Parish History
A Second Evening with Crocky – the video from 15th November 2023
This was the second evening capturing Crocky’s memories of her long life in Hadstock. The focus was on historic houses in the village and her recollections of some of their past residents. About 40 people enjoyed the event and were full of admiration for her long memory of buildings, people and events going back more than 50 years. She spoke without notes for about 45minutes on the back stories of about 15 properties and the audience then raised questions on several buildings not already covered. The meeting was chaired by Richard Dolby of the Hadstock Society.
‘Landscape history of Hadstock Parish 1777-2020, Part 3: The 1801 Hadstock Inclosure Act’, by Richard Dolby and Rick Albrow
Part 3 of our Landscape History series illustrates and explains the Hadstock Inclosure Act of 1801. This transformed the landscape by affecting 70% of the Parish land area and eliminating open fields, shots and strips. New privately owned fields were created with the aim of improving productivity.
An Evening with Crocky – a sound podcast from 10th May 2023
Over 50 residents and former residents came to the village hall on the evening of Wednesday 10th May 2023 to hear Crocky’s memories of living and working in Hadstock since the 1950s. Created by the Hadstock Society, this is a sound podcast of her talk. The event was also captured on camera and you can find a video of the same event in the Community archive under ‘Events’ and ‘Hadstock Memories’. The video includes the many images she used to illustrate the talk.
Where is Assandun? – a talk by Richard Dolby
On 6th December 2023, Richard Dolby gave a presentation at the Hadstock Society AGM. This concerned an ongoing Battlefields Trust project which was set up to find the Battle of Assandun fought in 1016 between the English army led by Edmund Ironside and a Danish invasion force led by Cnut. Cnut won and became the King of England for 19 years.
An Evening with Crocky – the video from 10th May 2023
Over 50 residents and former residents came to the village hall on the evening of Wednesday 10th May 2023 to hear Crocky’s memories of living and working in Hadstock since the 1950s. Her talk, including slides, was captured on camera along with many audience questions and contributions.
‘Picnic on the Green’ celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III – the video
This fun event was held during the afternoon of Sunday 7th May 2023. Activities leading up to and during the picnic, were filmed by John Lockton on behalf of the Hadstock Society. This is an edited video which shows the preparatory work, the picnic, the races for both children and adults, the children being entertained by Captain Fantastic, the results of the fancy dress competitions, and the group photo depicting CR captured by a drone flown by Toby and Ben Chandler. Derek Bushell, Peter Wiles and Sue Wiles were the event hosts and Crocky judged the fancy dress competitions. The weather improved during the day and this memorable and successful event ended in warm sunshine. Funding was provided by the Parish Council and Uttlesford District Council.
Video of Hadstock’s street party held on April 29th 2011
This party on the Green was held to celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Photography and editing by Harry Villiers.
‘ Landscape history of Hadstock Parish 1777-2020, Part 5: Notable Buildings’, by Richard Dolby and Pat Croxton-Smith
This is a further addition to the series of illustrated online publications dealing with the landscape history of Hadstock Parish. Part 5 presents images and explanatory text on notable buildings, including St Botolph’s church, the former village school, listed houses, shops, large barns, pubs, mills and WW2 airfield structures.
‘ Landscape history of Hadstock Parish 1777-2020, Part 4: Houses and the Built Environment’, by Richard Dolby and Pat Croxton-Smith
This is a new addition to the series of illustrated online publications on the history of Hadstock Parish. Part 4 focuses on the built environment, and beginning with buildings seen in the Chapman and André map of 1777, housing development in Hadstock and Bowsers over the last 240 years is presented and explained. The information was derived from seven published maps. ‘Lost ‘ buildings are highlighted and population changes explained.
‘ Landscape history of Hadstock Parish 1777-2020, Part 2: Field Systems. Fields and Ownership’ by Richard Dolby and Rick Albrow (pdf)
This is Part 2 of a series of illustrations and notes which looks at the landscape history of Hadstock Parish over the last 250 years. It examines the major changes in field systems, fields and ownership caused by the Hadstock Inclosure Act of 1801, the arrival of the railway in 1865 and the USAAF airfield in 1942. It concludes with the 2020 field landscape and field ownership.
50 years of the Hadstock Society
In December 2022, the Hadstock Society held its 50th AGM. In this article, Richard Dolby looks back at the formation of the Society in 1972 and reviews its main achievements and activities over 5 decades.
Environment in Danger – a 1981 video portrait of Hadstock
In 1979, a BAA proposal to build a new terminal at Stansted Airport and expand passenger numbers to 15 million a year saw concerted action throughout Essex to oppose the planning application. A film, directed by Donald Stewart, was produced by the Hadstock Society which set out to show how the character and social life of those villages under the proposed flight path and stacking areas was potentially threatened.
The Society ran several events to finance the production, and various aerial shots were taken using a helicopter, courtesy of the Vesty family. The film was accepted and presented as evidence in the Public Inquiry which was held in Quendon in June 1982. The Inspector, Graham Eyre, commended the film and later it won the Essex Chronicle Award of the Essex Amenity Societies.
However, the Inquiry approved the BAA planning application in 1983 accepting a big increase in passenger numbers but turned down the need for a second runway. The new terminal was opened in 1991. Although the planning result was not the outcome wanted or expected in Hadstock, the film captures village life here 40 years ago in a charming and delightful way.
‘The Story of Hadstock’s Assandun Millennium Banners’ by Rick Albrow
Read the historical background to the Battle of Assandun in 1016AD and the early years of King Cnut’s reign as King of England. Rick Albrow discusses the people, events and objects which inspired the designs and the making of the four Hadstock Millennium banners in 2016. The story is also available as a booklet.
‘The Landscape History of Hadstock Parish 1777-2020, Part 2: Field Systems, Fields and Ownership’, by Richard Dolby and Rick Albrow (Flipbook)
This is Part 2 of a series of illustrations and notes which looks at the landscape history of Hadstock Parish over the last 250 years. It examines the major changes in field systems, fields and ownership caused by the Hadstock Inclosure Act of 1801, the arrival of the railway in 1865 and the USAAF airfield in 1942. It concludes with the 2020 field landscape and field ownership.
‘The Landscape History of Hadstock Parish, 1777-2020, Part 1: Boundaries, Roads, Woods, and Paths’ by Richard Dolby
Explore the changes in Parish landscape over the last 250 years. This is Part 1 of a series of illustrations and accompanying notes about Hadstock landscape history, and highlights the impact of the railways arriving in 1865 and the siting of the WW2 USAAF airfield in 1942.
“Hadstock through the Centuries” – a review of Parish history by Patricia Croxton-Smith
An engaging and extensive review of Parish history by local historian Patricia Croxton Smith, known to everyone as Crocky. This is a 2018 edited compilation of a series of Hadstock magazine articles published by Crocky between 2009 and 2013.
War Records – the stories behind our WW1 war memorial, by Roger Mance
Read this fascinating research by Roger Mance into the background stories and family history of 18 men who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918 AD. The names of the 18 are to be found on the village war memorial in the south transept of St Botolph’s Church, Hadstock. All were born in Hadstock or had families with a close association to our village. Roger’s account was created as a tribute to the memory, courage and sacrifice of these men and produced as part of the 2020 Millennium celebrations for the Church.
30 Glimpses of Hadstock, 1900-2021
This sequence of photographs was compiled by Lorna Mufty and Richard Dolby to illustrate life in Hadstock over the past 120 years.
Riot in Hadstock…….in 1795
Read this sworn statement by a baker from Linton who was delivering loaves to Hadstock but was confronted by around 40 villagers complaining about the price.
Reg Wood looks back at village life in Hadstock in 1947
At the time of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977, Reg Wood looks back to 1947 and explains how life, facilities and services in Hadstock over the next 30 years had improved out of all recognition.
Archaeology – a summary of studies carried out in Hadstock Parish
This a brief summary of investigations carried out in Hadstock Parish over the last 50 years
2004 Seminar on the history and development of St Botolph’s Church
Read the summary of a seminar organised by the Hadstock Society and held on 8 July 2004 in which experts discussed the latest research findings into the foundations and fabric of our village church, including the north door.
30 Glimpses of Hadstock, 1900-2021
This sequence of photographs was compiled by Lorna Mufty and Richard Dolby to illustrate life in Hadstock over the past 120 years.
Memories of Reg Wood
Transcribed from tape in 1997 by Patricia Croxton-Smith, this is a wonderful and detailed look at Hadstock places and people in the previous 60 years.