Introduction |
| From the Romans - to Nuclear power - to the Space Shuttle. How and why has Essex played such a pivotal role in the development of British History? Some interesting facts and unusual events make up the remarkable history of Essex. In verse, in prose and illustration some of these facts are related and unusual events explained. |
The Hundred |
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The 'Hundred' was the ancient system of land measurement dating from Saxon times. It was a subdivision of a county or shire and had its own court. It consisted of 100 hides or parcels of land, each capable of supporting a family, which could be an extended family of up to fifty people. In 1085 William the Conqueror sent Royal Commissioners across the country to assess land and property holdings in order to settle continuous disputes over the collection of taxes. The result was the 'Domesday Book', a definitive account, which gave the county of Essex seventeen 'Hundreds' plus for good measure some 'Half Hundreds' too! One of the oldest English counties, Essex derived its name from the sixth century Kingdom of the East Saxons. Its natural borders are the rivers Lea in the west, Stour in the north, Thames in the south and to the east the North Sea (formerly known as the German Sea or Ocean). The boundaries remained virtually unchanged for nearly 1500 years until local government reorganisation in 1965. |
The Good and the Bad |
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The title of the book 'The Essex Hundred' is derived from our hundred poems that relate to specific events, places or people that have left their mark on the county. Starting with Boudica sacking Colchester in AD 60 through to Queen Elizabeth I rallying the troops in Tilbury at the time of the Spanish Armada, Essex has played a leading role in the development of British History. Turner's painting of 'The Fighting Temeraire' famously depicts British art at its best. Less well known is her Captain, who fought with Nelson at Trafalgar, Sir Eliab Harvey of Chingford. Captain Oates' heroic sacrifice in trying to save his colleagues on Scott's ill fated expedition has become legendary. He came from a family of explorers in the little known village of Gestingthorpe situated in the north of the county. Then Essex Boys were the heroes of England World Cup Triumph in 1966. Of course not only heroes are included in the trawl through the county's history. There are the villains too. Lord Richard Rich, later Baron Rich, from Great Leighs came third in a BBC History poll of the worst Britons in history. Later, in the 1700s, Dick Turpin and his 'Essex Gang' created havoc in the Epping area, while the 'Coggeshall Gang' brought a reign of terror to mid Essex in the nineteenth century. Timelines have been included to put each subject into a wider historical context and where possible present day locations and contact points are given. Andrew Summers |
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