Wicken Bonhunt Recorders Report 2011

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Local History Recorder for Wicken Bonhunt
2011 Recorders Report

The population of wicken Bonhunt remained stable in 2011 with around 240 residents. Around 10% of the 94 houses changed hands. The Coach & Horses public house remained closed throughout the year. Some of the most notable events of 2011 were the resurfacing of the road through the village and alterations made to St. Margaret’s church.

The resurfacing of the road through the village took place over three weeks during the early summer. The road surface was in a very poor state and drivers had to manoeuvre around large holes in the road. Each year, potholes that had been repaired became damaged by ice and large agricultural vehicles. During resurfacing, there was minimal disruption with limited sections of the road closed for short periods. A team of twenty men and several large vehicles worked quickly to complete the project. Once complete, villagers were relieved to have a perfectly smooth road surface from one end of the village to the other.

Fabian Bullen, representing Wicken Bonhunt Parish Meeting for Highways and Road Safety, confirmed the resurfacing work was completed ahead of schedule. He also confirmed that an application has been made to Essex County Council to reduce the speed limit in the village from 40 mph to 30 mph.

During late summer work began on the refurbishment and extension at St. Margaret’s church. Intended to improve existing facilities, and provide a kitchen extension with store room and w.c. The works were partially funded by the monies set aside by Essex County Council following the sale of Wicken House, other grants and monies raised from village events. Plans for the alterations were drawn up by village resident and local architect Ken Mark. Once approved by English Heritage and church authorities, local builders Cox & Son Ltd. Began work on the extension area and new footpaths.

A team from Essex County Council Field Archaeology Unit monitored the project between July and September 2011. A report was published in October and the pottery finds were deposited at Saffron Walden Museum. The report states:

‘Eleven inhumations were found within in the kitchen/toilet extension footprint and two more in the drainage trench. All interments were aligned north-east/south-west, parallel to the church and buried at a relatively shallow depth, ranging from 0.25 to 0.8m below the present ground surface. Generally, there were no associated artefacts but the location and position of the skeletons suggests they were of medieval and/or post-medieval date.

The only stratified find was a post-medieval/modern nail recovered from the vicinity of one of the graves. Unstratified artefacts collected from the drainage trench included a quantity of small sherds of Late Saxon St Neots-type pottery, also found at the remains of a Late Saxon manorial and chapel complex excavated at Bonhunt Farm, c.1.25km to the east. It is speculated that a contemporary manorial focus for Wicken, perhaps with its own chapel, was located in the vicinity of what became the site of the medieval church and centre of the village.

A few pieces of medieval pottery, fired clay likely dated to the same period, fragments of
medieval/post-medieval peg tiles and three nails of similar age were also collected. No other archaeological remains were discovered that help determine the nature and date of land-use predating the medieval church nor of its foundation and development.’

The eleven partial and full sets of human remains were re-buried in a single grave on the north east side of the churchyard on November 2nd 2011. The Rev Margaret Davies led the re-burial service. A rededication service and party to celebrate completion are planned for early in 2012.

Elsewhere in the village a number of clubs including a Garden Club, Book Club, Breakfast Club, Art Class, Handbells and History Group run on a weekly or monthly basis. Other events included the annual benefice service at St. Helen’s Chapel at the Bonhunt on the 19th of June. In addition to regular events, the Open Day on May 1st at Keepers Cottage Smallholding was popular with visitors. Children and families were able to meet the horses, sheep, chickens and alpacas and take refreshments and play on the field.

The work of the Recorder has involved answering queries, assisting with historical research, and collecting material including house sale particulars. Other on-going projects include research into listed buildings, a survey of churchyard memorials, and adding to the growing collection of photographs and historic documents.

Deborah Lowe

Local History Recorder for Wicken Bonhunt