Tiptree

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Tiptree

Coordinates: 51.81° N 0.75° E

Tiptree (United Kingdom)
Tiptree
Population 8,305[1]
OS grid reference TL895165
District Colchester
Shire county Essex
Region East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town COLCHESTER
Postcode district CO5
Dial code 01621
Police Essex
Fire Essex
Ambulance East of England
UK Parliament North Essex
European Parliament East of England
List of places: UKEnglandEssex

Tiptree, located in Essex, is a village in England situated between Colchester and Chelmsford. Population: c. 9500. Its most notable attribute is the large preserves factory, Wilkin & Sons. Wilkins products are known and sold the world over. The village also has a windmill, which can be seen from the main street, Church Road.

The village has been expanding rapidly for several years with large numbers of new houses and estates being built though it stills retains the title of being a village. Tiptree has two supermarkets, both quite large in size: the Co-op and most recently Tesco. The 'village' status was the subject of a local referendum in 1999 but residents and secondary school pupils rejected town status. Tiptree is amongst the contenders for the title of 'largest village in England' along with Kidlington, Oxfordshire; Studley, Warwickshire; and Bembridge, Isle of Wight.

Tiptree has four primary schools: St Luke's Church of England Primary school, Milldene Primary School, Tiptree Heath Primary School and Baynard's Primary School; and a secondary school: Thurstable School, which has also been designated a sports college.

It is also home to JobServe the world’s first online recruitment service, based on the Tower Business Park they now employ around 100 local people. Started in 1993 the company has grown significantly and in 2006 the company processed in excess of 9 million job applications. JobServe also have an office in Sydney, Australia and in 2006 expanded into North America purchasing CareerBoard.com, Computerwork.com, ComputerJobs.com and JobShark.com

Tiptree is administered by Colchester Borough Council and Essex County Council. It lies in the Parliamentary constituency of North Essex although the Boundary Commission has recommended the creation of a Witham constituency which would incorporate Tiptree. It is situated 10 miles from Colchester and around 50 miles north east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Totham and Little Totham.

The 25 hectare Tiptree Heath is the largest surviving fragment of heathland in Essex. It is a site of special scientific interest.[1]

The area became a focal point for smugglers, who used the secluded water inlets of Tollesbury, Salcott and Mersea and often hid their contraband within the overgrown heathland.[2]

[edit] Transport

From about 1904 until 1951 the village was served by the Kelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway (locally known as the Crab and Winkle Line). It was an early victim of the cutbacks to the British rail network of the 1950s and 1960s.

Today, the village is disected by the B1022 Colchester to Maldon road, and the B1023 Kelvedon to Tollesbury road. Tiptee is also close to the main A12 trunk road which passes through Essex.

The American science fiction author Alice Sheldon adopted the pseudonym of James Tiptree Jr in 1967. The name "Tiptree" came from a jar of marmalade and so indirectly from the Essex village. Her best work is collected in Her Smoke Rose Up Forever. A biography of her life, James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillips, was published in August 2006.

[edit] External links

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The towns, villages and places in the
Colchester borough, Essex in the East of England
:
Flag of Essex, England

AbbertonAldhamBarrow HillBirchBoxtedColchesterFingringhoe • Fordstreet • Marks TeyStanwayTiptreeWest MerseaWivenhoe

Islands: Mersea Island

The town of Colchester
List of places in Essex