Local area guide to Wakering & Barling and the surrounding area
As a Estate Agent in Southend on Sea, new tenants often ask us about local amenities in the Southend on Sea area and further afield. We’ve put together the following information which we hope will be of use.
General Information and history
Great Wakering is a village steeped in history. It has many community links to the Ministry of Defence -governed Foulness Island. Of architectural interest is an old brickworks site (now partly demolished) at Star Lane, which was once served by an industrial narrow-gauge railway, the remains of which can still be seen in the undergrowth. The factory finally closed in 1991, but the four towers remained a focal point on the horizon until September, 2007, when the towers were finally demolished.
Barling Magna, locally known as Barling, is a small civil parish 5 miles north east of Southend which also includes the hamlets of Little Wakering and Stonebridge within the district of Rochford. There is evidence of the Romans living in the area but it was the Saxons who gave the names of Barling and Little Wakering to the villages.
In 998, Leofwine, a Saxon Theyn, left Barling in his will to Bishop Wulfstan and it became part of the land owned by St Paul’s in London. When the Domesday Book was compiled in 1085, Little Wakering was part of the Swein family estate, Barling was owned by the Canons of St Paul’s and Bishop Odo, brother to William the Conqueror owned Mucking Hall.
During the time of Elizabeth I, Barling was a busy sea trading port and in the returns of 1564, Barling reported 23 ships with 48 marines and fisherman. In the 1580s Little Wakering built 6 vessels under a bounty scheme. Both ports traded with London and the Low Countries, the main cargoes being grain, oysters, timber and wool.
In Little Wakering stands a terrace of 17th century dormer cottages. Opposite is the church, dating from the 11th century, which was largely rebuilt in the 1400s by John De Wakering, Bishop of Norwich with financial assistance from Anne, Countess of Stafford as a thanks offering for his safe return from Agincourt in 1416. The Royal Arms of George III are displayed in the church tower today.
At one time, Barling had a windmill. On maps dating from 1724 and 1749, a mill symbol is shown close to the church in Church Road, however, the Smock Mill built around 1760 stood on the site until it was demolished in 1946.
The area has always been and still remains predominantly agricultural. In the past there were numerous smallholdings and larger estates which have now been amalgamated into three or four large farms.
The area is bordered by marshland and creeks within which Barling Magna Parish Council owns and operates a wildlife reserve open to the general public. Winter wading birds are regular visitors and there is a rich assortment of flora and fauna.
There are many listed properties in the area, the earliest dating from the late 1400s as well as more modern family homes, flats and bungalows.
Transport
From Barling and the surrounding area it is an approximate ten minute drive to Thorpe Bay railway station. From here London is easily accessible with frequent services to London Fenchurch Street. Journey times are just under one hour to and from London with trains running every 15 minutes and more frequently during the rush hour. Train services are provided by the National Express Group train operating company c2c and current timetables can be downloaded here; www.c2c-online.co.uk
Arriva runs a network of bus services around Southend and the surrounding areas. For information about routes and fares visit www.arrivabus.co.uk A local coach operator, Stephensons, also runs a number of rural and school bus services within the area, Timetables and information can be found here: www.stephensonsofessex.com
For journeys further afield, First operates a network of over 70 bus services linking towns and villages across the county. There is also a limited stop coach service to and from Stansted Airport and regular services to Southend University Hospital. Additional information can be found at; http://firstgroup.com/ukbus/essex/
We’re also lucky to have Southend Airport offering numerous routes within the UK and further afield into Europe. Airlines currently operating from Southend include Aer Lingus, EasyJet, FlyBe and Skyworks. Tour operators include First Choice and Thomson.
Education
Families with young children choosing to live in Barling and Wakering can pick from a number of state primary schools and day nurseries within the area, including Barling Magna Community Primary School , Great Wakering Primary school and Rascals Day Nursery, while Shoeburyness High School provides secondary education close by.
Essex retains a selective education policy and the Southend Boys and Girls Grammar schools are a short bus journey from Shoeburyness. Essex grammar school admissions are managed by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), Telephone: 01245 348257. The office is open 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, term time only.
Healthcare
The Southend University Hospital is the main hospital for the area and has an Accident & Emergency Department. The following link will take you to the ‘Find Us’ page.
For non-emergency care, The NHS website offers a search facility which will return a comprehensive listing of all local GP surgeries and health centres. However, the main health centre for the area is Wakering Medical Centre:
Tel: 01702 216545 Fax: 01702 535430
Address: 274 High Street, Great Wakering, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS3 0HX
Website: http://www.wakeringmedicalcentre.co.uk
The practice comprises four full-time partners with the benefit of two part-time salaried GPs. Normal surgery hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 6.30pm. There are extended opening hours on certain days of the week with early and later appointments available upon request.
Refuse and recycling
To find out which day your refuse and recycling will be collected, please visit the Southend Borough Council website. There is a specific area where by entering your street name, you can determine your collection day.
Shopping
Residents of Barling and Wakering tend to travel to nearby Southend or Thorpe Bay for the larger supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and ASDA. However there is a small Co-operative supermarket in Great Wakering.
The area also has a number of pubs and restaurants, with an even wider choice available to those who venture into the neighbouring areas. Clubbing, live music, cinema and theatre are all available in nearby Southend with a selection of reliable taxi services connecting the two after hours.
