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Find a Cattery or Catteries in Essex Catteries based in Basildon, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester,
Epping, Halstead, Harlow, Harwich, Ilford, Maldon, Romford, Southend, Braintree and Brentwood. |
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Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It
is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater
Navigation. Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk. The charter between
the two towns was signed in 1970 to cement the relationship.
Maldon's name comes from Mael meaning 'meeting place' and dun meaning 'hill', so
translated as "meeting place on the hill". East Saxons settled the area in the fifth
century and the area to the south is still known as the Dengie peninsula after the
Dæningas. It became a significant Saxon port with a hythe or Quayside and artisan
quarters. Evidence of imported pottery from this period has been found in archaeological
digs. From 958 there was a royal mint issuing coins for the late Anglo-Saxon and
early Norman kings.
With Colchester it was one of the only two towns in Essex, and King Edward the Elder
lived here while combating the Danish settlers who had overrun North Essex and parts
of East Anglia. A Viking raid was beaten off in 924, but in another raid in 991
the defenders were defeated in the Battle of Maldon and the Vikings received tribute
but apparently did not attempt to sack the town. It became the subject of the epic
poem Battle of Maldon.
According to the Domesday Book there were 180 townsmen in 1086. The town still had
the mint and supplied a warhorse and warship for the king's service in return for
its privileges of self-government. There were strong urban traditions here with
two members elected to the Commons and three guilds which hosted lavish religious
plays until they were suppressed by puritans in 1576. Then, until 1630, professional
actors were invited to perform plays, which were also stopped by puritans. From
1570 to about 1800 a rival tradition of inviting prominent clergy to visit the town
also existed. There are many developed youth football teams in Maldon, among them
being Maldon Saints.
In the seventeenth century Thomas Plume started the Plume Library to house over
7,000 books printed between 1470 and his death in 1704; the collection has been
added to at various times since 1704. The Plume Library is to be found at St. Peter's
Church. Only the original Tower survives, the rest of the building having been rebuilt
by Thomas Plume to house his library (on the first floor) and Maldon Grammar School
(on the ground floor).
Maldon's first railway link was a branch line opened in 1846. It connected with
the London - Ipswich main line at Witham. Later a second line linked Maldon with
Woodham Ferrers on the Southminster - Shenfield line. Both lines were closed in
the 20th century. The nearest railway stations to Maldon are Hatfield Peverel and
Witham, each of which is about five miles away. |
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