Little Totham
Encyclopedia
Little Totham is a village in Essex
, England, with a population of about 300. The parish extends from the extensive common and heath-land of Tiptree
down to the River Blackwater
. The village lies about 6 miles 10 km) from Maldon
and 5 miles (8 km) from Tiptree and lies on the back road between Goldhanger
and the Maldon to Colchester
road. It is part of Maldon District Council.
Most of the population live on the edge of the parish adjoining Tolleshunt Major
and centred around the main road running through the village past The Swan Public House
and children’s play area. The rest of the parish is agricultural and the roads and field patterns remain much as they were at the Domesday survey of 1085.
The Parish Church has an active community which provides community support in the form of pastoral visits, caring and community activities. This 12th century church houses the oldest recorded door in the country (Approx. AD 1085) and there is a comprehensive history document within the church.
The present main road through the village was originally a track used by smugglers bringing liqueur, silks and other cloths from the River Blackwater to the plains where travellers would exchange them for money.
In Little Totham, on the edge of the River Blackwater and in the fields near Osea Island there is evidence of man dwelling there from as far back as the Bronze Age
6,000 years ago. There is evidence of the smelting of ores using the wood from the extensive forests which covered the area.
The main farms developed in the area in the 11th century and life revolved around these until the development of the dwellings along the smugglers route in the late 16th century. Notably among these is the White Horse (now the White House) which was a pub and boarding house until the beginning of the 20th century.
There are extensive patterns of footpaths across the area which lead to the farms and were developed by farm workers walking to and from work. There has always been a history of itinerant workers both on the farms and in the smuggling trade and these have over the years rested, albeit temporarily, on the Totham plains.
'The Plains' which form some of the largest areas of common land in the country are within the village boundary and there are many pleasant walks across them.
In the mid to late 19th and early 20th centuries more substantial farm workers cottages were built around the "main" road and the village grew. In the late 19th century three more ale houses sprang up to deal with the thirst of these farm workers. The 17th century residential property near the extensive village pond became The Swan Ale House and more latterly a Public House. Further along the road the White Hart (now demolished) was for a period an ale house and off licence. Along Plains Road, The Eagle (now a private house) was an ale house mainly serving itinerant travellers who came seasonally to work on the land. It was at this time that the Peculiar People’s Chapel was built on the common. This is still an active Evangelical Church
.
The present village is a mixture of these old houses and more modern development, and the community is a mixture of people. People who work from home, commute to Maldon, Witham, Chelmsford, Colchester and London, are retired or craftsmen. The farms are still working mainly arable crops, present cereals and rape. There are hen and turkey farms, pigs and sheep. There has been some diversification where gravel has been extracted and the land laid down to lakes for nature trails and fishing.
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, with a population of about 300. The parish extends from the extensive common and heath-land of Tiptree
Tiptree
Tiptree is a village in the English county of Essex, situated south-east of Colchester and around north-east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham....
down to the River Blackwater
River Blackwater, Essex
The River Blackwater is a river in England. It rises in the northwest of Essex as the River Pant and flows to Bocking, near Braintree, from where its name changes to the Blackwater. Its course takes it near Stisted, and then via Bradwell Juxta Coggeshall and Coggeshall and near Witham where it is...
. The village lies about 6 miles 10 km) from Maldon
Maldon, Essex
Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
and 5 miles (8 km) from Tiptree and lies on the back road between Goldhanger
Goldhanger
Goldhanger is a village and a civil parish on the B1026 road in the Maldon district, in the English county of Essex.Goldhanger has an agricultural museum and a church dedicated to St. Peter. Goldhanger is at the head of a short creek, on the north side of the estuary of the River Blackwater, East...
and the Maldon to 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...
road. It is part of Maldon District Council.
Most of the population live on the edge of the parish adjoining Tolleshunt Major
Tolleshunt Major
Tolleshunt Major is a small village approximately five miles north east of Maldon, in the Maldon District of Essex, England. It forms part of the civil parish of Tolleshunt D'Arcy and is situated on the northern bank of the River Blackwater.-Geography:...
and centred around the main road running through the village past The Swan Public House
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
and children’s play area. The rest of the parish is agricultural and the roads and field patterns remain much as they were at the Domesday survey of 1085.
History
The halls of Little Totham and Rook Hall have their origins in the 12th century and the architecture of this period is seen in the North and South doorways of the parish church which lies adjacent to Little Totham Hall (Farm) in the centre of the parish.The Parish Church has an active community which provides community support in the form of pastoral visits, caring and community activities. This 12th century church houses the oldest recorded door in the country (Approx. AD 1085) and there is a comprehensive history document within the church.
The present main road through the village was originally a track used by smugglers bringing liqueur, silks and other cloths from the River Blackwater to the plains where travellers would exchange them for money.
In Little Totham, on the edge of the River Blackwater and in the fields near Osea Island there is evidence of man dwelling there from as far back as the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
6,000 years ago. There is evidence of the smelting of ores using the wood from the extensive forests which covered the area.
The main farms developed in the area in the 11th century and life revolved around these until the development of the dwellings along the smugglers route in the late 16th century. Notably among these is the White Horse (now the White House) which was a pub and boarding house until the beginning of the 20th century.
There are extensive patterns of footpaths across the area which lead to the farms and were developed by farm workers walking to and from work. There has always been a history of itinerant workers both on the farms and in the smuggling trade and these have over the years rested, albeit temporarily, on the Totham plains.
'The Plains' which form some of the largest areas of common land in the country are within the village boundary and there are many pleasant walks across them.
In the mid to late 19th and early 20th centuries more substantial farm workers cottages were built around the "main" road and the village grew. In the late 19th century three more ale houses sprang up to deal with the thirst of these farm workers. The 17th century residential property near the extensive village pond became The Swan Ale House and more latterly a Public House. Further along the road the White Hart (now demolished) was for a period an ale house and off licence. Along Plains Road, The Eagle (now a private house) was an ale house mainly serving itinerant travellers who came seasonally to work on the land. It was at this time that the Peculiar People’s Chapel was built on the common. This is still an active Evangelical Church
Evangelical Church
The term Evangelical Church may refer specifically to:* Slovak Evangelical Church* Armenian Evangelical Church* Assyrian Evangelical Church* Christian Evangelical Church of Romania* Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus...
.
The present village is a mixture of these old houses and more modern development, and the community is a mixture of people. People who work from home, commute to Maldon, Witham, Chelmsford, Colchester and London, are retired or craftsmen. The farms are still working mainly arable crops, present cereals and rape. There are hen and turkey farms, pigs and sheep. There has been some diversification where gravel has been extracted and the land laid down to lakes for nature trails and fishing.