Bocking: the forgotten name, the forgotten place. Once clearly defined from Braintree the two have now become so intertwined that people often only refer to the latter.

Tony Manning of Bocking, spoke to reporter CLARE BERRETT about why he feels disappointed about its demise.

To many, the fact that Bocking no longer seems to be independent is not an issue, but to those who have lived there for many years, there is much disappointment.

Tony Manning, 65, of St Peters in the Field, has lived in Bocking for more than 30 years, and feels that people now do not realise the difference between the two.

A retired University of Essex lecturer, Tony said that people in the area are sometimes not even aware of where they actually live.

"The railway station changed from Braintree and Bocking, to just Braintree, but the last straw was when they changed the address of the post office.

"Even though the post office is in Bocking, the address has been changed to say it is Church Street, Braintree."

Although Tony agrees that things do have to move with the times, he said he feels very sad that Bocking seems to have been left behind.

"Both are ancient settlements, but not a lot of people actually know that Bocking is the oldest, dating back to 997, where as Braintree goes back to 1199, when they received a market charter from King John."

Braintree and Bocking are located on either side of the old Roman Staine Street, and Tony said: "It is most likely that people living on the north side of this main road do not know or realise that they live in Bocking, for the location has become subsumed into Braintree.

''Ironically, a lot of the principal buildings such as Braintree College and the Braintree District Council offices are actually in Bocking."

Derek Taggart, treasurer at St Mary's Church in Bocking, agreed that more people should know the difference between the two, but thinks that Bocking will re-establish itself.

"Although housing developments are being put up in Bocking, they are being done in a way that they fit in with the style of the area.

''I believe that Bocking will re-establish itself as a prosperous place for people to live," he said.

The medieval splendour of Bradford Street, Bocking. Although the sign refers to both, the market charter is only associated with Braintree, says Tony Manning.

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