Conservation Society

We are very grateful to Carol & Tony Eaton for giving us access to a large collection of records created by the former Henham Conservation Society. Among those documents is a brief entry stating that the society was created in 1928 to preserve the character of the village. There is a reference that the late William Fuller Maitland gave a free gift of 13 acres of greens for ever to the village. Henham was awarded trophies and shields for ‘best-kept village’ competitions in 1955, 1958, 1965 and 1980, a Saffron Walden Rural Council Shield in 1957 and a North West Essex Shield in 1961 and 1962.

1975 Sept. 18th. – Henham Conservation Society –

Medieval Tiles – The Chairman reported on a visit from Mr P.J. Drury, Chairman of the Research and Fieldwork Committee of the Essex Archaeological Society to record a panel of mediaeval tiles, mostly 14th century in the south side of the chancel floor in the parish church. A report has been sent to the vicar.

The Bury Pond – The Chairman stated that this pond belongs to Sir Clifford Hammett, and then read a letter from him to Mr Jack Hayden who had undertaken to do the work of clearing out the pond with an increased cost to Sir Clifford of £100 against £45. In all Sir Clifford had contributed £75, and asked the Conservation Society whether it would also make a contribution. The Committee felt that although interested in the upkeep of the pond, it should have consulted first and to leave the amount of its contribution until the Treasurers report under ‘any other business’. £10 was to be contributed to the cleaning of the Bury Pond, to be paid by cheque payable to Lady Hammett for Jack Hayden.

1976 Jan 29th – Henham Conservation Society –

Any other business – Mrs Fowler reverted to the matter of housing development on the former Primary School site and expressed the opinion that there was no call for using the old school building as a Community Centre which was not a viable proposition. She considers it preferable to convert the old school building to housing and erect garages for villagers use or erect small cottage-type houses.

1976 a Craft Show in Bell Meadow was arranged by the Henham Conservation Society. Some accounts papers indicate that the society was still existed in 1989. A society letter of that date reports that it has been inactive for a few years although a small committee of five kept occasional meetings.

1976 Henham Conservation Society, AGM reports that there has been a reduction in planning applications but there has been major ones, in key sites in the village. First: two houses are to be built on the ground behind the old Primary School; a congested site with a frontage which needed very careful planning… Next Two semi detached three-storey houses to be built on the site of the old chapel. New development at Bacons as yet undecided; new development at Starr Garage both infringing on the greens. The Carters Lane footpath ditch: Walnut Tree Cottage, or Albion cottage (so-called after the name of a ship of a previous occupant). Church cottages; Prompt Cottages: a new door to the shop and an extension; the tennis club pavilion. Our major social event was a party for just under 100 members at the Bury by kind permission of Lady Hammett. Our summer outing, on one of the hottest July days, on the ‘Adventuress” on the Stort. Our membership has increased from 122 to over 140.

1976 31st March Henham Conservation Society –

1. Fifty Field Name Maps – An order for 50 copies is now assured – these will sell at £1 each.

2. Summer Fair – Plans are going ahead for the summer fair on June 12. The following have been asked to attend – Mr Holland, Clavering – corn dollies; Mrs Carroll, Gt Chesterford – pewter and brass; Mr Melville, Hatfield Heath – smith; Mrs Melville, Hatfield Heath – lace; Mrs Walters, Widdington, – rushwork; Mrs Holling, Warberswick – pebble polishing; Mr Rose from Ugley and Mr Poulter from Henham – both bee keeping; Mr Marshall and Mr Walter Cornell both from Henham – scything; Mrs Hart from Duxford – tye dying; Mrs Baynes from White Roding – pottery; Mr King from Henham – carpentry; Mrs Mastandrae from Henham – soap-making and home weaving. It was agreed to approach Mr Weyers of Dragonholt, Henham who does leather work. Attention was drawn to the timing of the Fair, which is from 12 noon until 4pm.

3.The Primary School – It has been decided to use the old school as a community centre for a trial period of three years.

4. Application has been made to build a tennis club pavilion by Helen Tennis Club.

5. The plan submitted by Mr Wright to build a bungalow as a substitute for the shed presently situated by the pond at the top of Wood End Green have been turned down. It was suggested by Mr Bradley that this was a pity, and agreed by all that Miss Winmill should write to the planning authorities asking on what grounds the application has been refused.

1976 17th May Henham Conservation Society, risk to O.S.C.A.

The Old School building will cost an estimated £1,000.00 to repair the outside. The Estates and Valuation Office have written to say that if the building is not to be used, they will attempt to sell the freehold. If no buyer comes forward, it is likely that the building would be demolished.

1978 Henham Conservation Society,

A meeting was held on the 15th May 1978. Concern was expressed over the closing of the village shop. It was believed that The Bell is to be placed on the market. If this happens the situation will have to be carefully watched in view of the importance of this central site.

1978 Henham Conservation Society,

A meeting was held on Monday 25th Sept. 1978 where it was reported that the planning application for the change of use of The Bell to a private dwelling has been approved but the proposal to build two houses on adjacent plots have been rejected

1978 Henham Conservation Society, Newsletter no.26 Winter 1978/9. Two records of village life in Henham some 60 years ago (about 1918)

1979 Henham Conservation Society, OSCA gets permanent heating and false ceiling essential with fuel costs.

1980 Henham Conservation Society, July 1980
Of 160 members, 72 had not paid their annual subscriptions. In 1980 101 out of 178 members had not paid their subscriptions.

1980 LIST OF HENHAM CONSERVATION SOCIETY MEMBERS

1980 Sept. Henham Conservation Society – Best-Kept Large Village Award – For the fourth time since its initiation 25 years ago, Henham has been awarded the Whitmore Trophy for the best-kept village in Essex. The competition was keenly contested as no fewer than 77 villages entered the competition. The award will encourage all residents to increase their efforts to maintain the greens and gardens in as good a condition as possible throughout the year

1981 Henham Conservation Society
1. In late September 1980, two young amateur archaeologists, working under the surveillance of Mr James Smith, found in Great Hall field, Henham Lodge, coins, pottery and oyster shells. The site was visited in early October 1980 by the county archaeologists. It is now scheduled as a Roman farming complex.

2.Village Shop – The re-opening of the village shop is a most welcome development. The Society wishes the new owners, Mr & Mrs Frost, success in their venture.

3. The well-known broadcaster, Brian Johnston, is to visit Henham on 24th March to make a “Down Your Way” programme.

1983 MORE RECENT HENHAM PARISH POPULATIONS compiled in 1983

In light: the strangest jumping around

THE ENCLOSURE ACT

The Common Fields of north-west Essex, on the edge of the great Midland open field system, were not enclosed till very late; the reasons for this are obscure. In Henham, it was not until the middle of the 19th century that 630 acres of arable land were enclosed, And the enclosure act of 1850 shows the hard, straight boundaries mapped by the Parliamentary Commissioners. Yeoman farmers and cottagers, were allotted compact blocks of land instead of holdings of scattered strips.

The Tithe Award of 1840 lists the names of owners and tenants with numbers referring to dwellings, fields or strips on the Tithe Map, and of all the means of research, these are the most valuable. With these numbers, which re-appear on the Enclosure Map of 1850 field names are given, but even so, with boundary alterations, many names cannot now be traced.

A Conveyance, May 1850, (owned by Mr. J. Pimblett, Parsonage Farm, Henham) to Joseph Baxendale, Lord of the Manor, when compared with the 1st Edition Ordinance Survey, 25″, 1877, shows that within those 27 years, Henham Lodge Farm, to the north-east of the parish, lost at least eight of its fields by the removal of hedgerows.

Significance of Field names

Coneygar and Little Coneygar, Parsonage Farm – probably where rabbits were reared for the use of the Lord of the Manor

Ley – where often stock was tethered instead of free grazing