St Mary the Virgin, Layer Marney, Essex © David Gill
This sea-horse features among the sea creatures at the bottom of a large mural of St Christopher in the church of St Mary the Virgin at Layer Marney in Essex. The painting dates to c. 1520; its good condition is due to the fact that it was overpainted in the Reformation. It was rediscovered when the church was re-ordered in 1870.
St Mary the Virgin, Layer Marney, Essex © David Gill
Hadleigh Castle © David Gill
The royal castle of Hadleigh was sold by Edward VI in 1551 to Baron Rich (Lord Lieutenant of Essex from 1552), and was soon dismantled. A lead-melting hearth was constructed on the floor of the former hall.
Hadleigh Castle © David Gill
1917
2017 marks the centenary of the first guidebooks to what can now be termed the National Heritage Collection. One of the first was written by Sir Charles Peers on St Botolph’s Priory in Colchester and now in the care of English Heritage. The guidebook was reissued as a ‘blue’ guide in 1964.
The 1917 guide include a fold-out plan of the priory inside the back cover. This was prepared by E. Dace Brown in July 1916. The guide was divided into three sections: The Augustinian Rule; History of St Botolph’s Priory; and The Priory Buildings.
Pendennis Castle © David Gill
The 2016 list of Leaving Visitor Attractions in the UK has been published. The top English Heritage site continues to be Stonehenge (at no. 23) with 1,381,855 visitors, with a modest 1.1 % increase on 2015 figures.
The remaining English Heritage properties are (with overall ranking):
The major increase in visitors were seen at Osborne House, Tintagel Castle, Audley End House and Gardens, Battle Abbey, Carisbrooke Castle, Wrest Park, Walmer Castle and Gardens. There was a significant downturn in visitors for Kenwood.
Walmer Castle and Gardens © David Gill
Audley End (1955)
The original Ministry of Works guidebook for Audley End in Essex was by Bryan H. St John O’Neil (1950). A third edition appeared in 1958, and this formed the basis of the (anonymous) Ministry of Public Buildings and Works Official Guidebook.
1958 (3rd ed; 1967, 5th impress.)
1984 (2nd ed. 1991)
English Heritage replaced this guide with a new one by P.J. Drury and I.R. Gow (1984; 2nd ed. 1991). This had the standard ‘white’ cover with red title.
1997 (rev. 2002; rev. 2005; repr. 2007)
This was replaced in 1997 by a large format colour guide. The present English Heritage ‘red’ guide is by Paul Drury (2010).
2010 (rev. repr. 2011)
Hadleigh Castle © David Gill
Hadleigh Castle overlooks the Essex marshes and the Thames Estuary. Among the Ministry signs at the castle are two relating two garderobes.
Hadleigh Castle © David Gill
The castle is in the care of English Heritage.
The Fenwick Treasure © David Gill
The Fenwick Treasure was discovered in 2014 during excavations adjacent to the present High Street in Colchester. It appears to have been deposited in a small pit under the floor of one of the houses during the destruction of the Roman colony by Boudicca.
The treasure includes jewellery as well as coins.
The treasure is displayed in the Colchester Castle alongside other finds from the colony.
Security guards for the opening of the Fenwick Treasure, Colchester Castle © David Gill
