Greensted
Encyclopedia
Greensted-juxta-Ongar is a village in Essex
, England
, strung out along the Greensted Road approximately one mile to the west of Chipping Ongar
.
The name is not a mere pretty title however; Greensted is situated in a large natural clearing, and would have been a logical place to build a settlement in the dense surrounding Epping Forest
especially as it was near an existing route. This is the Ongar road, later part of the Canterbury
pilgrimage mentioned in The Canterbury Tales
.
, the oldest wooden church in the world. It was featured on a British postage stamp issued in April 1972.
Historically Greensted is important because of its longevity: the parish has existed since Saxon
times, and little has changed. It is also a place that has strong ties with St Edmund, once King of East Anglia
.
Two Greenste(a)ds in Essex
Greensted, near Ongar
, is sometimes confused with Greenstead, in Colchester
. Both places are located in the county of Essex, but they are over 30 miles apart. Use, where appropriate, of British postcodes
can minimise the risk of confusion. Postcodes for addresses in Greensted, near Ongar, commence with the letters 'CM
'. Postcodes for Greenstead, near Colchester, commence with 'CO
'.
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...
, strung out along the Greensted Road approximately one mile to the west of Chipping Ongar
Chipping Ongar
Chipping Ongar is a small market town, and a civil parish called Ongar, in the Epping Forest district of the county of Essex, England. It is located East of Epping, South-East of Harlow and North-West of Brentwood.-Geography:...
.
Naming
Greensted's full name is Greensted-juxta-Ongar (Greensted adjoining Ongar) but this title is considered archaic now, and the settlement is known locally by its primary title. Greensted literally means green place, 'sted' being, in the Saxon tongue, the old word for place (and is still used in modern English words e.g. 'instead'). Greensted is also both a current English and Danish surname, but is spelled Grønstad in Denmark. The area of England where Greensted is located is at the edge of the area once known as Danelaw, which was ruled by the King of Denmark.The name is not a mere pretty title however; Greensted is situated in a large natural clearing, and would have been a logical place to build a settlement in the dense surrounding Epping Forest
Epping Forest
Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London and Essex. It is a former royal forest, and is managed by the City of London Corporation....
especially as it was near an existing route. This is the Ongar road, later part of the Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
pilgrimage mentioned in The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at...
.
Features
While very small, Greensted does have one particular feature of note, being St Andrew's Church, commonly known as Greensted ChurchGreensted Church
Greensted Church, in the small village of Greensted, near Chipping Ongar in Essex, England, is the oldest wooden church in the world, and probably the oldest wooden building in Europe still standing, albeit only in part, since few sections of its original wooden structure remain...
, the oldest wooden church in the world. It was featured on a British postage stamp issued in April 1972.
Historically Greensted is important because of its longevity: the parish has existed since Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
times, and little has changed. It is also a place that has strong ties with St Edmund, once King of East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
.
Two Greenste(a)ds in EssexEssexEssex 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...
Greensted, near OngarChipping Ongar
Chipping Ongar is a small market town, and a civil parish called Ongar, in the Epping Forest district of the county of Essex, England. It is located East of Epping, South-East of Harlow and North-West of Brentwood.-Geography:...
, is sometimes confused with Greenstead, in 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...
. Both places are located in the county of Essex, but they are over 30 miles apart. Use, where appropriate, of British postcodes
Postal code
A postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. Once postal codes were introduced, other applications became possible.In February 2005, 117 of the 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union had postal code systems...
can minimise the risk of confusion. Postcodes for addresses in Greensted, near Ongar, commence with the letters 'CM
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...
'. Postcodes for Greenstead, near Colchester, commence with 'CO
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...
'.