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History of Rochford
ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH – THE RAILWAY – THE ALMSHOUSES
Alongside the Hall is Rochford’s parish Church, St. Andrew’s, a fine example of 14th century work in stone, with the brick tower added by Thomas Botelier in the early 1500’s, which gives the tallest west entrance to any church in Essex. Whilst the Victorians undertook quite extensive work on the Church, it does retain many original features.
One’s journey towards the town is taken along a road constructed towards the end of the 18th century when the Lord of the Manor, Sir John Tylney Long, tired of traffic passing in front of his house! The date, 1777, is still recorded on the small bridge just the other side of the railway line.
These days the town centre is clearly divided from the old Manor House and Church by the railway, so one does need some imagination to visualise the actual proximity. Before turning to the town centre one must make mention of the Almshouses just one side of the railway bridge. They were built by the 1st Earl of Warwick whose will of 1617 clearly states that he was carrying out the wishes of his grandfather, Richard, Lord Rich, and further provision was made for annual hand-outs to the six local poor people who were to be housed there.
Having begun our tour we approach the town and it is all too obvious how the arrival of the railway here in 1889 changed people’s lives. A spur to Southend was built on the railway line from Liverpool Street to Colchester, via Shenfield, with the intention of picking up mainly goods traffic. It is important that we recognise how the growth of London over the centuries was fuelled from this part of the country which was able to provide all the necessaries of life. The trains, quite simply, transported things more efficiently. Hence, we now have Freight House which was built as a means of holding and processing agricultural goods and livestock. We also have the Reservoir with all its birdlife, though, again, with an altogether different purpose originally providing water for the steam trains. To the left, before turning up West Street, is Whittingham’s Garage, notable for its high arched structure, taking us back to the days when the largest horse drawn coaches were made and serviced there.
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