The Wash

This aspect of the Hedingham Road dating from around 1906 has changed considerably. The entrance to Box Mill Lane is on the left and the Howe School can be seen on the bank beyond. All the cottages in view were bought up and demolished by Samuel Courtauld in the early 1920's to make way for new houses of his own design. He lived at the Howe, once the home to the Horner family, and it has been said that some of the properties which he drove past on his way home were rather unsightly and tended to lower the tone of this part of Halstead, so he had them removed and replaced with houses of a more pleasing design. Unfortunately part of the scheme involved the destruction of the thirteenth century manor house of Abel de St. Martins, Lord of the Manor of Halstead. It stood alongside where the present Dog Inn exists. It is ironic to think that if these properties had been preserved and improved to modern standards - they would now be regarded as being extremely attractive, highly desirable and very expensive.