Finchingfield research

Finchingfield Guildhall
The Guildhall in Finchingfield has been the centre of village life for over 550 years and has immense historical significance. The guildhall is a grade 1 listed building that was built 1470. The building is currently undergoing repair and restoration that should be complete in 2012.

The guildhall is maintained and managed by the Finchingfield Guildhall Trust and is a registered charity that manages the restoration and helps with fundraising for the development.

History of Finchingfield Guildhall
The Guild of the Holy Trinity founded the Guildhall circa 1470. The guildhall would have been used as a school room and the original hall on the upper floor used for to celebration feasts.

After the Reformation, a law was passed abolishing Guilds the Guildhall fell into disrepair. It was then bought by John Mildmay but the use is unknown.

In the 1620s the guildhall was brought by Robert Kempe, of Spains Hall. He paid for it to be repaired and extended.

In 1630 he sold it to a group of village members for £50 (this can be seen in the deeds) and the hall remains in village ownership today. The Guildhall was to be used as a school or almshouses.

Robert Kempe endowed land to the school. The land known as Spains Fields is now rented to the current owner of Spains Hall. 75% of the income goes to the Sir Robert Kempe Education Foundation. This is a charity that supports local scholars and students.

In 1658 almshouses are recorded in the Guildhall. Between 1630 and 1658 it is not known what happened to the Guildhall.

The Guildhall was used by the village for civic administration, poor relief and education.

By the early part of the 20th century the Guildhall had fallen into disuse and disrepair after the school had been discontinued with the advent of state education, and there was only one occupant in the almshouses.

In 1938 plans were made to repair the Guildhall but the outbreak of World War II stopped this and it was not until 1950s that the repairs could begin.

A museum and library were created by 1954 on the ground floor and the 'School Room' had now become the 'Parish Room'. The first residents moved into the almshouses in 1959.

A lot of the repair work in the 50s was carried out using modern materials and this now has been found to be damaging the timber frame. The current project will strip out the harmful materials and to restore the original guildhall on the upper floor as well as including an improved library and museum.

http://www.finchingfieldguildhall.org.uk


The Guildhall restoration
The development is needed as work carried out in 1950s is damaging the original timber frame of the building and the Parish Room on the upper floor is no longer usable. The roof also needs to be replaced as it is dangerous. The development work will also improve the kitchen and WC facilities, add heating and improve access to allow disabled access and should be complete in 2012.

Restoration

• Modern elements such as the cement render, concrete floors and modern partitions will be stripped out

• Roof tiles will be removed, and repairs made to and the roof timbers, the roof tiles will be saved for re-use

• Repairs will be made to the oak frame

• The walls will be coated with lime render and repairs made to the original wattle and daub

• Internal floors will be replaced with limecrete and brick

• Modern partitions removed

• Heating and Insulation

Facilities

• The guildhall on the upper floor will be restored – this can be used as a venue for meetings, exhibitions, performances and functions
• The library and museum on the ground floor
• A lift and new staircase
• WC facilities
• Kitchen  

The restoration will also create an improved layout for the guildhall.

http://www.finchingfieldguildhall.org.uk/restoration.html

Finchingfield village
Finchingfield village has been described as "the most photographed village in England".

The village green and duck pond provide a picturesque setting.

As well as the Guildhall there is a windmill in the village that dates from mid to late 1700.

The Church of Saint John the Baptist situated behind the Guildhall dates manly from the 14th century, although the bottom two stages of the tower were built in the 12th.

There are a number of timber framed Georgian and Medieval shops and cottages around the village.

Finchingfield is surrounded by countryside and small sections of woodland. The River Pant runs close to Finchingfield.

Dodie Smith the author of 101 Dalmations lived in the village and another local author is Norman Lewis.

http://www.braintree.gov.uk/Braintree/councildemocracy/Parish+Councils/Parish+Clusters/Three+Fields/Finchingfield1.htm, http://website.lineone.net/~northessex/finchingfield.html, http://www.btinternet.com/~roger.beckwith/Finchingfield/