My Adventures 3: Halstead

GPX File here
Viewranger File here

I left home and after a 1 hour and 5 minute drive I arrive at the Car Park just after 9am in Broaks Wood CO9 1UP where the parking is free.

I turn on my Etrex 10 GPS, but I can't find any options to bring up my pre-arranged GPX file to follow, so its gonna have to be a see what happens sort of walk.

I put my boots on anticipating a muddy walk and I wasn't wrong, we left the car and my dog Ben and I made off down the path into the woods.

Broaks Wood is the most varied wood in Essex and see a unique Giant Redwood Grove, the world's tallest growing tree species.

The majority of the wood is designated as an Ancient Woodland Site and is estimated to have existed since the end of the last ice age, 12,000 years ago.

Woodbanks of an unknown date and specific wildflowers show evidence of its ancient woodland origins. Pottery sites from the 12th and 13th century have also been discovered in the wood.

The wood was purchased from the Courtauld Estate in 1956 and now has five miles of open paths for you to explore.

Broaks wood is managed with conservation as a priority, but an average of 500 tonnes of timber are harvested annually.

Coppicing is practised on some broad-leaved species which benefits wildlife by adding to the diversity of the habitat. Few sites in Essex rival Broaks Wood for its diversity of species. Over 200 species of wildflowers, 25 species of butterflies, 4 species of amphibians, 2 species of reptile and 3 species of bat have been recorded here.

We leave the woods down a track to the road and turn left. Almost opposite I see a path through the fields. These aren't marked on the Viewranger maps, but they are well trodden, so I assume its fine to walk these which is a better option than the road.

I soon run into other dog walkers, so these paths are okay to walk.

I follow a muddy path towards Halstead.

Holy Trinity Church Halstead in the distance.

I leave the path behind and out onto a Housing estate, where I make my way out onto Sloe Hill and then Chapel Hill.

I arrive at The Holy Trinity Church in Halstead.

A chapel, Holy Trinity Chapel, was built on the site in about 1413, but this had disappeared by the 18th century. The present church was built in 1843–44, and most of it was paid for by Mrs Mary Gee of Colne House, Earls Colne. A grant of £500 came from funds provided by Parliament in the Church Building Act 1824.

The church was designed by George Gilbert Scott. As the building of the spire was nearing completion, it collapsed, fortunately causing only minor injuries to the builders. An organ chamber was added in 1876.

The walls are plastered and whitewashed. Between the nave and the aisles on each side is a six-bay arcade supported by alternating circular and octagonal piers. The seating in the nave and aisles, and probably the font, with its square bowl on an octagonal base, date from the time of the building of the church. The lectern dates from 1906, and the choir stalls were added in 1913. The panelling in the chancel, and the pulpit date from the early 20th century. At the east end of the south aisle is a memorial screen added in 1922. The stained glass in the west window dates from 1851 and is by Clutterbuck, the east window of 1887 is by Burlison and Grylls, the east window in the south aisle dated 1922 is by J. C. N. Bewsey, and three windows in the south aisle of 1931–32 are by A. K. Nicholson. The three-manual organ was made in 1858. In 1878 E. W. Norman of Norwich and Diss either rebuilt it or supplied a new organ. This was subsequently restored in 1909 by Binns of Leeds, again in about 1970 by Cedric Arnold of Thaxted, and at a later date by Bishop and Son.

Holy Trinity Church, Halstead was declared redundant in April 1987 and is preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust.

I left the church behind and headed up A131 towards the town centre.

Halstead is a town and civil parish in the Braintree District of Essex in England. It has a population of 11,906. The town lies near Colchester and Sudbury, in the Colne Valley. It initially developed on the hill to the north of the river. The name Halstead is said to derive from the Old English hald (refuge, shelter, healthy) and stede (site, place or farm), meaning "healthy farm", "safe place" or "place of refuge".

We pass The Bull Inn. The Bull has been a coaching inn in the Essex village of Halstead since the 14th century.

We turn down the Causeway towards Dickens Restaurant and Halstead Antiques Centre.

This was originally Townsford Mill.

Townsford Mill spans the river at the bottom of the town houses. In 1818, Samuel Courtauld built two mills, Townsford at Halstead and another at Bocking. At the end of 1824, Halstead Mill was sold to Stephen Beuzeville. In 1825, Samuel installed a steam engine at Bocking Mill. An agreement dated 19 January 1825 was drawn up between Beuzeville and Samuel Courtauld and partners for the conversion of Halstead Mill for silk throwing. Beuzeville was to provide the expertise, capital, and supply the silk; Courtauld was to erect the power looms and operate the mill in return for a share in the profits; Beuzeville was to take delivery of the yarn and manufacture the crêpe, on which he was a technical expert with 20 years' experience. The mill appears to have been in operation by the summer of 1825, with Joseph Ash as manager.

The introduction of new technology was important but the mills still remained heavily dependent on manpower, or more accurately, woman-power. The looms required supervision by an army of young female workers and even in 1838, more than 92 per cent of the workforce was female.

In 1827 Stephen Beuzeville was declared bankrupt; a formal deed of sale dated 11 April 1828 was created between the commissioners in bankruptcy and Samuel Courtauld, whereby Halstead Mill (subject to charges of £300) was sold to Courtaulds for a cash payment of £1,500. Stephen and his father joined Courtaulds as employees.

I walk back the way I came and back up the High Street (A131).

I pass another old pub The White Hart Inn.

The White Hart Inn, one of the oldest Inns of Essex. The inn is a medieval hall building and is believed to have been built in the thirteenth century. In the eighteenth century The Great Yarmouth Stage stopped here.

View back down the hill.

At the top of this Hill, sits the towns church, St Andrews.

It was the Saxons who gave the town its name: ‘Hael’ meaning healthy or well, and ‘stead’ meaning place. The name was undoubtedly due in no small part to the fast stream of refreshing water they found here.

Anglo-Saxon tradition was passed on orally rather than in writing so very little is known about the first millennium. Most of the parish was held by the Anglo-Saxon Godwin, Earl of Kent but, with the Norman invasion we see some changes. Halstead increases in size enough to be recorded in the Doomsday Book (1086) and the land comes under the control of Norman lords and knights.

There is documentary evidence of a church having been on the site of St.Andrew’s in the reign of King John (1199 -1216). In 1251 a Royal Charter was granted for a weekly market near to the church and Halstead’s growth was confirmed. In 1311 the Bouchier family became the most influential local lords and began a dynasty that was to have influence locally and nationally into the 16th Century.

The greater part of the church - the nave, north and south aisles and the chancel, dates from the early years of the 14th Century. In the 15th Century there were the minor additions of the north vestry, and north and south porches. The physical look of the church then remained largely unaltered until 1850 when the west end was extended and the dominant tower was added.

The early history of the life of the church community and of the town are best recorded in Holman’s Halstead, Being Historical Notes Arranged by William Holman, "Pastor of the Church of Protestant Dissenters" in Halstead, Essex, 1700-1730 A.D.

St Andrews have a ring of eight bells - the tenor weighs 15cwt 1qtr and number 7 is a pre-reformation bell dated c1380.

History of John 2nd Lord Bourchier.

John was the eldest son of Robert Bourchier, 1st Baron Bourchier and his wife Margaret Prayers. He inherited the title when his father died in 1349, along with estates and property focused around Essex.

John followed his father in pursuing a military career, serving with Edward, the Black Prince in Gascony in 1355 and was at the Battle of Auray in 1364. Other known engagements include being one of the Council to the King's Lieutenant in France in 1370 and being part of the 1379 fleet that was unsuccessful in its attempt to support the Breton Army. In 1384, he was sent as Governor in Chief to Flanders, remaining for 18 months in Ghent.

He was summoned to Parliament regularly between 1381 and 1399 before being excused due to age and infirmities. He was made Knight of the Garter in 1392. He died 21 May 1400.

I left the church and back out onto The High Street onto Market Hill and then Hedingham Road.

I pass a antiques shop and the Little Book Cafe.

A friendly little cafe, situated in a 17th century cottage in the traditional market town of Halstead, Essex. They offer a cosy, relaxing environment in which to enjoy a freshly brewed coffee or tea and some hearty homemade breakfast, brunch and lunch. They also offer a selection of used books to browse, borrow or buy.

I take Upper Chapel Street and then across The River Colne.

The ducks came racing up as soon as cross the bridge, I guess its a regular feeding spot.

We follow The River Colne on a footpath running alongside.

The River Colne is a small river that runs through Essex, England and passes through Colchester. It is not a tributary of any other river, instead having an estuary that joins the sea near Brightlingsea.