Ashingdon and South Fambridge are two neighbouring historic parishes in the Rochford District of south-east Essex which have now been united into one. Stone Age finds have been made in South Fambridge, while Ashingdon Road is likely to be Roman. The 1016 Battle of Assandun, fought between the rival kings, Edmund Ironside and Cnut, may have taken place in the locality and both settlements are mentioned in the Domesday Book. Ashingdon is now the more dominant of the two. Originating from a network of ancient farms and manor houses, it was transformed into a modern settlement following extensive development in the 20th century. South Fambridge is a relatively rural riverside village, once home to the Fambridge Ferry and the unlikely location for Britain’s first airfield in 1909. The two parishes’ histories and evolution are intertwined, which is why they have been presented together. This is the most comprehensive book about the two parishes that has ever been written. Thoroughly researched and properly footnoted, it is likely to become the standard work on Ashingdon and South Fambridge for many decades to come.

The Secret History of Southend offers the reader an off-the-beaten-track tour of the city’s landmarks and streets, revealing the forgotten stories of Southend – its people, its visitors, its history, its streets and its buildings. This book is filled with hundreds of little-known facts and historical anecdotes. From the arrival of the ‘Brides in the Bath’ murderer to the famous mountaineer who liked to live at the top of his building, this book will amuse, fascinate and inform all lovers of the area. Southend may not be an ancient town, but it is the largest in Essex, and has a history that may surprise residents and visitors alike. This delightful book delves deeper, bringing history and landscape to life.

The Battle of Maldon in 991, fought at Northey Island in Essex, both inspired the most important Anglo-Saxon poem after Beowulf and has itself been the subject of extensive historical investigation and speculation. The Battle of Maldon: Fiction and Fact brings together specially commissioned essays by leading literary, archaeological and historical scholars to provide a rounded an detailed account of the battle based on the most recent scholarship.