Rochford, United Kingdom
Rochford is a town of 16,739 people in England, United Kingdom.
Why visit Rochford
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 30 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cliffs Pavilion, Empire Theatre, Beecroft Art Gallery and Prittlewell Priory.
Weather in Rochford
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Rochford
Rochford is a town and civil parish in Essex, England. It lies 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Southend-on-Sea, 43 miles (69 km) from London and 21 miles (34 km) from Chelmsford. At the 2021 census the parish had a population of 9,889 and the Rochford built up area had a population of 12,615. It gives its name to the wider Rochford District, which also covers an extensive surrounding area.
From the Wikipedia article Rochford (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Cliffs Pavilion
Cinema and theater · 3.3 mi
Theatre and exhibition venue in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England
Empire Theatre
Cinema and theater · 3.2 mi
Former theatre and cinema in Southend-on-Sea, England
Palace Theatre
Cinema and theater · 2.7 mi
Theatre and arts centre in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, England
Museums and landmarks8
Prittlewell Priory
Museum · 2.0 mi
Grade I listed historic house museum in Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Royal Saxon tomb in Prittlewell
Monument and historic site · 1.9 mi
Archeological site in Essex, UK
Southend-on-Sea War Memorial
Monument and historic site · 3.3 mi
War memorial in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK
Southchurch Hall
Museum · 3.3 mi
Grade I listed historic house museum in Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Southend Central Museum
Museum · 2.8 mi
Museum in Southend-on-Sea, England
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
Marylands Nature Reserve
Park · 2.9 mi
Local Nature Reserve in Hockley, Essex, England
Sutton court/Warwick drive park
Park · 0.7 mi
Swings ,slide ,football /basketball also use as walk through Sutton court to Warwick drive with use of foot path
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes30
18 more on the map.
History
The town is the main settlement in the Rochford district, and takes its name from Rochefort, Old English for "Ford of the Hunting Dogs". Kings Hill, in Rochford, was notable for containing the Lawless Court up until the 19th century.
In 1837, James Banyard (14 November 1800 – 1863) (a reformed drunk and Wesleyan preacher) and William Bridges (1802–1874) took a lease on the old workhouse at Rochford, which became the first chapel of the Peculiar People, a name taken from Deuteronomy 14:2 and 1 Peter 2:9. The Peculiar People practised a lively form of worship bound by the literal interpretation of the King James Bible, banning both frivolity and medicine. During the two World Wars, some were conscientious objectors, believing that war is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Peculiar People are nowadays known as the Union of Evangelical Churches.
Nearby Southend Airport started life as a grass fighter station in World War I. The site was founded in the autumn of 1914 when farmland between Westbarrow Hall and the Great Eastern Railway line at Warners Bridge 2.5 miles (4 km) north of Southend Pier was acquired for RFC training purposes. Training continued until May 1915 when the site, known also as Eastwood, was taken over by the RNAS to become a Station (night) in the fight against intruding Zeppelins.
Read more of the history
Southend Airport was opened on the site on 18 September 1935. As World War II approached it was requisitioned by the Air Ministry in August 1939 for use as a fighter airfield by No.11 Group RAF. RAF Rochford was a satellite station for RAF Hornchurch and was primarily a fighter base, home mainly to Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane aircraft. Rochford airfield was accompanied by a radar base in Canewdon (around 4 miles (6.4 km) away). RAF Rochford was bombed a number of times during the war.
From the History section of Rochford on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Rochford
Geography
The town is just to the north of Southend-on-Sea, and is separated from both Southend and Rayleigh.
The built up area of Rochford as defined by the Office for National Statistics extends beyond the parish boundary into the neighbouring parish of Hawkwell. The built up area had a population of 12,615 at the 2021 census, compared to 9,889 for the parish of Rochford. Immediately adjoining the Rochford built up area to the north is the Ashingdon built up area, which had a population of 6,485 in 2021.
From the Wikipedia article Rochford, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Rochford
Amanda TappingEnglish-born Canadian actressPhoto: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0
Will StevensBritish racing driverPhoto: ThumperGT, CC BY-SA 4.0
Jamie CullumEnglish jazz singer and pianistPhoto: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0
James BourneEnglish singer-songwriter (born 1983)Photo: Rachel Jones, CC BY 2.0
Rachel RileyBritish television presenterPhoto: Ed Clifton, CC BY 3.0
Jessica Warner-JuddEnglish middle- and long-distance runnerPhoto: Ian Robertson from East Lothian, Scotland, CC BY 2.0
Andrew TyrieBritish politician for the Conservative Party (born 1957)Photo: ©House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0- Omar AbdullahIndian politician
- Dean MaceyBritish decathlete
- Keith TaylorBritish politician (1953-2022)
- David BellosBritish translator and author (1945–2025)
- Calum ButcherEnglish footballer (born 1991)
Born in Rochford, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship13
St Lawrence and All Saints Church, Eastwood
Church · Anglican · 1.4 mi
St Mary and All Saints, Stambridge
Church · Anglican · 1.1 mi
Stambridge Road, Rochford
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare3
Map of Rochford
91 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
London Southend Airport (SEN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Southend-on-Sea 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Wickford 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Sheerness 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Basildon 11 mi west, about 17 min by car
- Stanford-le-Hope 12 mi west, about 20 min by car
- Chelmsford 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Gillingham 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Witham 15 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Tilbury 17 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- South Ockendon 19 mi west, about 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Rochford
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Abbotts Countrywide Rochford, Abbottscountrywide, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rochford in 2006, John Myers, CC BY-SA 2.0
- New Empire Theatre, Alexandra Street, Southend-On-Sea, Jim Linwood, CC BY 2.0
- Beecroft Art Gallery, Southend, H2g2bob, CC BY 4.0
- Prittlewell, Essex - Cluniac Priory of St.Mary, Lonpicman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marylands 8, Dudley Miles, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Belfairs Methodist Church cropped, David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0
- StMary'sPrittlewell, JohnArmagh, Public domain
- Holy Trinity Church,Southchurch, Essex, Lonpicman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rochford, Essex - St.Andrews Church, Lonpicman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hawkwell, Essex - St.Marys Church, Lonpicman, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cherry Tree pub, Stambridge Road, Great Stambridge (NHLE Code 1112576) (May 2024), User:Hassocks5489, CC0
- Australian Pink Floyd live at The cliffs Pavilion, Southend - 49091711183, kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0
- Southend-on-Sea War Memorial - view from Clifftown Parade in April 2023 03, Chris McKenna, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chalkwell Park Cricket Ground, Glyn Baker, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Street-level photo, sunnnnnnonny, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, sunnnnnnonny, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, sunnnnnnonny, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, sunnnnnnonny, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.