Rochford is a town in the Rochford district of Essex in the East of England. It is about 43 miles (69 kilometres) from Central London and approximately 21 miles (34 km) from Chelmsford, the County Town of Essex. According to the 2001 census the civil parish of Rochford, that includes the town proper, and London Southend Airport, had a population of 7,610, enhancing to 8,471 at the 2011 Census. The town is the major negotiation in the Rochford district, and takes its name from Rochefort, Old English for Ford of the Hunting Dogs. The River Roach was initially called the Walfleet (Creek of the foreigners). It was renamed the Roach in what is called a back development. This is where it is assumed that Rochford means ford over the River Cockroach so they relabelled the river to fit the theory. The town encounters country advancements in the parishes of Ashingdon and Hawkwell. Kings Hill, in Rochford, was notable for including the Lawless Court up until the 19th century.