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2008 Christmas Gift Guide - great gifts for your family and friends

Takeley

Takeley photos (6 available)

Old photo of Takeley

Takeley maps (2 available)

Old map of Takeley

Takeley books (15 available)

Takeley memories

The Clock House

Takeley, the Clock House c1965

My Nan and Grandad lived in the Clock House for a long time, from birth I spent many happy christmas's here with my big family. This house is my most favourite place in England, I love absolutely everything about it and only wish anyone reading this could get a glimpse of my wonderful memories. I was told I was conceived here.
500 years old+, it's quite hard for me to grasp just how old that is.
The best things about this house... how 'lived in' it felt, the noise of the cars and the ages going past through the little lead windows.. waiting for Father Christmas I was convinced he'd never miss the Clock House... It has fireplaces in nearly every ...read more here
Contributed by Amy De'ath

Hertfordshire memories

The Clock House

Takeley, the Clock House c1965

My Nan and Grandad lived in the Clock House for a long time, from birth I spent many happy christmas's here with my big family. This house is my most favourite place in England, I love absolutely everything about it and only wish anyone reading this could get a glimpse of my wonderful memories. I was told I was conceived here.
500 years old+, it's quite hard for me to grasp just how old that is.
The best things about this house... how 'lived in' it felt, the noise of the cars and the ages going past through the little lead windows.. waiting for Father Christmas I was convinced he'd never miss the Clock House... It has fireplaces in nearly every ...read more here
A memory of Takeley contributed by Amy De'ath

My 3rd Great Grandfather

Stansted Mountfitchet, the Windmill c1965

The 1841 Census says that my 3rd great grandfather, William Little, with wife Ann and family, lived at this Windmill. His occupation is stated as 'Miller' so I guess he worked on the premises. One of his sons, George, grew to marry Mary Ann and run the Barley Mow Beer House on Chapel Hill. His daughter Mary Ann was a barmaid there at age 19 and at George's death his wife took over the running of the premises. It passed into the hands of other family members later.
A memory of Stansted Mountfitchet contributed by Lynne McCarrick

childhood

Little Hallingbury, the Church c1960

I was born in White Roding in 1961. In 1968 my family and I went to live in Bishops Stortford. While we were there my father worked as a grave digger and landscape gardener in the local area. I fondly remember going to some of the church yards with him and playing while he worked. The church at Little Hallingbury  was one of those churches. We emmigrated to Australia in 1969 and although I went home several times I never revisited the church. This photo vividly brings back my childhood memories of lovely warm summers days lazily playing in the church yard and marvelling at the beauty of the church itself....my love of churches and church yards has stayed with me ...read more here
A memory of Little Hallingbury contributed by rebel evans

Extracts From Takeley & Hertfordshire books

Takeley, the Clock House c1965

Constructed c1600, this was probably a yeoman farmer`s house associated with the Hallingbury Park estate. It was later split into two cottages, one of which was the local police house. The whole property was restored in the1960s. The clock itself is a one-handed 18th-century model, and has been a useful village timekeeper.
An extract from from"Dunmow, Thaxted and Finchingfield Photographic Memories".

Great Sampford, Church Corner c1955

This row of cottages started life as one 15th-century house of the hall-and-wings type. It is now all one house again. St Michael`s Church is mainly early 14th- century. In 1759 a Thaxted curate wrote that `the church of Sampford does not look like a house of prayer, nor its vicar like a man of God`.
An extract from from"Dunmow, Thaxted and Finchingfield Photographic Memories".

Finchingfield, Haverhill Road c1960

This part of Finchingfield is known as Duck End. The mill lurks behind the attractive cottages in the foreground. It has been said that For Sale signs appear on Finchingfield`s most desirable properties whenever bonuses come up in the City.
An extract from from"Dunmow, Thaxted and Finchingfield Photographic Memories".

Great Dunmow, Parsonage Downs c1955

Cricketers` Pond takes its name from the pub whose sign is visible in the background (left). The pond often becomes silted up, and has to be dredged by local volunteers. Behind us is the entrance to Dunmow`s secondary school, Helena Romanes, which was built in 1958-59 to replace the Council School on the Downs.
An extract from from"Dunmow, Thaxted and Finchingfield Photographic Memories".

Great Dunmow, Clock House c1960

Dating from c1580, Clock House had two famous residents. The first, Ann Line, was executed in 1601 for concealing a Catholic priest here. She was canonised in 1970. The second, Sir George Howland Beaumont (1753-1827), was an art collector who effectively founded the National Gallery. He used to entertain the likes of Wordsworth and Coleridge at Clock House.
An extract from from"Dunmow, Thaxted and Finchingfield Photographic Memories".