Birch, Layer Breton & Layer Marney Local History

The map above map which was produced by a sub-committee of Birch Parish Council to mark the Millennium. The text printed on the reverse of the map is reproduced below.

This map shows the three parishes as seen by those living here in the year 2000. It is how we see ourselves, and how we tell future generations of our way of life. The population of the three parishes (estimated as round figures by Colchester B C) is Birch 900; Layer Breton 300 and Layer Marney 250.

Farming is still a major activity but in an age of increasing mechanisation employs very few compared to former centuries. Part of the area, to the NW of the B1022, consists of chalky boulder clay; sand and gravel form the eastern part of Birch while the Layers lie mainly on thin soil over almost impermeable clay. The area is drained by several streams - the Roman River forming the boundary between Birch and Stanway; the Layer Brook draining parts of the two Layer parishes into the Abberton Reservoir and Birch Brook which flows from the direction of Hardy's Green into Birch lake.

Abberton Reservoir, a storage reservoir, was formed in the 1930s by damming of Layer Brook. Owned by the Essex and East Suffolk Water Company it is used to supply water to the Chelmsford area. Levels are controlled by a pumping station situated in Layer de la Haye. The Reservoir is also a major bird reserve, overseen by the Essex Wildlife Trust, providing nesting and breeding sites for a wide variety of water birds and is an important site for passage migrants.

Almost in the centre of the area lies Layer Breton Heath, one of the few surviving heathland sites in Essex. The Heath has a very high conservation value with many specialist species. Livestock no longer graze and following a fire in 1976 it suffers badly from succession, mainly of birch and oak trees. Under the ownership of the Lord of the Manor, Mrs Teresa Relf-Jones, a committee of 10 local residents are working to conserve the heathland habitat with help from the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. Many villagers use the heath for recreation, including walking dogs and horse riding.

In addition to this open space the area is criss-crossed by footpaths and bridleways providing a range of pleasant walks within the three parishes and linking to others giving access to a much wider area. It has to be remembered, however, that such paths cross clay soils in places and need to be treated with caution at all times but particularly after heavy rain. The footpaths also cross farm land and it is essential that signs are followed precisely and that dogs are kept on leads at all times. Paths shown on the map are not to be taken as definitive routes and are shown as an indication of existence only. The walks described below make use of several of them.

Details of four walks are given below as an indication of a way to see each parish at its best.

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A number of 'bus services run through or across the area making it possible to travel to Clacton via Colchester in one direction, or to Tolleshunt D'Arcy and on to Maldon in the opposite direction. These routes run either directly along the main road, from Colchester to Tiptree, or through Birch and Layer Breton to Tollesbury and Maldon. The service on the main road is frequent during weekdays, with almost a half hourly service from the morning to evening rush hours. In addition a service runs through Birch and Layer Breton once every two hours during the day from eight in the morning with extra services in the afternoon. Separate 'bus services are provided to convey children to either Tiptree or Stanway secondary schools or to attend Birch primary school.

Of particular importance to those lacking their own transport is the Senior Citizens 'Bus which operates a service once a fortnight to Tollgate and Fiveways Retail Parks in Stanway.

Medical services are provided by a group practice of three doctors based at The Surgery, Birch. The practice also operates a dispensing service for most patients and a Practice Nurse is available for consultation and advice. Also a Mother and Baby Clinic is held once a month in the Memorial Hall.

Mail is delivered daily, Sundays excepted, from the main sorting office in Colchester. There are a number of collection points throughout the district. The area is served by one sub Post Office situated within Birch Minimarket, The Street, Birch which offers a range of services including pension payments and foreign currency.

The Minimarket carries a wide range of all types of food and drink plus newspapers and magazines. Services provided include video hire, photocopying, and a collection service for dry cleaning and film processing. It also sells National lottery tickets. Two garages, both situated on the Tiptree to Colchester main road, one in Birch and the other in Layer Marney, provide fuel and services for the motorist plus a small selection of other goods.

Two public houses, the Angel, Heckfordbridge, and the Hare and Hounds, Layer Breton provide meals in addition to beer, wines and spirits. Both are used for other social activities and, in particular, the Hare and Hounds has a well supported bonfire and firework display each November, the proceeds from which go towards providing a lunch for senior citizens at Christmas. Being adjacent to the Heath the Hare and Hounds is also favoured for a "meet" of the local foxhounds.

In an era when home entertainment is freely available it is not surprising that many of the old style clubs and associations have ceased to exist. Some have survived and provide a focal point for a number of activities. Among these the Get Together Club, mainly for retired people, which meets monthly (in the afternoon in winter months and evenings in the summer) in Birch Memorial Hall. Transport is available to enable local residents without their own transport reach the Hall. Events include talks, slide shows plus outings and an annual carol service. The Women's Institute meet monthly throughout the year at the Birch Memorial Hall and twice yearly they have Craft and Flower Shows one of which is open to non members.

The Memorial Hall, built in the 1920s to provide a venue "for the large number of men who have come back to the Parish", is also the venue for a number of well supported pre school groups. The groups are structured so that children of different ages attend on different days. The intention is to provide pre school experience and, as such, the groups have to comply with statutory requirements.

Essex County Council Mobile Library Service provides access to Library facilities on a regular basis in each of the villages.

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Birch C of E Primary School is the only school within the area and has 100 pupils on the register. It offers education for 5 to 11 year old children from an area which also includes Virley, Salcott and Wigborough. The Headteacher, Mr Graham, and three other teachers, cover the National Curriculum for pupils. On reaching the age of 11 pupils go on to Stanway or Tiptree depending on their place of residence.

In an area once known for the number of Churches and Chapels only two have survived. The Church of England provides services via the combined parishes of Birch with Layer Breton, worshipping at St Mary's, Layer Breton, and at St Mary's, Layer Marney which is in turn combined with the other and both come under the care of the Rector, The Reverend Martin Clarke, also Vicar of Layer de la Haye in a combined benefice. A service is held in each church every Sunday morning, and on various major festivals and special occasions including country services such as Plough Sunday, Rogation and Harvest.

Remains of earlier places of worship are still recognisable and ruins of Little Birch Church are to be found in Birch Park; the outline of the Layer Breton Church, initially damaged in the 1884 earthquake, can be traced and burial grounds associated with the Quaker Meeting House and the Congregational Chapel exist in Layer Breton. A more prominent landmark is the former St Peter's Church, Birch built in 1846 but no longer used for worship. Plans are in hand for redeveloping the building for other uses.

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Whereas at one time agriculture was the main industry of the area and so provided much of the employment, most residents now travel out of the area for work. Agriculture is still important but no longer so as a source of employment. The major employer, Hutton Group, builders, on the Maldon Road, Birch, have expanded considerably from the supplier of jobbing building work to the villages to a company with nationwide contracts. Playle Engineering at Birch Park are another major employer manufacturing a range of metal products. There are a number of smaller local building firms and also providers of specialist services ranging from architects and planning consultants to electricians and plumbers.

Advertisements in the monthly Parish Newsletter, produced by the Church and distributed free of charge to every house, provide an insight into the services available within the area and these include tree surgery; electrical services; flower arranging; pet insurance; secretarial services; driving tuition; domestic services; a Learning Centre; waste disposal skip hire; upholstery; poetry writing; garden accessories; dressmaking; funeral services; bouncy castle hire and bed and breakfast! Other enterprises are connected with the servicing of vehicles; general engineering and a range of metal working.

Livestock farming, not as widespread as formerly is still apparent and, in particular in Layer Marney, venison, pork and beef are for sale. At Christmas turkeys are sold also in Layer Marney. Most farming is now arable and among the crops likely to be grown this year are sugar beet and oilseed rape. Associated with agriculture there is a haulage contractor in Layer Breton. Horse riding and stabling are available in the area.

A large area to the north of the B1022, Birch Quarry, is operated by Hanson's for gravel extraction.

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A number of angling clubs exist and in addition to using Abberton Reservoir other groups make use of several smaller farm irrigation reservoirs which are kept stocked to provide sport. All such angling is carried out under licences from the particular organisation. Plans to drain and restock the lake in Birch Park have, unfortunately, not proved feasible to date. The small pond at Layer Breton is limited to fishing by those under 14 years of age.

Birch has a sports field off the former drive to Birch Hall used now for football by a club from Colchester. The former football team bearing the Birch name now play in Tiptree. Cricket ceased to be played some years ago. Twice yearly the local roads are the scene for major cycling races organised by Colchester Cycling Club.

The most prominent building locally is Layer Marney Tower, still a family home, known as the tallest Tudor Gatehouse in Britain. Open to the public during the summer, on most days except Saturdays. It is also the venue for Craft Fairs, and many other events attracting visitors from many miles. Attached to the Tower is a farm and deer park, with other rare breeds on display. There are also banqueting facilities and the Tower is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies.

The map overleaf contains the surnames of all residents appearing on the three electoral rolls in the year 2000. These residents are eligible to vote in the various elections and the area forms part of the Eastern Region of Britain for the European Parliament; the constituency of North East Essex for the Westminster Parliament; the County Division of Tiptree; the Birch/Messing & Copford Ward of Colchester Borough Council. Birch is administered by a Parish Council which meets monthly in the Memorial Hall. The other two parishes do not have parish councils but hold an annual meeting at which matters of concern are open for discussion. Such meetings are usually attended by relevant council representatives.

(During the last war a large airfield was constructed in Birch and although not a fully active site it was used for transporting troops to Europe by gliders towed by aircraft. Post war it fell into disuse and the land was returned to farming although the runways, and some buildings, survive. Aerial activity is still a matter of concern to residents on occasion as we live almost directly under one of the approach routes to Stansted Airport but more invasive is the noise from Army helicopters based in Colchester.)

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This map is a picture of how we see ourselves and it aims to highlight those aspects of life which are meaningful to individuals and especially those which we think may not survive for better, or for worse. Things change constantly and some decisions taken in the preparation of the map, and this text, have been of an arbitrary nature. Nevertheless we hope to have provided something which can be used as a basis for comparison in the years to come. So far as we know there is no precedent for such a map of this area although we are aware that many maps of a similar nature are planned throughout the country to commemorate the New Millennium.

Birch Walk