Rochford

Rochford is a small town in the Rochford district of Essex in the East of England. According to the 2001 census the civil parish of Rochford, which includes the town proper, Stroud Green, and London Southend Airport, had a population of 7,610.

The town is just to the north of Southend on Sea, but is sufficiently separated from both Southend and Rayleigh to preserve its own identity. The town square has remained relatively free of branding by national retailers and has avoided the brasher aspects of the tourism trade that have affected Southend. The town is the main settlement in the Rochford district, and takes its name from "the ford over the River Roach". The town runs into suburban developments in the parishes of Ashingdon and Hawkwell.

Until the early 1980s one of the largest employers in Rochford was the Lesneys factory, who manufactured the famous Matchbox miniature die cast model. However this company relocated to Rugby, Warwickshire in 1990.

It is close to a railway station from which trains run to Southend and to Liverpool Street station in the business district of central London. In consequence it has long been popular as a dormitory town for commuters.

To the south of the town an extensive golf course runs to the edge of the former RAF airfield of Rochford, now known as London Southend Airport.

There is a Castle in Rochford which is privately owned by a family which live within the building, along with the golf course who also own a part of it.

The MP for Rochford and Southend East is James Duddridge (Conservative).