In the media, the Essex dialect is synonymous with “Essex girls” speaking “Estuary English." This website has been created to set the record straight and show there is far greater variety than the annoying stereotypes! And we hope it will encourage locals to preserve their true Essex accents.

Essex CDThis site was inspired by a fascinating CD that was first printed last year by the Essex Record Office. It was an unexpected press sensation, spawning articles in the UK dailies such as the Telegraph and the Daily Mail, but the news even raised eyebrows in India!

Just listen to this Essex girl!

The CD even has a recording of an Essex man talking in 1906

And how about this for a rural Essex accent?

Hopefully, these extracts from the CD (which you can buy from us direct online) have convinced you - if you didn't know already - that Essex dialect has great variety and charm. But time may be running out. This is the opinion of Professor Dave Britain:

"These dialects are changing. This wonderful collection of soundtracks serves as an important reminder of how important and how urgent it is to preserve, for future generations, such recordings of the way we once spoke in the county. Without such recordings, such voices from the past will sadly be lost forever."

Can you help us? If you'd like to contribute to this website, with memories of Essex sayings, special words or phrases, then get in touch! If you have a sound recording of yourself or a relative, we'd love to upload it! And send us any links or new items that relate to Essex dialect! Just drop us a line!

Alternatively:


And we are even dipping our toes into a Facebook group.

In the meantime, check this site for news about Martin Astell's Essex dialect tour, essays about the CD and links to other articles.