Stansted Mountfitchet
Encyclopedia
Stansted Mountfitchet is a village and civil parish in the county of Essex
, England
, near the Hertfordshire
border, 35 miles (56.3 km) north of London
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 5,533. The village is served by Stansted Mountfitchet railway station
.
Stansted Mountfitchet is situated in north west Essex near the Hertfordshire border and a few miles north of Bishops Stortford. Stansted Airport, a major airport and the third-busiest in the United Kingdom, is 3 miles (4.8 km) from the village. The village contains two primary schools and one high school, the latter of which was recently renamed the Mountfitchet Mathematics and Computing College
.
settlement (the name means 'stony place' in Saxon) and predates the Norman invasion of England, although it was not until this invasion that it inherited the suffix Mountfitchet from the Norman baron who settled there. A small remnant of his castle remains, around which a reconstruction of an early Norman
castle has been built. Believed to have been fortified originally in the Iron Age
, and subsequently by the Romans
and Vikings, construction of the Norman castle began in 1066.
Stansted Hall was built in 1871.
Other village attractions include the House on the Hill Toy Museum, which its owners claim "is the largest toy museum in Europe". Located next to the castle, both attractions are owned by Alan Goldsmith. The museum opened in 1991 and holds over 80,000 toys, mostly from the 1950s to the 1980s.
A working windmill
built in 1787 is in the village, and is open to the public once a month.
During the Second World War, the US Air Force constructed an airfield near the village. After the war ended, it was subsequently taken over by the government and developed as a commercial airport. Today, BAA Stansted Airport
is accessible by road from Junction 8 of the M11 motorway
, near Bishop's Stortford
and direct by train from London Liverpool Street
.
A large number of homes are being built in a new development to the southeast side of the village, at the site of the former Rochford Nurseries in Forest Hall Road.
(later KLM uk
) had its head office in Stansted House on the grounds of Stansted Airport. When Buzz
existed, its head office was in Endeavour House at the airport. When AB Airlines
existed, its head office was in Entreprise House at the airport. For a period Lloyd International Airways
had its head office at Lloyd House.
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...
, near the Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
border, 35 miles (56.3 km) north of 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...
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 5,533. The village is served by Stansted Mountfitchet railway station
Stansted Mountfitchet railway station
Stansted Mountfitchet railway station serves the village of Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by National Express East Anglia....
.
Stansted Mountfitchet is situated in north west Essex near the Hertfordshire border and a few miles north of Bishops Stortford. Stansted Airport, a major airport and the third-busiest in the United Kingdom, is 3 miles (4.8 km) from the village. The village contains two primary schools and one high school, the latter of which was recently renamed the Mountfitchet Mathematics and Computing College
Mountfitchet High School
Mountfitchet Maths and Computing College, shortly MMCC, is a comprehensive school in Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. In 2008 36% of students gained 5 GCSEs at A*-C.-External links:*...
.
History
Stansted was a SaxonAnglo-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...
settlement (the name means 'stony place' in Saxon) and predates the Norman invasion of England, although it was not until this invasion that it inherited the suffix Mountfitchet from the Norman baron who settled there. A small remnant of his castle remains, around which a reconstruction of an early Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
castle has been built. Believed to have been fortified originally in the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, and subsequently by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and Vikings, construction of the Norman castle began in 1066.
Stansted Hall was built in 1871.
Landmarks
A working windmill
Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill
Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill is a grade II* listed Tower mill at Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England which is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It has been restored and can turn by wind.-History:...
built in 1787 is in the village, and is open to the public once a month.
During the Second World War, the US Air Force constructed an airfield near the village. After the war ended, it was subsequently taken over by the government and developed as a commercial airport. Today, BAA Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
is accessible by road from Junction 8 of the M11 motorway
M11 motorway
The M11 motorway in England is a major road running approximately north from the North Circular Road in South Woodford in north-east London to the A14, north-west of Cambridge.-Route:...
, near Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
and direct by train from London Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
.
A large number of homes are being built in a new development to the southeast side of the village, at the site of the former Rochford Nurseries in Forest Hall Road.
Economy
At one time, AirUKAirUK
Air UK was a wholly privately owned, independentindependent from government-owned corporations regional British airline formed in 1980 as a result of a merger involving four rival UK-based regional airlines. British and Commonwealth -owned British Island Airways and Air Anglia were the two...
(later KLM uk
KLM UK
KLM UK was the brand name of a British airline subsidiary of KLM, which operated services within the UK and between the UK and the Netherlands using ATR-72, Fokker 50 and Fokker 100 aircraft...
) had its head office in Stansted House on the grounds of Stansted Airport. When Buzz
Buzz (airline)
Buzz was a British low-cost airline operating services within Europe. It operated from 2000 until 2004 as a subsidiary of KLM and then Ryanair.- History :The airline was established in 1999 and started operations on January 4, 2000...
existed, its head office was in Endeavour House at the airport. When AB Airlines
AB Airlines
AB Airlines was an airline with its head office in the Entreprise House on the property of London Stansted Airport in Uttlesford, Essex. AB was one of the first 'low cost airlines' in England, preceding others such as EasyJet, Ryanair, and Go Fly. It was created in 1993 by former Brymon Airways...
existed, its head office was in Entreprise House at the airport. For a period Lloyd International Airways
Lloyd International Airways
Lloyd International Airways Ltd was a private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline formed in 1961 to operate worldwide charter flights. It commenced operations with a single Douglas DC-4 piston airliner from Cambridge Marshall Airport. Lloyd International...
had its head office at Lloyd House.
External links
- Stansted Mountfitchet Parish Council
- Stansted Essex Business Directory
- The Recorders of Uttlesford History
- Mountfitchet Garden Club
- St Mary's CofE Primary School
- BAA Stansted Airport official web site
- The House on the Hill Toy Museum
- Mountfichet Castle and Norman Village
- Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill
- St. John's Church, Stansted (CofE)
- Stansted Cricket Club
- Mountfitchet Mathematics and Computing College website