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The history of some local names in Kelvedon Hatch.
When John Wright purchased the manor of Kelvedon Hall in the 16th century the names of many of the farms, fields and landmarks had been well established. Most of them were named after their owners and these have been handed down through the centuries.
During the period 1100 - 1200 A.D. there had been a trebling of the English population and Kelvedon Hatch would have seen the fixing of the parish boundary, assarting (creation of new fields), with land ownership and common land entitlements proved in documents and identified by name.
The name Kelvedon Hatch comes from the Saxon 'Kelvenduna' or 'Keleduna' meaning Speckled or Spotted Hill. Hatch is a gate or fence leading into a forest or common and there was probably one situated near to Hatch Farm. Nearby Dodds Farm has two fields called Farther Hatch Field and Hither Hatch Field. Records indicate that in 1248, in the parish lived Hugo de Hec, or de la Hec, meaning - 'of or about'. Hec is from the Latin Hecca meaning hedge or fence. In 1327, there is mentioned a Ralphe or Radulpho atte Hacche.
By the 16th century, other variations in spelling appear on records: Keluedo, Kelweydon, Kelwedon and Keldon, the latter name up until the 19th century was used in the manorial documents and by the villagers.
Dodds Farm is probably named after a Dod who owned land. There is also a Dods Brook which later became Dudbrook in the neighbouring parish of Navestock.
Great Myles's is named after Milo or Miles de Munteny who held the estate in 1318. Germains Farm named after John Germayne (1327). Priors after Thomas Priour and his family (1337). Thomas Brice held a house which later became known as Brizes.
Lay Subsidy of Essex 1327
Kellewedone / Kelewedone
De Ricardo de Welleby/Weleby
Milone de Mounteny/Munteny
Johanne de Oterynbery/Oteryngbery
Roberto Madefrey
Johanne Germayn
Ricardo Coco
Clemente Baldewyne/Baldewyn
Radulpho atte Hacche
Willelmo ad Crucem
Ricardo le Turnour
Willelmo Sherebred/Sherebred
News from the past: "KELDON" LADS
Sir,--
Will anyone help us boys?
We have nowhere to play out of school hours - not even the playground - except the roads. Here we get into trouble by doing things we ought not to, so people call us a rough and rude lot. Is it fair? Do we boys of Keldon Parish have even a chance given us of doing any better? Do, someone, lend us a field to play in; we should love to have a game of cricket and rounders. Then people would begin to say what a nice behaved lot those Keldon Lads are.
Yours obediently,
YOUNG KELDON
Parish Magazine 1893.