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Southminster Village- Historical Jottings Southminster is a large village in rural farmland about 3 miles to the North of Burnham on Crouch
Prehistoric and Roman In early times Southminster would have been a coastal site of firm ground in extensive marshlands. There is substantial evidence of habitation from Neolithic times with many finds especially during the construction of the Crouch Valley Line in the late 1800's. Pandole wood contains earthworks that are believed to relate to iron age or roman occupation. There have been several excavations of Pandole Wood without finding conclusive evidence of the builders. There have been a number of finds relating to roman occupation with the highlight being the discovery of a roman cremation vase at Caidge Farm on 1893.
Saxon and Medieval In Saxon times the main landowner was the Bishop of London. The main church for the area was sited at Southminster, probably on the site of the current church. The village name of South Minster related to this Minster church with the name south to differentiate between that church and the other Minster church - St Peter's at Bradwell on Sea. The Domesday book records Southminster as having 64 people and 13 slaves. Stock included 2,000 sheep, 11 cattle and 20 pigs. Most of the village centre development took place near to the church although the Hall was to the far east of the village. The village provided a centre for neighbouring villages with a market place, traders and a thrice yearly fair.
Sixteenth Century onwards The village centre continued to develop around the church taking a shape that is unchanged today. The village cage and stocks were well used on their site next to the old parish rooms By the 18th century Southminster was the centre of farming life in the Dengie 100 with an animal market and annual horse fair. The coming of the railway and the development of large scale gravel extraction further developed the important of Southminster. By the twentieth century the growth and importance of Southminster waned at the growth of nearby Burnham on Crouch.
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