Thinking about buying a property in Shoebury

 

Here is our guide to the essentials of Shoebury or Shoeburyness as it is also known.

It contains a bit about the town, property prices, local amenities and how to get mortgage advice.

 

The History of Shoeburyness

Defended prehistoric settlement at Shoeburyness, known as the Danish Camp

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1017206

The defended prehistoric settlement at Shoeburyness has been denuded by the development of the 19th century military complex, although the southern half of the enclosure has been shown to survive extremely well and to retain significant and valuable archaeological information. The original appearance of the rampart is reflected in the two standing sections, and the associated length of the perimeter ditch will remain preserved beneath layers of accumulated and dumped soil. Numerous buried features related to periods of occupation survive in the interior, and these (together will the earlier fills of the surrounding ditch) contain artefactual evidence illustrating the date of the hillfort’s construction as well as the duration and character of its use. In particular, the recent investigations have revealed a range of artefacts and environmental evidence which illustrate human presence in the Middle and Late Bronze Age and a variety of domestic activities in the Middle Iron Age, including an assemblage of pottery vessels which demonstrate extensive trading links with southern central England. Environmental evidence has also shown something of the appearance and utilisation of the landscape in which the monument was set, further indications of which will remain sealed within deposits in the enclosure and on the original ground surface buried beneath the surviving sections of bank. Evidence of later use, or reuse, of the enclosure in the Late Iron Age and Roman periods is of particular interest for the study of the impact of the Roman invasion and subsequent provincial government on the native population; the brief reoccupation of the site in the Anglo-Saxon period, although currently unsupported by archaeological evidence, also remains a possibility.

The monument includes the buried and visible remains of the known extent of a defended prehistoric settlement located on the north shore of the Thames Estuary, on the eastern side of Shoebury Ness, a broad promontory at the eastern end of the Southend Flat.

 

 

The settlement, which many 19th century antiquarians associated with historical references to a Danish Camp, lay in a rural setting until 1849 when Shoebury Ness was adopted as a range finding station by the Board of Ordnance and later developed into a complex of barracks and weapon ranges. The visible remains of the Iron Age settlement were probably reduced at this time leaving only two sections of the perimeter bank, or rampart, standing. This bank is thought to have originally continued north and east, following a line to East Gate and Rampart Street, and enclosed a sub-rectangular area of coastal land measuring some 450m in length. The width of the enclosure cannot be ascertained as the south eastern arm (if any existed) is presumed lost to coastal erosion. The surviving section of the north west bank, parallel to the shore line and flanking Warrior Square Road, now lies some 150m-200m inland. It measures approximately 80m in length with an average height of 2m and width of 11m. The second upstanding section, part of the southern arm of the enclosure, lies some 150m to the south alongside Beach Road. This bank is similar in width although slightly lower overall, with some evidence of remodelling associated with two mid-19th century magazine buildings and a blast mound situated immediately to the south. The bank is flanked by an external ditch, now largely buried, which was shown by exploratory excavations in 1876 to be 12m wide and nearly 3m deep. More recent trial excavations (1999) have found pottery assemblages dating from the Middle and Late Bronze Age in association with the rampart.

The area enclosed by these surviving banks, was investigated in 1998 as part of a wider archaeological evaluation of the Shoeburyness Barracks. Trial trenches were excavated to sample approximately 4% of this area and revealed a dense pattern of well preserved Iron Age features, including evidence of four round houses (identifiable from characteristic drainage gullies), two post- built structures, several boundary ditches and numerous post holes and pits. Fragments from a range of local and imported pottery vessels date the main phase of occupation to the Middle Iron Age (around the period 400-200 BC). Within this period, evidence was found to indicate a variety of domestic activities, including spinning, weaving, salt manufacture, cereal processing and butchery. Indications were also found that the interior of the defended settlement was subdivided, with some areas set apart for storage, particular dwellings or communal activities.

 

 

Slight evidence of earlier prehistoric activity, dating from both the Mesolithic period and the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, was found within the area of the settlement, although such evidence was also found beyond the ramparts and is probably representative of more general utilisation of the marshland which formerly covered the promontory. Evidence was also found of some form of occupation within the ramparts in the Late Iron Age, and of continued use after the Roman invasion. Material related to the demolition of a substantial Romanised structure, which had incorporated wattle and daub walls and a tiled roof, was found amidst later medieval debris in the south western corner of the settlement. Since no traces of such a structure were revealed by the other trenches or by geophysical survey, it is thought that this building may have stood to the east, seaward of Mess Road, where fragments of Roman pottery and Roman coins were discovered in the 1930s during the building work on the 19th century Officers’ Mess (a Grade II Listed Building). This area is of interest not only for the location of the Roman structure but also for the continuation of Iron Age settlement activity towards the shoreline. It is therefore included in the scheduling. Trial trenches in the northern part of the settlement (as defined by the putative line of the ramparts to the north of Chapel Road) found considerable modern disturbance and no evidence of surviving Iron Age features. This northern area is therefore not included in the scheduling.

The former interpretation of the monument as a `Danish Camp’ is based on entries in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. These record the expulsion of Danish forces from their base at Benfleet in AD 893 and their subsequent regrouping, under the Viking leader Haesten, at a fort near Shoebury. Although the prehistoric earthwork might have been adopted for this purpose, the evidence for this period currently consists of only two fragments of Anglo-Saxon pottery (found during the 1998 investigation), and cannot be said to support this theory.

A number of features are excluded from the scheduling: these are all buildings, including the Grade II Listed Commandant’s House and the Officer’s Mess, the Mess range, the houses and garages on Chapel Road, the electricity sub-station at the junction of Mess Road and Chapel Road and the air raid shelters located to east, south and west of the recreation ground, all modern laid surfaces of roads, driveways, paths and tennis courts, and all bollards, railings, fences and boundary walls; the ground beneath all these features is, however, included.

 

Thinking about buying your first home in Shoeburyness? Check out our first time buyer mortgage page,

or speak to one of our Shoebury mortgage advisers on 0330 400 42 42

 

Landmarks of Shoeburyness

The Shoebury Garrison

Shoebury Garrison is a unique area of national importance. Its archaeology and historic buildings offer an insight into our past.

Find our more information about the History of the Shoebury Garrison here:

https://www.southend.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/1843/detailed_history_of_shoebury_garrison

 

East Beach

East Beach is a sandy/pebbly beach around a quarter of a mile long and is sandwiched between the Pig’s Bay MoD site and Shoebury Garrison. East Beach is the site of a defence boom, built in 1944, to prevent enemy shipping and submarines from accessing the River Thames.

The majority of the boom was dismantled after the war, but around one mile still remains, stretching out into the Thames Estuary.

 

 

Transport links Shoeburyness

Shoeburyness Train Station

Shoeburyness station is the last stop on the main line from London Fenchurch Street, and takes you straight to the Essex coastline. The Journey time takes about one hour.

https://www.c2c-online.co.uk/stations/shoeburyness-station/

 

Interested in buying a property to let in Shoeburyness? Check out our, buy to let mortgage guide or pop in and speak to one of our Shoebury mortgage advisers.

 

House prices 2017 Shoeburyness

Shoebury has experienced a generous increase in house prices over the last 3 years, with the average purchase price increasing by 33%.

The average purchase price for flats in Shoeburyness was £162,593.

Terrace houses in Shoeburyness fetched an average of £267,450

Whilst semi-detached houses sold for an average price of £304,864

Detached properties sold for an average price of £505,387.

This brought the average total house price for Shoeburyness in at £311,203. This was up 6% on 2016 and a massive 27% up from 2015 when the average house price for Shoebury was just £245,078.

The most expensive house sale of 2017 in Shoebury

The most expensive house sale in Shoeburyness for 2017 was a whopping £1,200,000 on June 2017.

26, Lodwick, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-sea SS3 9HW

£1,200,000

Detached, Freehold,

02 Jun 2017

4 bedrooms

 

Mortgage Adviser Shoebury. Considering a remortgage on a property in Shoebury? Check out our guide to remortgaging.

 

Schools in Shoebury

There are 6 schools listed in Shoebury. Find enclosed the details, addresses and links to each website.

Shoeburness High School

Caulfield Road, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS3 9LL

Telephone: 01702 292286

schooloffice@shoeburyness.southend.sch.uk

http://www.shoeburynesshigh.co.uk

Ofsted report https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/137733

 

Friars Primary School & Nursery

100 Constable Way

Shoeburyness

01702 294837

https://www.friarsprimary.co.uk/

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/134704

 

ST Georges Catholic Primary School

Eagle Way

Shoeburyness

01702 293522

http://www.sgcps.co.uk/

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/115149

 

Richmond Avenue Primary School

Richmond Ave

Shoebury

01702 292197

https://www.richmond-avenue.co.uk/

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/133957

 

Looking for a home mover mortgage in Shoebury? Read our guide to moving home for top tips or call us on 0330 400 4242.

 

Thorpedene Primary School

Delaware Rd

Shoeburyness

01702 582225

https://thorpedene.southend.sch.uk/

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/115265

 

Hinguar Primary School & Nursery

New Garrison Road
Shoeburyness
Southend
Essex
SS3 9FE

Telephone: 01702 292721

e-mail: office@hinguar.southend.sch.uk

http://www.hinguarprimary.org/

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/114772

 

Worried about what would happen to your family if you were not able to care for them?
Whether you own or rent a property in Shoebury we can help put a ”Plan B” in-place.

Call or email our Shoebury mortgage and protection team at:

0330 400 42 42
hello@mortgageplus.co.uk

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