Great Chesterford Common

Downs, Moorland in Essex Uttlesford

England

Great Chesterford Common

Hadstock The village green. Looking east from the northeast corner of the grid square. — Hadstock Credit: Alan Simkins

Great Chesterford Common is a picturesque open space located in the village of Great Chesterford in Essex, England. Covering an area of approximately 65 acres, it is characterized by its diverse landscape comprising of downs and moorland. The common is situated on the outskirts of the village, providing a tranquil retreat for both locals and visitors alike.

The downs area of Great Chesterford Common is a gently sloping grassland, adorned with patches of wildflowers during the spring and summer months. It offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, with its open expanse attracting walkers, joggers, and picnickers. The grassy downs are home to a variety of wildlife, including rabbits, squirrels, and numerous bird species, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts.

Adjacent to the downs, the moorland section of the common is characterized by its heather-covered terrain and scattered patches of gorse. This part of the common provides a unique habitat for several rare plant species, such as marsh orchids and sundews. The moorland also offers a different landscape for visitors to explore, with its undulating terrain and winding footpaths.

Great Chesterford Common is managed by the local council, ensuring its preservation and accessibility for the community. The common is easily accessible, with several entrance points and ample parking available nearby. It is a popular spot for leisure activities such as dog walking, kite flying, and nature observation.

Overall, Great Chesterford Common is a beautiful and diverse natural space, offering a peaceful and scenic retreat for visitors to enjoy the stunning downs and moorland landscapes.

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Great Chesterford Common Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.072902/0.25165722 or Grid Reference TL5444. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Hadstock

The village green. Looking east from the northeast corner of the grid square.

Alan Simkins

Icknield way path leading to Linton

Linton water tower on the horizon at about 110m.

Sheila Russell

FDL, Hadstock Common, Essex

These buildings belong to a company called Fuerst Day Lawson.

Robert Edwards

St. Botolph's church, Hadstock, Essex

This is a very interesting church, which contains rare evidence of an 11th century building. It has remains of Saxon transepts, which are a rarity. Other parts are 14th century. The church stands on high ground at the centre of the village.

Robert Edwards

RAF Little Walden

This is the Control Tower of RAF Little Walden. It is probably the best-preserved WW2 airfield tower in Essex. It began its operational life in March 1944 with the USAAF 409th Bomb Group flying A20's, other types that operated from here included P51 Mustang, and B17's. The airfield was returned to the RAF in 1946 and finally decommissioned in 1958. To go to the next field in an alphabetical tour of Essex WW2 airfields click on TL5512 : Matching Aerodrome. Much information was gleaned from Graham Smith’s book “Essex Airfields In The Second World War”. Link

Glyn Baker

Peri Track to Monks Hall

This is the road to Monks Hall and Bowsers, it exactly follows the path of the perimeter track of TL5543 : RAF Little Walden.

Glyn Baker

Monks Farm

It is possible these blister style buildings on Monks farm are contemporary with TL5543 : RAF Little Walden however I would be willing to bet a few geograph points the rectangular building behind them is a military building of 1940’s vintage.

Glyn Baker

Little Walden Path

This bridle path follows the perimeter track of TL5543 : RAF Little Walden as far as the hedge it then takes a sharp left turn and disappears through the trees.

Glyn Baker

Bridle Path Near Burtonwood Farm

This vista is further along the TL5443 : Little Walden Path to the southeast of Burtonwood Farm. As you can tell from the length of the grass it is not well used by horses!

Glyn Baker

Iknield Way Trig

This Triangulation Pillar is just off the Iknield Way long distance footpath. At this point it follows the Essex Cambridgeshire border. The pillar is a few metres into Cambridgeshire.

Glyn Baker

Esxbridgshire

This is the Icknield Way long-distance footpath. At this point it follows the Essex/Cambridgeshire border. Cambridgeshire is to the left and Essex is to the right.

Glyn Baker

Harrison Sayer Reserve

This is one of two surviving fuel tanks of TL5543 : RAF Little Walden they are located on the Harrison Sayer nature reserve this is run by Essex Wildlife Trust see Link

for more info. The building in the background is TL5543 : FDL, Hadstock Common, Essex Continue on a virtual tour of Wildlife Trust Reserves in Essex by visiting TQ5099 : Hawksmere Springs

Glyn Baker