Woodham Walter

Woodham Walter is a village and civil parish in the Maldon District of Essex, England. It lies about three miles west of the town of Maldon. At the 2021–2022 [United Kingdom censuses|2021 census] the parish had a population of 583.

History

The village was first recorded as "Wudeham" in c. 875. The name, which means "village in the wood" is derived from the Old English words wudu and ham. The modern name may derive from the Fitzwalter family who owned Woodham Walter Hall, a moated manor house in the village for many generations. The house was demolished in the 17th century by William Fytch.
There is evidence of earlier settlement. A hoard of silver coins was found in the village, dated to c. 700. At Oak Farm in 1991 three gold and bronze torcs were discovered; they have been dated to c. 1000 BC.
The Domesday Book of 1086 entry for Woodham Walter lists a population of 18.

Local amenities

There are three public houses, the Bell Inn, the Queen Victoria and The Cats.

Education

There is one school in the village, Woodham Walter Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School. There are c. 75 students.

Religious sites

Thomas, Earl of Sussex, obtained a licence from Elizabeth I on 26 June 1562 to build the new parish church of St Michael the Archangel. It was largely completed in 1563 and consecrated on 30 April 1564, making it probably England's first new post-Reformation Church of England place of worship.