a large parish, with a town of the same name, in the county of Essex, in the hundred of Brentwood, five miles from London. It is situated near the river Lea, in a rich district, and consists mostly of country houses belonging to the rich class of traders of the metropolis. There is a large church, an endowed school, and several dissenting chapels. The population amounted in 1821 to 4304, and in 1831 to 4259.