Situated approximately 25 miles east of London in Essex County is the town of Basildon.
The origin of the name ‘Basildon’ is rooted in Old English, translating to ‘Boerthal’s Hill’, with ‘Boerthal’ being a name of Saxon origin. Historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, refer to it as ‘Berlesduna’.
Originally a small village for many centuries, Basildon underwent a significant transformation starting in 1948. The UK government provisionally approved the development of a new town designed to accommodate a population of 50,000. This development would encompass the existing villages of Pitsea, Laindon, Vange, and Basildon, with the latter being chosen as the central name for its central location among the four.
The initiative to develop Basildon into a New Town was part of the broader post-Second World War reconstruction effort, as outlined in the New Towns Act of 1946. This act aimed to provide new housing for those displaced by the Blitz in London and other major cities. Officially designated as a New Town on January 4, 1949, Basildon followed the precedent set by earlier developments like Stevenage, Crawley, and Harlow.
Despite its swift expansion, Basildon did not have its own rail connection until 1974. Previously, the closest station was Laindon, located about a mile and a half to the west. The Basildon station, part of the London, Tilbury and Southend line, offers a direct route to London’s Fenchurch Street station in just over 30 minutes, and to Southend-on-Sea in about 20 minutes.
Basildon also boasts a notable musical heritage. It is the birthplace of the synth-pop bands Depeche Mode and Yazoo (known as Yaz in North America), formed in 1980 and 1981, respectively. Yazoo emerged when Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode to collaborate with Alison Moyet. Clarke’s musical journey continued with the formation of The Assembly and later, pairing up with Andy Bell to create Erasure.
