Tillingham
| Tillingham | |
|---|---|
 St Nicholas' Church | |
  Tillingham Location within Essex | |
| Population | 1,058 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TL993038 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SOUTHMINSTER |
| Postcode district | CM0 |
| Dialling code | 01621 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Tillingham is a small pretty village and civil parish with 1,015 inhabitants in 2001,[1] increasing to 1,058 at the 2011 Census.[2] Located 8 miles (13 km) from Burnham-on-Crouch and 3 miles (4.8 km) from Bradwell-on-Sea, on the Dengie Peninsula which is a Maldon District part of the ceremonial county of Essex in England. It is one of the villages that make up the ancient Dengie Hundred, which is bounded by the North Sea, River Blackwater and River Crouch.
The village has strong links with St Pauls Cathedral in London. The Corporation of the Cathedral Church of St Paul owns three arable farms, domestic properties and a significant amount of surrounding land.
The name appears to have been taken from a Saxon word, implying Tilling or Husdandry, and Ham, a habitation or dwelling.
Tillingham village is clustered around the main street with a historic centre that has been designated as a conservation area.[3]
The conservation area in Tillingham was designated on 15th July 1969, since which there have been no revisions to the boundaries. It covers the historic settlement, which at the time of designation comprised the majority of the village.
The conservation area centres on the parish church of St. Nicholas and The Square stretching along the linear pattern of North Street and South Street. Short lengths of side roads off The Square and North and South Streets are also included: these are Brook Road, Bradwell Road, Marsh Road, Vicarage Lane, Casey Lane, Chapel Lane and Marlborough Avenue.
Governance[edit]
An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward includes Bradwell-on-Sea and had a total population at the 2011 Census of 2,182.[4]
Demography Census 2021[edit]
| Female | Male |
|---|---|
| 51.9% | 48.1% |
| 0-17 years | 18-64 years | 65+ years |
|---|---|---|
| 21.4% | 55.1% | 23.5% |
| Other | Mixed | Arab | Asian | White |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 98.7% |
| Christian | Muslim | Hindu | Buddhist | Jewish | Other | No religion | unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52.1% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.1 | 1.4% | 42.7% | 3% |
Cultural Reference[edit]
Tillingham is mentioned on page 174 of the H. G. Wells novel The War of the Worlds. It is the place where the narrator's brother arrives at the coast following his escape from London during the Martian invasion. The full novel was first published in hardcover in 1898 by William Heinemann. The War of the Worlds is one of the earliest stories to detail a conflict between humankind and an extraterrestrial race.
Facilities & Services[edit]
There are two schools; Tillingham Pre-School and St Nicholas C of E primary school, a fire station, medical centre, Post Office, Londis convenience shop, hairdressers, care home, village hall, Tillingham West Field recreation ground, car park, sports clubs, 18 allotment plots, mobile library, village hall, an Airbnb facility and an annual flower show. There are two chapels, the Peculiar People's chapel and the Congregational Chapel,14th-century parish church of St Nicholas and two pubs; "The Fox and Hounds",[9]
and "The Cap and Feathers"[10] which won the CAMRA national pub of the year award in 1998 and the most improved pub of the year award in 2023. Some say the weather boarded grade II listed pub which dates back to the 15th century is haunted.
There is a network of well maintained footpaths which meander through surrounding farmland and along the sea wall. The popular ‘St Peters Way’ footpath passes through Tillingham.
Church of St Nicholas[edit]
The is a Grade II* listed church on The Square dedicated to St Nicholas.
The Parish church, which is of Norman origin, is at the heart of the conservation area, with the manorial hall to the North. Stows Farmhouse (grade II* listed) thought to be a vicarage is outside the conservation area boundary. The church has a 14th century tower with later battlements. Much of the rest of the church is 13th and 14th century, with a Norman north doorway and font. Inside, a Victorian rood screen and rood with Christ on the Cross separates the nave from the chancel, and notably defies the tradition of traditional timber framed buildings of Essex. It has a king post roof with ridge pole, not common until the nineteenth century in Essex.This building’s exceptional quality and has rare detailing of its link with the major local land owners, St Pauls Cathedral, and the work of a church carpenter rather than a craftsman from Essex or East Anglia.
The church has very strong links with St Paul's Cathedral, in London. The Corporation of the Cathedral Church of St Paul in London owns three arable farms and domestic properties in Tillingham,[11] known as the Prebends of Ealdland,[12] Reculverland[13] and Weldland.[14]; it has been in their control since c.720, and they still retain the right to appoint the local vicar in the village. St Pauls had a significant land holding across the Dengie Peninsula and the south coast of Essex through the middle ages. This brought great wealth through sheep farming and later arable crops. Links go back to, at least, the middle of the 15th Century and the Cathedral remains the patron of the Parish Church. The Peculiar People,[15] who opened their Chapel in 1867, were renamed in the 1950s the Union of Evangelical Churches. Their chapel in Tillingham closed down around 2005.[16]
In the churchyard are two Commonwealth War Graves from World War One: William Bowtle, Stoker 1st Class, who served on the Royal Navy's HMS P.60, who died on the 4th January 1918 age 24. Private Henry Sandford, who died on 31st July 1917 aged 18.
The War Memorial[edit]
There is a war memorial on the wall of the churchyard, commemorating those who died in both World Wars, and in Cyprus, plus a marble plaque inside the church from World War One.
It was unveiled on 7th November 1920. The stone tablet with triangular pediment set into the boundary wall of the church has the following inscription in black lettering. "To the memory of our fallen comrades from the Tillingham ex-service men. 1914 - 1918 (23 names) 1939 - 1945 (4 names) Wright W. G. Killed in Cyprus 1956."
The West Field[edit]
The West Field on Vicarage Lane, is a large, well equipped site with easy access near the centre of the village. In 2004 the site received the Essex Playing Field Association[17] Best Kept Playing Field Award and in 2005 won first prize for the Best Kept Children's Play Ground.
The Recreation Ground owned and maintained by Tillingham Village Council. It is also used by Tillingham Hotspur Football Club, Tillingham Tigers Football Club, Tillingham Cricket Club, Tillingham Bowls Club and the annual Tillingham Flower Show.
The Sports Pavilion building is owned by the Cricket and Football Clubs. Tillingham Bowls Club lease the Bowls Club area. The childrens play area is found towards the north-west corner. The multi track area consists of a small ‘figure of eight’ tarmac circuit with three ramps. The circuit is ideal for learning to ride a bike, children scootering, roller skating, skateboarding and then to the more adventurous BMX bike skills! This is a free facility.
The multi use games area was built in 2014, at the request of young people who live in the village. It was created with grant funding and a considerable amount of volunteer labour.
The public West Field Car Park is located off the north-east corner of the West Field, behind St Nicholas Primary School and opposite St Nicholas Church.
Sports & Social Clubs[edit]
Tillingham has several sports clubs which include:
- Cap & Feathers Pool Team
- Fox and Hounds Pool Team
- Tillingham Bowls Club
- Tillingham Cricket Club[18]
- Tillingham Darts Team
- Tillingham Hotspur Football Club, which also runs a veterans team[19]that play in the Essex Veterans League.
- Tillingham Tigers Youth Football Club[20]
Mobile Library[edit]
To supplement the libraries at Burnham on Crouch and Southminster, Essex Libraries offer a mobile library service in Tillingham. The mobile library visits the village square once every three weeks.
Tillingham Flower Show[edit]
Tillingham has an annual flower show, held in the West Field. The show kicks off with a procession through the village, starting from the top of Manor Road in Dengie. The procession includes Tillingham fire crew with their fire engine, vintage cars, tractors, dancers, Tillingham Tigers FC, fancy dress and floats.
On the field, there is plenty for everyone! Highlights include a Dog Show, dog scurry, dance performances, Tillingham Tigers penalty shoot out, the Tillingham Stocks, donkey rides, tug of war, arts, crafts, and two tents bursting with horticultural and handicraft entries.
Visitors can indulge in a Pimms and Prosecco tent, enjoy drinks from a horsebox bar, and savour tasty treats from an ice cream van, barbecue and Hog Roast.
A Best Dressed House and Scarecrow competition will also takes place over the weekend.
Grade II Listed Buildings[edit]
- Blackbirds Bradwell Road [21]
- The Cap and Feathers Public House, South Street Tillingham[22]
- Chancel Mead
- The Fox and Hounds Public House, The Square Tilllingham[23]
- L Plan Outbuilding Range to South of the Cap and Feathers Public House
- Latchkey Cottage
- Little Savages, Bradwell Road
Little Savages - geograph.org.uk - 2865977 - Little Seas
- The Manse Brook Road
Weather-boarded cottage at Tillingham - geograph.org.uk - 4994565 - Merchants House
- The Olde House North Street Tillingham[24]
The Olde House, North Street, Tillingham Grade II listed building - Pump (Approximately 3 Metres South of Sports Pavilion)
- Pump (Opposite and Approximately 20 Metres South West of Brook Cottage)
- Quinneys
- Rose Cottage and Attached Former Butchers Shop[25]
- Shop Formerly a Butchers Shop and Adjoining Number 19 to the North
- Stow Cottage
- Stows Farmhouse
- Telephone Kiosk, The Square [26]
- Thatched Cottage
- Tillingham Post Office and House, South Street [27]
- Village Pump, on Green Approximately 30 Metres West of Fox and Hounds Public House
- 1, 2, 7, 9, 16, 18, 52 and 54 The Square
- 13 and 25 North Street
- 1-5, 7, 9 and 12 South Street
- 3 Vicarage Lane
Transport[edit]
Local buses, the most frequent service is the Dengie route D4 which operates to Southminster and Burnham-on-Crouch. Fords Coaches operate the fortnightly service 3 into Chelmsford.
The nearest railway stations are at Southminster and Burnham-on-Crouch which offer frequent services to South Woodham Ferrers, Billericay and London Liverpool Street, the quickest trains are 1hr 15m.
The distance between London and Tillingham is by road distance is 57 miles (93 km). The journey takes approximately 1h 14m by car using the A13.
Three airports are within easy reach of Tillingham. London Southend Airport is 28 miles away, approximately 45m by car. London Stansted Airport is 40 miles by road, journey time just over an an hour. London City Airport is by road distance 50 miles. The journey time by car is approximately 1h 10m and 1h 25m by train from Southminster Railway Station.
References[edit]
- ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Maldon Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-12-17
- ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ Maldon District Council Conservation Areas Archived 2009-08-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ Gender Groups Census Tillingham 2021
- ^ Age Groups Census Tillingham 2021
- ^ Ethnic Groups Tillingham 2021
- ^ Religion Census Tillingham 2021
- ^ What Pub
- ^ Beer Guide
- ^ "Cathedral land - St Paul's Cathedral".
- ^ Ealdland at epns nottingham.ac.uk: Retrieved 1 October 2023
- ^ Reculverland at epns nottingham.ac.uk: Retrieved 1 October 2023
- ^ Wildland at epns nottingham.ac.uk: Retrieved 1 October 2023
- ^ "The spread of the Peculiar Peoples Church in Eastern Essex". Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
- ^ Union of Evangelical Churches
- ^ "Essex Playing Fields Association". Essex Playing Fields.
- ^ "Tillingham Cricket Club". website.
- ^ "Tillingham Hotspur Veterans FC". website.
- ^ "Tillingham Tigers Youth FC". website.
- ^ "Blackbirds Bradwell Road Tillingham Grade II listing and photos". Historic England.
- ^ "The Cap and Feathers South Street Tillingham Grade II Listing". Historic England.
- ^ "The Fox and Hounds The Square Tillingham Grade II listing and photos". Historic England.
- ^ "The Olde House North Street Tillingham Grade II listing and photos". Historic England.
- ^ "Rose Cottage and Attached Former Butchers Shop Tillingham Grade II Listing". British Listed Buildings.
- ^ "K6 Telephone Box The Square Tillingham Grade II Listing". British Listed Buildings.
- ^ "Tillingham Post Office Grade II listing and photos". Historic England.
External links[edit]
- Tillingham Village Council Website
- Tillingham Conservation Area Review and Character Appraisal
- Tillingham Parish Council
- Maldon District Council Website
- St Nicholas Church Tillingham Website
- Tillingham: Survey of English Place-Names, Nottingham University
- Tillingham Cricket Club Website