Little Maplestead is a village and civil parish in the Braintree district of Essex, England.
| Little Maplestead | |
|---|---|
 Church of St John the Baptist | |
  Little Maplestead Location within Essex | |
| Population | 294 (2001) 270 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | TL8234 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HALSTEAD |
| Postcode district | CO9 |
| Dialling code | 01787 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Amenities
editLittle Maplestead once had a Knights Hospitaller establishment called Little Maplestead Preceptory.[2]
The round parish church, dedicated to St John the Baptist, is one of only four medieval round churches in England now surviving. It was built by the Knights Hospitallers. The circular nave has an arcade of six bays. The church dates from around 1335 but was practically rebuilt 1849–55. The church is a Grade II* listed building.[3]
Much restoration took place in the 1850s, but the original design and composition of the rotunda that forms the nave remains, as do many of the earlier fittings. In March 2013 the church was granted £5,000 by the National Churches Trust, as part of a restoration fundraising effort with a target of £100,000, of which £42,000 had been raised.[4]
In 1836, William Wallen published The History and Antiquities of the Round Church at Little Maplestead, Essex.
On the first Sunday in June, the Order of St John in Essex hold an annual service, where Knights and other officials of The Order from the county process in their formal mantels (ceremonial cloaks).
Notable people
editLittle Maplestead is the home of X Factor 2010 winner Matt Cardle,[5] actress Barbara Hicks, [citation needed] and former World and European Bridge Champion David Price.[6]
Location grid
edit
References
edit- ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
- ^ www.sja.org.uk Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Historic England. "Church of St John the Baptist (Grade II*) (1338017)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ Bentley, Ross (18 March 2013). "Little Maplestead: Funding boost for repairs to round church". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Morgan, Nina (6 September 2010). "Matt's X Factor Dream". Halstead Gazette. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ^ "David Price | English Bridge Union".
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