Woodham Mortimer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woodham Mortimer
Woodham Mortimer
Population	641 (2011)
OS grid reference	TL815044
District	Maldon
Shire county	Essex
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Maldon
Postcode district	CM9
Dialling code	01245 & 01621
Police	Essex
Fire	Essex
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	Witham
List of places UK England Essex 51°42′32″N 0°37′41″E / 51.709°N 0.628°E / 51.709; 0.628

Woodham Mortimer is a small village in the English county of Essex. It's located on the Dengie peninsula, about three miles west of Maldon. The village is part of the Wickham Bishops and Woodham area within the Maldon district.

Discovering Woodham Mortimer's Past

People have lived in the Woodham Mortimer area for a very long time. We know this because a collection of old Roman coins from 41 CE was found here.

The village first appeared in written records around the year 975. Back then, it was called "Wudeham." This name means "village in the wood." It comes from the old English words "wudu" (wood) and "ham" (home or homestead).

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the village was known as Little Woodham. Later, King Henry II gave the land to Robert de Mortimer. This is how the village got its current name, Woodham Mortimer. In the Domesday Book, a very old survey from 1086, it was recorded that 14 households lived here.

During World War I, a new airfield was built nearby in Stow Maries. It was used to protect the London area from air attacks. A group called 37 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps used a building in Woodham Mortimer called The Grange as their main office. The Grange is a very old building, once owned by Beeleigh Abbey, and is now a protected historic site.

Who Lives in Woodham Mortimer?

In 2009, about 641 people lived in Woodham Mortimer. Most residents are financially secure couples, often close to retirement. They mostly identify as white, Christian, English-speaking, and British-born.

How Woodham Mortimer is Governed

Woodham Mortimer has its own local government called a parish council. This council helps make decisions for the village. The village is also part of the Wickham Bishops and Woodham area within the Maldon district.

For national elections, Woodham Mortimer is part of the Witham constituency. This means residents vote for a MP to represent them in the UK Parliament. The local MP is Priti Patel.

Exploring Woodham Mortimer's Geography

Woodham Mortimer is about 51 meters (167 feet) above sea level. It sits just south of a ridge of hills called the Danbury-Tiptree ridge. This ridge shows how far the ice reached during the last ice age, about 450,000 years ago.

The land around Woodham Mortimer is made up of rock, sand, and gravel. These materials were left behind when the ice melted. Gravel is still dug up from a place called Royal Oak Quarry. There are also plans to dig more gravel at Tynedales Farm. The soil in the area is often wet and slightly acidic, but it's rich in important minerals.

Woodham Mortimer's Climate

Woodham Mortimer is in the East of England region. The weather here is typical for East Anglia. The summers are generally warm, and the winters are cool. There's a moderate amount of rain throughout the year.

Woodham Mortimer's Economy

Woodham Mortimer has a few local businesses. There are two public houses, which are like pubs or inns. One is called the Royal Oak, and the other is the Hurdlemakers Arms. The Hurdlemakers Arms got its name because people used to make hurdles (fences) from wood cut in the nearby forests.

There was also a golf driving range with a 9-hole pitch and putt course, which opened in 1967. However, in 2022, plans were approved to build 18 houses where the driving range used to be.

Culture and Fun in Woodham Mortimer

Village Hall Activities

Next to the village hall, there's a playing field that's about 0.4 hectares (1 acre) in size. It has swings for kids and a small football pitch, perfect for playing sports and having fun outdoors.

Places of Worship

St Margaret's Church, a historic building in the village.

The main church in the village is St Margaret's. Parts of the original church might be from the 16th century, but most of it was rebuilt in the 1800s. Not much of the very old church remains, except for parts of the south wall and the east end.

Inside the church, you can see a font (a basin for baptisms) from the 13th century, though its base is newer. The pulpit also has carvings from the 17th century. There's even a small window that remembers Queen Victoria's 60th year as queen. In the churchyard, you can find the grave of Peter Chamberlen, a famous doctor.

Important Landmarks

Woodham Mortimer Hall, a historic gabled house.

Woodham Mortimer Hall is a large house built in the 1600s. It has a special history because Hugh and Peter Chamberlen, who were pioneering obstetricians (doctors who help with childbirth), lived there. They are famous for inventing the forceps, a medical tool. There's a blue plaque on the hall that tells visitors about them.

The Chamberlen family sold the hall in 1715. Many years later, in 1813, the original forceps were found hidden under a trap door in the hall's attic! They were given to a medical society and later to the Royal Society of Medicine. Along with the forceps, other interesting items were found, like old coins, a miniature portrait, a tooth, and even a pair of old yellow gloves.

The war memorial in Woodham Mortimer.

There is a war memorial in the village that honors the nine people from Woodham Mortimer who lost their lives during the World Wars.

Another important landmark is a memorial built in 1825 for William Alexander. He was a generous person who left his land to the Worshipful Company of Coopers (a type of old trade group) to help the poor people of the village.

Woodham Mortimer Lodge is also a historic building that is protected.

See also

In Spanish: Woodham Mortimer para niños