Great Bentley
Encyclopedia
Great Bentley is a village and civil parish
in the Tendring
district of North East Essex
, England
, located midway between the towns of Colchester
and Clacton-on-Sea
. It is home to the largest village green
in the country, at a size of 43 acres (174,015 m²) and has won 'Village of the Year' several times. Great Bentley railway station
(managed by National Express) provides the village with frequent rail services along the Sunshine Coast Line to London Liverpool Street, Clacton-on-Sea
, Colchester
and Walton-on-the-Naze
.
Great Bentley is scattered round an extensive level or common, of 43 acres (174,015 m²), on the eastern side of the vale of a rivulet, eight miles (13 km) east-south-east of Colchester
. The parish
contains 2500 inhabitants, and 3,188 acres (13 km²) of fertile land, including hills and valleys, and extending southward to the Flag Creek, a tidal creek which connects with the Colne
, near Brightlingsea
. Pubs in the area include The Plough Inn beside the village green and the Royal Fusilier in Aingers Green
. . The village has yet again retained the title for 'Best Kept Village in Essex', winning in both 2009 and 2010.
Great Bentley has the five "P"s identified by Country Life
as essential to a successful village: a pub, a post office, a place of worship, a primary school and public transport.
Great Bentley is the second largest village in the Tendring
district, with a population of 2,381. The village has road, rail and bus links.
Contenders for the title of largest village green in England include West Auckland
and Old Buckenham
. Frampton on Severn has also been cited, but at 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) it does not even match Great Bentley.
and at that time it was situated amongst large wooded areas. The clearing of these woods began in 1135. In its early days the village was named Benetlea, then Much Bentley and later still Great Bentley. The first part of the name, Bent, is thought to refer to a type of grass, and the later part, lea, probably derives from the word ley, meaning land sown with grass, which suggests a direct reference to the green. Great Bentley did have a port at Flag Creek which was used to import and export goods. Queen Elizabeth I once visited Lord Darcy’s residence, St Osyth Priory. It is believed she may have arrived at Harwich accompanied by her courtiers and rode via Horsley Cross, Little Bentley then onto Great Bentley Green before finishing her journey to St Osyth. Great Bentley owes much of its growth to the coming of the railway in 1866, with the railway station being named Bentley Green before being changed to its present title of Great Bentley in 1877.
Two new housing estates were built in the 1960s on either side of the Village Green. This was followed by a trading estate being developed close to the railway station, now known as the Plough Road Business Centre. At that time the village boasted five public houses, Post Office, a Garage, several small retail shops and businesses, a School and a Doctor’s surgery. All of these amenities remain to this day, except for three of the public houses which have since closed down. Also in the 1960s Great Bentley Parish Council, on behalf of the village, purchased the manorial rights of the 42.5 acres (171,991.6 m²) of Common Land. Much of the purchase price was raised through voluntary donations from the residents and fund raising events. The land was then registered as village green to protect the green for the future from encroachment and erosion. The Village Green and nearby properties are a Conservation Area. The Parish Council, through the Common Land and Village Green Acts, ensures the protection of the Village Green.
. The school retains many of its original features including wooden parquet flooring and high ceilings in the original part of the building. Several extensions have been added to the school over the years, and the most recent was completed in 2003. In the year 2000 a clock was added to the centre of the original building in commemoration of the new millennium. The school currently has 210 pupils aged between 4 and 11 years. The school is maintained by Essex County Council, and is now called Great Bentley County Primary School. The school's catchment area includes the nearby villages of Thorrington
, Frating
, Aingers Green
and Little Bentley
.
in 1959. In 2009, new dressing room and bar facilities were completed to replace this, costing £220,000. The new facilities were officially opened by Lord John Bassam of Brighton who used to play for the club. The club has three senior teams; two of these play in the Essex and Suffolk Border Football League, and the other in the Colchester and East Essex Football League. On the 8th August 2009, a friendly was played against Colchester United on the Village Green as part of the grand opening of the new dressing rooms and bar.
The village green
covers some 43 acres (174,015 m²) and is reputed to be one of the largest in England, although this was recently bettered by Llyn Maelog - a 50 acre lake that has been granted village green status. The village green was the site of a steam mill which was built in 1886. The mill chimney was demolished in 1925, and what remains of the structure today has been converted into apartments. Adjacent to the mill was a large pond which no longer exists, and a handful of willow trees mark the spot. To the north of the mill is a children's play area and a small nature reserve containing various species of grasses that can only be found in the local area. To the east of this is the old mill house where a windmill
once stood within the walled gardens of the house, but this was also demolished in the late 19th century.
The green has long been used for various recreational and sporting events. In Edwardian times, it was used as a golf
course, and today the local cricket
and football teams can often be seen playing matches.
During the last weekend of June, the green has provided the venue for Great Bentley Village Carnival and Fete every year since 1974.
In recent years, the Green has also become popular with motorcyclists from around the country. During the summer months, the Green becomes the site of a mini motorcycle rally on Wednesday evenings. This can be quite an impressive spectacle as on some occasions there have been over 1,000 motorcycles there.
. Only the latter two (The Plough Inn and The Royal Fusilier) are still in business today.
The A133 road runs through the north of the village and provides access to Colchester
and Clacton-on-Sea
, and onwards via the A120 and A12 to Chelmsford
and London
. Great Bentley is served by the 77 bus service to Colchester
.
Great Bentley railway station
is located on the Sunshine Coast Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line
. The village is served by local services to Colchester
and Walton-on-the-Naze
during off-peak hours as well as express services to London Liverpool Street and Clacton-on-Sea
during peak hours. All services are operated by National Express East Anglia.
The Sunshine Coast Line reached Great Bentley in 1866 and has contributed greatly towards the growth of the village ever since, effectively making Great Bentley a commuter village. It was the only form of public transport in the village between 1965 and 2010 when a local bus service was launched, which may explain the high patronage for a village station. The station is used by commuters from within the village and from neighboring towns and villages such as Brightlingsea
, Frating
, St Osyth and Thorrington
.
. The tower was added some 200 years later, and has recently undergone a £100,000 restoration project. The church itself is constructed from stone and flint, and still has its original door (the oldest surviving church door in the country), although it is no longer in use.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Tendring
Tendring
Tendring is a local government district in North East Essex, England. It extends from the River Stour in the north, to the coast and the River Colne in the south, with the coast to the East and the town of Colchester to the west. Its council is based in Clacton-on-Sea. Towns in the district...
district of North East Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, located midway between the towns of Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
and Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
. It is home to the largest village green
Village green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
in the country, at a size of 43 acres (174,015 m²) and has won 'Village of the Year' several times. Great Bentley railway station
Great Bentley railway station
Great Bentley railway station is a staffed railway station serving Great Bentley in Essex, England. The station is located north east of London Liverpool Street on the Sunshine Coast Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line. The station is located at street level on Station Road in the...
(managed by National Express) provides the village with frequent rail services along the Sunshine Coast Line to London Liverpool Street, Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
, Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
and Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
.
Great Bentley is scattered round an extensive level or common, of 43 acres (174,015 m²), on the eastern side of the vale of a rivulet, eight miles (13 km) east-south-east of Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
. The parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
contains 2500 inhabitants, and 3,188 acres (13 km²) of fertile land, including hills and valleys, and extending southward to the Flag Creek, a tidal creek which connects with the Colne
River Colne, Essex
The River Colne is a small river that runs through Colchester, England. It is not a tributary of any other river, instead having an estuary that joins the sea near Brightlingsea.-Source:...
, near Brightlingsea
Brightlingsea
Brightlingsea is a coastal town in the Tendring district of Essex, England, located between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, situated at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. It has an estimated population of 8500....
. Pubs in the area include The Plough Inn beside the village green and the Royal Fusilier in Aingers Green
Aingers Green
Aingers Green is a hamlet located within the village of Great Bentley, Essex, England. It has one pub, The Royal Fusilier, which is located in Aingers Green Road. This pub was chosen to be put into the Good Beer Guide 2009 as one of ten in the Tendring area.-Transport:Aingers Green is served by...
. . The village has yet again retained the title for 'Best Kept Village in Essex', winning in both 2009 and 2010.
Great Bentley has the five "P"s identified by Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
as essential to a successful village: a pub, a post office, a place of worship, a primary school and public transport.
Great Bentley is the second largest village in the Tendring
Tendring
Tendring is a local government district in North East Essex, England. It extends from the River Stour in the north, to the coast and the River Colne in the south, with the coast to the East and the town of Colchester to the west. Its council is based in Clacton-on-Sea. Towns in the district...
district, with a population of 2,381. The village has road, rail and bus links.
Contenders for the title of largest village green in England include West Auckland
West Auckland
West Auckland is a village in County Durham, in North East England. It is situated to the west of Bishop Auckland, on the A688 road.It is not known exactly when West Auckland was first inhabited, but there is evidence of Auckland West in the history of St. Cuthbert in the 11th century...
and Old Buckenham
Old Buckenham
Old Buckenham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, approximately south-west of Norwich.It covers an area of and had a population of 1,294 in 658 households as of the2001 census...
. Frampton on Severn has also been cited, but at 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) it does not even match Great Bentley.
History
The village is mentioned as far back as the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
and at that time it was situated amongst large wooded areas. The clearing of these woods began in 1135. In its early days the village was named Benetlea, then Much Bentley and later still Great Bentley. The first part of the name, Bent, is thought to refer to a type of grass, and the later part, lea, probably derives from the word ley, meaning land sown with grass, which suggests a direct reference to the green. Great Bentley did have a port at Flag Creek which was used to import and export goods. Queen Elizabeth I once visited Lord Darcy’s residence, St Osyth Priory. It is believed she may have arrived at Harwich accompanied by her courtiers and rode via Horsley Cross, Little Bentley then onto Great Bentley Green before finishing her journey to St Osyth. Great Bentley owes much of its growth to the coming of the railway in 1866, with the railway station being named Bentley Green before being changed to its present title of Great Bentley in 1877.
Two new housing estates were built in the 1960s on either side of the Village Green. This was followed by a trading estate being developed close to the railway station, now known as the Plough Road Business Centre. At that time the village boasted five public houses, Post Office, a Garage, several small retail shops and businesses, a School and a Doctor’s surgery. All of these amenities remain to this day, except for three of the public houses which have since closed down. Also in the 1960s Great Bentley Parish Council, on behalf of the village, purchased the manorial rights of the 42.5 acres (171,991.6 m²) of Common Land. Much of the purchase price was raised through voluntary donations from the residents and fund raising events. The land was then registered as village green to protect the green for the future from encroachment and erosion. The Village Green and nearby properties are a Conservation Area. The Parish Council, through the Common Land and Village Green Acts, ensures the protection of the Village Green.
Great Bentley Primary School
Great Bentley School was built in 1896 and its front façade is a good example of a school built in the late Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. The school retains many of its original features including wooden parquet flooring and high ceilings in the original part of the building. Several extensions have been added to the school over the years, and the most recent was completed in 2003. In the year 2000 a clock was added to the centre of the original building in commemoration of the new millennium. The school currently has 210 pupils aged between 4 and 11 years. The school is maintained by Essex County Council, and is now called Great Bentley County Primary School. The school's catchment area includes the nearby villages of Thorrington
Thorrington
Thorrington is a village and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It lies 5 km east of Wivenhoe and 3 km north of Brightlingsea. The striking medieval flint church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, and the patrons of the church are St John's College, Cambridge.On the...
, Frating
Frating
Frating is a village and small civil parish of the Tendring district of Essex. It is about east of Colchester and northwest of Clacton-on-Sea. The parish includes the settlements of Frating Green and Hockley....
, Aingers Green
Aingers Green
Aingers Green is a hamlet located within the village of Great Bentley, Essex, England. It has one pub, The Royal Fusilier, which is located in Aingers Green Road. This pub was chosen to be put into the Good Beer Guide 2009 as one of ten in the Tendring area.-Transport:Aingers Green is served by...
and Little Bentley
Little Bentley
Little Bentley is a village and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex. It sits on rising ground just to the west of the Holland Brook.The church is dedicated to Saint Mary...
.
Great Bentley Football Club
Great Bentley Football Club was founded between 1895 and 1896, and its original headquarters were the Victory Inn public house (now a hair salon) in Great Bentley. The club now has its own clubhouse and dressing rooms built on the site of an old World War II Nissen hutNissen hut
A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure made from a half-cylindrical skin of corrugated steel, a variant of which was used extensively during World War II.-Description:...
in 1959. In 2009, new dressing room and bar facilities were completed to replace this, costing £220,000. The new facilities were officially opened by Lord John Bassam of Brighton who used to play for the club. The club has three senior teams; two of these play in the Essex and Suffolk Border Football League, and the other in the Colchester and East Essex Football League. On the 8th August 2009, a friendly was played against Colchester United on the Village Green as part of the grand opening of the new dressing rooms and bar.
Village green
Village green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
covers some 43 acres (174,015 m²) and is reputed to be one of the largest in England, although this was recently bettered by Llyn Maelog - a 50 acre lake that has been granted village green status. The village green was the site of a steam mill which was built in 1886. The mill chimney was demolished in 1925, and what remains of the structure today has been converted into apartments. Adjacent to the mill was a large pond which no longer exists, and a handful of willow trees mark the spot. To the north of the mill is a children's play area and a small nature reserve containing various species of grasses that can only be found in the local area. To the east of this is the old mill house where a windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
once stood within the walled gardens of the house, but this was also demolished in the late 19th century.
The green has long been used for various recreational and sporting events. In Edwardian times, it was used as a golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course, and today the local cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and football teams can often be seen playing matches.
During the last weekend of June, the green has provided the venue for Great Bentley Village Carnival and Fete every year since 1974.
In recent years, the Green has also become popular with motorcyclists from around the country. During the summer months, the Green becomes the site of a mini motorcycle rally on Wednesday evenings. This can be quite an impressive spectacle as on some occasions there have been over 1,000 motorcycles there.
Location
Notable residents
- Lord Bassam, the Shadow Chief WhipChief WhipThe Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
in the House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, grew up in the village and attended the local primary school.
- John Sydenham FurnivallJohn Sydenham FurnivallJohn Sydenham Furnivall was a British-born colonial public servant and scholar in Burma...
, a former Cambridge University scholar and later British colonial administrator to Burma, was born in the village.
- Maud de Ufford, Countess of Essex, who was arrested and later pardoned for conspiring against King Henry IV of EnglandHenry IV of EnglandHenry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
in 1404.
- Jeremy SpakeJeremy SpakeJeremy Craig Spake , is an English former reality TV star.Jeremy began his career in 1996, making regular appearances on the documentary series Airport, where he worked as the Ground Services Manager for Aeroflot - Russian Airlines...
, famous for his role in BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's AirportAirport (TV series)Airport is a British documentary television series based at London Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, broadcast by the BBC and syndicated to Dave, part of the UKTV network....
, resides in the village.
- Michael Steele, involved in the 1995 RettendonRettendonRettendon is a small village in the Borough of Chelmsford in Essex, England about south east of the county town Chelmsford. Situated near the River Crouch the village was once owned by the Bishop of Ely. The A130 formerly passed through the village...
murders, of which he and accomplice Jack Whomes were found guilty of murder in 1998 at the Old BaileyOld BaileyThe Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
. The murders were used as the basis for the 2000 film Essex BoysEssex BoysEssex Boys is a 2000 British crime film. It was directed by Terry Winsor and stars Sean Bean, Alex Kingston, Tom Wilkinson, Charlie Creed-Miles and Holly Davidson.-Cast:* Charlie Creed-Miles: Billy Reynolds/narrator* Sean Bean: Jason Locke...
, and 2007 film Rise of the FootsoldierRise of the FootsoldierRise of the Footsoldier is a 2007 English crime film released on 7 September, 2007. It is the third film from BAFTA award winning director Julian Gilbey...
. Both men have always protested their innocence.
Public houses
Until the 1980s Great Bentley had five public houses. These were The Red Lion (now used as offices), The Victory Inn (now a hair salon), Dusty's Wine Bar (now the pharmacy), The Plough Inn and The Royal Fusilier at Aingers GreenAingers Green
Aingers Green is a hamlet located within the village of Great Bentley, Essex, England. It has one pub, The Royal Fusilier, which is located in Aingers Green Road. This pub was chosen to be put into the Good Beer Guide 2009 as one of ten in the Tendring area.-Transport:Aingers Green is served by...
. Only the latter two (The Plough Inn and The Royal Fusilier) are still in business today.
Transport
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
and Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
, and onwards via the A120 and A12 to Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Great Bentley is served by the 77 bus service to Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
.
Great Bentley railway station
Great Bentley railway station
Great Bentley railway station is a staffed railway station serving Great Bentley in Essex, England. The station is located north east of London Liverpool Street on the Sunshine Coast Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line. The station is located at street level on Station Road in the...
is located on the Sunshine Coast Line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
. The village is served by local services to Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
and Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
during off-peak hours as well as express services to London Liverpool Street and Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea
Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
during peak hours. All services are operated by National Express East Anglia.
The Sunshine Coast Line reached Great Bentley in 1866 and has contributed greatly towards the growth of the village ever since, effectively making Great Bentley a commuter village. It was the only form of public transport in the village between 1965 and 2010 when a local bus service was launched, which may explain the high patronage for a village station. The station is used by commuters from within the village and from neighboring towns and villages such as Brightlingsea
Brightlingsea
Brightlingsea is a coastal town in the Tendring district of Essex, England, located between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea, situated at the mouth of the River Colne, on Brightlingsea Creek. It has an estimated population of 8500....
, Frating
Frating
Frating is a village and small civil parish of the Tendring district of Essex. It is about east of Colchester and northwest of Clacton-on-Sea. The parish includes the settlements of Frating Green and Hockley....
, St Osyth and Thorrington
Thorrington
Thorrington is a village and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England. It lies 5 km east of Wivenhoe and 3 km north of Brightlingsea. The striking medieval flint church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, and the patrons of the church are St John's College, Cambridge.On the...
.
Climate
Saint Mary's Church
The church of St Mary the Virgin dates back to the 11th century, and was built by the NormansNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
. The tower was added some 200 years later, and has recently undergone a £100,000 restoration project. The church itself is constructed from stone and flint, and still has its original door (the oldest surviving church door in the country), although it is no longer in use.
Historical references
- Great Bentley entry in Post Office Directory of Essex, Herts, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex, London: Kelly, 1855