Southchurch

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Southchurch
latitude= 51.5416
longitude= 0.7383
population =9,467 (2001)
unitary_authroity= Southend-on-Sea
lieutenancy_england= Essex
region= East of England
constituency_westminster=
post_town= SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
postcode_district=
postcode_area=SS
dial_code= 01702
os_grid_reference=

Southchurch is now part of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. However, it has in independent history going back to the first century AD.

In 824 AD, one Leofstan (after whom Lifstan Way in Southchurch is named) is recorded as presenting the manor of Southchurch (Sudcerca in Latin) to the monks of Southchurch. This shows that the church from which the manor takes its name was already in existence. Southchurch takes its name from a Saxon church which was south of a pre-Norman minster, probably situated at Wakering. Remains of the old church have been retained as the southern aisle of the present parish church, which has been substantially expanded in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The housing stock mainly dates from the first half of the twentieth century, when Southchurch developed from its original village into the residential district of Southend which it has now become.

Southchurch Road is the main road that runs from east to west through Southchurch. It starts at its junction with the northern end of Southend's pedestrianised High Street. It becomes part of the A13 when it passes Porter's Grange, Southend's Mayoral residence. As it enters Southchurch the number of shops gradually increase, creating a thriving retail area which continues right to the end of Southchurch Road. The A13 continues eastward to Thorpe Bay along the wide, leafy, dual-carriageway which is Southchurch Boulevard. The northern side of the Boulevard is mostly housing, the southern side is a mixture of housing situated between, from west to east, the White Horse Public House, Southchurch Parish Church (Holy Trinity), Southend High School for Girls and Futures Community College.

The main north-south roads are Hamstel Road and Lifstan Way, which meet at the crossroads with Southchurch Road and Southchurch Boulevard. Lifstan Way runs directly down to the seafront passing through Southchurch Park which includes a cricket ground and athletics ground, children's playground, an ornamental lake, and a refreshment pavilion. The park also contains a bowling green, tennis courts and the home ground of Southend Manor Youth Football Club. At the north-western corner of the Park is Southchurch Park United Reformed Church ("URC"). Nearby to the east are Thorpe Greenways Infant and Junior Schools. The Parish Church of Christ Church (Church of England) is in Colbert Avenue, just to the east of "Southchurch Park East". Its parish (also Southchurch) was carved out of that of Holy Trinity in 1922 with a boundary along the railway line. It began as a mission church, originally in Elizabeth Road which runs from the seafront to Southchurch Park.

Southchurch is served by a railway station originally called Southend East but in 2004 the station signs were changed, following a campaign by local residents, traders and some local councillors, and they now read "Southend East for Southchurch Village".

To the south of the station is Southchurch Hall which is a thirteenth century manor house now open to the public as a museum, which stands in a small park, Southchurch Hall Gardens.

Demography

As of the 2001 UK census, the Southchurch electoral ward had a population of 9,467. The ethnicity was 96.3% white, 0.7% mixed race, 2.6% Asian, 0.3% black and 0.1% other. The place of birth of residents was 94.9% United Kingdom, 0.6% Republic of Ireland, 0.9% other Western European countries, and 3.6% elsewhere. Religion was recorded as 68.9% Christian, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.9% Hindu, 0.2% Sikh, 2.1% Jewish, and 1% Muslim. 17.3% were recorded as having no religion, 0.3% had an alternative religion and 9.2% did not state their religion.cite web | title = Neighbourhood Statistics | publisher = Statistics.gov.uk | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadAreaSearch.do?a=3&i=1001&m=0&s=1208862463765&enc=1&areaSearchText=Southchurch&areaSearchType=14&extendedList=false&searchAreas=Search | accessdate = 2008-04-20]

The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 32.6% in full-time employment, 12.6% in part-time employment, 8.9% self-employed, 2.8% unemployed, 2% students with jobs, 3.4% students without jobs, 20.4% retired, 9.5% looking after home or family, 4.8% permanently sick or disabled and 3% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 15.6% retail, 9.5% manufacturing, 7.9% construction, 13.9% real estate, 10% health and social work, 6.7% education, 6.4% transport and communications, 6.2% public administration, 3% hotels and restaurants, 13.9% finance, 0.8% agriculture and 6.1% other. Compared with national figures, the ward had a relatively high proportion of workers in finance and construction. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 12.3% had a higher education qualification or the equivalent, compared with 19.9% nationwide. According to Office for National Statistics estimates, during the period of April 2004 to March 2005 the average gross weekly income of households was £560, compared with an average of £650 in South East England.

References and external links

* [http://www.southendmuseums.co.uk/southchurch/southchurch.htm Southchurch Hall]
* [http://www.htsouthchurch.org.uk/history.html Holy Trinity Church, Southchurch]
* [http://www.southchurchvillage.com/ Southchurch village community portal]
* [http://www.christchurch-southend.co.uk/history.html Christ Church, Southchurch]
* [http://www.ferndalechurches.org.uk/ Ferndale Family of Churches]