Kelvedon
| Kelvedon | |
|---|---|
 St. Mary the Virgin church, Kelvedon |
|
 Kelvedon
|
|
| Kelvedon shown within Essex | |
| Population | 4,717 (2001) 3,587 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | TL861184 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | COLCHESTER |
| Postcode district | CO5 |
| Dialling code | 01376 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Kelvedon is a village and civil parish in the Braintree District of Essex in England, near to the town of Witham. It had a population of 4,717 in 2001, reducing to 3,587 at the 2011 Census.
The existing village of Kelvedon has been a settlement since the Early Middle Ages, though it stands near (and partly on) the site of a Roman settlement, probably Canonium. Kelvedon expanded significantly in the Victorian era. The reason was the Norwich to London railway making it a place to live yet get to work as rail was the only fast method of transport. Victorian Kelvedon was set along one street, High Street. In the 1930s, with the advent of the automobile, High Street became the A12, the main road through Essex. Ribbon development saw houses sprawl along the road for miles. The village suffered major congestion until a bypass was built in the 1960s. Suburbanization started to take place in the 1980s - a large development called Riverside Park was constructed containing hundreds of homes.
Kelvedon is situated next to the village of Feering and is separated from it by the River Blackwater. The River Blackwater was spanned by a packhorse bridge, built around 1750, which was an essential part of the main road carrying traffic from Norfolk and Suffolk to London and this feature was significant in making Kelvedon an important staging post on the main route to London, as could be seen from the numerous inns and hostelries which served the area.
In the late 19th century, Kelvedon became famous for seed growing, and the firm of Kings Seeds, now part of Associated British Foods, became famous for the production of flower and vegetable seeds. Another large seed merchant, based nearby in the hamlet of Inworth, and trading worldwide was E W Deal & Sons (a founder member of Asmer Seeds based in Leicester) who were famous for developing the Kelvedon Wonder Pea and other varieties of flowers and vegetables.
The village is bounded to the north by the river Blackwater where the adjacent village of Feering starts. Kelvedon contains a school called Kelvedon St Mary's. The original school (Ayletts Foundation School) in Kelvedon was founded by Thomas Aylett in Maldon Road, Kelvedon, in 1632 when he bequeathed the property along with £10 per annum to provide a salary for a master. The school closed in 1944 and was replaced by the Kelvedon St Mary's School located on the corner of High Street and Easterford Road (now the Kelvedon and Feering Health Centre) which was in turn replaced in 1977 by a new school located in Docwra Road. The Ayletts building still stands today and houses the Kelvedon Library and Museum. Brockwell Meadows Local Nature Reserve is south-east of the village between the houses and the River Blackwater.
...
Wikipedia