Shenfield
| Shenfield | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
  Shenfield Location within Essex | |
| Area | 6.84 km2 (2.64 sq mi) |
| Population | 5,396 (Commuter Suburb)[1] |
| • Density | 788.9/km² |
| OS grid reference | TQ614950 |
| • London | 20.8 miles NNE |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRENTWOOD |
| Postcode district | CM15 |
| Dialling code | 01277 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Shenfield is an affluent commuter suburb of Brentwood and former civil parish, now in the unparished area of Brentwood, in the borough of Brentwood, Essex, England. In 2020, the suburb was estimated to have a population of 5,396.[2]
History
The old village (now town), by the church and Green Dragon pub, lies along the original Roman road (now the A1023) which linked London and Colchester.
Nathaniel Ward, a Puritan clergyman and author, was made minister of the Shenfield church in 1648 and held that office until his death in 1652.
In 1870–72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Shenfield like this:[3]
SHENFIELD, a village and a parish in Billericay district, Essex. The village stands near the Eastern Counties railway, 1 mile NE of Brentwood; and dates from at least the time of Edward the Confessor. The parish comprises 2,397 acres. Post town, Brentwood. Rated property, £7,316. Pop. in 1851, 938; in 1861, 1,149 Houses, 229. The property is much subdivided. The manor of Fitzwalters was formerly held on the tenure of presenting gilt spurs at the king's coronation. Roman antiquities have been found. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £580.* Patron, Countess Cowper. The church is very ancient; was restored in 1863, and enlarged in 1867. National schools were built in 1865. Charities, £3.
On 1 April 1934 the parish was abolished and merged with Brentwood, part also went to Mountnessing.[4]
Geography
Shenfield, with Hutton, is part of the conurbation of Brentwood. The original town centre[5] is located one mile (1.6 km) north-east of the centre of Brentwood. Apart from some small industrial areas and a modest but busy shopping area, Shenfield serves predominantly as a dormitory town for commuters to London and surrounding towns such as Romford and Basildon. This is facilitated by easy access to the A12 and the M25 and rail services.
The parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin[6] and St Mary's primary school[7] is located nearby.
The town of Hutton, to the east of Shenfield, is now largely part of the built-up area.
Sport and leisure
The village is host to the Shenfield Cricket Club, founded in 1921[8] and situated on the Courage Playing Fields. The land was granted by the Courage brewing family for use by the cricket club. The club's badge is a cockerel, which echoes both the trade mark of the Courage brand and the weathervane on St Mary's church.
The Courage Playing Fields also contain a children's playing area.There are additional playing fields on Alexander Lane, next to Shenfield High School.
Transport
Shenfield railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line and is a junction for services for the Southend (and the Southminster line which is accessed by changing at Wickford). Services are operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. Shenfield is also the terminus for the all stops service to London Liverpool Street operated by TfL Rail, with off-peak frequencies of 6 trains per hour. The station is at the eastern end of the high street.
Shenfield's significance in the London commuter belt will increase as the Crossrail project proceeds, since it is intended to remain the eastern terminus.
Currently, fast train services reach Liverpool Street in between 20 and 25 minutes. Slow train services, currently operating as TfL Rail before becoming part of the Elizabeth Line under the Crossrail project, take 40 minutes to reach Liverpool Street.
The building of Crossrail has led to significant disruption to the train operations running through Shenfield in the last few years, particularly at weekends and bank holidays. Journey times are significantly impacted due to rail replacement services being in operation. Fast train services are most often replaced with a bus to Newbury Park station, where passengers can connect to the Central Line.
Bus routes in Shenfield 9A 9 81 X81 339 351 251 608 (TFL Operated)
Schools
There are two state secondary schools and two state primary schools. These are Shenfield High School and St Martins School, Shenfield St Mary's, Church of England school, and Long Ridings just on the edge of town between Shenfield and Hutton.
Retail and shopping
The shopping area in Shenfield is primarily comprised of independent stores and bars. Bars include Vault[9], the Lot Bar and Restaraunt [10], as well as Hollands Wine Bar. There is a Tesco Express, a recently refurbished and en-larged Co-Op, [11] a Costa Coffee, Subway, a Barnardos Charity shop and a plethora of other stores including takeaways, small restaraunts, cafes, banks and hair salons. McDonalds on Chelmsford Road closed in 2018[12] and has since become a Marks and Spencer
Simply Food, one of two within Shenfield. There are just two remaining pubs in Shenfield, the Green Dragon and The Rose. The Eagle & Child shut down in 2020 and is being redeveloped into flats.
Community spaces
Shenfield has a library,which was at risk of closure. However this was averted and a new library is being built in its place with retail and residential facilities.[13]. Brentwood Community Hospital serves both Shenfield and the wider borough, and is on Crescent Drive. It was rebuilt in 2008 and is very modern.
Development
Shenfield is set to house the borough's second largest residential development as part of its Local Development Plan (LDP), Officers Meadow with 825 homes[14]. These will be built on land around Chelmsford Road near the A12 and the railway line. A new primary school, day nursery, and care home is planned, and there are hopes that retail and a health centre will also be provided. Opposite, new grounds for Hutton FC are being built. Several smaller residential developments have sprung up, on Crescent Drive, Shenfield Road and Chelmsford Road.
References
- ^ "Shenfield - UK Census Data 2011".
- ^ "Shenfield (Ward, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Shenfield, in Brentwood and Essex | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time. URL: http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/6899 Date accessed: 21st June 2020
- ^ "Relationships and changes Shenfield AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
- ^ Historical notes on Shenfield: British History Online
- ^ St Mary's church
- ^ St Mary's CEVA Primary School
- ^ Shenfield Cricket Club
- ^ "Bar & Restaurant | VAULT | Shenfield". Vault. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "Home". Lot Bar and Restaurant. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ Lazell, Louise (6 October 2020). "Co-op opening new store with fresh bakery and Costa Coffee inside". EssexLive. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ Meyler, Piers (11 April 2018). "Brentwood's last McDonald's could close and be replaced by this store". EssexLive. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "Shenfield Library Project - Public Consultation Website". Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "supp2-3133592.pdf". dx.doi.org. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
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