Essex (recorded in the Domesday Book as Exsessa) is a maritime county in south-east England. The name means simply 'East Saxons' implying 'territory of the East Saxons'. Essex is bounded by Suffolk, the river Thames, Hertford, and Middlesex. The surface is generally level, except in the north-west where it is undulating and sometimes hilly. The soil is in general extremely fertile, and particularly well adapted for the growth of wheat. The Essex coast has long been famed for its valuable oyster beds. The principal rivers in the county of Essex are the Roding, Crouch, Chelmer, Blackwater, Colne, etc. It also has the Thames, Lea, and Stour as boundary rivers.