Traditionally founded by Aescwine in 527AD, the Kingdom of Essex occupied territory to the north of
the River Thames and incorporated much of what would later become Middlesex and Hertfordshire. Later, its territory was restricted to lands east of the River Lea.

The County's Coat of Arms consists of three Saxon seax daggers arranged on a red background. The county town is now Chelmsford, which was founded in 1199.

Some other well known places around Essex include these significant areas:

MALDON
The market town of Maldon, located on high ground at the head of the River Blackwater, was settled by Saxons in the sixth century. It subsequently became a significant port and a royal mint was established in about 958AD which issued coins for the late Saxon kings and, after the Conquest of England, the Norman kings. King Edward the Elder had a ‘burh’, a fortified site or stronghold, built in Maldon which he used while he was fighting the Danish invasion of Essex in 917. The town is also famous for the Battle of Maldon in 991, the doomed attempt of Byrhtnoth, Ealdorman of Essex, to defend the coast of Essex against the Danes which was immortalised in a poem commissioned by his wife. Maldon is recorded in Doomsday Book and received its town charter from Henry II in 1171.

SAFFRON WALDEN
A small market town in the north west of the county which is about 24km (15 miles) from Cambridge. Famous for the saffron crocus, it became an area for malt and barley. It is also home to the largest parish church in Essex, St Mary and the Virgin.

WALTHAM ABBEY
A market town about 24km (15 miles) north of London which lies between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east. It takes its name from Waltham Abbey, which was prominent in the early history of the town. The ancient parish covering Waltham Abbey was known as Waltham Holy Cross. The name Waltham derives from weald or wald "forest" and ham "homestead" or "enclosure". Legend has it that after his death at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, King Harold's body was brought to Waltham for burial near to the High Altar.

The tomb of Harold II

EPPING FOREST
Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland which lies on a ridge between the valley's of the rivers Lea and Roding. It is approximately 18km long from north to south, but no more than 4km wide from east to west at its widest point.

COGGESHALL
A small market town that was involved in the wool trade and cloth industry situated at a ford of the River Blackwater on the Roman road of Stane Street between Colchester and Braintree. Roman coins dating from 31BC to 395AD have been found in the area and there is evidence of a Roman villa or settlement. Coggeshall became an early Saxon settlement and by the time of Domesday Book boasted "a mill; about 60 men with ploughs and horses, oxen and sheep; woodland with swine and a swineherd, four stocks of bees and one priest". Coggeshall Abbey, situated south of the town, was founded in 1140 by King Stephen and his Queen, Matilda of Boulogne.

HEDINGHAM CASTLE
Magnificent Norman Keep built c.1140 by the de Vere family which stands over 100ft high. It features ashlar masonry and second floor great hall, with a spiral staircase in the north-west corner of the tower. The Banqueting Hall has very distinctive moulding decorating the windows and arches. There is also a minstrels gallery, tunnelled within the thickness of the walls, which runs around the room 12ft above floor level.

Hedingham Castle - at Wikipedia

Elgiva Godwinson
Elenwe Yngling

Hood page coding kindly supplied by Wulfrun Grafeldr
Sources: East of England Tourism, various internet resources (see the Welcome to Colchester thread), Wikipedia, article writer's own research notes and materials, images Wikipedia commons

Last updated: Jan 2011

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Essex: Information, Links & Resources Feb 11, 2012

Prittlewell and a Royal Saxon Tomb Feb 11, 2012

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