Short History of Thaxted

HISTORIC THAXTED

A Short History – Click here for the full unabridged version

Thaxted dates back to the Iron Age, developing as an Anglo-Saxon agricultural centre originally named "Tachestida" meaning "the place where reeds used in thatching grow." The Domesday book (1086) records it as a rich settlement with 108 households.

The manor of Thaxted held significant importance, owned first by the Clare family who considered it the "most valuable manor in Essex." It later passed through the de Audleys, Mortimers, and eventually became part of the royal estate under Edward IV, Henry VIII, and Katherine of Aragon.

Around 1205, Thaxted gained market rights, reflecting its growing prominence. By 1393, the Poll Tax showed a transformation from village to township, with a thriving cutlery industry that employed over a third of the population. The town included 79 cutlers, 11 smiths, 4 sheathers, and 2 goldsmiths, many being post-Black Death newcomers.

Economic changes also affected land ownership. The feudal system declined after 1348, with the Mortimers ending labour services by 1393. Land was sold to create freehold farms, with remaining areas leased to tenant farmers. This transition contributed to Thaxted becoming a local centre for the Peasants' Revolt of 1381.

By 1500, the cutlery trade had virtually disappeared as other centres like Sheffield offered more competitive prices. A charter from Mary I (1556) described Thaxted as being "in great ruin and decay by reason of great poverties and necessity."

The woollen cloth industry, which had developed from the mid-15th century, helped revive the economy. By 1617, people were "flooding into the borough" to work in the "new draperies." Daniel Defoe noted in 1722 that "Thaxted was noted for the manufacture of bays [fine cloth]."

The town gained self-government through a charter in 1556, though this was challenged in 1586 by the Cutts family. A replacement charter in 1617 granted extensive powers, including the right to hold petty and quarter sessions. However, following the Civil War and legal challenges, Thaxted's borough status ended in 1684.

The Buildings of Thaxted

Thaxted contains 148 listed buildings, mostly wood-framed structures along the main road (Town Street, Watling Street, and lower Newbiggen Street). The wide footpaths in Town Street indicate the past presence of an important market.

Key Historic Buildings:

• Parish Church (St. John the Baptist, with Our Lady and St. Laurence): A prominent landmark with its own history available on the town website.
• The Guildhall: Built in the second half of the 15th century, likely funded by the cutlers' guild. It served as a meeting place for guild members, a moot hall for borough authorities, and a market administration centre. After the borough's collapse in 1684, it variously served as a grammar school and now houses the parish council.
• Recorders (Gifted): A mid-15th century double-jettied building displaying the arms of King Edward IV. Originally built as the administrative centre for the manor and royal borough, it is named after Thomas Lock, the town's first recorder appointed under the 1617 charter.
• John Webb Windmill: A notable landmark with information available on the town website.
• Clarance House: Built in 1715 in the early neo-classical (Palladian) style, it was a wedding gift to Elizabeth Rayner upon her marriage to William Heckfort, a local apothecary. Behind the main building are two walled gardens—one recreational and one for flowers and vegetables, with the latter now being a conservation area open to the public at specific times.

Further Reading Available in Thaxted

• History of Thaxted - Updated edition of a comprehensive book describing all buildings of historic note in the whole parish of Thaxted. £1.50 (postage now £1.55 second class).
• Guildhall - A booklet on the history of this building. Cost £1.00 each.
• Thaxted Town Trail - Leaflet cost 50p
• Individual History Cards on Guildhall, Windmill, Church, Almshouses, Conrad Noel, Dick Turpin and Gustav Holst. These give a fuller description of these aspects of Thaxted. Cost 20p
• Discover Historic Thaxted - 4-fold leaflet giving a brief description of the main aspects of Thaxted. Free.

Address your enquiries to: TIC@mail.com or - Mike - Tourism Volunteer, at Thaxted Community Information Centre, 7, Town Street, Thaxted, Dunmow, Essex CM6 2LD. Please enclose a cheque payable to "Thaxted Parish Council" for the cost of your order plus £1.10 to cover post and packing.