We have answered the most asked questions about Essex, so you don't have to.

Back in the ‘good old days’ we used to visit the library or look in an encyclopedia for answers to our many questions.

Luckily everything is a lot more immediate these days and we have all of the world’s answers at our fingertips, even if it’s about our hometown. 

It turns out people have a lot of burning questions about Essex, some more random than others and have turned to Google for answers. 

When you start typing a query into the Google search bar, there are a list of prompted questions and suggestions of what you might be looking for. 

It does this by referring back to questions that people across the world have previously searched for.

Other commonly searched questions can also be found on Answer The Public.

Here are the answers to some of the most searched questions about Essex:

Why 

Why is Essex so famous?

There’s a lot more to Essex than meets the eye, steeped in history our glorious county has many stories to tell. 

Colchester was the very first capital city in Britain and the town is now regarded as the oldest in the country. 

Our coastline is also the longest in the country, stretching 350 miles. 

There are a number of famous people from Essex too including Dame Helen Mirren, Joe Pasquale and Mark Foster, the olympic swimmer. 

Why are the Essex marshes under threat?

The salt marshes can be found all along the Essex coast from the River Thames to the River Stour and Harwich on the border with Suffolk. 

Often branded as the unsung heroes saving our coastlines, the salt marshes act as a refuge for a wide range of fish and birds, they also help to capture CO2. 

Gazette:

Essex Marsh (Image - Pixabay)

However, the coastal marshes have been disappearing rapidly with up to 60 per-cent being eroded by the sea in the last 20-years. 

There are a number of successful schemes to restore salt marshes across Essex, reclaiming land once taken for agriculture and turning it back into wetland. 

When

When is Essex day?

Essex Day, also known as Saint Cedd day, falls on October 26.

The celebration recognises the values, history and cultural traditions of the county and the work of Saint Cedd. 

When did Essex become a county?

Following the Norman conquest the Saxon kingdom formed the basis of a county in 1139 under the first Earl of Essex, Geoffrey de Mandeville. 

As a county Essex gained administrative, political and legal functions.

When was Southend Pier built? 

Southend Pier is the longest pleasure pier in the world, stretching 1.34 miles, it was built in 1830. 

I know what you’re thinking - why is it so long?

Gazette:

Southend Pier is 1.34 miles long (Image - Unsplash)

Before the pier was built the town wanted to maximise prime trade from London, it was close enough to get the people in and far enough away to still feel like a different place.

However, the Thames Estuary has a dramatic tide and as a result arrival in Southend by boat from London was too unknown, due to the miles of mud that would stop vessels from reaching the shore at low tide. 

As a result, the pier was erected at 1.34 miles long to facilitate for the changing tide - meaning boats could dock as they pleased. 

What

What are Essex guys like?

Whether the people asking this question were thinking of cast members from The Only Way is Essex or the country bumpkins of our county, we aren’t quite sure.

There’s a lot to say about guys from Essex, with hundreds of articles coming back from Google about why they are the best men to marry. 

However, men from Essex were in fact voted the least romantic in the UK by their partners in a survey by Photobox in 2018. 

What beaches in Essex are dogs allowed on?

Dogs are allowed on most of Essex’s beaches, however partial bans run through the summer months of May to September so be sure to check the signage. 

Gazette:

There are six main beaches in Essex that allow dogs all-year-round (Image - Unsplash). 

There are a number of beaches your furry four-legged friends can enjoy throughout the year including:

  • Canvey Island - Thorney Bay
  • Irlam's Beach
  • Mersea Stone
  • Osea Island
  • The Naze
  • West Mersea

Is

Is Essex a wealthy area?

Essex is known for having expensive hotspots across the county. The so-called 'Golden Triangle' consisting of Chigwell, Loughton and Buckhurst Hill in West Essex is historically known for attracting the richest of the rich.

Is Essex a good place to live?

We think Essex is a wonderful place to live, boasting vast countryside and coastline as well as bustling towns with plenty of places to indulge or take it easy.

The stunning towns of our county and more importantly the people of Essex make it a wonderful place to live.  

Have you got a question about Essex that you think should be on the list? Let us know in the comments.