Peldon

Last updated

Peldon
St. Marys Church, Peldon (geograph 3421363).jpg
St Mary's Church, Peldon
Essex UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Peldon
Location within Essex
Population559 (2011 Census)
Civil parish
  • Peldon
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Colchester
Postcode district CO5
Police Essex
Fire Essex
Ambulance East of England
List of places
UK
England
Essex
51°48′43″N0°53′10″E / 51.812°N 0.886°E / 51.812; 0.886
20th-century map of Peldon Historical Map of Peldon.png
20th-century map of Peldon

Peldon is a village and civil parish in the Colchester borough of Essex, England. With Salcott, Virley, Great Wigborough and Little Wigborough, it forms part of the Winstred Hundred parish council. [1] Nearby villages include Langenhoe. The parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and is a Grade I listed building. [2] The population of the parish as of the 2011 census is 559. [3]

Contents

In 1870-72 John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Peldon as:

"Peldon, a parish and a sub-district in Lexden district, Essex. The parish lies near Mersea Island, 4½ miles S W of Wivenhoe r. station, and 5½ S by W of Colchester; and has a post-office under Colchester. Acres, 2,186. Real property, £3,591. Pop., 501. Houses, 106 The property is much subdivided." [4]

History

The Peldon Rose inn The Peldon Rose - geograph.org.uk - 37831.jpg
The Peldon Rose inn

During the Iron Age and Roman periods the marshes around Peldon were home to a thriving salt-production industry, and red hills created by this process can be found around the village. [5] Peldon was originally around 2,200 acres of land, equating to approximately 8.9 square kilometres. [6] The manor of Peldon (as opposed to the village) is said to have been established by William the Conqueror in 1086 and was passed on to Sir Thomas Darcy by King Henry VIII. The land was later owned by various local families. [7]

The place-name 'Peldon' is first attested in Anglo-Saxon charters of circa 950 and 995 AD, where it appears as Piltendone and Peltandune respectively. It appears as Peltenduna in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name may mean 'Pylta's hill', from a personal name otherwise unrecorded. The early charters show the village to have been of Saxon origin, and to have predated William the Conqueror by over a century at least. [8]

The Colchester earthquake of 22 April 1884 measured 5.1 magnitude on the Richter scale and badly damaged Peldon and much of the area around. The earthquake damaged around 1250 buildings including churches, houses and cottages, [9] and it was reported at the time that every single building in Peldon was damaged in some way, including the local church, causing heavy financial ramifications for the local area. The Peldon Rose, the village's 15th-century inn, rumoured to have been connected by a smugglers' tunnel to nearby Ray Island, still exhibits earthquake damage. In 1984 a village festival was held at Kemps Farm, Peldon, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the earthquake.

Peldon was also affected by the First World War. On 24 September 1916, German Zeppelin L33 was damaged during a bombing attack on London, and crashed at New Hall Farm, Little Wigborough, only twenty yards from a nearby house. The occupants of the house, the Lewis family, ran for their lives as the airship hit the ground. The crew ran from the craft and, shortly after, it exploded. The crew of the aircraft thought that landing in the sea would be too dangerous, prompting the decision to turn inland.

Demographics

Total population change of Peldon from 1881 to 2011 Peldon population time series from 1881-2011.jpg
Total population change of Peldon from 1881 to 2011
Occupational structure in 1881 in Peldon Occupational structure in Peldon.jpg
Occupational structure in 1881 in Peldon

According to the 2011 Census there was a population of 559, with 291 males and 268 females. [12] Of these 559 residents, 282 are residents between the ages of 16 and 74 and are in employment. [13] The main source of employment for the population of Peldon is the repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles, with 47 people working in this area of industry. [14] The age structure of Peldon is primarily made up of people over the age of 45, with around 53% of the residents of Peldon being in this age bracket. [15] Of the 422 residents of Peldon that are aged between 16 and 74, only three people are unemployed. This means that 419 residents in this age bracket are employed and economically active, or are economically inactive due to retirement or long-term illness. [16]

The graph captioned "Occupational structure in 1881" shows the huge difference between male and female jobs. Men worked mainly in agriculture, which dominated the occupational structure as farming was the main occupation in many parishes in Britain at this time. However, a large proportion of women in Peldon were occupied in mainly dress making or unknown occupations.

Church

St Mary's Church in Peldon generally dates back to the 11th century, with Anglo Saxon origins. The nave originates from the 12th century, the tower the 14th century, and the roof from the 16th century. [17] The church tower leans in a southwesterly direction, sometimes supposed to have been caused by the 1884 earthquake. However, the leaning tower was reportedly already leaning when the earthquake occurred; it was noted in the 1880 novel Mehalah, a Story of the Salt Marshes [18] by Sabine Baring-Gould, the rector of East Mersea. The leaning tower was most likely caused by subsidence due to poor ground. [19]

The church has undergone many changes throughout its existence, having been damaged during the 1884 earthquake and undergoing numerous refurbishments throughout the centuries. These refurbishments and improvements continue to this day, with charity work in Peldon taking place to raise money in order to repair and refurbish the church, a Grade I listed building. The registered charity The Friends of St Mary's Peldon raises funds for the church, and has raised over £45,000. [20]

In the 1870s, the parish church was described as: "The church stands on an eminence, with commanding view; is later English, with a tower; and was restored in 1859, and then found to include remains of an early Norman church." [21]

Notable People

John Ball (c. 1338 – 15 July 1381), English priest who took a prominent part in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Colchester</span> Place in England

The City of Colchester is a local government district with city status in Essex, England, named after its main settlement, Colchester. The district also includes the towns of West Mersea and Wivenhoe and the surrounding rural areas stretching from Dedham Vale on the Suffolk border in the north to Mersea Island in the Colne Estuary in the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mersea Island</span> A tidal island in Essex, England

Mersea Island is an island in Essex, England, in the Blackwater and Colne estuaries to the south-east of Colchester. Its name comes from the Old English word meresig, meaning "island of the pool" and thus is tautological. The island is split into two main areas, West Mersea and East Mersea, and connected to the mainland by the Strood, a causeway that can flood at high tide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Torrington</span> Village in Devon, England

Little Torrington is a village and a civil parish near Great Torrington, in the Torridge district, north Devon, England. In 2001 the population of the civil parish of Little Torrington was 420 and in 2011 it was 376, according to census data. Little Torrington has the Church of St Giles and the Chapel of St Mary Magdalene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiptree</span> Village in Essex, England

Tiptree is a village and civil parish in the English county of Essex, situated 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Colchester and around 50 miles (80 km) north-east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Major, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stoke-by-Nayland</span> Human settlement in England

Stoke-by-Nayland is a village and civil parish in the Babergh district, in the county of Suffolk, England, close to the border with Essex. The parish includes the village of Withermarsh Green and the hamlets of Thorington Street and Scotland Street. The village has many cottages and timber-framed houses and all surround a recreation field. Possibly once the site of a monastery, the population of the civil parish at the 2001 census was 703, falling to 682 at the Census 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abberton, Essex</span> Human settlement in England

Abberton is a village in the City of Colchester district of Essex, England. It is located approximately 0.62 mi (1.00 km) east of Abberton Reservoir and is 4.2 mi (6.8 km) south of Colchester. The village is in the parliamentary constituency of North Essex. The town is served by Abberton and Langenhoe Parish Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilby</span> Human settlement in England

Kilby is a village and civil parish in the Blaby district of Leicestershire, England. Kilby is the easternmost village in the district, and is 6.1 miles (9.8 km) south east of Leicester. Kilby civil parish includes the former parish of Foston and it's deserted medieval village. Nearby places are Countesthorpe 2.21 miles (3.56 km), Fleckney 2.12 miles (3.41 km), Arnesby 1.96 miles (3.15 km), Wistow 1.4 miles (2.3 km) and Kilby Bridge 1.18 miles (1.90 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virley</span> Village in Essex, England

Virley is a village and civil parish in the Colchester borough of Essex, England and forms part of the Winstred Hundred grouped parish council. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 61. The village is about seven miles south of Colchester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1884 Colchester earthquake</span> Earthquake in Essex, England

The Colchester earthquake, also known as the Great English earthquake, occurred on the morning of 22 April 1884 at 09:18. It caused considerable damage in Colchester and the surrounding villages in Essex. In terms of overall destruction caused it is certainly the most destructive earthquake to have hit the United Kingdom in at least the last 400 years, since the Dover Straits earthquake of 1580.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Churches in Colchester</span>

Colchester in Essex, England, has a number of notable churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Mersea</span> Human settlement in England

East Mersea is a village and civil parish on Mersea Island in the City of Colchester district of Essex, England. It was historically referred to as Mersea in the Domesday book.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marholm</span> Human settlement in England

Marholm is a village and civil parish in the Peterborough district, in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. West of Peterborough and 1 mile from the seat of the Fitzwilliam family at Milton Hall. The parish covers some 1,400 acres, with the village positioned roughly in the centre. For electoral purposes it forms part of Northborough ward in North West Cambridgeshire constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westley, Suffolk</span> Human settlement in England

Westley is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. It is located south of Junction 42 of the A14 providing primary access to adjacent market towns Bury St Edmunds (East) and Newmarket (West). The village consists of two central roads: Fornham Lane and Hill Road running north and south through the parish, with adjoining roads accommodating Westley's total population of 183.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Wigborough</span> Human settlement in England

Great Wigborough is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Great and Little Wigborough in the Colchester borough of Essex, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramsden Crays</span> Human settlement in England

Ramsden Crays is a civil parish in the Basildon district of Essex, England. It lies north of Basildon and west of Wickford. The parish includes the village of Crays Hill and is located north of the A127. The River Crouch runs through the parish. The 2011 census records that there were 862 males and 976 females living in the parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Layer Breton</span> Human settlement in England

Layer Breton is a village and a civil parish in the City of Colchester district of Essex, England. According to the 2011 census there were 144 males and 143 females. Layer Breton is part of the Layer parishes with Layer de la Haye being the neighbouring village to the west and Layer Marney neighbouring Layer Breton to the East. Layer Breton also touches parishes Birch and Great and little Wigborough. The village has a church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, rebuilt in brick in 1923 on a new site nearly a mile to the north of the old one. The village was among those which suffered damage from the 1884 Colchester earthquake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Wigborough</span> Human settlement in England

Little Wigborough is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Great and Little Wigborough, in the Colchester borough of Essex, England and forms part of Winstred Hundred Parish Council. Little Wigborough is located between Peldon and Great Wigborough. In 1951 the parish had a population of 45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magdalen Laver</span> Human settlement in England

Magdalen Laver is a village and a civil parish in the Epping Forest district, in the county of Essex, England. Magdalen Laver is east of Harlow and of close proximity to the M11 motorway. Magdalen Laver has a village hall and a church called St Mary Magdalen. John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, described Magdalen Laver between 1870–72 as:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great and Little Wigborough</span> Civil parish in City of Colchester, England

Great and Little Wigborough is a civil parish in the City of Colchester district of Essex, England, about 6 miles (10 km) from Colchester. The parish includes the villages of Great Wigborough and Little Wigborough and the hamlet of Stafford's Corner on the B1026 road. In 2011 the parish had a population of 246. The parish touches Layer Breton, Layer-de-la-Haye, Layer Marney, Peldon, Salcott, Tollesbury, Tolleshunt Knights, Virley and West Mersea. The civil parish forms part of the Winstred Hundred Parish Council. There are 18 listed buildings in Great and Little Wigborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colchester Arts Centre</span>

The Colchester Arts Centre, is an arts centre in Colchester, Essex, which is located in a former Church of England parish church, the church of Saint Mary-at-the-Walls, a name derived from its proximity to the Roman town walls. The church may have had Anglo-Saxon origins but was first mentioned in the early 13th century. The building was badly damaged during the English Civil War and was fully rebuilt twice in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the exception of the 16th century bell tower which has been heavily restored. The church became redundant in 1978 and opened as an arts centre in 1980. It hosts a wide variety of events, specialising in emerging talent, with a number of well known artists having made early appearances at the venue. It is a Grade II listed building.

References

  1. ↑ "Home". winstred100.org.
  2. ↑ Historic England. "Church of St Mary the Virgin (1224702)". National Heritage List for England .
  3. ↑ "Parish population 2011" . Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  4. ↑ Wilson, John Marius (1870–72). "Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales description of Peldon". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  5. ↑ de Brisay, K.W. (1978) ‘The Excavations of a Red Hill at Peldon, Essex, with notes on some other sites’ Antiquities Journal LVIII pt.1
  6. ↑ "History of Peldon" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "Ownership of Peldon through time" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  8. ↑ Eilert Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, p.360.
  9. ↑ "The 1884 Earthquake and its effects on Peldon and the surrounding area" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Population-Peldon".
  11. ↑ "Peldon-Occupational Structure".
  12. ↑ "Peldon (Parish): Key Figures for the 2011 Census: Key Statistics". Neighborhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  13. ↑ "Industry of the population of Peldon" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "Industry: Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motor Cycles (Persons)" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Age structure in Peldon" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  16. ↑ "Economic Activity in Peldon census data" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  17. ↑ "St. Mary's Church history" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  18. ↑ Mehalah, a Story of the Salt Marshes chapter 18 "She took the road before her, and saw that it led to Peldon, the leaning tower of which stood on a hill that had formed the northern horizon from the Ray."
  19. ↑ "History of St. Mary's Church and the leaning tower" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  20. ↑ "Friends of St. Mary's Peldon Church charity refurbishment work" . Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  21. ↑ Wilson, John Marius (1870–72). Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.