How did the name of Chadwell originate? Well there are several trains of thought.

One refers to St Cedd, one of four brothers, all of who were priests, the others being Chad, Caelin and Cynibill. Cedd, a Christian Missionary to the Mercians, built churches in several places, two of which were at Ithancester (Bradwell on Sea) and Tilbury. The church at Bradwell, St Peter on the Wall, is still standing, but the site of the church at Tilbury is not known. There are a number of places in Essex said to be named after Chad, with whom Cedd is sometimes confused, but there is no evidence that Chad ever visited the County.

In Essex, eight towns/villages have the termination 'Well', which in Anglo-Saxon meant 'spring'. The ancient well at the bottom of Chadwell Hill, known as St Chad's Well, which has now disappeared, had more of the appearance of a tank, wide and shallow, large enough to walk into, was likely to be of Roman origin, as was the road beside it. It is presumably the cold well that gave Chadwell its name, although confusingly another old word (Chaud) means a warm spring. If the village name had retained its ancient Domesday form, Celdewella (cold spring), St Chad would in all likelihood be forgotten in Thurrock.