History
Maldon has many tales to tell and many sites to see that will take you on a journey back in time to discover an ancient borough, port and market town. It is believed that the first settlers arrived in Maldon during the Bronze Age, due to the salt marshes in the area. And evidence of this has been uncovered by archaeologists who have discovered remains of early salt making at many sites around the district.
The name Maldon is thought to have been created during the Saxon Times, with the Saxon words 'mael' meaning place of meeting and 'dun', meaning cross on the hill. It is during this time that the famous Battle of Maldon took place when Earl Brythnoth was defeated by the Viking invasion of 991AD.
Maldon's costal location has also played a significant part in the town's rich history, and after the Norman Conquest the town was granted a Royal Charter by Henry II in 1171, which was to enable him to use Maldon's port for personal trading purposes. This charter among many others can still be viewed in Maldon's Moot Hall.
There are also many historical sites that encapsulate Maldon's fascinating history, including Beeleigh Abbey, which was founded in 1180 as a monastery for the White Canons, before suffering at the hands of Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries, and Thomas Plume's Library, which was founded under the terms of Dr Plume's Will, when he bequeathed his private book collection, dating back to the 16th century, to Maldon Town.
Find out more about Maldon's rich history below.
In 991AD, after a long series of raids across the East Coast of England, the Vikings under the lead of Olaf Tryggyason, the soon to be King of Norway, attempted to land upon the banks of the River Blackwater.
Edward Bright was a local man born in 1721 and lived in what is now known as Church House, to the east of Thomas Plume's Library.
Maldon had been an important port for transporting goods for some time until the opening of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation in 1796 when the port suffered from loss of business. Two bridges were later built to cross the river Chelmer and the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation where a train service could be used.
Berthed at Maldon, Steam Tug 'Brent' has always been a waterfront attraction; tourists and residents alike take an interest in her. She has featured on postcards, in paintings, in photographs and in books and is also featured on the famous Maldon Embroidery.
Dr Thomas Plume was born in Maldon in 1630 and was educated at Chelmsford Grammar school and later at Christ's College in Cambridge. He was appointed Vicar of Greenwich in 1658 and chosen as Rector of Merston, Sussex in 1662. In 1665 he was selected as Rector of Little Easton and later appointed as Archdeacon of Rochester from 1679 until his death in 1704.
