About Much Hadham
Much Hadham is one of Hertfordshire’s oldest and most picturesque villages. It lies in the valley of the Ash River and was first mentioned in records in the will of a Saxon Queen dated 946 AD when the land was left to the Bishops of London. The first to inherit the land built himself a summer palace, which enabled him to avoid the plague-ridden and crowded capital.
In 1430 Katharine, widow of Henry V, who was in the custody of the Bishop of London, was sent to the Palace where her son by Owen Tudor, Edmund, was born. Edmund’s son became Henry VII, so Much Hadham can rightly claim to have nourished the founder of the Tudor dynasty.
The village has three Churches – St Andrew’s (Anglican) and Holy Cross (Roman Catholic), which share the Parish Church, the Congregational Church, and St Thomas’ (Anglican) at Perry Green.
The sculptor Henry Moore spent much of his life in the hamlet of Perry Green and is buried at St Thomas’ Church. The Henry Moore Foundation at Perry Green is open to the public for much of the year. Visitors enjoy exhibitions, gardens, studios and sculptures set within the landscape, many visible from public footpaths.
Much Hadham is popular with walkers. There are a good many footpaths and bridleways throughout the Parish and these are currently being marked and cleared where necessary. The woods on the east side of the river are well worth a visit, particularly in the spring when the bluebells are out. The Ford close to the centre of the village is a popular spot for both residents and visitors.
Many private gardens are opened to the public for a day in June with proceeds going to local charities.
The Forge has a working blacksmith and is also a museum open to the public. Housed in one of the village’s historic buildings, it preserves Much Hadham’s blacksmithing heritage and displays a collection of tools, artefacts, photographs and memorabilia illustrating the history of the village and its people.
The architecture of the village is mixed, with many old and historic houses (parts of the Palace date back to Tudor times), several country houses from various periods (Moor Place, The Lordship, Culver, The Palace and The Hall – all private residences), thatched cottages and modern housing. The parish has approximately 143 listed buildings and is the largest conservation area in rural East Hertfordshire.
There are approximately 2,200 residents in the Parish. Local employers include builders, shops/public houses, landscape gardeners, farmers/nurserymen, the Henry Moore Foundation, and St. Elizabeth’s Centre, one of the largest employers in East Hertfordshire.
Much Hadham retains its on-call fire station. There remain three notable public houses, and an excellent village store, Londis, which has a Post Office. Aside from the award-winning health centre’s services, residents are supported by a dental practice, physiotherapists, a barber’s and other services.
St Andrew’s Primary School and Nursery, and the Pre-School provide education facilities. The Village Hall has a wide range of clubs and societies including a Mothers & Toddlers Group, Drama Group, Badminton, Keep Fit and W.I. The Scouts have their own hut.
Other parish facilities include Grandey’s Place, a notable heritage centre, Great Hadham Golf Club and the Recreation Ground. This has a pavilion, a children’s playground, a tennis and pickleball club, and a bowls and croquet club. It is also regularly used by many residents walking their dogs.
The village and hamlets used to enter the Best Kept Village competition each year and won in their category a number of times. The Best Kept Village sign has been kept for posterity by The Forge.
Annual Parish Meeting
Each year, the Parish Council hosts an ‘Annual Parish Meeting’ which enables the Parish Council to explain to electors what it has been doing over the last year and to provide an opportunity for electors to have their say on anything they consider is important to the people of the Parish.
In recent years, prior to the ‘formal’ part of the meeting, local groups, clubs and organisations have provided displays of their work for residents to see what is happening in the community and provide opportunities to join in.
Minutes of the formal meeting are taken and can be accessed below:
19 May 2020 – no meeting due to COVID lockdown
Minutes prior to 2019
Contact the Clerk for Minutes from earlier years
