Editing Chelmsford (section)

==History==
[[File:Chelmsfordcath.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Chelmsford Cathedral]]]]
[[File:Chelmsfordviaduct.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|The 18-arch Victorian Railway Viaduct that carries the [[Great Eastern Main Line]] through Central Park]]

===Early history===
Before 1199, there were settlements nearby from ancient times. The remains of a [[Neolithic]] and a late [[Bronze Age]] settlement have been found in the Springfield suburb, and the town was occupied by the [[Roman Britain|Romans]]. A Roman fort was built in AD 60, and a civilian town grew up around it. The town was given the name of '''Caesaromagus''' (''Caesar's field'' or ''Caesar's marketplace''), although the reason for it being given the great honour of bearing the Imperial prefix is now unclear – possibly as a failed 'planned town' provincial capital to replace [[Londinium]] or [[Colchester|Camulodunum]]{{Citation needed|reason=Surely as one of Ceaser's military camps during his campaign through Essex is a better explanation?|date=July 2024}}. The remains of a ''[[mansio]]'', a combination post office, civic centre and hotel, lie beneath the streets of modern [[Moulsham]], and the ruins of an octagonal temple are located beneath the Odeon roundabout. The town disappeared for a while after the Romans left Britain.{{Citation needed|reason=Disappeared for a while?|date=July 2024}}

An Anglo-Saxon burial was discovered at [[Broomfield, Essex|Broomfield]] to the north of Chelmsford in the late 19th century and the finds are now in the [[British Museum]]. The road 'Saxon Way' now marks the site.

The city's name is derived from ''Ceolmaer's [[Ford (crossing)|ford]]''{{Citation needed|reason=Is this undisputed?|date=July 2024}} which was close to the site of the present High Street stone bridge. In the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086, the town was called ''Celmeresfort'' and by 1189 it had changed to ''Chelmsford''. Its position on the Londinium – Camulodonum [[Roman road]] (the modern [[A12 road (England)|A12]]) ensured the early prosperity of Chelmsford.

===Royal charter===

On 7 September 1199, following the commissioning of a bridge over the [[River Can]] by [[Maurice (Bishop of London)|Maurice, Bishop of London]], King [[John of England|John]] granted to [[William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise]] a [[royal charter]] for Chelmsford to hold a market, marking the origin of the modern town. An under-cover market, operating Tuesday to Saturday, is still an important part of the city centre over 800 years later.

The town became the seat of the local assize during the early 13th century (though assizes were also held at [[Brentwood, Essex|Brentwood]]) and by 1218 it was recognised as the county town of Essex, a position it has retained to the present day.

===Royal connections===

King [[Robert I of Scotland]], better known as [[Robert the Bruce]] (1274–1329), had close ties with the nearby village of [[Writtle]] and there is some evidence to suggest he was born at Montpeliers Farm in the village,<ref name=RB_Birth>Robert's [[absolution]] for Comyn's murder, in 1310, gives Robert as a layman of Carrick, indicating Carrick / Turnberry was either his primary residence, or place of birth. [[Lochmaben]] has a claim, as a possession of the Bruce family, but is not supported by a medieval source. The contemporary claims of Essex / the Bruce estate at [[Writtle]] Essex, during the coronation of Edward, have been discounted by [[G. W. S. Barrow]].</ref><ref name=birth2>[[Geoffrey the Baker|Geoffrey le Baker's]]: [https://archive.org/details/chronicongalfrid00bakeuoft Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831232310/https://archive.org/details/chronicongalfrid00bakeuoft |date=31 August 2016 }}, ed. Edward Maunde Thompson (Oxford, 1889).</ref><ref name=RB_Murison>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9YCVFdVvZK8C&dq=writtle+and+bruce&pg=PA18 King Robert the Bruce By A. F. Murison] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624111925/https://books.google.com/books?id=9YCVFdVvZK8C&pg=PA18&dq=writtle+and+bruce&sig=Tjk9iqKCTZFFkV-ul4w1DUHTMEo#PPA18,M1 |date=24 June 2016 }}.</ref><ref name=birth1>Scottish Kings 1005–1625, by Sir Archibald H Dunbar, Bt., Edinburgh, 1899, [https://archive.org/details/scottishkingsrev00dunbuoft p. 127] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831001654/https://archive.org/details/scottishkingsrev00dunbuoft |date=31 August 2016 }}, where Robert the Bruce's birthplace is given "at Writtle, near Chelmsford in Essex, on the 11th July 1274". Baker, cited above, is mentioned with other authorities,</ref> but the story is disputed and possibly conflated with his father, [[Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale]].

Chelmsford was significantly involved in the [[Peasants' Revolt]] of 1381, and King [[Richard II of England|Richard II]] moved on to the town after quelling the rebellion in London. 'The Sleepers and The Shadows', written by Hilda Grieve in 1988 using original sources, states: "For nearly a week, from Monday 1st July to Saturday 6th July [1381], Chelmsford became the seat of government ... The king probably lodged at his nearby manor house at Writtle. He was attended by his council, headed by the temporary Chancellor ... the new chief justice ... the royal chancery ... Their formidable task in Chelmsford was to draft, engross, date, seal and despatch by messengers riding to the farthest corners of the realm, the daily batches of commissions, mandates, letters, orders and proclamations issued by the government not only to speed the process of pacification of the kingdom, but to conduct much ordinary day-to-day business of the Crown and Government." Richard II famously revoked the charters which he had made in concession to the peasants on 2 July 1381, while in Chelmsford. It could be said that given this movement of government power, Chelmsford for a few days at least became the capital of England. Many of the ringleaders of the revolt were executed on the gallows at what is now [[Primrose Hill]].

King [[Henry VIII]] purchased the Boleyn estate in 1516, and built [[Palace of Beaulieu|Beaulieu Palace]] on the current site of [[New Hall School]]. This later became the residence of his then mistress, and later wife [[Anne Boleyn|Anne]]. Soon after it became the residence of Henry's daughter, by his first marriage, [[Mary I of England|Mary I]].

===Witchfinder General===

In the 17th century many of the victims of [[Matthew Hopkins]] (the self-styled "Witchfinder General") spent their last days imprisoned in Chelmsford, before being tried at the Assizes<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/england/essex/ | title=BBC – Legacies – Myths and Legends – England – Essex – Witch-finder witch? }}</ref> and hanged for [[witchcraft]].

===Charles Dickens===

In 1835, when visiting Essex and Suffolk to cover local elections, [[Charles Dickens]] visited Chelmsford. He was apparently so upset that he could not find a newspaper on a Sunday that he wrote in a letter to a friend that Chelmsford was "the dullest and most stupid place on earth".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Russell|first=Steven|date=7 February 2012|title='The dullest and most stupid place on earth...' Charles Dickens in Suffolk and Essex|work=East Anglia Daily Times|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/the-dullest-and-most-stupid-place-on-earth-charles-dickens-2026752|access-date=8 April 2021}}</ref>

===Birthplace of radio===

* In 1899 [[Guglielmo Marconi]] opened the first "wireless" or radio factory in the world at Hall Street in the [[Moulsham]] area of Chelmsford. 
* In 1920 Marconi made the first official publicised sound broadcast in the United Kingdom, featuring Dame [[Nellie Melba]] at the [[New Street Works]], the first purpose-built radio factory in the world. 
* In 1922, Marconi made the world's first regular wireless broadcasts for entertainment (call sign "[[2MT]]") began from the nearby village of [[Writtle]]. 
Station [[2MT]] led to the creation of its sister station in London "[[2LO]]", which subsequently led to the creation of the [[BBC]].

===Bishopric===
In 1914 Chelmsford's church became a cathedral (see below) and the town got its own bishop.

===World War II===
During World War II Chelmsford, an important centre of light engineering war production, was attacked from the air on several occasions, both by aircraft of the [[Luftwaffe]] and by missile. The worst single loss of life took place on Tuesday 19 December 1944, when the 367th [[Vergeltungswaffe]] 2 or [[V-2 rocket|V2]] rocket to hit England fell on Henry Road, a residential street near the Hoffmans ball bearing factory and the [[Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company]] factory in New Street. Both factories were key to the war effort. Thirty-nine people were killed and 138 injured, 47 seriously.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk/WW2/WW2_HOWSE,_Pamela_Christine.html |title=Pamela Christine HOWSE, Civilian. Killed in Chelmsford |publisher=Chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk |access-date=21 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603145922/http://www.chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk/WW2/WW2_HOWSE,_Pamela_Christine.html |archive-date=3 June 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Several dwellings in Henry Road were completely destroyed, and many badly damaged in nearby streets. A monument to the dead is located in the city cemetery on Writtle Road.

On 14 May 1943 Luftwaffe bombing raids hit Chelmsford leaving more than 50 people dead<ref>{{cite news |title=Beryl Ina JUDD, Civilian Fatally injured during an air raid at King's Road, Chelmsford. Aged 11 |url=https://www.chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk/second-world-war/chelmsford/ww2-judd-beryl-ina.html |access-date=30 December 2022 |work=Chelmsford War Memorial}}</ref> and leaving nearly 1,000 homeless. The bombs hit mainly the town centre, [[Springfield, Essex|Springfield]], and [[Moulsham]].

The [[GHQ Line]] part of the [[British hardened field defences of World War II]] runs directly through Chelmsford with many [[Pillbox (military)|pillboxes]] still in existence to the north and south of the city.

[[Hylands Park]], the site of the former annual [[V Festival]], hosted a prisoner of war camp, and from 1944 until it was disbanded in 1945, was the headquarters of the [[Special Air Service]] (SAS).<ref>[http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/history-hylands The History of Hylands] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404214844/http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/history-hylands |date=4 April 2016 }}, Chelmsford City Council, published 24 November 2004. Retrieved 20 October 2010</ref>

===Recent history===
Since the 1980s defence-related industries in the city have declined, most notably the [[Marconi Company]] with all of its factories either being closed or sold. The site on West Hanningfield Road was sold to [[BAE Systems]]; the Waterhouse Lane site sold to E2V and the former [[New Street Works]] site has undergone major redevelopment for residential/mixed use.<ref>{{cite web|title=Former Marconi site, New Street|url=http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/marconi|access-date=11 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404141706/http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/marconi|archive-date=4 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The one-time largest employer in Chelmsford, RHP (the former Hoffman ball bearing manufacturer), closed its New Street/Rectory Lane site in 1989. Some of the factory was converted into luxury apartments and a health club although most of the site was demolished to make way for the Rivermead Campus of the [[Anglia Ruskin University]].

The city's location close to London and at the centre of Essex has helped it grow in importance as a financial, administrative and distribution centre.

The Channels Development, Beaulieu Park, The Village and Chancellor Park are some of the most recent large-scale housing developments built in the city. The local plan targets an additional 18,000 new homes by 2036, in developments largely to the north of the city.<ref>{{cite web|title= Adopted Local Plan |url=https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy-and-new-local-plan/new-local-plan/adopted-local-plan/|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref>

In 2007, the [[Channel 4]] programme ''[[Location, Location, Location]]'' voted Chelmsford the 8th-best place to live in the UK.<ref>[http://www.buyabetterhome.co.uk/23.html The 20 Best Places in Britain to Buy] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017005014/http://www.buyabetterhome.co.uk/23.html |date=17 October 2015 }}. Retrieved 8 September 2011</ref><ref>[http://www.chez-vous.biz/blog/labels/uk.html chez-vous.biz] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612173728/http://www.chez-vous.biz/blog/labels/uk.html |date=12 June 2010 }} – Wokingham in Berkshire comes out top in best place to live survey. Retrieved 8 September 2011</ref><ref>[http://www.virginmedia.com/homefamily/property/ten-best-places-to-live.php?ssid=3 Virgin Media – Top ten places to live] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201083834/http://www.virginmedia.com/homefamily/property/ten-best-places-to-live.php?ssid=3 |date=1 December 2008 }}. Retrieved 8 September 2011</ref>

===UK city status===
The [[letters patent]] officially granting [[city]] status to the City of Chelmsford were received on 6 June 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-18342211 |title=Chelmsford to receive Letters Patent granting city status |date=6 June 2012 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> to mark the [[Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Queen Gives Chelmsford City Status|url=http://www.essexportal.co.uk/essex-news/the-queen-gives-chelmsford-city-status|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191257/http://www.essexportal.co.uk/essex-news/the-queen-gives-chelmsford-city-status|archive-date=29 October 2013}}</ref><ref name=city1>{{cite web|title=Chelmsford, Perth and St Asaph gain city status to mark the Diamond Jubilee|url=http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/chelmsford-perth-and-st-asaph-gain-city-status-mark-diamond-jubilee|work=The official website of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee|access-date=11 May 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030070807/http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/chelmsford-perth-and-st-asaph-gain-city-status-mark-diamond-jubilee|archive-date=30 October 2013}}</ref><ref name=city2>{{cite web|title=Written Ministerial Statement – Diamond Jubilee Civic Honours Competition|url=http://www.dpm.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files_dpm/resources/Written-Ministerial-Statement-Diamond-Jubilee-Civic-Honours-Competition.pdf|publisher=Cabinet Office|access-date=11 May 2012|date=14 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60167|date=11 June 2012|page=11125}}</ref>

The announcement to make Chelmsford a city had been made on 14 March 2012 by the [[Lord President of the Council|Lord President]] of the [[Privy Council]] and [[Deputy Prime Minister]], [[Nick Clegg]].