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Extracts of events relating to the people & properties of Castle Hedingham (Hengham ad Castrum) through the ages

(in chronological order)

  • 1140 (circa) - Hedingham Castle built by Aubrey II (de Vere).
  • 1191 (February) - Aubrey IV (Aubrew de Vere) was fined 100 marcs by the king and in atonement and required to additional property to the priory at Castle Hedingham due to the convent being torched by men of the founders son and heir late in 1190 or early 1191.
  • 1216 (March) - Hedingham Castle besieged and taken from Robert de Vere by the army of King John.
  • 1550 (12th April) - Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford born at Castle Hedingham. There is a strong argument, although nowhere near conclusive, that Edward de Vere was the real 'William Shakespeare' working under a Pseudonym.
  • 1587 (3rd July) - Edward de Vere grants Castle Hedingham to Queen Elizabeth I with the stipulation that Elizabeth re-grant it to him and his three daughters; Oxford entered into a bond of £4000.
  • 1594 (18th February) - Recognizances of Edward Bracket the elder and Henry Abbot of Castle Hedingham, butchers, for Edward Bracket the younger of the same, butcher, to keep the peace towards John Lagden and Hugh Brett of Wethersfield; discharged by the Court with this caution that if he be not of good behaviour then to be sent at the next going out. Taken before Sir Edmund Huddilston, knight, and Thomas Bendishe, esquire (SEAX - List of deed. Tracing descent of property from Robert Lagden to Ferdinand Mordaunt).
  • 1682 (24th March) - Mark Catesby born and baptised at Castle Hedingham. Catesby, a naturalist, wrote the first published account of the flora and fauna of North America ("Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands").
  • 1713 - Castle purchased by Sir William Ashhurst, M.P., Lord Mayor of London.
  • 1759 (21st April) - Thomas Unwin of Castle Hedingham married Miss Mary Edwards of Bucklesbury (Ipswich Journal).
  • 1767 (5th September) - The farming stock belonging to to James Harrington at Nunnery farm, Castle Hedingham to be sold (Ipswich Journal).
  • 1770 (13th October) - "At the request of gentlemen hop growers and the principal inhabitants of Castle Hedingham by and with the contents of Sir Henry Houghton Bart. Also the principal planters of parishes adjacent, to hold a fair on Crouch Green and as further encouragement to those taking part by favouring us with their hops, they will be exempt from paying toll for three years" (Ipswich Journal).
  • 1770 (22nd November) - On Monday, Ann Hurry was committed to Chelmsford gaol charged with breaking open a bureau and stealing 5 guineas and a half in gold, the property of her master Mr Isaac King of Castle Hedingham (Ipswich Journal).
  • 1772 (15th February) - On Friday last, Judith Constable of Wickham St Pauls, Essex, was committed to Chelmsford gaol on the oath of her sister, Hannah Constable, with stealing out of the shop of Philip Brewes of Castle Hedingham, a draper, the remnant of Norwich Garnet camblet containing 20 yards also a remnant of pink coloured Durant (Ipswich Journal).
  • 1786 (7th April) - Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton (anti-slavery campaigner and social reformer ) was born in Castle Hedingham.
  • 1789 (28th October) - At Castle Hedingham hop show on Monday fortnight there was upwards of 400 bags and packets of hops on the hill, the quality was generally good and sold for the following prices. Pockets from 6L 5s to 7L per cwt, bags from 6L to 7L 7s (Ipswich Journal).
  • 1794 (22nd October) - The Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, have this year voted a gold medal to Lewis Majendie of Castle Hedingham for having planted upwards of 10 acres of Spanish Chestnuts for timber and 19000 Ash trees (Ipswich Journal).
  • 1824 (March) - John Turner (alias Hardy alias Harris alias Newman), a known thief, did, with a gang of men, break into the hen house of one Joseph Glasscock at Castle Hedingham and steal turkey and chickens.
  • 1855 (13th June) - On Saturday week, a thunder storm passed over Castle Hedingham, a ploughman being at work on Great Lodge farm, stood with his team for shelter at the head of one of the horses, the lightning at that instant struck the head of the horse which dropped down dead, the other being unhurt as well as the man (Bury and Norwich Post).
  • 1867 - Castle Hedingham railway station opened by Colne Valley & Halstead Railway Company.
  • 1934 - Eric William Ravilious (painter, designer, book illustrator and wood engraver) with his wife (Eileen Lucy "Tirzah" Garwood - also a noted artist and engraver) purchased Bank House, St.James Street, Castle Hedingham.
  • 1955 (14th October) - Peter Buckley-Saxon (not famous in any way, but author of this page) was born at Cherry Lawn, 60 Nunnery Street, Castle Hedingham.
  • 1964 - Castle Hedingham railway station closed due to Beeching cuts.