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Hatfield
Broad Oak HATFIELD BROAD OAK HISTORY |
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| Hatfield Broad Oak Village website | RUH homepage | Images 1 |
| Hatfield Regis Local History Society | Images 2 |
Hatfield
Broad Oak is a very large parish, full of woods and streams, and
including Hatfield
Heath, Bush End, Greenhill, Wood Row, Taveners Green, Needham Green and
Broad
Street. Earlier it was known as Hatfield Regis, but got its present
name from
the massive Doodle Oak in Hatfield Forest. A former market town, its
development
was linked to a Benedictine priory founded here
in the 12th century by the de Vere family:
little remains of the buildings today, just a few fragments of walls
and fish
ponds, but the nave of the priory church still forms part of the
present parish
church.
Apart
from this, St Mary’s church is mostly 15th century, with some
Norman and other
earlier work. Most noticeable is the very tall embattled west tower, 80
feet
high, added in the 15th century. It was restored in Victorian times.
Inside are
many interesting features, such as the 14th century effigy, 15th
century
screen, 18th century reredos, box pews and various monuments. To the south of the church
is an 18th century parish
library which contains a fascinating collection of antiquarian books
given to
the church in 1690. The hamlet of Bush End has its own little Victorian
church,
St John the Evangelist.
The
parish is full of fascinating houses, ranging from the 14th century Old
Court
house to the 18th century Barrington Hall, formerly seat of the
Barringtons, a
leading Essex family. The former moated manor of Broomshawbury is now a
farmhouse.
HATFIELD FOREST:
there is a prehistoric
site at Portingbury Hills within Hatfield Forest, revealing an area
settled in
Iron Age times or earlier. About 100 feet in diameter, it is a low
mound
surrounded by a ditch. The Forest itself is a rare survival, but
severely
threatened by proposed expansion of Stansted Airport nearby. Its 1,049
acres
have been looked after by the National Trust since 1924, when it was
donated by
Edward North Buxton, a man of wealth but also of foresight,
understanding the
importance of the Forest in historic and conservation terms –
he was also
involved in the preservation of Epping Forest. Commercial timber
exploitation
was removing the ancient oak trees and Hatfield Forest was in grave
danger of
disappearing completely. Buxton bought it just in time – this
was the last
cheque he wrote before he died. Another interesting owner was Jacob
Houblon of
Great Hallingbury, who owned it in the 18th century and it was he who
had the
lake constructed, later improved by Capability Brown. The Shell House
is also
18th century.
The
Forest is open to the public and managed as a medieval wood pasture,
with
coppices, pollard hornbeams, oak trees, grazed by deer and cattle. As
the
remnant of a royal medieval chase and a survivor of the ancient Royal
Forest of
Essex, it is both historically and ecologically a precious gem,
virtually
unchanged over centuries, unique and very beautiful with its woods and
water.
The warrener’s house and a 17th century rabbit warren site
also survive.
Hatfield Forest was made into an SSSI in 1956, its character and a wide
range
of wildlife supported by traditional management of coppicing,
pollarding and
grazing. It’s also a great place for a day out, for walking,
fishing or just
relaxing beside the lake.
Jacqueline
Cooper
Further
information: Hatfield Broad Oak has a village website at www.hatfield-broad-oak.net
Information on Hatfield Forest can be obtained through the National Trust website www.nationaltrust.org.uk or by emailing hatfieldforest@nationaltrust.org.uk
