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Great Bardfield
Great Bardfield photos
Displaying the first of 7 old photos of Great Bardfield. View all Great Bardfield photos
Great Bardfield maps
Historic maps of Great Bardfield and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Great Bardfield maps
Great Bardfield area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about Great Bardfield and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Great Bardfield
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Great Bardfield.
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Ot The War Years CHE
I arrived in Cornish Hall end at the age of four when my family was bombed out in London. My brother, mother and a lot of cousins grew up in Sharpes Cottage and attended school in CHE. My mother later taught there. We did not move from there untill 1954, then only went to Wethersfield I have many memeries and have revisited in 1986. I live in New Zealand having emigrated in 1955. I still keep in touch with Dave Blewitt and was speaking to him and his son Micheal a few days ago. They both live in New Zealand. I knew Harold well and played cricket and fished at Whitleys, tadpoles and newts I think. Joyce Blewitt was in charge of the family farm during the war and Joshua her father was dominant, he called a spade a spade, you always knew just where you stood with him. Joe Miles was the game keeper at Spains Hall and PC Samuals was the local Bobby, and there was Ganda... Read more
My Walk From Mandalay Farm to Center of Great Bardfield
I was stationed at RAF Wethersfield from 1961 to 1964 and often on Sundays I would ride with the Gilbey's in their horse-drawn coaches down the lanes and through Great Bardfield. I also met Ted and Dorothy from Mandalay Farm and their children (Donna, her younger sister, and two brothers). We often would walk to Great Bardfield.
It was an exciting time in the life of a young airman.
Childhood Memories Great Bardfield 1969
My late parents were the landlord and landlady of the Vine public house. I was just coming into teenage years. Friends came from the base who lived in the village. The pub itself was refurbished in that year, meaning all 3 bars were revamped. Although the pub was being worked on, it was always busy, with the local USAF from Wethersfield using it. In the summer of 1969 we even had a July 4th celebration. Just up the road, was Maggie's Tea Rooms, and next door was Bardfields first antique shop, owned and run by wendy and colin. the year was of course 1969.
The main customers, of whom only one I can recall who used the vine, were characters like London George, a 'gentleman of the road', in the 'public bar', where the juke box was, and of course the dartboard, which drew in his friends and was where they met every evening.
The saloon bar is all remodernised as one sees it now 40... Read more
Essex memories
Growing up in Finchingfield
My family Ken and Joan Blake owned the Church Hill Stores (opposite the Church) from 1945 to the early 50's then we lived in the village until 1957. I have many memories of my time in Finchingfield and many faces and events come flooding back. This picture shows a row of cottages known to me as The Causeway where in my time there was an ice cream shop. The lane opposite - The Pikle -(spelling unknown) had high brick walls on both sides and as a child I used to stamp along in my wellingtons making a lovely echoing plonk. I can still hear the sound.
In My Day
In my days in the village I recall the upstairs room of the Guildhall having a snooker table where the men used to gather, this would be shortly after the war. Of more interest to me was the Library that was situated downstairs. As a very small child I was able to borrow and read books of all kinds which stimulated a life-long interest and love of books. The Guildhall had a gateway from the churchyard to the road right through the middle of the building (not quite apparent in this photo) and one day whilst walking through to my home (Church Hill Stores) I had my picture taken by a photographer who used it to produce a postcard. I wonder if any survive today? However much to my mother's chagrin, I was well wrapped up against the East Anglian wind and my face was totally obscured by a large headscarf, thus lasting fame eluded me.
A Search in Progress
Finchingfield to me, in my younger days, was a place that Dad would take Mum and me to on a Sunday afternoon drive. Never to stop for very long but it is a place that leaves a snapshot in your memory.
Being an adopted child I did not realise at the time that Finchingfield would play a large part in a search that I have been on for nearly 15 years.
Little did I know until I applied for and recived my original birth cert that "Pond View Restaurant" in Finchingfield in 1952 was the last address of my "birth mother".
I have searched records and even visited Finchingfield but to no avail to find any reference to "Pond View" Resturant or its owners at the time who I believe were my Aunts.
So...if anyone who has read this or knows someone who might remember way back then please, I would love to hear from you. The smallest piece of information just might be the key that unlocks a... Read more
Great-Great-Grandfather William Clark, Born Weathersfield 1804
Our great-great-grandfather was born in Weathersfield in 1804. He married Sussannah, born 1797, also from Wethersfield. They had five children, all born in Wethersfield, one being Walter Clark who was our mother's grandfather. They were living at 8 Ottleys Lane, Weathersfield in 1851. The children were Eliza Clark, born 1834, living at 6 Hudson Hills and working as a Straw Plaiter on the 1871 Census; Hannah, born 1835, living at Gravesham Farm, Toppesfield on the 1861 Census; Andrew, born 1839; George, born 1841; Walter, born 1843. In 1867 Walter married Elizabeth Jane Thwaites in Maidstone, Kent.
I realise these are not memories of Wethersfield - at least not my memories of Wethersfield - but thought it might be of interest to someone.
One day we intend to come to Weathersfield to see if any of these places still exist, we did pass through a couple of days ago but it was late evening and we did not have time to stop, but it would be interestng to... Read more
