View source for Braintree and Bocking

{{Short description|Former local government area in the UK}}
{{coord|51.8779|0.5533|display=title}}
{{infobox historic subdivision|
   |Name=              Braintree and Bocking
   |subdivision_type=  [[Urban district (England and Wales)|Urban District]]
   |HQ=                Braintree
   |Start=             1 April 1934
   |End=               31 March 1974
   |Replace=           [[Braintree District]]
   |Image=             Braintree Town Hall Centre, Fairfield Road, Braintree - geograph.org.uk - 59709.jpg
   |PopulationFirst=      16,854
   |PopulationLast=       24,255
   |PopulationFirstYear=  1939
   |PopulationLastYear=   1971 
<!-- Memberships -->
| membership_title1     = [[Administrative county|County]]
| membership1           = [[Essex County Council|Essex]]
}}

'''Braintree and Bocking''' was an [[Urban district (England and Wales)|urban district]] in [[Essex]], England. It was created in 1934 as a merger of the old urban district of [[Braintree, Essex|Braintree]] with the neighbouring parish of [[Bocking, Essex|Bocking]]. The district was abolished in 1974 and now forms part of the wider [[Braintree District]].

== History ==
The parish of Braintree had been governed by a [[Local board of health|local board]] from 1850. Such local boards were reconstituted as urban district councils in 1894.<ref>[[Local Government Act 1894]]</ref> By the early 1930s the urban area of Braintree was growing beyond its historic parish boundaries, particularly into the parish of Bocking to the north. On 1 April 1934 a new parish and urban district called "Braintree and Bocking" was created, covering the area of the former urban district and parish of Braintree and the parish of Bocking, which were abolished. At the same time there were also some adjustments to the boundaries with the neighbouring parishes of [[Black Notley]], [[Gosfield]], [[Rayne, Essex|Rayne]] and [[Stisted]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10235236|title=Relationships and changes Braintree and Bocking CP through time|publisher=[[A Vision of Britain through Time]]|accessdate=17 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10025916|title=Relationships and changes Braintree and Bocking UD through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=24 July 2023}}</ref>

The council was based at [[Braintree Town Hall]] in the Market Square in Braintree, which had been built in 1928 for the old Braintree Urban District Council.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=45646|page=4522|date=10 April 1972}}</ref><ref name=listed>{{NHLE|desc=Town Hall|num=1235026|accessdate=16 November 2020}}</ref>

On 1 April 1974, Braintree and Bocking Urban District was abolished and merged with [[Braintree Rural District]], [[Halstead Rural District]], [[Halstead]] Urban District and [[Witham]] Urban District to form a new [[non-metropolitan district]] called Braintree.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1972/2039/schedule/part/15/made|title=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|publisher=[[legislation.gov.uk]]|accessdate=17 July 2023}}</ref> No [[successor parish]] was created for the former Braintree and Bocking Urban district and so it became an [[unparished area]]. As of 2023 the former Braintree and Bocking Urban District remains the only unparished area in Braintree district; proposals for it to be made a parish have been considered but not pursued.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://braintree.cmis.uk.com/braintree/Document.ashx?czJKcaeAi5tUFL1DTL2UE4zNRBcoShgo=lBaS%2BwlqwNDDARgPlFWVDRMiTDnlV0qSOcsbPnP2q0GJmjgForJDtg%3D%3D&rUzwRPf%2BZ3zd4E7Ikn8Lyw%3D%3D=pwRE6AGJFLDNlh225F5QMaQWCtPHwdhUfCZ%2FLUQzgA2uL5jNRG4jdQ%3D%3D&mCTIbCubSFfXsDGW9IXnlg%3D%3D=hFflUdN3100%3D&kCx1AnS9%2FpWZQ40DXFvdEw%3D%3D=hFflUdN3100%3D&uJovDxwdjMPoYv%2BAJvYtyA%3D%3D=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&FgPlIEJYlotS%2BYGoBi5olA%3D%3D=NHdURQburHA%3D&d9Qjj0ag1Pd993jsyOJqFvmyB7X0CSQK=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNR9xqBux0r1Q8Za60lavYmz=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNQ16B2MHuCpMRKZMwaG1PaO=ctNJFf55vVA%3D|title=Community Governance Review Committee, 29 November 2017|publisher=[[Braintree District Council]]|accessdate=17 July 2023}}</ref> Halstead had a successor parish and Witham was parished in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/braintree.html|title=Braintree Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=17 July 2023}}</ref>

The name "Braintree and Bocking" continues to be used by some local organisations based in the area, such as the Braintree and Bocking Public Gardens Trust.<ref>{{cite web |title=Braintree and Bocking Public Gardens |url=https://braintreeandbockinggardens.co.uk/ |access-date=15 September 2023}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Unparished areas in Essex]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in Essex]]
[[Category:Braintree District]]