{"id":30,"date":"2025-12-12T20:51:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T20:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uklidar.com\/?p=30"},"modified":"2025-12-12T20:58:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T20:58:10","slug":"roman-research-in-the-chelmsford-hundred","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uklidar.com\/?p=30","title":{"rendered":"Roman research in the Chelmsford Hundred"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

INGATESTONE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ingatestone<\/strong> is a small but ancient town, formerly possessing a market, and now served by its own station on the Eastern Counties Railway<\/strong>. It stands pleasantly on the great high road, 6 miles south-west of Chelmsford<\/strong> and 23 miles north-east of London<\/strong>. The parish itself contains only 856 inhabitants<\/strong> and 670 acres<\/strong>, but being intermixed with that of Fryerning<\/strong>, the combined population of the town and its suburbs exceeds 1,600<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a post town<\/strong>, and holds a large annual cattle fair<\/strong> on December 1st<\/strong>, followed by a pleasure fair on the 2nd. Its former weekly market, once considerable and held on Wednesdays, fell into disuse many years ago. Owing to its position on the great route between London, Colchester, Norwich, and the east, the town was once a bustling thoroughfare for coaches, vans, waggons, livestock, and carriers<\/strong>; but much of this traffic has since been drawn away by the railway, which runs along the eastern side of the town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The manor is held by Lord Petre<\/strong>, and in old records is styled \u201cGing\u201d or \u201cYng ad Petram\u201d<\/strong>, meaning the Ing at the Stone<\/em> \u2014 a name thought to refer to an ancient Roman milestone<\/strong> and the rich meadowlands surrounding the settlement. The River Wid<\/strong> forms the eastern boundary of the parish, taking in two small tributary streams at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In various medieval documents, the manor appears as Ging Abbess<\/strong>, reflecting its tenure by the Abbess and nuns of St. Mary\u2019s Abbey, Barking<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WRITTLE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Writtle<\/strong> is a large and well-built village, pleasantly located on the west side of the River Can<\/strong>, approximately 24 miles west by south of Chelmsford<\/strong>. The village features a spacious Green<\/strong> with a sheet of water, and a smaller St. John\u2019s Green<\/strong>, surrounded by numerous fine houses and a significant brewery. Historically, Writtle held a weekly market<\/strong>, though it has since lapsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parish is one of the largest and most extensive in Essex<\/strong>, covering 8,673 acres<\/strong>, comprising:<\/p>\n\n\n\n