Hatfield Peverel

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.76906
longitude= 0.59281
official_name= Hatfield Peverel
population = 5,500
shire_district= Braintree
shire_county = Essex
region= East of England
constituency_westminster=
post_town= CHELMSFORD
postcode_area=CM
postcode_district=CM3
dial_code= 01245
os_grid_reference= TL7911

Hatfield Peverel is a large urban village and civil parish in the centre of Essex, England. Its population, including the hamlet of Nounsley, is approximately 5,500 (in 2004). "Hatfield" means a 'heathery space in the forest'; "Peverel" refers to William Peverel, the Norman knight granted lands in the area by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of 1066. Sited on high ground east of the River Ter, between Boreham and Witham on the A12, it is situated in the southern extremity of the Braintree District Council area (to which it elects two members). However, it is only 6 miles (10 km) northeast of Chelmsford, the nearest large town, to which it is more directly connected by road and rail. Hatfield Peverel Station is seen quite extensively in the 1976 film 'EXPOSE' starring Linda Hayden and Fiona Richmond. The surrounding countryside is also seen.

Hatfield Peverel railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line. London is 40 minutes away by train, a journey to Colchester takes 25 minutes. The station is open seven-day a week, though ticket office opening times vary drastically. There is a notable railway viaduct across the Ter just west of the station.

A Parish council meets on the first Monday of each month at the Village Hall.

Hatfield Peverel is the site of a priory founded by the Saxon Ingelrica, wife of Ranulph Peverel and reputed to be the mistress of William the Conqueror, to atone for her sins, and dissolved by Henry VIII. The parish church, St Andrew's (Church of England) is the surviving fragment of the Norman priory church nave. There is also a Methodist Church and a Salvation Army (northeast London headquarters) congregation. The town has a Primary school (St Andrew's) and infant schools, Scout and Guide organisations with headquarters in Church Road, a Post Office, library, and doctor's and [http://www.hatfieldpevereldentalsurgery.co.uk dentist's] surgeries. It is the site of a large Arla Foods factory producing dairy products, as well as other small business concerns. There are six public houses, a farm shop and several other retail outlets. Major houses: Berwick Place, Crix, Hatfield Place, Hatfield Wick, The Priory.

The community is a diverse one with families centered around local activities as well as those who use the good transport links to find both employment and entertainment over a wide area of Essex. There are various events such as the family fete run by the Carter family. Richard Carter takes a group of children up to London weekly. He was award an OBE on 4.11.05 which at MCR.

External links

* [http://www.hatfieldpeverel.org.uk Hatfield Peverel]