History Essex

the name essex originates in anglo-saxon period of middle ages , has root in anglo-saxon (old english) name Ēastseaxe ( east saxons ), eastern kingdom of saxons had come continent , settled in britain (cf. middlesex, sussex , wessex) during heptarchy. recorded in ad 527, essex occupied territory north of river thames, incorporating of later became middlesex (which included surrey) , of later became hertfordshire. territory later restricted lands east of river lea.

colchester in north-east of county britain s oldest recorded town, dating before roman conquest, when known camulodunum , sufficiently well-developed have own mint. in ad 824, following battle of ellandun, kingdoms of east saxons, south saxons , jutes of kent absorbed kingdom of west saxons, uniting saxland under king alfred s grandfather egberht. before norman conquest east saxons subsumed kingdom of england. after norman conquest, essex became county.

during medieval period, of area designated royal forest, including entire county in period 1204, when area north of stanestreet disafforested. gradually, areas subject forest law diminished, @ various times included forests of becontree, chelmsford, epping, hatfield, ongar , waltham.

county-wide administration

essex county council formed in 1889. however, county boroughs of west ham (1889–1965), southend-on-sea (1914–1974) , east ham (1915–1965) formed part of county unitary authorities (not under county council control). 12 boroughs , districts provide more localised services such rubbish , recycling collections, leisure , planning, shown in map on right.

parish-level administration – changes

a few essex parishes have been transferred other counties. before 1889, small areas transferred hertfordshire near bishops stortford , sawbridgeworth. @ time of main changes around 1900, parts of helions bumpstead, sturmer, kedington , ballingdon-with-brundon transferred suffolk; , great chishill, little chishill , heydon transferred cambridgeshire. later, part of hadstock, part of ashton , part of chrishall transferred cambridgeshire , part of great horkesley went suffolk; , several other small parcels of land transferred counties.

boundaries

the boundary greater london established in 1965, when east ham , west ham county boroughs , barking, chingford, dagenham, hornchurch, ilford, leyton, romford, walthamstow , wanstead , woodford districts transferred form london boroughs of barking , dagenham, havering, newham, redbridge , waltham forest. essex became part of east of england government office region in 1994 , statistically counted part of region 1999, having been part of south east england region.

two unitary authorities

in 1998, boroughs of southend-on-sea , thurrock granted autonomy administrative county of essex after successful requests become unitary authorities (numbered 13 , 14 on map right).

essex police covers administrative county , 2 unitary authorities. county council chamber , main headquarters @ county hall in chelmsford. before 1938, council regularly met in london near moorgate, significant parts of county close point , dominance of railway travel had been more convenient place in county. has 75 elected councillors. before 1965, number of councillors reached on 100. county hall, made listed building in 2007, dates largely mid-1930s , decorated fine artworks of period, gift of family owned textile firm courtaulds.