Mundon
Encyclopedia
Mundon is a village
and civil parish
on the Dengie peninsula
in the English county of Essex
. It lies 3 miles south-east of Maldon
. The manor of Munduna passed from the king's thegn
Godwin to Eudo Dapifer
at the Conquest. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries it formed part of the estates of St Johns Abbey, Colchester
; it passed to Thomas Cromwell before being returned to the Duchy of Lancaster
, which held the right of presentation to the vicarage until the 20th century.
The 14th-century timber-framed Church of St. Mary
, built within the remains of the moat of Mundon Hall, and likely on Saxon and Norman foundations, has been disused since the 1970s, but is currently in the care of Friends of Friendless Churches
, supported by English Heritage
. Following a long period of remedial work, the church once again re-opened to visitors in August 2009. The entire church was underpinned, and much structural work was carried out by Bakers of Danbury. The church was re-glazed, and now, internally, appears lighter than it has in recent years.
Mundon Hall is now represented by an 18th-century farmhouse of rendered and whitewashed brick.
in the Dengie peninsula. The dominant tree species are oak and ash.
Pedunculate Oak
(Quercus robur) dominates the northern half of the Furze. Bramble
(Rubus fruticosus) covers most of the ground layer, with small wet areas supporting Pendulous Sedge (Carex pendula) and Soft rush
(Juncus effusus).
Several houses have been built in the southern part of this ancient wood.
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
on the Dengie peninsula
Dengie peninsula
Dengie is a peninsula in Essex, England, that once formed a hundred of the same name .The peninsula is formed by the River Crouch to the south, the Blackwater to the north, both of which are tidal, and the North Sea to the east...
in the English county of Essex
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...
. It lies 3 miles south-east of 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...
. The manor of Munduna passed from the king's thegn
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
Godwin to Eudo Dapifer
Eudo Dapifer
Eudo Dapifer was a Norman aristocrat favoured by William the Conqueror.-Early life:Eudo was the fourth son of Hubert of Ryes, who is legendarily known as the loyal vassal who saved the life of Duke William of Normandy in his flight from Valognes during a revolt 1047. Eudo's brothers were Ralph,...
at the Conquest. Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries it formed part of the estates of St Johns Abbey, Colchester
Colchester Abbey
Colchester Abbey was an Benedictine abbey in Colchester .In 1120 Eudo Dapifer, steward to William I and Henry II, was buried there, whilst May 1157 Henry II held a trial in the Abbey concerning the right of the pope to over rule him on matters of religion.John Ballard, an archer, captured the...
; it passed to Thomas Cromwell before being returned to the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
, which held the right of presentation to the vicarage until the 20th century.
The 14th-century timber-framed Church of St. Mary
St Mary's Church, Mundon
St Mary's Church, Mundon, is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Mundon, Essex, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.-History:...
, built within the remains of the moat of Mundon Hall, and likely on Saxon and Norman foundations, has been disused since the 1970s, but is currently in the care of Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
, supported by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
. Following a long period of remedial work, the church once again re-opened to visitors in August 2009. The entire church was underpinned, and much structural work was carried out by Bakers of Danbury. The church was re-glazed, and now, internally, appears lighter than it has in recent years.
Mundon Hall is now represented by an 18th-century farmhouse of rendered and whitewashed brick.
Mundon Furze
The Furze is one of the last areas of surviving ancient woodlandAncient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
in the Dengie peninsula. The dominant tree species are oak and ash.
Pedunculate Oak
Pedunculate Oak
Quercus robur is commonly known as the Pedunculate Oak or English oak. It is native to most of Europe, and to Anatolia to the Caucasus, and also to parts of North Africa.-Taxonomy:Q...
(Quercus robur) dominates the northern half of the Furze. Bramble
Bramble
Brambles are thorny plants of the genus Rubus, in the rose family . Bramble fruit is the fruit of any such plant, including the blackberry and raspberry. The word comes from Germanic *bram-bezi, whence also German Brombeere , Dutch Braam and French framboise...
(Rubus fruticosus) covers most of the ground layer, with small wet areas supporting Pendulous Sedge (Carex pendula) and Soft rush
Soft rush
Soft Rush is a member of the genus Juncus. Native to most continents and hence also known as Common Rush, this plant is found growing in wet areas, such as the purple moor-grass and rush pastures and fen-meadow plant associations in the United Kingdom.-Description:It grows in large clumps about...
(Juncus effusus).
Several houses have been built in the southern part of this ancient wood.
White House Farm Canal
From 1832 to about 1880 a private canal operated from White House Farm to the River BlackwaterRiver 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...
.
External links
- Information about Mundon Church on the Friends of Friendless Churches website
- Mundon St Mary on Essex Churches website
- Information and photographs of Mundon village
- History of Mundon