Basildon.info is an independent local-history website dedicated to recording and sharing the history of Basildon, Essex and the communities that existed before and alongside the New Town.
The site explores Basildon's New Town history as well as older places including Laindon, Pitsea, Dunton, Nevendon, Vange, Langdon Hills and Lee Chapel. Subjects include shops, markets, roads, railway stations, schools, churches, pubs, farms, historic buildings, industrial estates, leisure facilities, neighbourhoods and local landmarks.
The aim is to make local history easy to explore while preserving photographs, memories and information that might otherwise become harder to find as buildings are demolished, businesses close and neighbourhoods change.
Basildon's history did not begin when the New Town was designated in 1949. The modern town grew around much older villages, farms, churches, roads and communities. Basildon.info aims to tell both stories: the centuries before the New Town and the enormous transformation that followed it.
Photographs are an important part of the website. Visitors can submit images for consideration through the image uploader and visitor photo gallery, helping preserve local scenes and memories.
The website draws on historic records, established local-history material, surviving buildings, maps, photographs and other sources. Where possible, dates and details are checked before publication. Local history can contain conflicting accounts, so pages may be updated when better evidence becomes available.
If you spot an error, have additional information, recognise a person or place in a photograph, or have a local memory that could improve a page, please get in touch through the contact page.
Researchers, schools, local organisations and other visitors are welcome to contact Basildon.info about using information or site-created material. If you want to reproduce a substantial amount of text or use an image, please ask first so copyright and contributor permissions can be checked.
For general enquiries, corrections, copyright concerns, privacy matters, image removals, permission requests or technical problems, use the contact page.