Great Dunmow
From Free net encyclopedia
Template:Infobox England place with map Great Dunmow is a town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. Originally the site of a Roman settlement on Stane Street, the town thrived during the Middle Ages. Many buildings survive from this period, including a sixteenth century town hall.
The town is famous for is four-yearly ritual of the flitch trials, in which couples must convince a jury of six local bachelors and six local maidens that they have never wished themselves un-wed for a year and a day. If successful the couple are paraded through the High Street and receive a flitch of bacon. The last flitch trials were held in the town in the summer of 2004. The next trials will be in 2008.
However, the population of Great Dunmow, often feel they are superior to the rest of Essex as they are generally high income earners. They feel they are 'better' as they perceive themselves to be living in the countryside rather than in towns. This has led to tensions between those living in the village who are against the expansion of the Stansted Airport expansion, and those lower income groups in the surrounding area who will greatly benefit from the expansion. The people in the village should balance their priorities.