Discovering Southminster
Southminster, part of the Dengie Peninsular, is reached by car along the B1018 directly into the High Street or via rail, with a direct link from London Liverpool Street. The village has a population of over 4021 people and there are in excess of 1587 homes. (Figures as of 2001). Southminster has its own police station and the area has a below average level of crime. At the end of the high street is St. Leonard's church which is at least 800 years old and has some earlier Roman stone used in its construction.
The village caters for every day needs and has larger local towns and villages in close proximity. Chelmsford, the county town of Essex, is 18 miles from Southminster and offers a large shopping centre.
In Southminster High Street, there are the following shops to cater for your everyday needs:
- Newsagents
- Launderette
- Post Office
- Hardware Shop
- Carpet Shop
- Chemist
- Card shop
- Hairdressers
- Convenience Store
- Doctor's Surgery
- Village Pubs
- A number of restaurants & take-aways including Fish & Chip Shop, Indian and Chinese
For other shops/towns, Burnham on Crouch, a pretty riverside location is 3 miles away and has a Tesco Express. Burnham on Crouch is a prime sailing location and has plenty of pubs and restaurants along the River Front, with views over the River Crouch. There is a 24 hour Tesco store in Maldon (11 miles) and a 24 hour Asda store in South Woodham Ferrers (10 miles away).
Southminster has its own mainline railway station with a direct service to London, Liverpool Street. The price of an annual season ticket is £2,800.00. (July 2005). There is also a href="http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/gui.jsp?channelOid=13563&guideOid=16164&oid=16164">Dengie Village Link; a network of rural bus services to help people getting to work, shopping and just generally being able to get out and about, this is a frequent bus service linking all the local villages. Details can be obtained from the Traveline on 0870 6082608.
Southminster Infants School is in the village on Burnham Road catering for ages 5 — 7 and St. Leonard's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, also in Burnham Road, is a primary school for boys and girls aged 7-11. The two secondary schools that serve the area are St. Peter's High School in Burnham on Crouch and Plume School in Maldon.
There are 2 parent and toddler groups both held in the Memorial Hall in Southminster High Street. Funtots is held every Tuesday morning and Orchard Baby and Toddler Group is held twice a week in the Memorial Hall on a Wednesday and Thursday morning. There is also Hillside Playcare Centre which takes children from 3 months to 5 years and is open from 7am — 7pm. There are also local meetings for Brownies, Cubs & Scouts.
