Hockley is a semi‑rural village in the district of Rochford, Essex, England, best known for the ancient Hockley Woods National Nature Reserve - one of the county’s largest areas of surviving coppiced woodland. The village still has a compact high street of independent shops, pubs and antiques dealers, developed from a market and agricultural past, and sits within easy reach of Southend-on-Sea with good commuter links into London; the nearby wartime airfield at RAF Rochford adds a layer of Second World War history.
Hawkwell, a neighbouring parish, is more suburban and family‑orientated, with schools, sports clubs, village halls and green spaces that preserve its village feel. Quieter than Hockley, it still shows its agricultural origins around the edges and offers a mix of community life and easy access to the wider services of Rochford and Essex.
Postcode districts covering Hockley and Hawkwell
Most populated places nearby
- Southend-on-Sea 4.4 miles
- Bexley 24 miles
- Basildon 8.7 miles
- Colchester 22.3 miles
- Chelmsford 11.7 miles
- Maidstone 23.7 miles
- Gillingham 16.3 miles
- Grays 16 miles
- Chatham 17.6 miles
- Barking and Dagenham 23 miles
- Dartford 21.9 miles
- Gravesend 16.9 miles
Neighbouring places
- Hockley Parish 0.4 miles
- Hawkwell Parish 1.1 miles
- Hawkwell West Ward 1.2 miles
- Hockley and Ashingdon Ward 1.4 miles
- Ashingdon Built-up area 1.4 miles
- Hawkwell East Ward 1.7 miles
- Lodge Ward 2.1 miles
- Hullbridge Built-up area 2.1 miles
- Rayleigh Built-up area 2.2 miles
- Eastwood Park Ward 2.4 miles
- Rochford Built-up area 2.6 miles
- Sweyne Park and Grange Ward 2.7 miles
Example postcodes in Hockley and Hawkwell
SS5 4SA, SS5 5AQ, SS5 4RR, SS5 4HA, SS5 4SB, SS5 5AZ, SS5 9DF, SS5 4XB, SS5 5HS … See all
Transport links
- London Southend Airport 2.9 miles
- Stansted Airport 26.4 miles
- Hockley Railway Station 0.2 miles
- Rayleigh Railway Station 2.5 miles
Hotels near Hockley and Hawkwell Ad
- The Oakland 2 3.2 miles
- Holiday Inn Southend 4 3.3 miles
- Premier Inn Southend Airport 3 3.2 miles
- Premier Inn Basildon - Rayleigh 3 3 miles
- The Ship Hotel 4.4 miles
- The Cherry Tree Rochford 3.4 miles
- Roslin Beach Hotel 4 6.5 miles
- Rettendon Lodge 3.8 miles
- The Rochford Hotel 3 2.6 miles
- Muthu Westcliff Hotel (Near London Southend Airport) 3 5.2 miles
Schools in Hockley and Hawkwell
- Lift Greensward Secondary
- Lift Hockley Primary
- Lift Plumberow Primary
- Lift Westerings Primary
Local points of interest
- Roots Hall Stadium 4.3 miles
- Thames Estuary Yacht Club Marina 5.2 miles
- Canvey Island Heritage Centre & Museum Museum 7 miles
- Yantlet beach Beach 9.2 miles
- Hylands Estate 11.6 miles
- Sheerness Harbour Harbour 11.8 miles
- Saint Peters Chapel Archaeological site 14.2 miles
- University of Greenwich - Medway University 15.1 miles
- MidKent College - Medway College 15.2 miles
- Priestfield Stadium Stadium 15.7 miles
- Dines Hall Country house 16.3 miles
- Spotlites at Kings Theatre Theatre 16.4 miles