Saffron Walden

Saffron Walden is a Market Town in the District of Uttlesford in Essex, England. The city is located 15 miles ( 24 km) south of Cambridge and about 35 miles ( 56 km) north of London.

History

The area around Saffron Walden was already inhabited in the Bronze Age. After the Roman withdrawal from Britain an Anglo-Saxon settlement was established in the 12th century a stone church, the castle and the nearby Walden Abbey were built. At this time, the market for the area from Newport to Saffron Walden was moved. The most important commodity in the Middle Ages was wool. From the 16th century the cultivation of Safrankrokussen in the area became much more important. The plant was very valuable as was obtained from the punches of the flower saffron. Saffron was used in medieval times as a medicine, spice, perfume and even for dyeing fabrics. Due to the growing saffron Saffron Walden got its present name. End of the 18th century the demand for saffron was not as high and the cultivation was gradually replaced by barley.

Today, Saffron Walden is an historic town well preserved in the architecture can be found examples from the 12th century to modern times.

Attractions

Saffron Walden is home to the largest parish church in Essex. St Mary the Virgin dates mainly from the 15th century. The present tower construction was completed in 1832 and is at an altitude of 193 feet ( 59 m ), the highest in Essex. In addition, you will also find the ruins of Walden Castle from the 12th century, which was of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex either built or at least extended. In the vicinity is the largest preserved turf maze is in England with a diameter of 100 feet (30 m).

Interesting also include Audley End House in Audley End, about 5 km away, which was founded as a Benedictine abbey in the 12th century manor house.

Twinning

Saffron Walden has since 1986 been twinned with Bad Wildungen in Hesse.