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Ardleigh
Ardleigh maps
Historic maps of Ardleigh and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Ardleigh maps
Ardleigh photos
We have no photos of Ardleigh, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Dedham| Elmstead| Flatford| Colchester| Wivenhoe| Manningtree| East Bergholt| Mistley| Fingringhoe| Bradfield| Thorrington| Great Bentley
Ardleigh area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Ardleigh and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Ardleigh
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Essex memories
Timber Yard
I worked at Mayfield Timber, the first shop on the right, when I left school, 1972 to 1976. Great memories.
Greengrocers Shop
My dad Eddie had a greengrocer's shop in Upminster in 1952, the year I was born. I know we lived in the flat above the shop, and it was quite near Upminster Bridge. Does anyone remember the shop?
Bakery Turned Car Park, Station Road, Early 1940s
I grew up in Upminster (from 1935) and there used to be a great old stone bakery on the left hand side, going up Station Road. I think the owners were called Abraham. It was taken over by the council and torn down for a car park, very sadly. I remember that Mr Abraham then drowned himself in a nearby gravel pit. Does anyone else recall this sad event?
Carefree Days
I remember Bedfords from my childhood. When I was about 12 years old my friends and I used to cycle to Bedfords Park from nearby Elm Park, about 7 miles away. Bedfords Mansion as we used to call it, was being used as a Natural History Museum and had numerous stuffed animals and birds all said to be from the local area. Next to it there was and still is a deer pen with numerous deers. Sadly Bedfords was demolished in the latter part of the 1950s but the park remains as does the deer pen. I am retired now, but before I retired I worked for the local council and often had the job of feeding the deer, and cutting the grass over this very large park on a tractor and gang mower. I still visit the park with my daughters and grandchildren for walks over its many acres. From all over the park the views are far reaching and on a clear day you can see all... Read more
Born in Lower Bedfords Road
I was born in Lower Bedfords Road and as a young child I can remember cattle coming down the road to go in one of the fields in Bedfords Park. My mum used to shoo them out of the garden with a tea towel. I played over there all the time as a child. My children also loved seeing the deer over there, as do my grandchildren now. Sadly my father passed away 3 years ago so I can no longer go to my family home in Lower Bedfords Road. But it was a lovely area to grow up in.
Shops
Picture shows the junction of Main Road with Crossways. I moved to Crossways aged 7 in 1961. The shop on the corner by the phone box was a Co-op, and the one on the far side of Crossways was a Post Office. From 1961 to 1970 I caught the bus to Brentwood for school from stop opposite on left on photo.
My father still lives in Crossways in 2010.
When Buses Ran Past Lloyds Bank .....
I am told that once upon a time buses ran through Romford Market towards Gidea Park. Apparently I was happily standing in the queue with my mother and newly-born sister in a pram waiting for a 174. I held tight to Mum's coat so as not to lose her. Imagine my surprise to find that the coat in question belonged to a stranger, and my mother and sister had boarded the bus and were moving away! Luckily the kindly lady looked after me until my poor flustered mother and sister returned. Thank you, kindly lady. Louise Hands-Heathfield (now living in Bournemouth).
