Great Canfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Canfield |
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 Great Canfield civil parish, Uttlesford District 1945 |
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 Great Canfield
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| Population | 414 (2011 Census |
| OS grid reference | TL 58251 18352 |
| • London | 25 mi (40 km) SW |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Dunmow |
| Postcode district | CM6 |
| Dialling code | 01279 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Great Canfield is a small village and civil parish in Essex, England. It's located in the Uttlesford area. The village is about 3 kilometres (2 miles) southwest of Great Dunmow. It's also about 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) northwest of High Roding.
The parish includes several small areas. These are Hope End Green, Hellmans Cross, Bacon End, Baconend Green, and Puttocks End. The River Roding forms part of the parish border. In 2011, about 414 people lived in Great Canfield.
Contents
A Glimpse into Great Canfield's Past
Great Canfield has a long and interesting history. Records show it existed as far back as 1086. This was when the famous Domesday Book was written. The Domesday Book noted that Great Canfield had lots of farmland. It also had woodlands for pigs and a mill.
Great Canfield is part of a special area called The Hundred Parishes. This group works to protect the history and nature of the area. They want people to know about its old buildings and beautiful landscapes.
St Mary's Church: A Norman Treasure
St Mary's Church in Great Canfield is very old. It was likely built between 1100 and 1150. This means it's a great example of Norman architecture. People think it might have been built on the site of an even older church. It stands near the remains of an ancient castle.
Inside the church, you can see a painting from the 1200s. It shows the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. St Mary's is part of a group of six churches in west Essex. They share a priest who holds services in each church.
Great Canfield Castle: A Medieval Stronghold
Not far from the church are the remains of Great Canfield Castle. You can still see the earthwork mounds today. These are what's left of a motte and bailey castle. A motte is a big mound, and a bailey is a walled courtyard.
The castle remains are about 85 metres (280 feet) wide. They are also about 15 metres (48 feet) high. The River Roding helped supply water to the castle's moat. This castle was important between 1154 and 1216. It was linked to the powerful De Vere family, who were Earls of Oxford.
Famous People from Great Canfield
Isaac Lodge, a brave soldier, was born in Great Canfield. He received the Victoria Cross. This is a very high award for bravery. He earned it during the Second Boer War.
Great Canfield's Changing Population
We can learn about Great Canfield's population from old census records. A census counts how many people live in an area.
The village's population changed a lot over the years. In 1831, it had 511 people, its highest number. But then it dropped to 271 by 1901. This was a big decline over many years.
After 1901, the population started to grow again. By 1911, it was 305. The biggest jump happened between 1921 and 1931. The population went from 254 to 340. Since then, it has slowly but steadily increased.
Homes in Great Canfield
The number of homes in Great Canfield has also changed over time. This usually follows the population. However, in the 1800s, it was a bit different. Between 1831 and 1881, the number of houses went up. But the population actually went down during that time.
In the 1900s, more houses were built. From 1921 to 1961, the number of homes increased from 75 to 123. This growth continued. In 2001, there were 133 houses. By 2011, there were 156.
People in Great Canfield often don't want too many new houses built. For example, in 2014, there was a plan to build 211 new homes. But the local council said no to the idea.
Jobs in Great Canfield: Then and Now
How people worked in Great Canfield has changed a lot. In the early 1800s, censuses mainly counted farmers. They also counted people in trade or crafts.
By 1881, the census was much more detailed. It listed thousands of different jobs. This helped to get a clearer picture of what people did.
Working Life in 1881
In 1881, about 167 people in Great Canfield had jobs. Most of them, about 47%, worked in farming. They were labourers or tended crops for farmers. This shows that Great Canfield was mostly a farming community back then. Most people were farm workers with little education.
About 30% of jobs were listed as "unknown." This doesn't mean everyone was unemployed. It just means the records weren't perfect. Some jobs didn't fit clear categories.
Working Life in 2011
By 2011, jobs in Great Canfield were very different. The biggest group, 21%, were "Managers, Directors and Senior Officials." This means many people had leadership roles.
The next largest group, 17%, worked in "skilled trades." These are jobs like electricians or plumbers. Also, 15% of people worked in "professional occupations." This includes jobs like doctors or teachers. In 1881, only 2% were in professional jobs.
Over 130 years, technology changed many things. New jobs appeared, and old ones, like farming, became less common. This shows how much the village has grown and changed.
