During a recent local history gathering, a new Brentwood resident remarked on her delight at the magnificent woodland surrounding Shenfield Common.
Fortunately, our borough still retains a high proportion of beautiful trees, some ancient, which we hope will remain protected from future house‑building and development.
Woodland has always played a vital role in Brentwood’s story, yet it was fascinating to be reminded that, around a century ago, a thriving commercial flower‑growing industry was also part of our landscape.
Much of this came to light during my conversations with the late Jon Ellis, local social historian and author, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year.
Jon and his family were well‑known in Brentwood High Street, running several shops during the 1960s.
One of his most engaging books, Bishops Hall & Estate (1998), summarised his memories of early life in Pilgrims Hatch.
Jon recalled: "I was born in 1926 on the Bishops Hall Estate when my father, Tom Ellis, bought one of the then new ‘Wilson’‑built houses, Bettws‑y‑Coed, in King Georges Road.
"Bishops Hall and the surrounding land came under the jurisdiction of South Weald parish, owned at that time by Christopher Tower of Weald Hall, who in 1895 sold it to John James Avery.
"In 1902 the land was again sold and then divided into building plots.
"Roads were marked out, named and surface‑gravelled, with plots sold via auction.
"By 1937 building development had begun and came under Brentwood District Council."
Market gardening soon became popular and very successful among the plot‑holders, many of whom grew flowers for sale at Covent Garden in London.
Local women often helped with flower‑picking, and the undeveloped eastern half of the estate - with its unmade roads offered a pleasant environment for country walks.
Jon remembered a large, clear‑water pond stocked with fish, known as Burrows Pond, named after landowner Thomas Burrows and another much-respected local family, the Corcorons.
Jon was always intrigued by the ancient farmhouse that once stood on the site now forming part of present‑day Bishops Hall Road.
In his book, Jon described aspects of the old building, including the discovery of a priest-hole and the entrance to a secret passage - thrilling details for any teenager exploring the area.
Jon’s Bishops Hall & Estate (Origin and Residents to the 1950s) is available in the Brentwood Library Local History section.
- Sylvia Kent is an author, historian and president of Brentwood Writers’ Circle (brentwoodwriterscircle.com).
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