About the town » Rawreth, Essex, England, Great Britain

Rawreth is a village and civil parish in the District of Rochford, Essex, England. It is situated between Wickford and Rayleigh. The place-name 'Rawreth' is first attested in the Pipe Rolls for 1177, where it appears as Raggerea. It appears as Ragherethe in the Feet of Fines for 1240, and as Raureth in the Charter Rolls of 1267. The name means 'herons' stream'. The area is mainly agricultural, sparsely populated, and with a small amount of industry. Historically most of the farmhouses in Rawreth were moated manors, many of which survive today. The original parish council was disbanded in the 1930s when the area was united with Rayleigh to form the original urban district. It was reformed in 1994 following the reorganisation of local government.