Surrounding Villages and Towns Part 2
Purleigh, Latchingdon, Mayland and Maylandsea and Southminster
Purleigh is a village located on the Dengie peninsula, approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Maldon in the English county of Essex. This village falls under the Purleigh ward of the Maldon district. During the Domesday survey of 1086, the manor of Purleigh was owned by Eustace II, Count of Boulogne (d.1087). Previously held by the Grey and Capel families, the manor was acquired in the late 15th century by Hugh Denys (d.1511), who served as Groom of the Stool to King Henry VII (1485–1509). He passed away without heirs and left the manor to his younger half-nephew, John Denys of Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire. The Denys family, having updated the spelling of their name to "Dennis", retained ownership of the manor until the early 18th century.
The population of Purleigh is around 1,296 as of September 2025.
Latchingdon, originally known as Latchingdon & Snoreham, was founded in 1042 AD under the name "Laecedune." It is a small village that offers several local amenities, including a petrol station with a shop, a Happy Shopper, a newsagent, and a Chinese restaurant. According to White's Directory of Essex from 1848, Latchingdon is characterized as a charming, straggling village located on the northern side of the Crouch vale, situated 6 miles south-southeast of Maldon and 13 miles east-southeast of Chelmsford. The village primarily falls within the united parishes of Latchingdon and Snoreham, with a portion extending into Purleigh parish. The inn commonly referred to as the "Latchingdon Lion" is located in Snoreham and is currently known as The Red Lion Inn. Additionally, there is a well-maintained and spacious police station where magistrates conduct petty sessions for Dengie Hundred every other Wednesday. This police station, built in 1842 at a cost of £1,750, features a large magistrates' room and accommodations for the superintendent and two police constables. William Codd, Esq., from Maldon, serves as the clerk to the magistrates. The village serves as a significant thoroughfare connecting Maldon to Burnham and Southminster. The parish of Latchingdon has a population of 372, while Snoreham has 211 inhabitants, collectively covering approximately 4,060 acres. This area includes part of Bridge Marsh, an island in the River Crouch, which spans about 450 acres, with two-thirds located in Latchingdon and one-third in Althorne parish. Although ecclesiastically they are distinct parishes, they are united in their efforts to support the poor and maintain the roads.
The population of Latchingdon is around 1,307 as of September 2025.
Surrounding Villages and Towns Part 2 continued
Purleigh, Latchingdon, Mayland and Maylandsea and Southminster
Mayland and the neighbouring Maylandsea are villages located on the Dengie peninsula in Essex, England. They fall under the Althorne ward of the Maldon district and share a parish council that serves both villages. The local parish church is St Barnabas, which is part of the Diocese of Chelmsford. There are two public houses: the Horny Toad, positioned by the boat yard and marina, and Hardy's, which was recently refurbished and was formerly known as The General Lee until July 2010. Both the Maylandsea Bay Sailing Club and Harlow (Blackwater) Sailing Club are situated in the village. The local educational institution is Maylandsea County Primary School, located on Katonia Avenue. Additionally, there is a small local shop near the bakery and barber's. The Mayland Parish Council convenes monthly at the Henry Samuel Hall. The villages of Mayland and Maylandsea are situated in a region deemed at risk of flooding, prompting the Parish Council, in collaboration with Maldon District Council, to formulate a localized emergency plan that integrates with the broader emergency strategy for the entire district. Fossils, particularly lobster fragments, are frequently discovered in Maylandsea. Furthermore, there is a wreck of a P51B Mustang from World War II that crashed near Lawling.
The population of Mayland and Maylandsea is around 3,887 as of September 2025.
Southminster is a town located on the Dengie peninsula within the Maldon district of Essex in the East of England. It is positioned approximately three miles north of Burnham-on-Crouch and ten miles south-east of Maldon. To the north lies the River Blackwater, which is tidal and has served as a gateway for trade in the region since Roman times. Saint Lawrence Bay, part of the Southminster area, is accessible by road. The railway station is located on a single-line branch from Wickford, which was electrified in the 1980s, offering a service every 45 minutes to Wickford, and during peak hours, it continues to Liverpool Street station in the City of London, thereby including the town in the London commuter belt. Southminster is a historic village situated in the heart of the Dengie peninsula, which once constituted a hundred of the same name. An annual major horse market was traditionally held in the village. The Southminster marshes were a popular site for hare coursing during the Victorian era. Pandole Wood features ancient earthworks that are believed to date back to the Iron Age. The landscape surrounding the town, as well as much of the peninsula, is marked by a pattern of strictly rectangular field boundaries and evidence of a measurement unit that has been applied to the entire scheme. The origins of this pattern have been suggested to be linked to Middle-Saxon or mid-Roman administrations. The late-Roman road leading to St. Peter's chapel intersects this pattern.
The population of PSouthminster is around 4,881 as of September 2025.
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