HISTORY

The site was developed in 1843 by the Eastern Counties Railway during the railway  extension from Brentwood to Colchester.   

Plans for the present station were agreed between the Eastern Counties Railway and the landlord, Lord Petre, in 1846. Lord Petre transferred additional land for the station immediately to the North of the crossing. The style of the station building was deliberately similar to the nearby Ingatestone Hall and it is possible that the design of the crossing gatehouse also dates from 1846. 

The design origins are from a notable architect of the time likely either Francis Thompson or Henry Hunt who were both  acting as the railway company's architects at that time. Both were in the forefront of railway architectural design and closely associated with the prominent engineer Robert Stephenson.  

The building follows the basic design of a 'Lodge' or 'Gatehouse' seen at the entrances to country estates and logically suitable for the overseeing of a railway level crossing .  There are two small windows either side of the Living Room for this purpose plus a main doorway facing the running line for immediate access to the level crossing.   

Once the Gatekeeper's cottage was replaced as a working room by the signal box it began to fall into decline. It has been unused since 2010 . Once the renovations start it is intended to return the cottage to the outward 1950s appearance.