The Essex market town on the River Crouch with a long history.
Are you desperately seeking somewhere to go on holiday this year? Are you focused on staycation destinations? It would be the sensible thing to do, given recent world events. Between the wars and the plagues, nobody really wants to travel too far and that’s perfectly understandable.
We are gathered here today to begin another of our nationally famous travel and tour guide articles. During this series, we have researched some of the biggest towns and cities in the UK for your reading pleasure. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and we do try to get to everyone eventually. If you haven’t found your town’s guide yet, keep your eyes peeled. We will get to you, there’s a bit of a list.
Today we are exploring the historic town of Wickford. Let’s look back through the ages and discern the history behind the town we know and love today. Once we have established what happened to whom and when, we will work on the best things to see and do in Wickford, find out who the local celebrities are, and might even uncover some juicy gossip that you can use at parties. Ready? Let’s begin our exploration of Wickford.
The Early Days of Wickford
Wickford has a long history dating all the way back to the Middle Stone Age. Stone age peoples once occupied this area of Basildon. Evidence of this exists in the stone age axe found in Norsey Wood in nearby Billericay. The same woods later saw occupation as a fort. Flint skinning knives and axes have appeared throughout. An 1865 excavation of the local woodland found the cremated ruins of Bronze Age people.
We also know that Essex was the home of the Trinovantes tribe in the following period and that that’s who occupied the land when the Romans arrived. Their clan centre was in Colchester but further excavations around the woodland in Billericay have uncovered Iron Age beads from the pre-Roman era. Excavations in Wickford revealed a 15 metre long Iron Age building.
The area produces Roman artefacts once in a while. The area of Beauchamps Farm shows historical evidence of a settlement from the Late Iron Age right through to the Medieval period. Rectangular wooden buildings uncovered by archaeologists have revealed the presence of a Roman camp in the area. The building works are reminiscent of a Roman fort. The camp consisted of a stone building and several timber buildings. The entire area sported a ditched compound so that the excavators believed it to be a villa.
The site seems to have been destroyed by fire as of the 4th century, which is when the Romans were leaving town. Wells, Roman coins, cremation equipment, pottery, a loop, and an old brooch have all appeared in the area around Wickford over the years. The Romans definitely stopped here and stayed for long enough to bury their dead. The Romans retreated back to Rome when the empire started falling apart – but not all of them left. Some stuck around with their families, occupying towns just like Wickford.
The Medieval Era and Domesday Survey
At the start of the Medieval period, Wickford was an agricultural settlement. After the land passed from the Trinovantes to the Romans, the Beauchamp Farm became the grounds of the Beauchamp School, instead. The odd Roman artefact still shows up in the soil once in a while. This is the area of Wickford with the highest ground, so it makes sense that there would be a fortified area here. Over time, the town migrated to the lower ground of the modern high street area. Back in the medieval period, it was still around the farm.
We turn to the Domesday Survey for more information. This survey occurred in 1086, about 20 years after the Norman Conquest. King William wanted to know what he had amassed when he took control of England. He was a little late off the mark, but at least he got around to it. It was the first survey of the lands of England and it forms an important historical milestone for historians nowadays.
In the Open Domesday archive, we can see that Wickford was in the hundred of Barstable. This means that it was in the Barstable hundred settlements to make it easier for the feudal lords to manage. It had 42 households, which is a large town for that time. It had a whopping nine owners, which is almost unheard of outside of the cities of old.
The Bishop Odo of Bayeux owned 25 acres of meadow with 4 smallholders, pastureland for 40 sheep, and woodland that turned 1 lot of hides per year. It was worth 1 pound and 10 shillings. In his second entry as landowner, the Bishop owns 5 smallholders with 2 slaves on a separate portion of land. This parcel has woodland for 30 pigs and a worth of 2 pounds per annum. Being the king’s favourite, he also owned a third parcel of land in the area. This contained 8 acres of meadow, 2 smallholders, and woodland enough for 30 pigs. It was worth 1 pound a year.
Next, we have the Lands of Swein of Essex. He owned ploughs and teams to work them, woodland, meadows, 2 cobs, 16 cattle, 3 pigs and a hundred sheep. Add to that 7 villagers, a bunch of smallholders, and more money than any sane man would be able to spend in a year, and we have the lands of Swein. The other two owners listed were local men. You can read the full entry for yourself here.
Fun Trivia about Wickford Town
At this stage in every tour guide, we like to stop to hold a microscope over the town gossip. We want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here’s all we could dig up about Wickford. Some of it is fun and light-hearted, other things not so much. Read at your own risk.
- Rightmove had Wickford at no 10 in their list of places where houses sold fastest in 2021. That must tell you something.
- Wickford has a farm known as ‘the Wick.’ The farm dates back to the 17th century and may have contributed to the town’s unusual name.
- Wickford dates back over two thousand years. It was a town before the Romans even thought about invading England.
- The concrete banks that run along the edge of the River Crouch are not there as a fashion statement. They protect the town from flooding when the winter brings adverse weather and high water.
- Wickford is only 4 miles east of the equally ancient market town of Billericay.
- Early records of Wickford record its name as Wincfort, which translates either to the farm by the fjord, or the dairy farm by the fjord.
- The parish council for Wickford began in 1894 and ended in 1934, when it merged with Billericay urban district. The parish established itself in 2021.
As you can see, Wickford isn’t exactly the goody-two-shoes town you first maybe thought it was. Let’s get stuck back into the history and see if we can scoop up any more dirt. Don’t forget that you can follow us on Facebook for regular updates about world news and events, any day of the week. Back to Wickford!
The Industrial Revolution and Wickford
At some point during the middle ages to the Industrial era, emigrants from England formed the town of Wickford in Rhode Island. Historians suggest the timeline to be around 1632. This town became home to some prominent supporters of the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War, which kicked off in the 1600s – just before the Industrial period. When the industrial era began, the town was still an agricultural area.
During the early 1700s, Ivy Cottage opened for the first time. The Guinea Pig Hall opened in the same era. The locals erected a milestone marker to London at the end of the 1700s.
Skipping forward, the townsfolk built St Catherine’s Church in the 1870s. Wickford Cricket Club opened for the first time in 1887, giving locals something to look forward to on a weekend. Wickford Railway Station opened to trade in goods in 1888 but it would take another year before it opened for passengers.
The Modern Era
In 1901 the Wickford Mission Hall opened on London Road.
One of our favourite tales about Wickford lies in the nakedness of it all. Wickford is the birthplace of naturism in the UK. It is the home of nudism. The Gymnosophist Society formed here in 1924, much to the amusement of the locals and to the scorn of the old dears.
A 1958 flood saw many people abandon their homes and vehicles for higher ground. The flood was so bad that a double-decker bus stopped in the town centre with its engine drowned. The double-decker bus submerged in the ware and quickly became an iconic photograph. This flooding – and a second like it two years later – was what prompted the increase of the concrete flood defences around the River Crouch.
Wickford contributed in men to both world wars. During WWII, the edge of town received a bombing raid on 6th December 1944. They made most of the war without being hit, and in those final months, a V-2 rocket hit the Branksome Avenue area. Local war memorials opened in the 1920s to commemorate the tragedy and mourn the town’s loss of men.
In 1956 the town’s railway was electrified. Twenty years later, the war memorials moved to the Memorial Park area.
Modern Wickford is a thriving market town, renowned for its shops and open-air market. It’s the beating heart of Basildon and aims to remain there for years to come. We hope to see it return to its former glory in the coming years. Come on Wickford, we are rooting for you.
Famous People that Live in Wickford
During this section of the travel guide to Wickford, we want to take a pause over some of the local celebrities. Who might you run into in the local casino or hotel? Who was born here, who moved on from here, and who is the richest person in town? Here’s the scoop:
- Robert de Wickford, who was the Archbishop of Dublin in 1390, was born and brought up in the local Manor House, Wickford Hall.
- English journalist Andy Coulson lives in Wickford.
- The hacker Ryan Cleary stays here, he was behind the great PlayStation account robbery of 2011.
- Glamour model Chantelle Houghton lives here. We guarantee she has no interest in you.
- The psychic medium Tony Stockwell lives in Wickford.
- The comedian Rhys Thomas is from here.
- Tony Paul Way, the actor, is from here, too.
- Lots of footballers, including Jack Mayes, Ken Mayes, Harry Phillips, and Kevin Shoemake.
So you never know, you might run into some seriously famous faces down at the local Waitrose. We’d say at the local Aldi but let’s face it, that’s not where celebrities shop now, is it? Let’s get on with everyone’s favourite section, the part we have all been waiting for… the attractions.
Attractions in Wickford
Wondering what to see and do on a visit to Wickford? Let us help by pointing out the best bits.
Historic Sites and Landmarks
Wickford has its fair share of interesting buildings but possibly none more so than St Catherines Church which has probably been around in one form or another since Norman times. You can read about it in a bit more depth here. Surprisingly it is not a listed building, probably because its current incarnation was built in 1875.
Want to kill two birds with one stone? Then check out the Memorial Gardens which is both a park and a local landmark. It’s not the type of place you go to sunbathe, but it is the type of place you go to have a stroll and remember people. This is where the town’s war memorials are housed and it is located towards the northeast of town. There are three different entrances and it does get busy in the summer months. A charitable group called the Friends of Wickford Memorial Park runs the park, so if you see any donation boxes, please give generously.
One of the most beautiful old buildings within a stone’s throw of Wickford is the Nevendon Manor. This is a children’s wonderland building. They run Christmas events that attract the kids and usually include reindeer. This place is quite magical, with unicorn-themed events and spaces for hire for kids’ and adults’ birthday parties. You should take the tour, even if it is just in passing. You’ll get some fantastic photos. This one is Grade II listed having been given such status n 1955.
Galleries and Museums
The town itself isn’t large enough to house any museums or galleries of its own. However, Wickford is within Basildon, which has some interesting places to go. We would recommend that you go to the Barn Hall out by Runwell. Barn Hall is a local estate with a lot of history attached to it. There was a silver jubilee party here recorded in the Wickford community Archive. Asides from being a country estate, it also makes for nice areas to walk.
The second museum area we would check out if we were staying in Wickford is the Bike Museum to the east of town. The Battersbridge Motorcycle Museum contains a few rare motorcycles which bikers love. They have over 40 bikes at last count, with the museum dating back to 1984. Local bike lovers got together and started it, and the rest is history. Interesting history which you should visit.
The nearest gallery is the Beescroft Gallery. This fine art gallery is in Southend and is part of Southend Museums. In this gallery, you will find local artists, fine art, and limited pictures and paintings to buy. It’s attached to the Southend Museum, so there should be plenty to learn about while you are there. Southend is nice too. Lots of beachy things to see and do there. If you are staying in Wickford for any length of time, we suggest you take a trip to Southend on Sea and spend a few hours in the sun. It does wonders for the complexion.
Outdoor Attractions
You can head out to Barleylands Farm Park if you are in Wickford with kids. This place has all you would expect from a working, yet fun, farm. You can pet animals, engage in soft play, use the adventure playground, feed the baby animals at the right time of year, you can pick your pumpkin, pick your berries, or have a good day out where the kids tire themselves out without you having to do anything. Of course, there is a gift shop and a café, too. This isn’t just a farm and park, it’s a whole tiny village. Check it out.
Sports and Recreation
Wickford does have its own local football team. They are the Wickford Town Football Club. They have a youth team and an adult team. You will find them on the Recruitment Ground where they have a partially covered stand.
Wickford doesn’t have its own RUFC team although there are some nearby. If you absolutely cannot go on your holiday without watching some rugby, head to the nearby Runwell sports and social club. They may be able to fulfil your needs.
There are several sports and recreation areas and centres throughout Wickford. Check out the Wickford Community Centre to see what is on at a local level. You can also investigate the Wickford Swim and Fitness centre to see what is going on there during your stay.
Shopping and Retail
One of the nicest shops in town is the Bradfield’s Farm shop. They are a dairy farm and they sell milk, cream, cheese, and an assortment of other goods. You get to see the milk churning from start to finish, If you ask them nicely, they may even give you the tour.
When you are staying in Wickford, you will find all you need in Market Lane. This is where the good shops are. You can visit the Ladygate Centre too, for further shops.
Where to Eat and Drink in Wickford?
Locals swear that the best food is in three places. There is the Plush Restaurant for those who want a posh Turkish and Mediterranean dining experience. There is the Mexican Kitchen outside of town for those that like food spicy, and there is the Lillies Café in the south for those that want to eat and enjoy some garden centres.
Other Notable Attractions
We will try to fit in all the bits that we couldn’t talk about in greater detail, below. If you spend more than a week or two in Basildon, try to see some of these additional excellent sites, which didn’t quite meet our cut:
- Wickford has its own escape room business, check them out at Keylock Games.
- Enjoy a game of ducking and diving by booking out an event with Splatoon Paintball
- Buy all the nerdy gifts you need at Nerd Base in the town centre
- Visit the Hawksbridge pub and restaurant for a rowdy night out
Between these and the attractions mentioned earlier in the guide, you should have plenty to keep you occupied on your next visit to Wickford. Ready to head off? Wait one minute until we give you some awful directions.
How to Get to Wickford?
Image Oliver Mallich CC BY-ND 2.0
If you are travelling to Wickford this summer, make sure you follow a Sat Nav system. We can give you directions but they won’t be that great. Here goes nothing… try not to get lost.
By Road
Head north out of London and then east on the A13, switch to the A12 and follow the signs.
By Rail
Wickford Train Station is on the Greater Anglia line.
By Air
The nearest international airport to Wickford is London Southend Airport.
By Sea
You may be able to sail the River Crouch but there is otherwise no sea access to Wickford.
Want More Travel Information?
Wickford may or may not be the right place for you. If you are still stuck for a staycation destination though, have no fear. Simply head over to the Five Minutes Spare travel guides section and you will find more than enough town guides to keep you on the right path.
