Tiptree
| Tiptree | |
| Essex | |
|---|---|
 Messing Maypole mill | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TL895165 |
| Location: | 51°48’36"N, 0°45’0"E |
| Data | |
| Population: | 9,182 (2011[1]) |
| Post town: | Colchester |
| Postcode: | CO5 |
| Dialling code: | 01621 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Colchester |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Witham |
Tiptree is a village and civil parish in Essex, situated ten miles south-west of Colchester. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Major, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham.
The place-name 'Tiptree' is first attested in a charter in the British Museum (now in the British Library) of circa 1225, where it appears as Typpetre. The name means 'Tippa's tree'.[2]
The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 9,152. The village has been expanding rapidly for several years with large numbers of new houses and estates being built, though it still retains the title of being a village. The 'village' status was the subject of a local referendum in 1999 but residents and secondary school pupils rejected town status. Tiptree is amongst the contenders for the title of 'largest village in England'.
Tiptree has four primary schools: St Luke's Church of England Primary school, Milldene Primary School, Tiptree Heath Primary School and Baynard's Primary School. Thurstable School provides secondary and sixth form education. Messing Maypole Mill, a Grade-II* listed tower mill, and the preserves company Wilkin & Sons, whose products use the village name as part of their brand, are located in the village.
Nature reserves
Tiptree Heath lies to the south of Tiptree. The 60-acre heath is the largest surviving fragment of heathland in Essex and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.[3] Historically the area was a focal point for smugglers, who used the secluded water inlets of Tollesbury, Salcott cum Virley and Mersea, and often hid their contraband within the overgrown heathland. Species found on the heath include Cross-leaved Heather (Erica tetralix), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) and Ling or Common Heather (Calluna). To help maintain the heath, Dexter cattle are grazed there during the summer[4] and a herd of 8 hardy Exmoor ponies throughout the year.[5] Tiptree Parish Field is a Local Nature Reserve.[6][7]
Economy
Tiptree is an internationally recognised brand of preserves manufactured in the village by Wilkin & Sons. The business was founded by the Wilkins, a local farming family in 1885.[8] The company employs 220 full-time staff and has a turnover which exceeded £24 million in 2008.
Tiptree is the home of JobServe, the online recruitment service, based on the Tower Business Park. Started in 1993, the company has grown significantly and in 2006 the company processed in excess of 9 million job applications. The village is the head office of Underwoods Motor Group with both Ford and Vauxhall franchises. On the outskirts of Tiptree is Perrywood Garden Centre and Nurseries.
Religion
Within the Church of England, the village is part of the United Benefice of Tolleshunt Knights with Tiptree and Great Braxted. The parish church is Saint Luke's, located on Church Road, next to St Lukes CofE Primary School. The church celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006.[9]
Alongside the parish church, there are three other churches in the village, Kingsland Church,[10] Tiptree United Reformed Church,[11] and St John Houghton, a Roman Catholic church.[12]
Transport
From about 1904 until 1951 the village was served by the Kelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway (locally known as the Crab and Winkle Line). It was an early victim of the mid-20th century cutbacks to the British Rail network and Tiptree railway station closed in 1951. The nearest operational railway station is at Kelvedon on the main Norwich to London Liverpool Street line.
Today, the village is bisected by the B1022 Colchester to Maldon road, and the B1023 Kelvedon to Tollesbury road. Tiptree is also close to the main A12 trunk road which passes through Essex. Bus services link the village to surrounding towns.
Notable residents
Notable residents have included:
- John Joseph Mechi (1802-1880), silversmith, banker, inventor and Alderman of the City of London; owned, and died at, Tiptree Hall.[13]
References
- ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11129730&c=CO5+0NE&d=16&e=62&g=6424576&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1443536906904&enc=1. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ↑ Eilert Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, p.475.
- ↑ "Tiptree Heath" (PDF). http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1004264.pdf. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
- ↑ "Tiptree – The Story So Far". http://www.tiptreeturner.co.uk/tiptreefront.html. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
- ↑ "Ponies on Tiptree Heath". http://www.tiptreeheath.co.uk/wildlife/pony.php. Retrieved 2009.
- ↑ "Tiptree Parish Field". Natural England. 27 February 2013. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160816130608/http://www.lnr.naturalengland.org.uk/Special/lnr/lnr_details.asp?C=15&N=&ID=1486. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
- ↑ "Map of Tiptree Parish Field". Natural England. http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=lnrIndex&query=REF_CODE%3D%271460486%27. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
- ↑ "Wilkin Family History". Archived from the original on 27 July 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070727141413/http://www.tiptree.com/family_history.php. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
- ↑ "St Luke's Church". http://www.tk-tiptree-braxted-benefice.org.uk/stlukeshome.html. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ↑ "Kingsland Church". Archived from the original on 24 June 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100624075249/http://www.kingsland.org.uk/tiptree/tiptree_home.html. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ↑ "Tiptree United Reformed Church". http://www.tiptreeurc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ↑ "St John Houghton – Mass Centre". Archived from the original on 2 June 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100602204328/http://www.ourparish.org.uk/about-the-parish/fr-gordon.php. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ↑ "Ipswich to Chelmsford". Great British Railway Journeys. BBC. No. 17, series 5. Retrieved on 28 January 2014.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Tiptree) |