Facts about Great Dunmow
Great Dunmow History
A Roman small town developed on the junction between Stane Street and the Roman roads which ran north-east to south-west from Sudbury to London and north-west to the southeast from Cambridge to Chelmsford. The main settlement area spread westwards from the road junction, with cemeteries on the outskirts. There was a second Roman settlement at Church End immediately to the north of present-day Great Dunmow. The site likely included a rural Roman Temple. In the Domesday Book, Great Dunmow had seven manors, some of which still exist, in name at least – including Bigods, Newton Hall (seat of the Henniker baronets), Merks Hall, Minchin’s and Shingle Hall.
General Info
Great Dunmow is a historic market town and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is situated on the north of the A120 road, approximately midway between Bishop’s Stortford and Braintree, 6 miles east of London Stansted Airport. Dunmow means “Meadow on the Hill”. The settlement was variously referred to as Dunmow Magna, Much Dunmow, or most commonly Great Dunmow.
Great Dunmow borders the former estate of Easton Lodge in the neighbouring parish of Little Easton, a country house belonging to the Maynard family. The most notable member, Frances Maynard, became the Countess of Warwick and later a mistress of King Edward VII. The initials “CW” are visible on a number of Victorian-era properties in Great Dunmow. Known as Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick she was a generous philanthropist in the local community. As of 2018, Robert Nicholson is Emeritus Mayor of Great Dunmow.
