Saffron Walden On Show

There is something a little bit special about Saffron Walden. A unique past is reflected in both the vibrant town of today and also the town’s museum which showcases this local heritage. Petra Hornsby explains more

- Petra Hornsby

SAFFRON WALDEN is a delightful medieval market town situated in the leafy Uttlesford District of Essex in the north-west of the county. The market has been a major feature of the town since 1141 and is still held every Tuesday and Saturday. The beautiful parish church, St Mary’s, is also considered to be one of the finest in the county with a spire that stands at an impressive 193 feet.

Wool was the main industry in the town during medieval times and it was the wool staplers (dealers) who built the Guild Hall in the market place. In the 16th and 17th centuries, saffron, harvested from the saffron crocus, replaced wool as the town’s main industry, grown successfully due to favourable soil and an appropriate climate.

The Guild Hall was later demolished in 1847 in favour of a Corn Exchange – a sign that, by then, agriculture was central to the town and its industry, although it was malt and barley that provided the best income. At one stage there were more than 40 maltings in the town.

Politically, the town enjoys important historical significance. During the English Civil War the town was adopted as an HQ for the New Model Army. It is documented that Oliver Cromwell visited Saffron Walden in May 1647 and helped to find common ground between the army and parliament. Cromwell is believed to have stayed in the Sun Inn during this time – a building that is recognisable in the town today with an exterior that features elegant pargetting, a decorative plaster relief that was popular during the middle ages.

During the 19th century, the Quakers were a strong presence in the town and one family in particular, the Gibsons, funded the construction of important buildings in the town centre that are still in use today, including the town’s museum and the Town Hall.