Aldham, Essex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aldham |
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 Church of St Margaret and St Catherine |
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 Aldham
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| Area | 2.77 sq mi (7.2 km2) |
| Population | 491 (2011) (parish, includes Fordstreet) |
| • Density | 177/sq mi (68/km2) |
| OS grid reference | TL917253 |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | COLCHESTER |
| Postcode district | CO6 |
| Dialling code | 01206 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Aldham is a small village in Essex, England. It is located about 4 and a half miles west of Colchester. The village is part of the City of Colchester area. Aldham has its own local council, called a parish council, which helps manage local matters.
The village is home to around 491 people, based on the 2011 census. It covers an area of about 2.77 square miles. Aldham is close to the River Colne to the north. The land in the parish slopes downwards, from higher ground in the northwest to lower areas near the Roman River. Aldham is also located about 1 and 2/3 miles from the A12 road, which is a very important main road.
Village History
People have lived in the Aldham area for a very long time. Evidence of Iron Age settlements has been found near Fordstreet. There is also pottery that suggests Roman people might have lived here too.
The village of Aldham was officially started in the Middle Ages. In 1086, a famous survey called the Domesday Book recorded that Aldham had 12 people living in four households. This shows it was a very small community back then. The number of people living in Aldham grew a lot in the late 1500s and 1600s. By 1671, there were at least 55 households in the village.
Aldham's Church
Aldham's main church is called St Margaret and St Catherine. It is a very old and important building, known as a Grade II* listed building. This means it has special historical or architectural value.
The church was first mentioned in records in 1145. The original church building was located to the west of the current village. By the mid-1800s, the old church was in very bad condition. Its floor was damp, and its walls needed support from large brick buttresses (supports). Some of its stone pillars had even been replaced with strong wooden posts.
In 1853, people decided to build a brand new church. They chose a more central spot in the village. The new church was designed to look like the old one, but it was made bigger. They even reused many parts from the original church, especially the entire south porch, which was from the 1300s.
Even though the new church was in the middle of the parish, most of the homes were still along the main road in Fordstreet. However, since then, many new houses have been built near the church. This area is now often called "Aldham Village" to tell it apart from Fordstreet. Since 1951, Aldham's church has shared its priest with the nearby village of Marks Tey.
Notable People from Aldham
- Philip Morant (1700–1770) – He was a famous historian who wrote a lot about Essex. He was the Rector (the main priest) of Aldham's church from 1745 to 1770. You can see his picture on the village sign!
- Damon Albarn (born 1968) – He is a well-known musician. He is the lead singer of the band Blur. He also helped create the "virtual" rock band Gorillaz. Damon Albarn spent some of his childhood growing up in Aldham.
