A small rural village steeped in local history
Woodham Mortimer is a small rural village about three miles east of Danbury in the county of Essex. The village is part of the Wickham Bishops and Woodham Ward of the Maldon district and has a population of over 640.
The discovery of a hoard of denarii (Roman coins) dated to the year 41 AD leads to evidence of Roman occupation. However, the village first appears in written records as ‘Wudeham’ in c. 975. During the time of the Norman conquests the parish belonged to Ralph Peverell and was known as Little Woodham. Henry 11 subsequently awarded the parish to Robert de Mortimer, leading to the name changing to Woodham Mortimer.
Woodham Mortimer Hall is a 17th Century gabled house which was owned by Hugh and Peter Chamberlen, who were pioneering obstetricians and the inventors of the forceps. The hall was sold in 1715, and the forceps were later found in 1813 beneath a trap door to the loft in the hall, and were initially donated to the Medical and Chirurgical Society, who subsequently gave them to the Royal Society of Medicine in 1818.
Next door is the Parish Church of St Margaret’s, which could date back to the 16th Century – unfortunately, since it was rebuilt in the 19th Century, the only evidence pertaining to the age of the church include a 13th century font and the 17th century pulpit carvings.
During the first world war a new aerodrome was opened in nearby Stow Maries. The Royal Flying Corps occupied the base from September 1916 taking over The Grange in Woodham Mortimer as it’s headquarters.
A war memorial commemorates the nine people from the village who died during the world wars, and a grade 11 listed memorial was erected in 1825 to William Alexander , who left his lands to the worshipful Company of Coopers for the benefit of the poor.
Woodham Mortimer is also home to a 9-hole pitch and putt golf range that was opened in 1967 on Burnham Road, and quite a large cricket club based on Tynsdale Farm. There is also a Village Hall adjacent to nearly a half hectare of playing field, which houses some children’s swings and a football pitch.
There were two public houses, however in recent years The Royal Oak has since become an Indian restaurant, rendering the sole remaining village pub to be The Hurdlemakers Arms. The pub is an attractive 400 year old former farmhouse, equipped with a spacious beer garden and is popular with locals, ramblers and cyclists. It’s name refers to the hurdles which were made from materials cut from the woods nearby.
Book a Valuation
Or call us today on
01245 500599