Three Parishes Trust Ltd
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The Stour Valley Market Town Partnership was originally formed in 2002. An extensive Healthcheck was completed and an Action Plan undertaken. Not all of the eight working groups survived but with only £50,000 of EEDA money it was thought advisable by the management committee to tackle achievable goals. Successes included: an improved recycling facility; the refurbishment of a popular but condemned roofed seat on the River Stour; the renovation of the market square and pond; the establishment of a fitted out community room and the attraction of agencies to use the resource; funds for the setting up of a 60+ club; the improvement of a riverside walkway with benches, a footbridge, information board, planting and surfacing; and small grants (totalling £5000) to 15 community groups.
Revisiting the Action Plan in 2008 there is still much to be done: provision for the elderly has got worse; the inadequate but usable outdoor swimming pool has closed; traffic and parking problems abound; the Business Chamber is dormant; indoor Farmers’ Markets have failed; various crucial sites are in private ownership. The town is divided on the need for a Tesco supermarket but the debate has thrown up many people who care about the town and its environment so we are facing the next round of activity with renewed vigour.
Manningtree
Nestling on the banks of the River Stour, just a stone’s-throw from Constable Country, lies England’s smallest town – Manningtree.
To modern rail commuters, Manningtree is a brief but scenic stop on the journey from London to Norwich. Yet, with its commanding location and long history, the town manages to squeeze a great deal into its 19 (and a bit) hectares, for residents and visitors alike.
Recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Sciddinchou, the name Manningtree was first recorded in text in 1202. Speculation on the origin of this name ranges from the simple – ‘Many Trees’ – to the more fanciful, including the idea that the area was once ruled by a mysterious figure called ‘Mann’ or ‘Manni’.
After gently winding its way through the Dedham Vale, the River Stour widens dramatically, as it meets the tidal estuary at Manningtree, before flowing between the international ports of Harwich and Felixstowe. The importance of this easily navigable section of river is easy to see: traders and travelers have long been a vital part of the town’s economy, while evidence of shipbuilding, brewing and iron-working still abounds.
Lying on the outskirts of the town are two magnificent Grade 1 listed structures, known as Mistley Towers. These are the remains of a magnificent neoclassical church, designed by the great Robert Adam in 1776 and demolished in 1870.
Adam is not the only famous figure to feature in the town’s history. William Shakespeare vies with the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, for top billing, while stories of Roman occupation are never far away. And let’s not forget the areas oldest resident: at an estimated 800 years, the wonderfully named ‘Old Knobbley’ is the oldest oak tree in England
Take a stroll through Manningtree’s back streets or sit beside the river with the resident swans for company and you will soon get a feel for the ancient history, strong identity and continuing prosperity of this small corner of England.
