The next historical reference to the area we now know as Chelmsford was not until 1086. The Domesday book shows that the land was owned by the Bishop of London and was called 'Celmeresfort'. Later it changed its name to Ceomaers Ford and then to Chelmers Ford. It was not until 1189 that it was finally changed to Chelmsford.

On 7th September 1199 Bishop William was granted a Royal Charter by King John which entitled him to hold a weekly market in the town. This heralded the origin of the modern town of Chelmsford. Two years later the King granted Chelmsford the right to hold an annual fair which further helped the growth of the town.

By 1218 with the weekly market and annual fair the town had grown and prospered, mainly due to its location on a busy road and as a result it became recognised as the County town of Essex. Several industries flourished in the town at this time, with craftsmen and traders working and selling leather, wool and fine cloth.

By the 14th century Chelmsford had become a focal point for the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. King Richard II moved to the town between 1st and 6th July after quelling the rebellion in London. Many of the rebels were later put to death on the gallows in the area where Primrose Hill now stands. Many people believe that the presence of the King in the town for those six days meant that Chelmsford was for a short period the official capital of England, although historians disagree on the validity of this claim.

In the 17th century the Assizes in Chelmsford were the scene for numerous trials brought by Matthew Hopkins (known as the "Witch finder General"). He is believed to have been responsible for the killing of around 300 women many of whom were imprisoned in Chelmsford, before being hanged for witchcraft.

The town continued to grow despite several outbreaks of plague in the 17th Century and by the beginning of the 18th Century the town had a population of around 3000 and had become an agricultural market town.

The growth of the town really took off in the 19th Century, back in 1831 the population was 5435 and just 80 years later this had grown to 19,000. By contrast the current population is around 157,000.

The 19th Century saw the town flourish financially and socially. In 1843 the a railway station was opened which brought with it many new industries. The town became know for its engineering industry and towards of the end of the century many electrical engineering firms were formed. Facilities for the population started to appear - gas lights were installed in 1819, a museum was opened in 1835, a hospital (The Chelmsford & Essex) was opened in 1883 and Central Park was opened in 1894.

As you enter the town of Chelmsford in Essex, UK - the road signs proudly boast that Chelmsford is the "Birthplace of Radio" - In 1899 Guglielmo Marconi opened the world's first "wireless " factory in the town and then two years later in 1901 he made the first ever transatlantic radio transmission.

When the Diocese of Chelmsford was created to meet the needs of the growing population in 1914, the church was reclassified as a Cathedral. Although there has actually been a church on the same site for over 800 years.

A War Memorial was unveiled in 1923. Situated in Duke Street it was dedicated to all those from the town who died in the First World War and later those who died in the Second World War.

During the Second World War, Chelmsford became an important centre for war production in particular for light engineering. The town was attacked on several occasions, by both the Luftwaffe and German missiles. On one occasion 39 people were killed and a further 140 injured when missiles hit a residential area close to the Hoffmans' ball bearing factory and Marconi electronics factory.

After the war the population of the town continued to grow and with it, the local civic amenities continued to improve. A theatre (the Civic) was opened in 1962, the High Chelmer Shopping Centre opened its doors in 1971, the Essex Regiment Museum opened in 1973 and a second theatre (The Cramphorn) opened in 1982.

The 1980's saw Chelmsford suffer as several large employers closed factories in the town, these include Marconi and the one-time largest employer - Hoffman's - who closed its Chelmsford site in 1988. However, the town's location close to London and at the centre of Essex has helped it grow in importance as an administrative and distribution centre. Large companies such as e2v Technologies (The English Electric Valve Company)and the M & G Group are still prominent in Chelmsford.

As Chelmsford is so close to London it remains a popular place to live in and commute from. Consequently, the population has grown rapidly with many new housing developments appearing such as Chancellor Park and Beaulieu Park and in more recent times the Village built on the former Cromptons factory on Writtle Road.

The town has excellent shopping facilities with the main paved shopping area which includes many large name retail outlets. It also boast two under cover shopping centres - The Meadows and High Chelmer as well as two retail parks on the edge of the town centre at Riverside and Chelmer Village.

On the penultimate weekend in August thousand of music fans flock to the town to attend the V Festival. It has been held at Hylands Park every year since 1996 with some of world's biggest and most well known bands appearing.

In 2007 Chelmsford was voted as the 8th best place to live in the UK by the TV show "Location, Location, Location".