Adoration of the Shepherds pen & ink with chalk drawing by Gaspare Diziani (in Museum’s collections) April’s Object of the Month has been chosen by Jenny Oxley, Collections Officer (Human History). It is a pen and ink drawing with additions in chalk by Italian artist Gaspare Diziani (b.1689 d.1767) called the Adoration of the Shepherds. … Read More »
Saffron Walden Museum is closed to the public from Wednesday 18th March until further notice, and all Museum events and activities are postponed. This is a precautionary measure against corona virus. See our website and social media updates to follow our work behind closed doors.
1826 Gold Street Maltings, Shrove Tuesday (see also fire in the same location in 1941 1835 Workhouse, High Street, Saffron Walden In the run up to Christmas, a serious fire broke out at the workhouse, located at the top of the High Street (opposite what is now the war memorial). Initially it threatened to spread… Read More »
1900 Radwinter Great Chesterford – Fire at the rear of Mr Wedd, Harness makers Wimbish Dix and Son, Saffron Walden Radwinter Cross Street, Hoops Stable Mission Hall 1901 Quendon Wimbish 1902 Sewards End Littlebury 1904 Ashdon Maltings, Great Chesterford 1905 Radwinter Debden Hall Hercules Inn, Newport – totally… Read More »
During the Second World War, there was obviously an additional need for access to sand and stirrup pumps because of the risk of incendiary bombs. The town was not a proscribed area, so fire watching had to be done on a voluntary basis; thankfully 200 volunteers came forward to support the town and the surrounding… Read More »
The gardens, grounds and estate of Easton Lodge, Little Easton, close to Dunmow, date back to Tudor times. In 1590, they were granted to Henry Maynard who later built a house there. In 1847 a disastrous fire broke out in the mansion at 3am, destroying almost all of the Elizabethan parts of the building…. Read More »
Scrapbook of the time prepared by Chris Phillipson covering the 1950s onwards, shows the fire-fighters at Station Echo 79 (now known as Station 85) – Saffron Walden regularly attending events such as the Carnivals and Essex Shows at Audley End Park. The local brigades often took part in local talks and… Read More »
On the 7th April 1914, a fire broke out at Bordeaux farm in the parish of Littlebury. Newspaper reports at the time suggested that in high winds, sparks from a traction engine caught light to some dry thatch. The flames rang along the river path to Little Chesterford and then spread rapidly across the village. … Read More »
The fire brigades struggled to contain many of the fires they encountered in the 19th century due to lack of water supply and the hoses often being too short. In the early days communication was a problem – a fire bell was sounded at the Gas Works – it took a long time to raise… Read More »
Boxing Day 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the tragic fire, in which 11 people tragically lost their lives, at the Rose & Crown Hotel in Saffron Walden’s Market Place. The Rose & Crown built before 1359, was once the town’s premier coaching inn. In 1606 its cobbled yard had played host to the King’s… Read More »