Basildon Through Time

From the Stone Age to the exciting era of post-war architectural experimentation, Basildon is a town brimming with exciting historical gems just waiting to be explored. Beorhtel’s Dun, as Basildon was originally called, got its name from a Saxon man who owned the hilly country to the north of Holy Cross church. While agriculture was the town’s main industry for many centuries, the invention of the railway and two world wars soon changed all that.

During the post-war building boom, Basildon was earmarked for a makeover as a New Town, and the Basildon we see today came to be. From old town to new, Basildon has undergone some incredible changes over the last century. Basildon Through Time explores the town’s history and recent transformation, drawing on the Basildon Borough Heritage Group’s extensive collection of images.