In Essex - 22 June 2008
Saffron Walden is an ancient medieval town set in the midst of beautiful Essex countryside. I was visiting old friends for a few days, Ann and Cyril, who live on the edge of the countryside, just outside the town.
Ann’s garden is her pride and joy and it was looking spectacular.
Two of our mutual friends from our tennis club days came to lunch on the first day and gave us all the opportunity for special reminiscences and opportunities to reconnect as only really old and true friends can.
It’s always hard to move after one of Ann’s amazing meals, so we ventured out into the countryside to get much needed exercise, and explored the golf course where Ann plays, and the adjoining farm land.
Although I’ve been to Saffron Walden many times, this was the first opportunity with enough time to explore the ancient medieval sights that make up the town.
It’s a small country market town with early origins, the name Walden meaning ‘valley of Britons’. The growth of the East Anglian cloth industry had an impact on the town during the Middle Ages and the nearby Abbey kept flocks of sheep. At about the same time the name Saffron was added to Walden when it became the major English centre for the production of the Saffron Crocus. The saffron was used to produce dye for the cloth trade, food colouring and medicine, and the trade continued until the 18th Century when cheaper saffron from Spain and the Middle East was imported and more artificial dyes were developed.
A prominent Quaker family, the Gibsons, started in Saffron Walden as brewers but eventually formed the Gibson Bank (the founding company of the present Barclays Bank) and they were also important benefactors to the town. Here’s a view of the interior of the Bank which is very unlike anything we have in New Zealand!
In 1968, Saffron Walden was designated a Conservation Area and there are some 400 buildings of special architectural or historic interest. St Mary the Virgin is one such building. It is one of the largest parish churches in Essex with a nave nearly 200 feet long.
The church was mostly rebuilt between 1450-1525 during the prosperous years of the saffron industry. The interior is lavishly designed.
The spire, added in 1832, dominates the town.
At the junction of Market Hill and Church Street, are a magnificent group of houses dating from the 14th century, among them the Sun Inn. These show some outstanding pargetting dating from the 17th century. Legend has it that Oliver Cromwell lodged here during the Civil War.
Sadly all visits have to come to an end but the memories they leave behind are always special.