Step into the Enchanting History of Chrishall in North West Essex
Welcome to Chrishall, a village steeped in history that stretches back to before the Domesday Book was penned. This website serves as your gateway to the rich tapestry of tales and traditions that define our community and its extraordinary inhabitants. Beyond the digital realm, we invite you to explore our delightful Archive, where we curate captivating displays that bring our history to life. Don’t miss out—subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on our events and ongoing research.
Discover What’s On
Join us at our Archive during the summer months, where we open our doors from 2 to 5 PM. Indulge in delicious refreshments as you immerse yourself in our current exhibition, which showcases the fascinating journey of the village hall and its roots as a Methodist Chapel. We can’t wait to welcome you! Mark your calendars for our 2025 opening dates:
Saturday 26th July
Sunday 17th August
Available now!
Available now!The history of Chrishall Village Hall and its background as a Primitive Methodist Chapel. This little booklet may be small but contains a wealth of information and stories about how methodism first came to Chrishall and was so embraced by the community that they contributed every penny they had, practically, to make sure they had their own building to worship in.
Copies are available at the Archive but can be posted out. Please use the contact form on this page to request copies and quote for postage.
Village walks to download
Discover the hidden gems of Chrishall with our curated walking routes. Each path tells a story of our rich history and stunning landscapes. Download our guides and embark on an adventure that connects you with the heart of our community.
Articles to read
The Church building
The following article was written by Irene Cranwell: If you want to see - and touch - real history, go into the church. At the back of the pulpit, in the angle of the wall, you will see what appears to be a little semi-circular stone shelf. Gaze upon it in awe, for...
Chapel Gallery
Enjoy the photographs in our gallery below. Click on a photograph to see the enlarged version. Arrows will appear either side of the photograph so that you can move forward, or backwards, through the gallery. Or you can click the cross to the top right of the...
The Vicarage
The Vicarage at Chrishall. The Church and its Vicarage seem such a staple of village life and it seems odd to think it was ever any other way. But in fact, as this article from Irene Cranwell goes to prove, The Vicarage wasn’t always the same house, or the house that...
Field Names Map
Below is a map of the field names traced so far. You can zoom in and out of the map using the plus and minus signs on the bottom left. This is just the names. The stories will come in due course! Names change over the years of course. Many of the names on this map...
One of the real old type of sporting yeoman farmers
Looking in our newspaper archive the other day I came across an article about Mr Thomas Charles Pigg of Gentleman’s Farm. Published in the Saffron Walden Weekly News of May 28 1926 was Mr Pigg’s obituary which I thought might be of interest. Gents or Gentleman’s Farm...
Church Seating Plans
Robert Brand, farmer, who farmed Builden End farm in the 1800s was also a writer. He wrote down everything, and what is more he kept it. Although we only have part of his collection of papers he gives us a wealth of information about Chrishall, as well as other places...
Mr Brand and the Church Band
Before 1870 the church did not have an organ to provide music for the church services. Instead there was a church band. It seems that various people played various instruments, the most common being the Bass Viol, the Harmonium, flute, clarinet and violin or viola....
Chrishall Women’s Institute
(This article was first written for the Chrishall Scrapbook in the 1950s. You can see copies of the scrapbook on our open days.) The Chrishall Womens' Institute was formed in February 1926, and it has plodded on staunchly and steadily, without let or hindrance, ever...
John Lucas, Village Constable
On a Spring morning, just over 350 years ago, we know precisely what one of Chrishall’s farmers was doing. Was he on his farmland in Church Road instructing his men on the crops he wanted planted? No. He was in Newport. For John Lucas, a yeoman farmer of Chrishall,...
Updates to existing content:
- June 2025
- April 2025
- Additional material and photo of Mrs Guiver added to the page about Kemps
- Additional material about Nash’s Farmhouse
- Name research on the Hearth Tax details and addition of 1670 return
- January 2025
- Update to the Links page
- January 2024:
- Update to the details of Rev Leachman on the Vicars of Chrishall page
- March 2022:
- October 2022
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- Update to the War Memorial page to include names of local special constables
