Little Waltham
A Memory of Little Waltham.
I was born in Little Waltham and lived there until 1967. I only left because I got married and the cost of housing in the village, even then, was way out of our reach, so we had to move 20 miles north to Sible Hedingham. I had a very happy childhood in Little Waltham, spending a great deal of time in, on, and around the River Chelmer. A favourite spot was what we called The Water tower that stood in a deep hollow just down a track towards the river from Little Waltham Hall. Old maps show this spot as the site of Little Waltham Mill, long since demolished. The Water Tower was a tall structure made from sand-coloured blocks. It may have been the last remaining part of the old Mill or something later. It stood on an island between a stream and the river Chelmer and was reached by a small concrrete bridge over the stream. Below the bridge was some kind of dam which may have been to control water flow to the old Mill. The stream led back to a derelict weir upstream on the Chelmer.
The tower had window and door openings but no frames remained. There appeared to be some kind of metal tank on its roof. Anyway, the Water Tower was a very mysterious and spooky place that was used to good effect in many boisterous games involving me and many village lads and lasses in the 1950s. On a visit to Little Waltham in 1999 I remembered all the fun we had playing in and around the Tower so I hoped to visit it again. How disappointed i was, after hacking my way through overgrown bushes to find that the old Tower had gone. Only it's base and the little concrete bridge remained. I'd hoped to take a picture, but now that wasn't possible. I wonder if any "baby boomers" like me will remember the Tower and perhaps have a photo to share.
Add your comment
You must be signed-in to your Frith account to post a comment.
Add to Album
You must be signed in to save to an album
Sign inSparked a Memory for you?
If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?
Comments & Feedback
We lived in a house called’Walnuts’ nearly opposite the White Hart pub. The house is no longer there. I went to Little Waltham primary school. Mr Wilson was the head. My best friend was his daughter Jackie. I remember the grocery shop called Evans although the Barry family ran it. I remember John Butcher’s shop ( I always thought his fingers looked like sausages!) I remember Fewells where bikes were on sale as well as loads of other things including ‘pearl’ necklaces - I bought one for my sister on her birthday. There was a shop called Barnevilles I think, quite near the school where we spent our 6d pocket money every Saturday on sweets - 4 black jacks or fruit salads for a penny or Jamboree bags which were usually a disappointment.
Mr Rayner had a huge Great Dane called Rajah. I loved him and called him Worries because he had such a wrinkly forehead.
My sister had a good friend who lived in Foxtons on the bend opposite the doctor’s surgery. They had a tennis court so sometimes we played there.
I remember playing with the Basset children. I think they might have had a swimming pool but that could have been a dream.
We went to church regularly. The Bensons lived in the rectory and we were great friends with them. I remember village fetes in the garden and doing maypole dances.
Acting in the Christmas school show in the village hall was a highlight. Mrs Turner who was a teacher there wrote the play and all the songs. I had a really tiny part - the maid in Sing a Song of Sixpence.
Mrs Ofield was my teacher. I thought she was wonderful but she did smack the boys’ legs if they were naughty.
The winter of 1963 was incredible. We spent what now seems like weeks walking in a winter wonderland, skating on the river and making tunnels and caves in the snow. Everywhere was transformed.
I have so many happy memories of life in Little Waltham and was very sad to leave it in 1968. I’m drawing a map of what I remember of the village whilst I still remember it and before I visit it if ever I were to go as seeing it now might spoil my memories.