Removals to Essex - Wickford

The growing commuter town of Wickford is one of the most attractive places in Essex to move to. It is within easy reach of Chelmsford and the towns of Basildon and Billericay, and there is plenty of picturesque countryside right on your doorstep. 
Commercial and domestic removal company Greens Removals, which has a base in Chelmsford, is highly experienced in offering a friendly, professional moving service at a competitive price to all parts of Essex. Here is our guide to the town of Wickford.

Heritage and Growth

Wickford’s history can be traced back more than 2,000 years, as there is evidence it was the settlement of a Celtic tribe called Trinovantes, and the Romans also occupied the town.  The first time the town was mentioned in print was in 995AD, when it was referred to in a Saxon charter by the name ‘Wic-ford’. It was also mentioned in the Domesday Book in the following century.

Originally Wickford was a large farming village, but the completion of the town’s railway station in 1888 saw the population increase rapidly and over the years it increasingly became a commuter town with many residents working in London. 
The River Crouch flows through Wickford from west to east. The town hit the headlines in the late 1950s and early 1960s when the centre was flooded, prompting the authorities to build a concrete river bank to prevent a repeat.

Transport

The town enjoys excellent road and rail links with the rest of the county and London. The railway station is now part of the Southend Victoria line into London Liverpool Street, and it takes around 40 minutes to get into the capital. The A130 links Wickford with Essex’s county town of Chelmsford.

Education

The town is extremely well served for schools, with no fewer than five primaries serving children from the town and its immediate surroundings.
Wickford Junior first opened its doors to pupils in 1936, and is known by many in the town as ‘Market Road’. North Crescent Primary, in the street of the same name, was first opened in 1975. It has its own Eco Centre, set in a copse, which has been developed as a nature reserve.

Wickford C of E School enjoys close links with the Wickford and Runwell Diocese and is for pupils aged four to seven. It has its own Little Teds nursery and is part of the HEARTS academy trust.
Oakfield Primary, in Scott Drive, opened in 2000. More than 400 pupils attend this school, whose stated aim is to ‘unlock the potential of every child’ and it enjoys strong links with the local community.  Grange Primary, in Elder Avenue, has more than 300 pupils aged 4 to 11. Among its accolades are the Advanced Healthy School Award, FairTrade Status and the Arts Mark.

Wickford also has two secondary schools. Bromfords School was given specialist school status as a technology college in 1996 and later converted to an academy with its own sixth form. Beauchamps High School has more than 1,200 students, including sixth formers, and was awarded specialist status as a business and enterprise school in 2003. The school is on the site of a former Roman military camp and villa.

Shops

Wickford’s recently-upgraded High Street has a good mixture of shops. The Willows Shopping Centre has a number of small independent traders alongside the big national chains. For more individual or local bargains, try the market near the High Street, which operates every Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.

Attractions

For those who enjoy some peace and quiet, Wick Country Park, to the south-east of the town, is a 50-acre site of former agricultural land, with over 2 km of easy access trails and a five-acre lake. You can enjoy walking, jogging, kite-flying, and identify and appreciate the wildlife.
Nevendon Manor, on the outskirts of the town, is a 16th century manor house which holds special themed events, particularly at Christmas, and can be booked for children’s parties throughout the year.

Chelmsford-based commercial and domestic removal company Greens Removals can help you with house moves to all parts of Essex, including Wickford, Billericay and Basildon. We can also organise removals to other parts of East Anglia, including Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.  Follow the link above if you would like to know more about our range of services.