Much Hadham

From Free net encyclopedia

Much Hadham is a village in Hertfordshire, England. Formerly known as Great Hadham, Much Hadham is one of the most picturesque villages in Hertfordshire.

Its parish church, built largely between 1225 and 1450, is notable for being shared between the St. Andrew’s Church of England (Anglican) congregation and the Holy Cross Roman Catholic congregation. The entrance to the church is adorned with two sculptures by Henry Moore, who was also a resident in the village until his death in 1986. Other celebrity residents have included Bob Monkhouse, J C Fayers, The Pet Shop Boys, Chas and Dave and Bob Carolgees.

The Red Lion coaching inn, now converted into private houses, has existed in the village since the fifteenth century. It was a stopping point on the old road from London to Cambridge. Legend has it that a tunnel connected the pub to St. Andrew's, possibly built during the time of Oliver Cromwell to serve as an escape route for the clergy. The skeleton of an eighteen-year-old woman was discovered bricked up into a fireplace in the inn. It is thought she died after being incarcerated, some time during the nineteenth century.

A park of Henry Moore's sculptures lies on the outskirts of the village at the Henry Moore Foundation. It was the victim of a heist in December 2005 when one of the statues was stolen from the site by opportunistic thieves.

External links

  • For those interested in playing cricket for Much Hadham, please see our website www.muchhadham.hitscricket.com and contact the captain.