# Tiptree

Tiptree is a village and civil parish in the English county of Essex, situated 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Colchester and around 50 miles (80 km) north-east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Major, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham.
The area was recorded in the Domesday Book 1086 as Woodland for Swine part of the Great Forest of Essex until the 1200s when King John ordered deforestation. An area of over 1,000 acres of wasteland became known as the land of heath and thief frequented by smugglers, vagabonds and thieves. From records and maps the following were names for the area Tipentrie, Typpetre, Tippetre, Typeltre, Typetre, Tiptre Heth, Tiptree Comon and heath. The name could mean "Tippa's tree". or the town of the Prior of Tipper, the celtic term for town being try and a Prior of Tiptree Priory or house having been given licence to impark sixty acres of his own soil within the Forest of Essex. Tiptree did not become an official parish until 1934. The area which became known as Tiptree Heath was previously part of 7 different parishes Tolleshunt Knights, Inworth, Messing, Great Braxted, Great Wigborough, Tollesbury, Tolleshunt D'arcy with sections of the heath known as Whittakers Heath, Sadlers Heath, Messing Heath and Paternoster Heath.
The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 9,152; by the 2021 census, this has risen to 9,600. 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. 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'.
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. Thurstable School provides secondary and sixth form education. Messing Maypole Mill, a Grade II* listed tower mill, and the preserves company Wilkin & Sons, whose products use the village name as part of their brand, are located in the village.
Tiptree is within the City of Colchester and is administered by Tiptree Parish Council, Colchester City Council and Essex County Council. It is within the Parliamentary constituency of Witham.
Tiptree was the site of the Tiptree sneeze, an event that occurred on 22 February 2014 at a concert by the London Central Fellowship Band at St. Luke's Parish Church where a trombonist sneezed into his trombone while playing. A video of the event was posted to YouTube and went viral in 2014.

## Nature reserves

Tiptree Heath lies to the south of Tiptree. The 25-hectare heath is the largest surviving fragment of heathland in Essex and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Historically the area was a focal point for smugglers, who used the secluded water inlets of Tollesbury, Salcott cum Virley and Mersea, and often hid their contraband within the overgrown heathland. Species found on the heath include Cross-leaved Heather (Erica tetralix), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) and Ling or Common Heather (Calluna). To help maintain the heath, Dexter cattle are grazed there during the summer and a herd of hardy Exmoor ponies throughout the year. Tiptree Parish Field is a Local Nature Reserve.

## Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward had a population of 7,583 at the 2011 Census.

## Economy

Tiptree is a brand of fruit preserves manufactured in the village by Wilkin & Sons. The business was founded by the Wilkins family, a local farmers, in 1885.

## Churches

Within the Church of England, the village is part of the United Benefice of Tolleshunt Knights with Tiptree and Great Braxted.
There are three other churches in the village, Kingsland Church, Tiptree United Reformed Church, and St John Houghton, a Roman Catholic church.

## 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 mid-20th century cutbacks to the British Rail network and Tiptree railway station closed in 1951. The nearest operational railway station is Kelvedon on the main Norwich to London Liverpool Street line.
Today, the village is bisected by the B1022 Colchester to Maldon road, and the B1023 Kelvedon to Tollesbury road. Tiptree is also close to the main A12 trunk road which passes through Essex. Bus services link the village to surrounding towns.

## Notable residents

* John Joseph Mechi (1802-1880), silversmith, banker, inventor and Alderman of the City of London; owned, and died at, Tiptree Hall.