Saffron Walden Cemetery

Archaeological evidence suggests continuous settlement on or near the site of Saffron Walden from at least the Neolithic period. It is believed that a small Romano-British settlement and fort – possibly in the area round Abbey Lane – existed as an outpost of the much larger settlement of Cestreforda to the north. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, a stone church was built. Walden Castle, dating from about 1140, may have been built on pre-existing fortifications. A priory, Walden Abbey, was founded in around 1136 under the patronage of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex. The abbey was separated from Walden by Holywell Field. After the dissolution of the monasteries, Sir Thomas Audley…

of its type in England]] The 12th-century Walden Castle, built or expanded by Geoffrey de Mandeville, the first Earl of Essex, is in ruins. After the medieval period, the castle fell into disuse and much of the flint was taken and used in the construction of local houses and the wall surrounding the Audley End estate. All that remains is the ruined basement. Near the castle is a turf maze, a series of circular excavations cut into the turf of the common. It is the largest example of this style of maze in England, the main part being about 100 ft in diameter. The earliest record of it dates from 1699, although its origin may be earlier. It has been extensively restored several times, most…