The Ransons Move To Castle Hedingham

A Memory of Castle Hedingham.

We arrived in Castle Hedingham around the turn of the year 1964/5, Mum, Dad, my three little brothers and myself. Our newly built house was just out of shot to the left of this photo of Pye Corner. Mum & Dad's friend Tony owned the white Alvis car parked on the green. We were very excited be in our big house. It was a cold winter and Mum was trying to get us settled in. Like all new houses it had it's teething problems.
We all eventually went to De Vere primary school on the other side of the village and made lots of friends, some of whom we still see. Also on Pye Corner was a lovely old house called Astles. It belonged to a man called Mr. Kelk. His granddaughter, Charlotte showed me all the nooks and crannies of the house and garden which fascinated me and began my interest in old houses that continues to this day. Mr. Kelk's house has recently been beautifully restored by some very talented people.
The 1960s were good years to be children. We wandered through fields in warm summers, picked blackberries in autumn and enjoyed sledging down Scotch Pastures in snowy winters. In spring, we played amongst primroses and bluebells in the woods. I hope the flowers are still there. I do not think children get the same freedom today.
In the last year I have been back to Castle Hedingham a few times. My parents are still there and my brothers nearby. Those little cottages in the picture have all been restored and many new homes followed ours. Alas, our modern lifestyle has brought the end of most of the village shops, but I think the village still has it's character. I love to go back and revive my memories.