Stifford

Coordinates: 51°29′49″N 0°18′11″E / 51.497°N 0.303°E / 51.497; 0.303

Stifford
Stifford parish church
Stifford  Stifford shown within Essex
OS grid reference	TQ599778
Unitary authority	Thurrock
Ceremonial county	Essex
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Postcode district	RM20
Dialling code	01708
Police	Essex
Fire	Essex
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	Thurrock
List of places: UK • England • Essex

Stifford is a place in the unitary authority of Thurrock, Essex. The traditional parish of Stifford is divided by the A13 trunk road into two communities known respectively as North and South Stifford.

Origin of name

The place name Stifford is first recorded in Domesday as Stiforda and means "path ford".^[1] The ford was across the Mardyke which flows through North Stifford before joining the Thames at West Thurrock.

North Stifford

The original parish church (St Mary's) is located within North Stifford http://www.northstiffordvillage.co.uk The church contains several interesting medieval monumental brasses^[2]. William Palin who was rector between 1834 and 1882 wrote the earliest local histories devoted solely to the Thurrock area - Stifford and its Neighbourhood (1871) and More about Stifford and its Neighbourhood (1872).

South Stifford

South Stifford is a small residential area within the town of Grays. South Stifford separates Grays town centre from West Thurrock and Lakeside Shopping Centre. It acts as a residential area for people working in many of the towns factories and surrounding retail areas, however it has recently been overshadowed by the huge housing estate of Chafford Hundred.

South Stifford has one primary school, Stifford Primary School.

Notes

1. ^ PH Reaney, The Place-Names of Essex, (CUP, 1969)
2. ^ Christopher Harrold, Exploring Thurrock (Thurock Local History Society, 2008)