A History of Ashingdon & South Fambridge

Book excerpt: Ashingdon and South Fambridge are two neighbouring historic parishes in the Rochford District of south-east Essex which have now been united into one. Stone Age finds have been made in South Fambridge, while Ashingdon Road is likely to be Roman. The 1016 Battle of Assandun, fought between the rival kings, Edmund Ironside and Cnut, may have taken place in the locality and both settlements are mentioned in the Domesday Book. Ashingdon is now the more dominant of the two. Originating from a network of ancient farms and manor houses, it was transformed into a modern settlement following extensive development in the 20th century. South Fambridge is a relatively rural riverside village, once home to the Fambridge Ferry and the unlikely location for Britain’s first airfield in 1909. The two parishes’ histories and evolution are intertwined, which is why they have been presented together. This is the most comprehensive book about the two parishes that has ever been written. Thoroughly researched and properly footnoted, it is likely to become the standard work on Ashingdon and South Fambridge for many decades to come.