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Bradwan Nationwide Cultural GuideFirst published in: City GENT Issue 126. October 2005SOUTHENDA recent Time Team dig discovered a Saxon King Sabert buried under Southend, at Prittlewell:. His kingdom covered Essex (land of the East Saxon’s) and he probably got most of his wealth from ‘controlling’ (ie: stealing from) London’s sea trade. He was buried with a Christian crucifix within a pagan tomb, complete with lots of gold. In other words 7th Century Essex man had a way of pretending one thing but meaning another, coupled with a love of flashing gold! So unlike modern times! King of Bling Anything bad that may be said of the men and girls of Essex can be balanced by the fact that the Roots Hall ground of Southend United was literally built by the club’s fans, players and manager. They played their first game in 1906 at Roots Hall but moved to Kursaal, then the greyhound stadium. The Roots Hall site became a sand quarry, a rubbish tip and then a car park for the Southend illuminations. In 1950 the Southend United Supporters Club provided £10,000! (add at least 2 zeros for today’s equivalent) To buy the site, and created a Trust Fund with the Mayor, the club’s Chairman and the Chairman of the Supporters Club. The actual building was mostly done by a small number of fans, which is astonishing enough, but some of the work was also done by some players and the manager! That is as likely to happen today as the FA acting as though there were more important things in football than the Premier League! Roots Hall is in the middle of a large estate, which means anyone going by coach or car is not likely to see the town, which would be a shame. It’s a long way to Southend and if you at least see the sea it will leave a memory to go with the game that may last longer than match memories, especially if the football's grim: and that could be a mission statement for this guide. By the way: Does anyone know what Kursaal means, or remember the Kursaal Flyers, one of the first ‘almost’ punk bands? Southend Pier Just after the below was published Southend Pier burnt down, again. Check the Southend Pier Site Piers were first built so boats could load at all states of the tide. Southend is one of the few seaside towns that is as far away from the sea at low tide as Southport, but unlike Southport, ferry traffic was vital to Southend, which is why it ended up with the worlds longest pier. The first section was opened in 1889, and the last in 1927. It has suffered damaged many times, and we suspect that it would have been left to rot if it was not a record holder; but it is still here, and has had an injection of money and life, and now it stands safe and proud. Southend’s Council website is straightforward but dull. Southend . They have a ‘Discovery Centre’ with the usual ‘hands-on and breaks soon’ tat pandering to people who think children can only concentrate for a millisecond: although we are impressed that it has been created from new, and not forced into an older museum, with the destruction of unfashionable ex-exhibits that always follows. Prittlewell Priory Priory Park, Victoria Avenue An ex-Clunic Priory near the site of Sabert’s tomb. It has a genuinely rare collection of tv’s, wireless’ and recording equipment made in the EKCO (E K Cole Ltd) factory which used to be just to the north. There are other things to see as well Beecroft Art Gallery Station Road, Westcliff on Sea Like all the smaller town galleries, that do not have a social climbing director bent on glorifying garbage like Damian Hirst’ s hit art, the Beecroft has pictures you’d like on your own wall; and it has a web gallery so you can see them on-line |
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