Castle Hedingham
Encyclopedia
Castle Hedingham is a small village in northeast Essex
, England
, located four miles west of Halstead
and is situated in the Colne Valley
on the ancient road from Colchester
, Essex, to Cambridge
.
It developed around Hedingham Castle
, the ancestral seat of the de Veres, Earls of Oxford. The first earl, Aubrey de Vere III
, finished the initial building of the keep
and established a Benedictine
nunnery near the castle gates. Hugh de Vere, fourth earl of Oxford
, purchased the right to hold a market in the town of the crown in the mid-13th century. He also founded a hospital just outside the gates of the castle around 1250.
The village's main attractions are the well preserved Norman
castle
, the Colne Valley Railway
and its many timber-framed medieval buildings.
The church of St. Nicholas is late Norman and Gothic
, building having commenced around 1180. The fine double hammerbeam roof is attributed to Thomas Loveday, who was responsible for work on St John's College, Cambridge
. Its Romanesque
wheel window and cemetery cross are remnants of the Norman church.
The village was served by Sible and Castle Hedingham railway station
which was opened by Colne Valley & Halstead Railway Company in 1867. The station closed in 1964 and was demolished and rebuilt in 1974 on a new site to the north west of the village by the Colne Valley Railway Preservation Society.
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, located four miles west of Halstead
Halstead
Halstead is a town and civil parish located in Braintree District of Essex, England, near Colchester and Sudbury. It has a population of 11,053. The town is situated in the Colne Valley, and originally developed on the hill to the north of the river...
and is situated in the Colne Valley
River Colne
There are several different rivers named River Colne in England:* River Colne, Essex — passing through Colchester* River Colne, Hertfordshire — tributary of the River Thames, passing through London Colney and other parts of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Greater London and Surrey* River...
on the ancient road from Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, Essex, to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
It developed around Hedingham Castle
Hedingham Castle
Hedingham Castle in Essex, England, is a Norman motte and bailey castle with a stone keep. For four centuries it was the primary seat of the de Vere family, Earls of Oxford.-Description:...
, the ancestral seat of the de Veres, Earls of Oxford. The first earl, Aubrey de Vere III
Aubrey de Vere III
Aubrey de Vere III was created Earl of Oxford by the empress Matilda in July 1141. He had inherited the barony of Hedingham on the death of his father Aubrey de Vere II in May 1141, when he was already Count of Guînes by right of his wife Beatrice. In 1139 and 1154 he was appointed High Sheriff...
, finished the initial building of the keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
and established a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
nunnery near the castle gates. Hugh de Vere, fourth earl of Oxford
Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford
Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford was an English nobleman and the only known child and heir of Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford.-Early Life:...
, purchased the right to hold a market in the town of the crown in the mid-13th century. He also founded a hospital just outside the gates of the castle around 1250.
The village's main attractions are the well preserved Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, the Colne Valley Railway
Colne Valley Railway
The Colne Valley Railway is a heritage railway based at Castle Hedingham Station, near Halstead in Essex, England. The railway consists of a mile-long running line, with a fully reconstructed station, signal box and railway yard...
and its many timber-framed medieval buildings.
The church of St. Nicholas is late Norman and Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
, building having commenced around 1180. The fine double hammerbeam roof is attributed to Thomas Loveday, who was responsible for work on St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
. Its Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
wheel window and cemetery cross are remnants of the Norman church.
The village was served by Sible and Castle Hedingham railway station
Sible and Castle Hedingham railway station
Sible and Castle Hedingham railway station was a station in Sible Hedingham, Essex. It closed in 1962.-External links:*...
which was opened by Colne Valley & Halstead Railway Company in 1867. The station closed in 1964 and was demolished and rebuilt in 1974 on a new site to the north west of the village by the Colne Valley Railway Preservation Society.
Notable residents
- Aubrey de VereAubrey De VereAubrey De Vere may refer to:* Aubrey de Vere I * Aubrey de Vere II , master chamberlain of England* Aubrey de Vere III , first earl of Oxford* Aubrey de Vere IV , second earl of Oxford...
, holder of the entire manor of Hedingham (later Castle Hedingham) in Domesday Book, 1086 - Aubrey de VereAubrey De VereAubrey De Vere may refer to:* Aubrey de Vere I * Aubrey de Vere II , master chamberlain of England* Aubrey de Vere III , first earl of Oxford* Aubrey de Vere IV , second earl of Oxford...
, 1st Earl of Oxford, completed the stone keep at Hedingham - Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of OxfordRobert de Vere, 3rd Earl of OxfordRobert de Vere was the second surviving son of Aubrey de Vere III, first earl of Oxford, and Agnes of Essex. Almost nothing of his life is known until he married in 1207 the widow Isabel de Bolebec, the aunt and co-heiress of his deceased sister-in-law. The couple had one child, a son, Hugh,...
, one of the 25 baronBaronBaron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
s of Magna CartaMagna CartaMagna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225... - Mark CatesbyMark CatesbyMark Catesby was an English naturalist. Between 1731 and 1743 Catesby published his Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, the first published account of the flora and fauna of North America...
, English naturalist. - Edward Bingham, Victorian potter whose Castle Hedingham WareCastle Hedingham WareCastle Hedingham Pottery was an art pottery studio founded by Edward Bingham at Castle Hedingham in Essex, England. It was in production from 1864 to 1901 and made in a style reminiscent of medieval and Tudor wares. Bingham produced some large items, with 'Essex' jugs up to three feet high being...
has become increasingly sought-after. - Eric RaviliousEric RaviliousEric William Ravilious was an English painter, designer, book illustrator and wood engraver.-Career:Ravilious studied at Eastbourne School of Art, and at the Royal College of Art, where he studied under Paul Nash and became close friends with Edward Bawden.He began his working life as a muralist,...
, painter, book illustrator & wood engraver.
External links
- SEAX Archaeology - Unlocking Essex's Past An in-depth essay about Castle Hedingham.
- Hedingham School
- A brief history of the village