Tolleshunt Major

File:Beckingham Hall, Tolleshunt Major, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 264680.jpg

The Tolleshunt group of villages (Major, Knights, D'Arcy and Tollesbury) grew up in the area settled by the Saxon chief Toll who cleared areas of forest round local water sources. Tolleshunta was the Anglo Saxon name for Toll's spring. The name Tolleshunt Major (or Mauger as it was previously known), was granted by King Henry VIII to Stephen Beckenham, in 1544.[http://www.itsaboutmaldon.co.uk/beckingham History of Maldon], accessed 27 March 2012 Beckenham bought various landscapes in and around the village and built a semi-fortified manor house with a turreted gatehouse within a red-brick boundary wall. This became known as "Beckingham House". The house was demolished in 1782 and was replaced by a farmhouse. The former gatehouse which formed part of Beckingham Manor, complete with turrets and boundary wall still remain.

In 1609, Beckingham completed the design and construction of a heraldic shield which featured statuettes of himself and his wife Alvis Beckingham (née Terral). The monument was displayed at the parish church of St. Nicholas. This has since been pulled down and scrapped.

The Beckingham family originally came from Wiltshire. Stephen's son Thomas Beckingham received a knighthood and died in 1633. His son, William, became heir to the estate aged 12.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}} The estate was eventually sold to Sir Thomas Adams, an alderman from London. The manor house changed hands several times before eventually becoming the property of the current owners.

Tolleshunt Major's only streets are Beckingham Street, Bakers Lane, Mill Lane, Witham Road, Tudwick Road and Tolleshunt D'Arcy Road, all situated within the built up part of the village, which consists of just over one hundred dwellings.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}

The village's parish boundaries stretch as far as Little Totham, taking in parts of Sawyers Lane and Plains Road.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}} Other rural parts of the village include Church Road to the east, Tudwick Road to the north, Sawyers Lane and Plains Road to the west, parts of Scraley Road, Wash Lane and Bakers Green to the south.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}

The village, which is not on any main road, is bordered by the villages of Little Totham, Goldhanger, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Tolleshunt Knights and Great Totham North and South. Nearby towns include Maldon District, Colchester, Chelmsford and Tiptree.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}

Tolleshunt Major is host to The Beckingham Business park which has a small number of businesses, ranging from a transport company to a sports equipment manufacturing company. There are no street lights, mains gas supply or bus service apart from a schools service in the village.

File:'The Bell' inn at Tolleshunt Major, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 262690.jpg

The village has one public house called the Beckingham Bell which is situated in Beckingham Street.[http://www.thebeckinghambell.co.uk/ Beckingham Bell] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530025129/http://www.thebeckinghambell.co.uk/ |date=30 May 2011 }}, Beckingham Bell Public House, accessed 4 May 2012

The village does have one small shop on Wicks Manor Farm situated in Tolleshunt Major which is owned by Howies & Sons. Wicks Manor Farm is a Local Essex farm which produces dry cured bacon, sausages, ham, gammons and pork.

Other shops can be found in Tiptree which is about a ten-minute drive where large supermarkets can be found as well as fast food restaurants, newsagents, a post office, hair salons, doctors and pharmacists. Also in Tiptree is the jam factory owned by Wilkin & Sons Limited.[http://www.tiptree.com/ Tiptree Jam], Tiptree Jam, accessed 4 May 2012

Bigger shopping centres are at Chelmsford City about 30 minutes drive away and Colchester Town about 30 minutes away.

There are several elected representatives at different levels of government which act for Tolleshunt Major and the surrounding villages.[http://www.writetothem.com/who?pc=cm98ju Tolleshunt Major find your local MP], WriteToThem, accessed 16 April 2012 There are two Tolleshunt D'arcy district councillors which represent the area at Maldon District Council. The current district councillors are Robert Long (Conservative Party (UK)) and Maddie Thompson (Conservative). The current MEPs are Vicky Ford (Conservative), Andrew Duff (Liberal Democrats), Stuart Agnew (UK Independence), Robert Sturdy (Conservative), Geoffrey Van Orden (Conservative), Richard Howitt (Labour) and David Campbell Bannerman (Conservative).

There is no bus service that runs through Tolleshunt Major. Buses can be boarded at the nearby village of Tolleshunt D’arcy. Other villages served are Maldon, Chelmsford and Witham.[http://www.tothamonline.co.uk/transport.htm Local bus routes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222115429/http://tothamonline.co.uk/transport.htm |date=22 February 2012 }}, local bus routes, accessed 4 May 2012

The closest National Rail service is located in Witham or Hatfield Peveral, and is operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. Destinations served from these stations include London Liverpool Street and Ipswich, Clacton, Harwich, Braintree and Norwich via the Great Eastern Main Line.[http://www.greateranglia.co.uk/ Greater Anglia], Greater Anglia Website, accessed 10 May 2012

The nearest London Underground line is the central line at Stratford International.[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ London Underground], Transport for London Tfl Website, accessed 10 May 2012

There are no schools in the village of Tolleshunt Major, the nearest primary school being in Tolleshunt D'arcy.[http://www.tolleshuntdarcy-st-nicholas.essex.sch.uk/ Tolleshunt D'arcy Primary School], Tolleshunt D'arcy Primary School, accessed 12 May 2012

The nearest NHS(National Health Service (England)) hospitals are Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.[http://www.meht.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/our-hospitals/broomfield-hospital/ Broomfield Hospital], Broomfield Hospital NHS Website, accessed 10 May 2012 or Colchester General, in Highwoods, Colchester.[http://www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/about.shtml Colchester General] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223105211/http://www.colchesterhospital.nhs.uk/about.shtml |date=23 December 2011 }}, Colchester Hospital University NHS Website, accessed 10 May 2012

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{{Commons category|Tolleshunt Major}}

• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110723120604/http://www.essexinfo.net/tolleshunt-major-parish-council/ Tolleshunt Major Parish Council website]}}

{{Geographic location

| title = Neighbouring Villages

| Centre = Tolleshunt Major

| North = Tiptree

| Northeast = Tolleshunt Knights

| East = Tolleshunt D'Arcy

| Southeast = Tollesbury

| South = Goldhanger

| Southwest = Heybridge

| West = Great Totham

| Northwest = Little Totham

}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Villages in Essex

Category:Maldon District