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Saffron Walden
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| Parents |
> United Kingdom > England > East of England > East of England
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| Established | November 24, 1885 |
| Disbanded | July 04, 2024 |
| Contributor | RP |
| Last Modified | IndyGeorgia May 30, 2024 09:47am |
| Description |
This constituency covers the largest acreage of any seat in Essex and is also the most rural and agricultural. The town after which the seat is named has the largest population, about 14,000 residents. The only other towns of note are Halstead, Great Dunmow, Stansted Mountfitchet and Thaxted. The rest of the constituency is made up of over 100 villages covered by Uttlesford District Council and part of Braintree District Council. There are some jobs in manufacturing and services based around the towns, but agriculture and tourism are very important sectors. However, it is Stansted Airport which provides the biggest number of jobs. Saffron Walden is a quintessential English market town, which bypassed the Industrial Revolution. With its narrow streets and ancient houses, it has retained much of its medieval street pattern. Originally known as Walden, the Saffron prefix was added because the town traded so successfully in the commodity. The remains of Walden Castle can still be seen today, near the Saffron Walden Museum. The attractive market town of Great Dunmow is best known for its ancient custom of the Flitch Trials, held in the July of every leap year. It requires a married couple to stand before a mock court and prove that they have, for a year and a day, not wished themselves unwed. If they are able to do so, to the satisfaction of the judge and jury (six maidens and six bachelors of Dunmow), then they are awarded half a pig, known as a "flitch" of bacon. The winning couple are then paraded through the town on a special chair. Thaxted is perhaps best known for its association with the composer Gustav Holst. He lived here for 10 years and composed his masterpiece "The Planets" during this period. The main theme in Jupiter is also the well known hymn "I vow to thee my country", the tune of which is called "Thaxted". The Conservatives regard this seat a comfortable home. It has a tradition of re-electing liberal wing Tories. Rab Butler once held the seat and its 2001 incumbent (and deputy Commons speaker) Sir Alan Haslehurst is defending his majority. The Liberal Democrats have however made gains and currently control of Uttlesford District Council.
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