Hatfield Peverel

Hatfield Peverel is a large urban village and civil parish in the centre of Essex, England. Its population, including the hamlet of Nounsley, is approximately 5,500 (in 2004). Hatfield means a 'heathery space in the forest'; Peverel refers to William Peverel, the Norman knight granted lands in the area by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of 1066. Sited on high ground east of the River Ter, between Boreham and Witham on the A12, it is situated in the southern extremity of the Braintree District Council area (to which it elects two members).

However, it is only 6 miles (10 km) northeast of Chelmsford, the nearest large town, to which it is more directly connected by road and rail. Hatfield Peverel railway station is on the Abellio Greater Anglia East Anglia rail network. London is 45 minutes away by train, a journey to Colchester takes 30 minutes and provides access to/from Witham, London, Ipswich etc.The station is open seven days a week, though ticket office opening times vary drastically. There is a notable railway viaduct across the River Ter just west of the station.

The parish council meets on the first Monday of each month at the Village Hall.

Hatfield Peverel is the site of a priory founded by the Saxon Ingelrica, wife of Ranulph Peverel and reputed to be the mistress of William the Conqueror, to atone for her sins, and dissolved by Henry VIII. The parish church, St Andrew's (Church of England) is the surviving fragment of the Norman priory church nave. There is also a Methodist Church and a Salvation Army (northeast London headquarters) congregation. The village has a Junior School (St Andrew's C of E) and an adjacent County Infant School, as well as thriving Scout and Guide organisations with headquarters in Church Road, a Post Office, library, and doctor's and dentist's surgeries. It is the site of a large Arla Foods factory producing dairy products, as well as other small business concerns. There are six public houses, a farm shop and several other retail outlets. Major houses: Berwick Place, Crix, Hatfield Place, Hatfield Wick, The Priory.

The community is a diverse one with families centered on local activities as well as those who use the good transport links to find both employment and entertainment over a wide area of Essex and in the city. There are various events such as the family fete run by the Carter family. Richard Carter takes a group of children up to London weekly. He was awarded an OBE on 4.11.05 whilst at MCR.

Hatfield Peverel Station is seen quite extensively in the 1976 film Exposé starring Linda Hayden and Fiona Richmond. The surrounding countryside is also seen. Hatfield Peverel is also the childhood hometown of dubstep artist Tom Ford (AKA Peverelist), who originally took the moniker of Hatfield Peverel Junglist Massive before shortening it. Ford is now based in Bristol and runs the Punch Drunk label as well as managing Rooted Records.