Billericay, Essex, southern England – twenty photos

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Last Saturday, I took a trip out to Billericay in deepest Essex to watch a woefully under-performing Dulwich Hamlet lose to the local football team.

I didn’t have a lot of time in the town but here’s some photos I captured on my brief visit.

Billericay, Essex, southern England - twenty photos

Excitement builds as the train from Liverpool Street nears Billericay.

I only ever got to know of the place through the song ‘Billericay Dickie‘ by the wonderful Ian Dury, but this town of some 36,000 souls has a history dating back to the Bronze Age. []

A meeting of the Pilgrim Fathers before they set off in the Mayflower is said to have taken place in Billericay, a fact echoed by some local place names, while in 1916, the town had a close call when a giant German Zeppelin airship was shot down after an aerial battle, narrowly missing the High Street.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

This striking, semi-derelict building on Norsey Road can be found close to the railway station.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

The plaque describes the building as Elizabeth Cottage, 1903.

Abandoned for many years, the building was recently saved from an untimely and illegal demolition – but only after the dastardly owner had taken off the roof tiles and removed a chimney.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Further down Norsey Road is three grade II* listed cottages, dating from the 14th century.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Started as far back as 1945, the Billericay Spiritualist Church/Centre can be found at 16 West Park Crescent in Billericay.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

It wouldn’t be Essex without some modern mock Tudor homes.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

The modern lines of Billericay Methodist Church, which opened in 1964.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Inside Billericay Town’s football ground.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

The White Hart pub at 138 High Street, which describes itself as ‘ the home of live music in Billericay.’

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

High Street view.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Sign for the Red Lion pub, a former coaching inn on the High Street.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Old church, now used as a restaurant. Update: according to the restaurant’s web site, the building was formerly a police station.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

The attractive Victorian old Reading Rooms, built in 1886.

In the 1960s, the building served as the Billericay Recreation Rooms.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Chapel Street. The plaque reads, “The Woolpack, 1450, extended 1570, front rebuilt 1850-1953.”

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

In this Chapel Street view (left to right) is The Chequers pub, Goodspeeds fishmongers and Fleur De Lys flower shop.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

Door detail from 5, Chapel Street.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

The Chequers pub, a timber framed building thought to date back to around 1509.

Billericay, Essex, England -  twenty photos from around town, April 2014

The Railway pub, close to the station.

6 Comments on “Billericay, Essex, southern England – twenty photos”

  1. ^ LOL fool

    Fishshop was there for years then pushed out. I find link
    Should have gone to woods not very far from town

  2. The wildwood restaurant was not previously a church but was Billericay’s town hall for years then left derelict before being reopened as the wildwood.

  3. Just starting my family tree. My family in the 1800’s were the Punts. Don’t know if the same ones who ran the white hart. Will be delving deeper. If so, it will be on my travels when I make it to the UK from Australia.

Leave a Reply to dlx1Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.