A History of Manningtree,
in the beginning
What the Romans did for us...
Archaeologists have traced a road running from the Roman town of Camulodunum (today’s Colchester) to Mistley, part of the Roman alignment being used by the modern Bromley Road across Crockleford Heath. It appears to have reached the crossroads near Mistley Hall and to have run a straight course to the shore just west of Hopping Bridge (see Matthew Hopkins); the road down into Mistley is shown as straight on the 1838 Ordnance Survey map, but it was diverted to its present course later in the 19th century.
From Clacton Road crossroads a track runs in an easterly direction to the corner by the old Mistley pound and the much newer ‘secret bunker’, and it has been suggested that this is also a Roman route running to a ferry terminal on the Stour, possibly near Nether Hall, Bradfield. The ferry ran across the Stour to what is now called Graham’s Wharf at Stutton, from where there is evidence of a Roman road running into the middle of Ipswich and on to the north, possibly forming an alternative route to the main Roman road that crossed the Stour at Flatford.
What more do we know of Roman Mistley? Absolutely nothing! But it does appear that there might have been a small settlement in the area during the 400 years of the Roman occupation.
The origin of the names
What are the origins of the name Manningtree and Mistley? Going back 1,000 years, Manningtree and Mistley came under the same name of Sciddinchou (various spellings of this old name) in the Domesday Book. The suggestion is made by P. H. Reaney in The Place Names of Essex this could mean ‘hill of the shed dwellers’. As for Manningtree itself, there have been many ideas that range from the simple ‘many trees’ to a place belonging to someone called Mann or Manni. Mistley has been suggested by J. Yelloly Watson in his Tendring Hundred in the Olden Time as coming from the Saxon word for the herb basil – mircel – combined with ‘ley’ meaning pasture, whereas Professor Eilert Ekwall postulates Mistltoe Wood, the old English for mistletoe being ‘mistel’.
The forming of the market and ownership
Shortly after first being recorded in text in 1202 Manningtree gained its market town status - a status that survives to this day. The Manningtree market charter dates back to 1238, with the original market day being a Monday.
In 1280 a religious house took ownership of the market and parts of Manningtree as a gift. St. Mary and St. John the Evangelist of Leigh, later known as Canonsleigh was founded in the twelfth century as a priory in Devon for Augustinian canons by Walter de Clavile, lord of Burlescombe. But in 1317 the market was declared to be injurious to the king's market at Colchester nine miles away. Although ceased for a time it wasn't long before the market found fame again...
Fame through food and Shakespeare
Whatever the origin Manningtree and the surrounding area became an important stop on the route from London to the port at Mistley and also Harwich. The area went on to find wider fame through William Shakespeare in the late 1500’s.
It is believed that the reference in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part I to Falstaff as that roasted Manningtree ox refers to the practice of roasting a whole ox at the town’s medieval annual fair. A representation and celebration of this can be seen high on the wall at the crossroads of the High Street and South Street.
Why not find out more and continue into the 1600's....
Next page
For even more information we recommend the book
Manningtree and Mistley - The people, the trades and the industries by local author David Cleveland or a trip to the Museum in the Library found in Manningtree High Street.
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