Little Burstead
| Little Burstead | |
| Essex | |
|---|---|
 Parish Church of St Mary The Virgin | |
| Location | |
| Location: | 51°36’16"N, -0°24’15"E |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Billericay |
| Postcode: | CM12 |
| Dialling code: | 01277 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Basildon |
Little Burstead is a village and parish in the Barnstable hundred of Essex. It lies 2¼ miles south-west of Billericay, and 4½ miles south-east of Brentwood railway station.[1]
History
In 1086 the parish had 9 households and was held by the Bishop of London. Before the Norman conquest it was held by Godwin of Benfield.[2] In the 19th century the parish had an area of 1,829 acres and a population in 1870 of 186 (37 houses).[1]
The civil parish was abolished in 1937 when it was annexed by Billericay.[3]
A civil parish was re-established in 1997 and the parish council has five elected / co-opted members. Electorate at 1 June 2011 of 327, The Parish Council regularly meets bi-monthly at Little Burstead Village Hall. [4]
The population increased to 395 at the 2011 census.[5]
Parish church
The parish church is the church of St Mary the Virgin is set in a picturesque, but isolated rural situation on high ground overlooking the Thames valley. It was built in late Norman times as a windowed oratory and was originally much smaller. The roof of the Nave would have been much lower and the door was on the north side opposite the present south door which is 15th-century. The Altar was almost certainly sited in the recess to the side of the present pulpit. Extensive alterations would have occurred when the chancel was added in the mid-14th century. The walls of the church are built of ragstone rubble and of 'pudding stone' (a conglomerate of pebbles in a siliceous matrix found locally) with limestone and brick dressing. The round stones on either side of the Porch are probably the base of a churchyard calvary. The South door is 15th-century and the porch was added much later. The font is early 16th-century. The gallery was added in 1880. [6]
A probable explanation for the present isolated position of the church might be explained by looking further back in history than the modern site of the village and considering that the back of the church was in fact 'the front'. The road that now leads to the church probably did not exist at the time it was built and the main route from Billericay ran from Tye Common, through Wiggins Lane, across to Hatches Farm road and up Botney Hill towards Herongate. Three manors were sited between Botney Hill and the Dunton road and standing in this area one can see that the church is positioned so that it overlooks the area that it probably served.[6]
Laindon Common
Laindon Common is in Little Burstead. The Common is managed by the Laindon Common Conservators on behalf of Basildon Council. [7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, by John Marius Wilson, 1870-2
- ↑ Domesday Book, section on the county of Essex
- ↑ Order No. 87970. The County of Essex, U.D. of Billericay (Union of Parishes) Confirmation Order, 1936; 1.4.1938. M. of H. Order No. 88877. The County of Essex (Billericay and Thurrock U.Ds.) Confirmation Order, 1938
- ↑ Little Burstead Parish Council web site http://www.essexinfo.net/littlebursteadpc/parish-council/ extract 9/4/2015
- ↑ "Parish population 2011". http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11125666&c=CM12+9SS&d=16&e=62&g=6422281&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1442844661039&enc=1. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Parish church web site http://www.billericaychurches.org/html/smv/Welcome.html 09 April 2015
- ↑ http://www.laindonhistory.org.uk/page_id__609_path__0p126p160p19p.aspx
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Little Burstead) |