Did You Know?

Britain’s first ever public audio broadcast was made from Chelmsford on June 15, 1920. The broadcast featured the singing of Australian opera diva, Dame Nellie Melba. It was said to have been received as far away as Newfoundland in Canada.

An Anglo-Saxon burial was discovered at 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. In the 17th century many of the victims of Matthew Hopkins (the self-styled "Witchfinder General") spent their last days imprisoned in the town, before being tried at the Assizes and hanged for witchcraft.

The main conurbation of Chelmsford incorporates all or part of the former parishes of Broomfield, Great Baddow, Galleywood, Writtle, Moulsham, Widford, and Springfield, including Springfield Barnes, now known as Chelmer Village.

Chelmsford was once the capital of England for a few days when the seat of Government was temporarily moved to the town, 600 years ago.

As well as the headquarters of Essex Police, Essex County and the towns City Councils, the modern city is home to a range of national and international companies including M&G Group, e2v Technologies and ebm-papst UK Ltd.

The Shire Hall is situated at the top of the High Street. Opened in July 1791 and built by local Architect and Essex County Surveyor John Johnson, it features a Portland Stone façade. One of the oldest and most prominent buildings in Chelmsford, it was built as a courthouse and there has been a court on the site since at least 1199.

 The Romans built a small town on the site of Moulsham - it was called Caesaromagus, which means Caesar’s market place, and it was used as a local market town halfway between London and Colchester. However, after the Romans left Britain in 407 the little Roman town disappeared.

There are 69 cities in the UK and Chelmsford is proud to be one of the newest, having been granted city status in 2012 as part of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Henry VIII purchased the Boleyn estate in 1516, and built Beaulieu Palace on the current site of New Hall School. This later became the residence of his then mistress, and later wife Ann Boleyn.

The modern town of Chelmsford was created in the Middle Ages. At the time of the Domesday Book (1086) the land on the site of the modern town centre belonged to the Bishop of London. About 1100 Bishop Maurice built a bridge across the River Can. As result traffic which used to travel through Writtle was now diverted through Chelmsford.