Discover Saffron Walden, Essex

Saffron Walden, Essex, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saffron_Walden_from_the_B.184_-_geograph.org.uk_-_266543.jpg
Author: Robert Edwards


Saffron Walden is a market town in northwestern Essex, England. It is located in Uttlesford district, about 24 km (15 mi) south of Cambridge and 56 km (35 mi) north of London. The town has a population of around 14,000 people (2012 estimate).

The history of human habitation in the Saffron Walden area goes back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. The site was later occupied by the Romans, and when they withdrew, the Anglo-Saxons took over the area. This was followed by the Normans in 1066. Shortly after the Norman Conquest, a stone church was built in the area. Then Walden Castle was built in around 1116.

Walden Abbey dates to 1136. It began as a priory established by the 1st Earl of Essex. Saffron Walden began to hold a market, transferred from nearby Newport, in 1141. It received its first town charter in 1300, where it was known as Chipping Walden.

The name Saffron Walden dates to the 16th century, when the saffron crocus became a widely grown crop. The production of saffron became so closely associated with the town that it changed its name from Chipping Walden to Saffron Walden. By the 18th century, however, the demand for saffron was in decline, and the town had to switch to alternative crops including malt and barley.

Today Saffron Walden is very much a quiet, rural town. The town center has a number of historic buildings dating back many centuries.

The market square at Saffron Walden: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Market_Stalls_in_the_Square_-_geograph.org.uk_-_865289.jpg
Author: Alan Hawkes

Visiting Saffron Walden

From London, take the M11 motorway to Junction 9a then continue on the B184 road heading south till you arrive in Saffon Walden.

Places of Interest in Saffron Walden

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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