St. Andrew's Church

St. Andrew's Church - Sandon
Photography By Paul Faulder

A road sign indicating the speed limit of 30 mph in Sandon, Chelmsford, surrounded by trees and a quiet road.
Village of Sandon Signage

Village of Sandon Signage

A photograph of the pond in Gablefields, Sandon.  Lily pads are visible on the water's surface.
The Pond at Gablefields

The Pond at Gablefields

The Sandon Crown

The Crown, Sandon
Photography By Paul Faulder

Welcome to Sandon Parish Council

The Sandon Parish in Essex is mainly a rural and residential area. Farming is the only real business activity in the region and residencies – numbering about 650 – are concentrated mainly in the village of Sandon itself as well as the delightful areas of Howe Green and Butts Green. The Sandon School – whose catchment area extends well beyond the Sandon Parish boundaries – is an academy comprehensive school with some 1100 mixed pupils in the 11 to 18 age bracket.

The A12 arterial road cuts into the west side of the Sandon Parish and provides good links westward to London and eastward to Colchester, Ipswich and the East Coast. The City of Chelmsford is a local government district with borough and city status in Essex, England. It is the nearest town which offers good shopping and recreational facilities. It can be reached by car in only 10-15 minutes or by the Park & Ride Scheme which offers a service to the town every 10 minutes.

The centre of the Sandon Parish is probably represented by the Sandon Village Green with the Crown Inn at one end and the ancient Church of St Andrew’s to the side. The Church dates back to c.1080 with the Nave and, later, the Chancel. The North Aisle was added in c.1350. Then, in 1520, the tower and porch were added by Cardinal Wolsey, Lord of the Manor of Sandon Hall. These were built at the same time as Hampton Court and by the same architect, Giralamo de Trevise.

The top of the tower is unusual – it has the appearance of the Cardinal’s hat with its strings characterised by the darker bricks. The dome, in fact, is the sounding chamber for the bells and the dark bricks are in the form of crosses to match the St Andrew’s crosses further down. St Andrew’s Church is unarguably the most significant landmark in the area.

Apart from any close proximity to the A12, the overall Parish of Sandon is generally a quiet and peaceful place. It is an area of natural charm with woods, undulating fields and winding lanes – and ideally suited to people who enjoy the countryside, the farming scene and the village way of life.

Upcoming Parish Council Meetings

The normal Parish Council meetings scheduled for the start of 2025 are as follows:

 

  • Monday, 13th January (SAC)
  • Monday, 10th February (HGC)
  • Monday 10th March (SAC)
  • Monday 14th April (HGC)

Annual Assembly

The Annual Assembly is normally held in April. This is an opportunity for the parish council to present back to the residents, and for them to ask questions for the council. There are also guest speakers.

Quality & Service Is Our Priority

About Us

The Sandon Parish Council is the first tier of local government – and is closest to the Sandon Parish community. In line with some 8500 similar Parish Councils in England, the Sandon Parish Council is an elected body with discretionary powers and rights laid down by Parliament to represent the community and provide services for them. It consists of a Parish Clerk, elected Councillors and a Chairman who is also an elected Councillor. The Council has the absolute right to raise money by precept (a mandatory demand) on the Borough Council. This precept is then collected by the City Council as part of the Council Tax charged to tax payers in the Parish.

The range of services and amenities provided by the Sandon Parish Council are many and varied. It makes provision for allotments, seats, bus shelters, litter bins to mention a few. It also concerns itself with crime prevention, recreational facilities, maintenance of public facilities, foot paths and so on. Of course, the Sandon Parish Council can only act within the law. It can only raise money or spend money within its statutory power or it could be accused of acting ultra vires (beyond its powers). However, most importantly, Sandon Parish Council acts as a sounding board for local opinion and has important rights of consultation. The City Council is obliged by law to consult with the Sandon Parish Council on changes, developments and other issues affecting the Sandon Parish.

To find out more about The Sandon Parish Council click here→

We also have an email forum and Facebook for residents to raise any points or queries relating to the parish to members of the council and the clerk. See the Email Forum:

To find out more →

st-andrews-church

Neighbourhood Plan

Sandon has now completed its Neighbourhood Development Plan. The referendum was help in Nov 2023 when it was passed. CCC are now using this when considering planning applications. Further information can be found on the Neighbourhood Planning page.

To find out more →

CONTACT INFORMATION
Recreation Ground
Rectory Chase
Sandon
Chelmsford
Essex
CM2 7SQ

Email: parishclerk@sandon-essex-parishcouncil.gov.uk