Finchingfield Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Finchingfield
Finchingfield village green
Finchingfield
Population	1,471 (2011)
OS grid reference	TL683327
• London	40 mi (64 km) SW
Civil parish	Finchingfield
District	Braintree
Shire county	Essex
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BRAINTREE
Postcode district	CM7
Dialling code	01371

Police	Essex
Fire	Essex
Ambulance	East of England

EU Parliament	East of England
List of places UK England Essex 51°58′03″N 0°27′00″E / 51.96747°N 0.44995°E / 51.96747; 0.44995

Finchingfield is a lovely village in the Braintree area of North Essex, England. It's a mostly rural place, surrounded by beautiful countryside. You'll find it about 6 kilometers (or 4 miles) from Thaxted. It's a bit further from bigger towns like Saffron Walden and Braintree.

Nearby villages include Great Bardfield, Great Sampford, and Wethersfield.

History of Finchingfield
- Early Days and Old Records
- Spains Hall and Its Families
Life in Finchingfield
Notable People from Finchingfield
Gallery
See also

History of Finchingfield

Early Days and Old Records

People have lived in Finchingfield for a very long time! We know this from old records. Archaeologists have even found signs of a Roman villa near the village church. The name 'Finchingfield' first appeared in the Domesday Book in 1086. It was called Fincingefelda, which means 'the field of Finc or his people'.

The village was once an official stop for horse-drawn coaches. These coaches traveled from London all the way to Norwich.

Spains Hall and Its Families

Spains Hall is a large country house near the village. It was built in the early 1400s. The hall got its name from Hervey de Ispania, who owned the land around the time of the 1086 Domesday Book.

Since then, only four families have owned Spains Hall. First, the de Ispania family owned it. Then, the Kempe family took over when Margery de Ispania married Nicholas Kempe. After them came the Ruggles family (later called Ruggles-Brise). Today, the famous chef Jamie Oliver lives there with his wife Jools and their five children. For a long time, these families owned much of the village. They also employed most of the people living there.

Life in Finchingfield

Population and Nearby Areas

In 2011, Finchingfield and a nearby place called Cornish Hall End had a total population of 1,471 people. The church area that covers Finchingfield also includes Cornish Hall End, Shalford, and Wethersfield.

Village Life and Activities

Finchingfield has many groups and clubs. These include The Finchingfield Society, the Horticultural Society, the Royal British Legion, and the Finchingfield Cricket Club.

Many people call Finchingfield the most beautiful village in England. It looks like a "picture-postcard" and is one of the most photographed villages. It has a lovely duck pond and a village green. Around the green, you'll see old Georgian and medieval cottages. On the hill, there's St John the Baptist Church. You can also find an old 18th-century windmill, three pubs, a Post Office, tea rooms, a village hall, a primary school, and a doctor's surgery.

The village has often appeared in TV shows, films, and commercials. You might even see it on chocolate boxes or biscuit tins!

Famous Connections

Finchingfield was the home and is the burial place of Dodie Smith. She wrote the famous book The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956). She lived in a hamlet called The Barretts, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the village.

In 2013, a TV series called Chickens was filmed in the village. The show was about three young men who avoided fighting in the First World War. It was written by and starred Simon Bird and Joe Thomas.

The village is also on the route of the Dunwich Dynamo. This is an annual long-distance cycle ride.

Notable People from Finchingfield

Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel
Norman Lewis, a travel writer and novelist.
Dodie Smith, author of The Hundred and One Dalmatians.
A J A Symons, author of The Quest For Corvo, a well-known biography.
Janie Terrero (1858 – 1944), a strong supporter of women's right to vote, was born here.
Jamie Oliver, a famous chef, TV personality, and author.