and other facilities, including an artificially surfaced practice cricket wicket, a floodlit hard-surfaced play area, a floodlit running-track and a field events area. A cafe and bar administered by the Basildon Sports Council Club are situated in the Murrayfield Pavilion where there is a changing accommodation with showers too.
Murray Field Pavilion built in 1967, provides changing facilities, refreshments and acts as a Cricket scoreboard for county class cricket matches.
As the land to the north of the centre was difficult to drain, it was to be left for recreational use (eventually Gloucester Park).
A College of Further Education was going to be sited in a central position north of the town i.e. Gloucester Park, which changed to the eventual site in Nethermayne.
Take this winding path that has recently been resurfaced, observing the Gloucester Park Meadow on your left, managed by Basildon Council, which gives a natural habitat to wild flowers and insects. Turn left immediately after the footbridge and shortly the path becomes unmade and uneven and, at times, quite waterlogged.
At the signpost by the two bridges, follow the sign to the Athletics Stadium/Pavilion. Follow this path all the way back to the car park where your journey began.
Bullet Points of Route E
At Market Pavement where the first shop opened on 16th August 1958.
In 1961 where the market now stands were three butchers, 2 bakers and a store owned by Littlewoods. In the 60’s when the Market opened at first all the market traders had sheets on the floor, but they sold everything.
From Paul Dawson - a Market Manager Basildon Market will be 50 years old next year. It was originally managed and organised by the council from 1958, although we owned the land. The Market Traders took it over about 12 years ago. They have 41 log cabins,65 stalls and 3 mobile units. The majority of the traders are local with a variation of different stalls from tattooists to greengrocers, health food to fishmongers. Some traders have been here from day one, some have been here for 35 - 40 years. The market trade used to be hereditary, passed down from father to son, it isn't anymore. In the hey day of the Market every part was used of the site including the car park, the traders used to park in the swimming pool car park, and another car park. In the regeneration the council would like to have their council offices where the market is, the market doesn't want this they want to stay where they are, Paul also claims that the town is busier when the market is on. Before the supermarket became quite so powerful there used to be 19 greengrocers and now there are only three. Three greengrocers is good for a market these days. There used to be more of a greengrocery and a produce market, now days it's more of a general market. The market managers are trying to encourage people to come back and shop at the market, they will soon have parking bays for the public to pull up and load up their merchandise, short term parking bays. The benefits of the market are variation and atmosphere.
Opposite is the Bus Station, and Blenheim House, built in 1961, which used to house the Locarno Ballroom. Here you will see a 96m x 4m mosaic by John Gordon, consisting of 16,000 hand printed tiles running across the buildings fascia. From here, you will see in the distance the all-glass Norwich Union building. Follow the signpost to Town Square/Market Square. At the end of Market Pavement, turn right into Town Square (1965).
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas:- The mural was believed to be one of the largest in the country when it was installed. The tiles were 6 inches sq by designer John Gordon and staff.
‘Where Wilkins stands once stood the wooden buildings of the Library and Council Offices.
Continue into the Town Square past the The Town Clock an impressive example of 1960’s design, installed in 1965, then Costa Coffee.
In the square there was a large supermarket that gave pink stamps with your purchase. Where Halifax Bank stands now was Tesco opposite was John Walton’s, gents outfitters, it was one of the first shops and was opened by the late comedian Arthur Askey.
Opposite John Waltons was Tesco, which may have been the first supermarket in Basildon.
Later Superfare opened. Behind Superfare was Halfords.
There was a gents hairdressers called ‘Jeffries.’
Other shops were Martins or Forbuoys and MacFisheries.
There was a Chinese restaurant above where Barclays stands and Primark is where the Co-op stood.
Keay House was opposite to where W.H. Smith’s is now.
Keay House mural - Mr Anthony Holloway A.R.C.A built in four feet squares in red, blue, yellow and green with no title, meaning or message.
vin said... Keay House at 88 Town Square, now called Southgate House, used to jut out into Town Square, and one its fascia was a mural in tile Mosaic created by the artist.
Woolworth and Sainsbury’s stores were opposite where the fountain is now.’
Just before Brook House you will see the iconic Mother and Child set in the fountain pool, this bronze statue by Maurice Lambert, which cost £4,000 in 1961. This has come to symbolise the growth of the New Town. The statue forms the central part of the Town’s Crest and is incorporated into the chain of office of the chairman of Basildon Council.
Right in front of you is Brooke House designed by Sir Basil Spence, the town centres only housing unit opened on July 7th 1962. A 14-storey block of 84 flats, it was named after Henry Brooke, the former Housing Minister. The block is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 ‘V’ shaped reinforced concrete stanchions. It is a Grade 2 listed building.
‘There was a rumour going about that Brooke House was starting to lean and everyone had to get out – Brooke House actually moves but if it didn’t give it would crumble.
‘Another rumour was that one of the Chinese restaurants was selling Kit E Kat.’
‘When the Basildon Corporation started taking over there was not enough resistance. People did not realise what was happening. Once owners were served with compulsory purchase orders they started getting indignant but it was too late it felt quite unfair to the plotlanders.’ (should this go in?)
BASILDON - Birth of a City - Peter Lucas A 2nd not so famous sculpture commissioned in 1960 was the £2,000 'Homer' by Mr. S.E. McWilliam. The Sculpture, also in bronze showed the poet in a squatting position with a dove on his shoulder and a lyre on one arm. A gift to Basildon from Liverpool MP Mr Harold Lever, 'Homer' had several homes in the town before coming to rest in the foyer of the Eastgate Management Centre.
On the south elevation of Freedom House, built in 1960, and on East Walk (1965) across from Brooke House, look up an you will see an untitled tenor clef shaped cast aluminium sculpture with stainless steel wires, by A.J. Poole, erected in 1960.
The Eastgate was built in 1985, which includes the Cats Cradle ‘ Pussiwillow III’ clock by Rowland Emmett (who designed the car in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) commissioned by Basildon Development Corporation in 1980.
Turn left by Toys R Us and walk along the pedestrianised section of Southernhay. When you reach Great Oaks cross at the pedestrian crossing taking the footpath to the right of Staples Office Store.
Cross Broadmayne by the crossing at the rear of Staples, then walk on into Ghyllgrove road and neighbourhood, built in 1960.
Continue along the footpath for 500 metres crossing first Audley Way.
Audley Way - The manorial name of Audley commemorates the gift to Sir Thomas Audley by Henry VIII of the lands of the Abbey of Walden in 1538.
(Basildon libraries anonymous copies - Beehive Lane that runs alongside Ghyllgrove - It is just the name where beehives were kept.
Braybrooke which is off Audley way which is off Ghyllgrove - The first Lord Braybrooke in the late 18th Century took over Audley End, "the noblest house in Essex", on which he spent £100,000 on restorations.The third Lord Braybrooke is famous as the first editor of Pepys. The present Lord Braybrooke is the 9th holder of the title.)
Then you pass The Gore:
The Gore - A farm in Rochford Hundred. This farm was mentioned in the Court Rolls in 1374.
Come to Butneys on your left.
‘Honeypot Lane runs next to Ghyllgrove. The name came from the soft, sticky, London clay mud bath to which the road reverted whenever it rained, in winter it was particularly unpassable. It has been said that one wet winter there were boat races held in Honeypot Lane and the cows were fed and milked in the fields due to being firmly stuck in the mud.’
‘In 1906 it was the site of the famous ‘Basildon Murder.’ Richard and Robert Buckham aged 20 and 17 years were accused of Killing the Watson’s, a neighbouring married couple. Their dried up pond had forced them to collect water from the brother’s pond on Sawyers Farm. Richard Buckham eventually confessed to shooting them in a ‘blind rage’ and was hanged. Robert was acquitted.’
Just past the Butneys junction, on the left-hand side there is a kissing gate leading into Gloucester Park.
Portrait of Essex by S.A Manning, published in 1977 Gloucester Park, the 355 acre town park, lies in the north-west quarter of the town. The six acre fishing lake, north of he swimming pool, is a central feature. On the town centre side there are pitches for football, rugby football and cricket, and other facilities, including an artificially surfaced practice cricket wicket, a floodlit hard-surfaced play area, a floodlit running-track and a field events area. A cafe and bar administered by the Basildon Sports Council Club are situated in the Murrayfield Pavilion where there is a changing accommodation with showers too.
Murray Field Pavilion built in 1967, provides changing facilities, refreshments and acts as a Cricket scoreboard for county class cricket matches.
As the land to the north of the centre was difficult to drain, it was to be left for recreational use (eventually Gloucester Park).
A College of Further Education was going to be sited in a central position north of the town i.e. Gloucester Park, which changed to the eventual site in Nethermayne.
Take this winding path that has recently been resurfaced, observing the Gloucester Park Meadow on your left, managed by Basildon Council, which gives a natural habitat to wild flowers and insects. Turn left immediately after the footbridge and shortly the path becomes unmade and uneven and, at times, quite waterlogged.
At the signpost by the two bridges, follow the sign to the Athletics Stadium/Pavilion. Follow this path all the way back to the car park where your journey began.
Bullet Points of Route E
- Market Pavement where the first shop opened on 16th August 1958.
- Basildon Market will be 50 years old on 16th August 2008 (next year).
- In 1961 where the market now stands were three butchers, 2 bakers and a store owned by Littlewoods. In the 60’s when the Market opened at first all the market traders had sheets on the floor, but they sold everything.
- The majority of traders are local with a variation of different stalls from greengrocers to health food.
- At one time the market had 19 greengrocers, this was really a produce market.
- Some traders have been here since the beginning, when it first opened.
- Opposite - the Bus Station and Blenhein House built in 1961.
- There is a 96m x 4m Mosaic by John Gordon, consisting of 16,000 hand printed tiles. It was believed to be one of the biggest murals in the country at the time.
- Town Clock, impressive 1960's design installed in 1965.
- On Keay House (now Southgate) is or was a mural by Mr. Anthony Halloway A.R.C.A
- Keay House used to jut out into the Town Square.
- The Iconic Mother and Child, bronze statue by Maurice Lambert which cost 4,000 in 1961.
- Brooke House designed by Sir Basil Spence and was named after Sir Henry Brooke, the former Housing Minister. 14 Storey block of 84 flats. It is uniquely raised 8m above the ground on 8 'V' shaped reinforced concrete stanchions. It's a Grade 2 listed building.
- Untitled Tenor Clef aluminium sculpture, on the south elevation of Freedom House, by A.J. Poole, erected in 1960.
- Eastgate was built in 1985.
- The Cat's Cradle 'Pussiwillow III' clock by Rowland Emmett (who designed the car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
- Beehive Lane - Yes bee's were kept there.
- Audley Way - Commemorates the gift to Sir Thomas Audley of Henry VIII of the lands of the Abbey of Walden.
- The Gore - a farm in the Rochford Hundred that was mentioned in the Court Rolls in 1374.
- Honeypot Lane (runs next to Ghyllgrove) The name came from the soft sticky London clay mud bath to which the road reverted to every time it rained.
- One wet winter there were boat races in Honeypot Lane.
- Cows were fed and milked in the fields due to being firmly stuck in the mud.
- Gloucester Park, the 355 acre town park, lies in the north-west quarter of the town.
- The six acre fishing lake, north of he swimming pool, is a central feature.
- On the town centre side there are pitches for football, rugby football and cricket, and other facilities, including an artificially surfaced practice cricket wicket, a floodlit hard-surfaced play area, a floodlit running-track and a field events area.
- Gloucester Park land was chosen as a recreational area as it was land that was difficult to drain.
- Murray Field Pavilion built in 1967, provides changing facilities, refreshments and acts as a Cricket scoreboard for county class cricket matches
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