General

Pitsea is a small town in south Essex, England. It comprises five sub-districts: Eversley, Northlands Park Neighbourhood (Previously known as Felmores), Chalvedon, Pitsea Mount and Burnt Mills. It is part of the new town of Basildon. During the creation of the new town of Basildon in the late 1940s and early 1950s, “Pitsea” (as well “Vange” and “Laindon”) were considered as names for the new town. Because Basildon village was central to the district, the town was named “Basildon”. Before the new town regeneration, Pitsea was made up of plot lands and was regarded as run down.

History

There is little known history about Pitsea but its earliest recorded name is Piceseia which was in 1086 and probably recorded as this in the Domesday Book. This however has changed over the years to many different names including: Pichesey(e), Pikeseye, Pithesey, Petchesey(e), Pisseye, Pitchesey, Pytsay, Pittessey, Pytchey, Pitsey [1] and finally to what it is now Pitsea. It is thought however that all the names are derived from the meaning of Pics’ Island, which refers to the area now known as Pitsea Mount.

Chalvedon, which is part of Pitsea has also been known under different guises. In its earliest form it was known as Chauendona meaning Calves Hill this was first recorded in 1119. Other names include: Chaluedona, Chaluedene, Calueden and Callwedone before it ended up being Chalvedon. Great Chalvedon Hall still stands, now operating as a pub, and was completed some time in the 16th Century. During the building of the new town Chalvedon became a housing estate in the west of Pitsea and the local secondary school had taken that name (now Basildon Academy – Chalvedon merged with Barstable School).

Regeneration

The ‘regeneration’ of Pitsea town centre started in 2010. The Station Lane redevelopment was completed in 2012, and is a prominent landmark that can be seen for miles on approach to Pitsea. A large L-shaped building, it comprises five ground-floor retail units, 121 flats (mixture of social and private housing), and resident parking for 126 cars and 109 bikes and forms a new linkway between Pitsea Broadway and Tesco.

In May 2013, the well-known landmark, The Railway Hotel public house, suffered the same fate as another local pub (The Fortune of War), and was pulled down. The Pitsea Swimming Pool was pulled down in January 2013. A new market square has been put onto the site of the former Railway Hotel, officially opening in 2014. The former co-op store (closed early 1980s) that had hosted an arcade and several independent business was demolished in early 2014, and by July 2014 a new Aldi was built on this site and part of the former market place. The rest of the former market place has been convereted into parking. The former Sainsburys building that had hosted Aldi and Castaways, a fish restaurant were knocked down and replaced by a 70,000 sq ft store which was to be occupied by Morrisons in Spring 2015. However, due to the downturn in the supermarket business Morrisons pulled out of the deal, and The Range chain opened their new store in the building in July 2016.

Basildon

Canvey Island

South Benfleet

Wickford