Thaxted in the County of Essex, England

Thaxted is a picturesque and historic small town in the north of the county of Essex, England. In the 14th and 15th Centuries it was one of most prosperous towns in the region, rivalling Saffron Walden as a centre of trade. Today its beautiful and impressively large parish church^* testifies to its importance in former times, standing at the top of a hill with its splendid 181 ft high spire visible for miles on all approaches to the town. The building of Thaxted Church started in 1340, but was not completed until 1510.

A short distance down the hill, where Town Street forks, stands the ancient Guildhall, which was built by the Guild of Cutlers six hundred years ago. The open-paved ground floor was used for a market and meeting place, the first floor was an open gallery and the top floor was probably the Cutler's Guild Headquarters.
In 1556 Thaxted was granted a formal Charter of Incorporation by Philip and Mary, and became a Borough. In the reign of James II this Charter was extinguished, and, during the years that followed, the Guildhall fell into disrepair. But, at the end of the 17th century, the building was restored by Yardley's Charity, and the first floor was converted for use as a school. Thaxted Grammar School was sited at the Guildhall until 1878. Further restoration in 1911 - and more recently during the European Architectural Heritage Year 1975 - has preserved the building in its original form, and it is in active daily use today. The Parish Council, the Trustees of Yardley's Charity, and other bodies, hold their meetings there, and it is used for exhibitions of local crafts and interests throughout the year.

Nearby the church, up a quiet path past two alms houses, is a splendid windmill which was built in 1804 by John Webb, a local farmer and landowner, to satisfy the increasing demand for flour both locally and in London. It was constructed using local materials, the bricks being made and fired less than half a mile away at a quarry in the Chelmer Valley, also owned by John Webb. It operated for a hundred years, but by 1907 it became uneconomic, and, apart from use as a scout hut in the 1930s, it lay derelict. In 1970 a trust was formed to restore the building and to open it to the public as a rural museum, and it was restored as a fully working mill, capable of grinding flour. The Mill suffered extensive damage in the early part of 2000, and major repairs were necessary. Happily it is now open to the public.^$

The Famous and the Notorious

Gustav Holst's connection with Thaxted is of interest to serious music lovers. He fell in love with the town in 1914 when on one of his long walking tours. Soon after this visit he moved into a 17th Century cottage at Monk Street, one mile from Thaxted. In 1917 he took a house called The 'Steps' at Town Street in the centre of the town, and then in 1925 moved to a large Elizabethan house at Brook End a few miles from Thaxted. He wrote the 'Planets Suite' while living in Monk Street.
The notorious highwayman Dick Turpin had a brief employment as butcher's boy in Stony Street, but was asked to leave. Later, when on trial for his life in York, he asked for a reference from his former employers. It is said that the refusal was a factor in sealing his fate, but one might suppose that he had little chance of reprieve anyway, given his reputation.

^*Some commentators have described Thaxted Church as 'The Cathedral of Essex', because of its beauty and impressive size, perhaps forgetting in their enthusiasm that that honour was accorded to Chelmsford Cathedral in 1914.

^$The mill is open to the public 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, from Easter to end of September. Private parties are welcomed midweek by prior arrangement. Entry is free but donations are welcomed. (Contact Len Farren on 01371 830285.)

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