Great Wakering
Encyclopedia
Great Wakering is a village in Essex
, England
. The nearest large town is Southend which is approximately four miles to the west of the village. Public transportation to the village is via bus service to Southend via Arriva
and Stephensons, but the village is well served with several historical public houses, a sports centre, a primary school, a Co-Operative supermarket, post office, hairdressers and several small and characterful village shops. Great Wakering consists mainly of two roads, the High Street which runs from the junction of Star Lane, and New Road which begins outside St. Nicholas parish church and runs down to the bridges for Foulness Island.
According to a mediaeval tradition, Wakering (probably Great Wakering) was the site of a monastery during the seventh century AD. Two Christian cousins of King Ecgberht of Kent
, named Aethelred and Aethelberht, were murdered at Eastry
, a royal dwelling in the Kingdom of Kent
, during King Ecgberht's reign (664-673). They were prevented by a miracle from being buried at Canterbury
, and were taken instead to an existing monastery at Wakering in the Kingdom of Essex
and enshrined there as saints. Ecgberht's brother and successor King Hlothhere of Kent
is said by William of Malmesbury
to have ridiculed the idea of their sanctity.
The village church dates back to Norman
times and the board of rectors or vicars inside begins in the year 1200 with simply "Robert", the next incumbent equally simply named "Peter". The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas and dates back to the 12th Century. However there have been several areas of restoration. The Church exterior was used in filming an episode of Just Good Friends when the 2 main characters were married. As well as the well-maintained and popular parish church, you will also find a United Reformed Church
down Chapel Lane, a Methodist and an Evangelical
(formerly Peculiar People
) Church on Great Wakering High Street.
Great Wakering is a fascinating village steeped in history. It has many community links to the Ministry of Defence-governed Foulness Island. The village was badly hit during the 1953 floods and locals fear a re-occurrence of the devastation now that tidal levels are rising and flood defences eroding. Of architectural interest is an old brickworks
site (now part demolished) at Star Lane which was once served by an industrial narrow-gauge railway, the remains of which can still be seen in the bushes if you look carefully. Brick-making was once the main industry in Wakering. The factory finally closed in 1991, but the four towers remained a focal point on the horizon until September, 2007, when the towers were finally torn down. Currently, the land remains barren.
Much of the land area around Great Wakering is closed off to the public as it forms part of a Ministry of Defence (MOD) firing range - the 'New Ranges'. When firing is not taking place however the MOD beach at Wakering Stairs can be accessed via a rough road at Landwick security check-in. You can also cross MOD land and walk across the Range from Cupid's Corner to follow a strange and very muddy track to the seawall which offers great views over the Maplin Sands
. The MOD beach is very craggy and deserted, a great spot for watching Brent Geese and waders. You will find much military debris around the area such as old firing targets, train tracks, graffiti trains, a lookout tower and several ruined batteries. Plus it is here you can access the fabled tidal path 'The Broomway' and follow it at your peril to Fisherman's Head on Foulness Island.
The local football
team Great Wakering Rovers
play in the Isthmian League First Division North. Their home ground Burroughs Park is adjacent to the village recreation ground and sports centre.
Famous People
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The nearest large town is Southend which is approximately four miles to the west of the village. Public transportation to the village is via bus service to Southend via Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
and Stephensons, but the village is well served with several historical public houses, a sports centre, a primary school, a Co-Operative supermarket, post office, hairdressers and several small and characterful village shops. Great Wakering consists mainly of two roads, the High Street which runs from the junction of Star Lane, and New Road which begins outside St. Nicholas parish church and runs down to the bridges for Foulness Island.
According to a mediaeval tradition, Wakering (probably Great Wakering) was the site of a monastery during the seventh century AD. Two Christian cousins of King Ecgberht of Kent
Ecgberht of Kent
Ecgberht was a King of Kent who ruled from 664 to 673, succeeding his father Eorcenberht s:Ecclesiastical History of the English People/Book 4#1....
, named Aethelred and Aethelberht, were murdered at Eastry
Eastry
Eastry is a civil parish and remote, yet historically significant village four kilometres SW of Sandwich, in Kent, that was voted "Kent Village of the Year 2005".-Etymology:...
, a royal dwelling in the Kingdom of Kent
Kingdom of Kent
The Kingdom of Kent was a Jutish colony and later independent kingdom in what is now south east England. It was founded at an unknown date in the 5th century by Jutes, members of a Germanic people from continental Europe, some of whom settled in Britain after the withdrawal of the Romans...
, during King Ecgberht's reign (664-673). They were prevented by a miracle from being buried at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, and were taken instead to an existing monastery at Wakering in the Kingdom of Essex
Kingdom of Essex
The Kingdom of Essex or Kingdom of the East Saxons was one of the seven traditional kingdoms of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was founded in the 6th century and covered the territory later occupied by the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Kent. Kings of Essex were...
and enshrined there as saints. Ecgberht's brother and successor King Hlothhere of Kent
Hlothhere of Kent
Hlothhere was a King of Kent who ruled from 673 to 685.He succeeded his brother Ecgberht I in 673. He must have come into conflict with Mercia, since in 676 the Mercian king Æthelred invaded Kent and caused great destruction; according to Bede, even churches and monasteries were not spared, and...
is said by William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. C. Warren Hollister so ranks him among the most talented generation of writers of history since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical,...
to have ridiculed the idea of their sanctity.
The village church dates back to Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
times and the board of rectors or vicars inside begins in the year 1200 with simply "Robert", the next incumbent equally simply named "Peter". The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas and dates back to the 12th Century. However there have been several areas of restoration. The Church exterior was used in filming an episode of Just Good Friends when the 2 main characters were married. As well as the well-maintained and popular parish church, you will also find a United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
down Chapel Lane, a Methodist and an Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
(formerly Peculiar People
Peculiar People
For the book by Rodney Clapp see: A Peculiar People."The Peculiar People", is also a Quaker novel by Jan de Hartog.The Peculiar People were originally an offshoot of the Wesleyan denomination, founded in 1838 in Rochford, Essex, by John Banyard, a farm worker's son born in 1800...
) Church on Great Wakering High Street.
Great Wakering is a fascinating village steeped in history. It has many community links to the Ministry of Defence-governed Foulness Island. The village was badly hit during the 1953 floods and locals fear a re-occurrence of the devastation now that tidal levels are rising and flood defences eroding. Of architectural interest is an old brickworks
Brickworks
A brickworks also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock often with a quarry for clay on site....
site (now part demolished) at Star Lane which was once served by an industrial narrow-gauge railway, the remains of which can still be seen in the bushes if you look carefully. Brick-making was once the main industry in Wakering. The factory finally closed in 1991, but the four towers remained a focal point on the horizon until September, 2007, when the towers were finally torn down. Currently, the land remains barren.
Much of the land area around Great Wakering is closed off to the public as it forms part of a Ministry of Defence (MOD) firing range - the 'New Ranges'. When firing is not taking place however the MOD beach at Wakering Stairs can be accessed via a rough road at Landwick security check-in. You can also cross MOD land and walk across the Range from Cupid's Corner to follow a strange and very muddy track to the seawall which offers great views over the Maplin Sands
Maplin Sands
The Maplin Sands are mudflats on the northern bank of the Thames estuary, off Foulness Island, near Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, though they actually lie within the neighbouring borough of Rochford...
. The MOD beach is very craggy and deserted, a great spot for watching Brent Geese and waders. You will find much military debris around the area such as old firing targets, train tracks, graffiti trains, a lookout tower and several ruined batteries. Plus it is here you can access the fabled tidal path 'The Broomway' and follow it at your peril to Fisherman's Head on Foulness Island.
The local football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team Great Wakering Rovers
Great Wakering Rovers F.C.
Great Wakering Rovers F.C. is a football club located in Great Wakering, near Southend on Sea in Essex, England. They were established in 1919 and were founding members of the Essex Intermediate League Division 3 in 1989.-History:...
play in the Isthmian League First Division North. Their home ground Burroughs Park is adjacent to the village recreation ground and sports centre.
Famous People
- Leslie StubbsLes StubbsLeslie 'Les' Stubbs was an English footballer.Playing mainly as an inside forward, Stubbs started out with his local side, Great Wakering Rovers before signing for Southend United. He made his debut for Southend in 1948 and scored 45 goals in 88 games over the next four seasons...
- who played football for both Southend and Chelsea. - Alan Mccormack - Plays for Charlton Athletic