Wivenhoe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wivenhoe | |
  Wivenhoe shown within Essex |
|
| Population | 9,000+ |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Colchester |
| Shire county | Essex |
| Region | East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | COLCHESTER |
| Postcode district | CO7 |
| Dialling code | 01206 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| European Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | North Essex |
| List of places: UK • England • Essex | |
Wivenhoe is a small town in the Colchester borough of Essex in the East of England. Historically Wivenhoe village on the banks of the River Colne & Wivenhoe Cross on the higher ground to the north were two separate villages, with considerable development in the 19th century the two have merged.
It lies on the eastern outskirts of the town of Colchester and is popular with students from the University of Essex owing to the seven pubs there.[citation needed] Wivenhoe station is served by an hourly electric rail service to and from London Liverpool Street currently provided by National Express East Anglia. The town is connected by a seasonal ferry service across the River Colne, Essex to Fingringhoe and Rowhedge. As of 2003, the town had a population of 9,000. The town's history centres around fishing, ship building, and smuggling. The town is considered to have a bohemian quality, remaining popular with local artists and writers.
Much of lower Wivenhoe is also a designated conservation area, with many streets being of particular architectural interest.
Wivenhoe is a Saxon name meaning Wifa's (Wiven) Ridge (hoe). Wifa was a person or tribe the town's area belonged to before the Norman Conquest.[citation needed] Also dating to the time of the Saxons is the site of the town's first church: St. Mary-the-Virgin. There is a second theory that the town name has evolved from "Wyvernhoe"[citation needed], originating from a mythical beast called a wyvern and the previously mentioned ridge (hoe). However, this theory is wrong.
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[edit] History
In 1884 the town suffered significant damage when it lay close to the epicentre of one of the most destructive UK earthquakes of all time. The incident is known as the Great Colchester Earthquake.
During UK miners' strike (1984-1985) the now defunct Wivenhoe Port imported coal and became subject to picketing by miners (many from Yorkshire - 200+ miles away), which lead to a very substantial police prescence and violent skirmishes between both parties. This was dubbed by some as the 'Battle of Wivenhoe'.
[edit] Notable people
It was home, until her death, of the actress Joan Hickson who played Miss Marple in the BBC adaptations of Agatha Christie's novels, and children's writer Leila Berg. It is also home of the poet Martin Newell.
It was once a favourite watering hole of the painter Francis Bacon (whose house still remains as it was when he died, on Queens Road), and several journalists and writers have been based in the lower end of the town - George Gale (former editor of The Spectator, Daily Telegraph cartoonist and Daily Express columnist) and Peregrine Worsthorne, (former editor of the Sunday Telegraph) both had homes there.[citation needed] Nowadays residents include Professor Hugh Brogan, author of the Penguin History of America, Auriol Ashworth, former editor of the Times Educational Supplement, John Ashworth, chairman of the British Library, Professor Anthony Everitt, former Arts Council secretary general and writer of the biography Cicero, and Roddy Ashworth, Essex chief reporter of the East Anglian Daily Times and night news editor of the Sunday Express. Wivenhoe is also the home of the sculptor Guy Taplin and a sign above the entrance to its station car park inspired then-resident film director Steve Roberts to create the science fiction TV series of the 1980s, Max Headroom[citation needed]. The film and TV director Gerry Poulson (The Adventures of Black Beauty, Heartbeat, London's Burning) - also lives on the "frontage" of the River Colne, Essex.
Actor-manager Sir John Martin-Harvey was born in the village in 1863 and is commemorated by a blue plaque on Quay House, one of his childhood homes. He was the son of yacht-designer John Harvey and grandson of Thomas Harvey, yacht builder. The Volante was built by Thomas Harvey & Son (Thomas & Thomas Harvey junior) in the Halifax Yard at Ipswich. The "Volante" competed in the first America's Cup in 1851.
During the first half of the nineteenth century, Wivenhoe Hall was the home of William Brummell, brother of the more famous Beau Brummell.
Harry Bensley became famous for taking on a wager to walk around Britain and 18 other countries while wearing an iron mask and pushing a perambulator. Bensley lived in the village with his wife, Kate, after having served in the First World War.[1]
Wivenhoe Park, now part of the University of Essex was the home for several centuries of the Rebow family, descendants of Flemish clothweavers from Colchester.
[edit] Current issues
At the moment a number of local issues are being thrashed out. One is an application for planning permission - now approved by Colchester Borough Council - to build a new housing estate on the old James W Cook & Son shipyard site. Issues over transport links and provision of services are some of those being debated.
Another community project in the town focuses on a former goods shed (paradoxically known as "The Engine Shed") near the town's station. This large, grade II listed Victorian building is in an ever-deteriorating state of disrepair and has been disused for around 20 years. Over the past decade, a committee made up of local councillors and amateur theatrical group members have been attempting to gain permission and funding to convert the building into a small theatre. Originally it was hoped a capital lottery grant could help with this, as Railtrack, the building's owners, were prepared to lease the building for a peppercorn rent or even sell the deeds altogether for a minimal sum.[citation needed] With the passing of time, the lottery's criteria and priorities for funding have changed and it now looks less likely that the hundreds of thousands of pounds needed to bring the project to fruition can be raised from that source.
Wivenhoe has also been the home of the Wivenhoe Funny Farm comedy club since September 2005; a non-profit making club run by a local comedian that attracts professional comedians to perform at Wivenhoe Town FC clubhouse.
[edit] Sports and recreation
Wivenhoe has a playing field, King George V Playing Field, to commemorate King George V. There is a small skate park situated halfway down the field which was an issue of heated debate for many years.
The Colne being a fine river for sailing, there is Wivenhoe Sailing Club, home of Wivenhoe One Design.[2] The club was founded in 1925, and for many years operated from a small clubhouse on the town quay. In 1994, the National Rivers Authority constructed the Colne Barrier just downstream of the village; since this greatly impeded access to the Colne estuary from the quay, a new clubhouse and slipway were built immediately downstream of the barrier.
Wivenhoe, being very close to the University of Essex, is popular all the year round with students, many enjoying the very pleasant 2-mile walk from the campus to the pretty bohemian town. The public houses, particularly "The Rose and Crown" and "The Black Buoy", are frequented by university folk and one can often walk into a pub and hear conversation about mathematics, US politics or economic theories - all very interesting!
Wivenhoe is home to only a handful of shops and businesses, one of the reasons the town has been able to maintain its obvious charm. There is a bookshop, a fish and chip shop, one or two resturants, a deli and tea rooms. For those who require more, Colchester is only 15 minutes away on the bus.
Italian chef Gino D'Acampo beat Wivenhoe's acclaimed fish 'n' chip shop in BBC's Take on The Takeaway programme. D'Acampo beat Henley's on price, speed and quality.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Butler, Nicholas (1989). The Story of Wivenhoe. Quentin Press. ISBN 0-947614-01-X.
- Haining, Peter (1976). The Great English Earthquake. Robert Hale. ISBN 0-7091-5395-3.
[edit] External links
- The Wivenhoe Encyclopedia - maintained by Cllr. Peter Hill, Paul Alden, and Wivenhoe Town Council
- Homepage for Wivenhoe Town Council
- Article on Wivenhoe from the "Towns & Villages" section of the "This is Essex" website
- - Wivenhoe Funny Farm website.
