About The Area
Local Information about the Maldon area
We feel blessed to be living and working in this beautiful and unspoilt community; although today's tranquil and scenic landscape is far cry from the historic battle ground and busy trading centre of centuries ago.
Once the scene of wars like that of Saxon King, Ethelred the Unready and the Danish invaders at the Battle of Maldon (990'S), Maldon has also played host to Roman settlements and was a regular landing site for marauding Vikings. Our historic heritage is still evident throughout the town and outlying villages and archaeological digs are still uncovering more incredible artefacts from these bygone eras, to this present day.
As a coastal town and a main port leading off the sprawling Blackwater Estuary, Maldon has a rich and colourful history. For many centuries, oysters have been harvested from the mud beds (home of the annual Maldon Mud Race) and sea salt, a once a highly prized commodity produced. Luxury goods brought in from Europe were traded at Hythe Quay and you can still see some of the traditional sail barges used to ferry goods to London in use today, although for leisure and commissioned purposes only.
The area is also one of the UK's largest and oldest wine producing districts with vineyards and wineries recorded here for over two thousand years. Although already producing wine, the settling Romans were extremely partial to a tipple so expanded the existing vineyards to keep up with supply.
After the Romans were long gone, the wine making business continued to flourish and unfortunately got one of the local rectors in to rather a lot of hot water!
Lawrence Washington, great-great grandfather of the first US President, George Washington was rector of the village of Purleigh, on the outskirts of Maldon and fell foul of the Puritans who falsely accused him of over imbibing and encouraging others to follow suit. This cost him his position and he eventually died impoverished in 1653 and is buried at Maldon Church.
In honour of the Washington family, the citizens of Malden. Massachusetts presented the church with the beautiful Washington Window in 1928 on display in the D'Arcy Chapel at Maldon Church. The church is of great historical interest and dates back to Norman times. One of its more obvious features is its unique triangular spire.
Throughout the winding streets of Malden, medieval timbered and historic stone buildings have been lovingly and sympathetically restored and maintained to retain the town's picture postcard appeal. If you imagined a traditional seaside town, with boats bobbing in the harbour and pretty cottages by the quay, you'd be imagining Maldon.
The sea has not been the only influence on Maldon. The rich fertile fields of Essex have created a strong agricultural economy, providing much of the regions prosperity over the centuries and farming still remains one of the areas main local industries. The thriving farmer's market in the town centre attracts plenty of visitors to the town, as do the general markets and antique and collectors' fairs.
