The emblem was attributed to Anglo-Saxon Essex in Early Modern historiography. The earliest reference to the arms of the East Saxon kings was by Richard Verstegan, the author of A Restitution of Decayed Intelligence (Antwerp, 1605), claiming that " Erkenwyne king of the East-Saxons did beare for his armes, three [seaxes] argent, in a field gules". There is no earlier evidence substantiating Verstegan's claim, which is an anachronism for the Anglo-Saxon period seeing that heraldry only evolved in the 12th century, well after the Norman Conquest. Foulness Island - Essex's largest island under Ministry of Defence ownership, with restricted access The cowslip is the county plant of Essex. [70] The Hay Wain by John Constable shows the Essex landscape on the right bank. Patron saint [ edit ] The late Roman period, and the period shortly after, was the setting for the King Cole legends based around Colchester. [17] One version of the legend concerns St Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. The legend makes her the daughter of Coel, Duke of the Britons ( King Cole) and in it she gives birth to Constantine in Colchester. This, and related legends, are at variance with biographical details as they are now known, but it is likely that Constantine, and his father, Constantius spent time in Colchester during their years in Britain. [18] The presence of St Helena in the country is less certain. Frinton-on-Sea, Great Holland, Kirby Cross, Kirby le Soken, Walton on the Naze, CO13 9, CO13 0, CO14 8

It is a county which was once a kingdom; the Kingdom of the East Saxons, and these East Saxons ( Eastseaxe) give us the name of the county today. Street Map of Colchester Town Centre: Detailed street map for Colchester town centre in Essex. Large and clear map of Colchester, Essex, England, UK. Chalk, Church Street, Cliffe Woods, Denton, Gadshill, Gravesend, Higham, Lower Higham, Milton, Riverview Park, Shorne, Shorne Ridgeway, Singlewell, Thong, West Street, DA12 2, ME3 7, ME3 8, DA12 4, DA12 3, DA12 5It is home to the amateur rugby league football teams the Eastern Rhinos and Brentwood Eels (Essex Eels). The deep estuaries on the east coast give Essex, by some measures, the longest coast of any county. [39] These estuaries mean the county's North Sea coast is characterised by three major peninsulas, each named after the Hundred based on the peninsula: In England, the term county is currently applied to a number of different geographical units: the historic counties, the ceremonial counties (or lieutenancy areas) and the non-metropolitan counties. Therefore, Essex has different boundaries depending on which type of county is being referred to. The areas of the historic county now administered as London boroughs.

The English: A Social History 1066-1945. p36-37 Christopher Hibbert, Paladin Publishing 1988, ISBN 0 586 08471 1About us". www.young-essex-assembly.org.uk. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017 . Retrieved 14 February 2017. Before the creation of the county councils, county-level administration was limited in nature; lord-lieutenants replaced the sheriffs from the time of Henry VIII and took a primarily military role, responsible for the militia and the Volunteer Force that replaced it. At the 2019 general election, Castle Point constituency recorded the highest vote share for the Conservatives in the entire United Kingdom, with 76.7%. The most marginal constituency in the county is Colchester; however the Conservative Party still command a majority of over 9,400 votes. Essex evolved from the Kingdom of the East Saxons, a polity which is likely to have its roots in the territory of the Iron Age Trinovantes tribe. [6] Iron Age [ edit ] London Liverpool Street ELI CEN CIR H&C MET - Fast and local trains by Greater Anglia towards Audley End for Saffron Walden, Braintree, Brentwood, Clacton-on-Sea, Chelmsford, Colchester, Harlow, Harwich International Port and Southend Victoria. Stansted Express trains towards Harlow and Stansted Airport. Elizabeth line trains towards Shenfield via Brentwood.