A Horrible History of Hedingham

• 43

  The Romans successfully invade Britain, bringing wine, civilisation and straight roads.

• 410

  The Romans leave Britain, taking with them the concept of hot running water and canapes, and give it back to the British.

• 1065

  Hedingham is owned and run by Ulwine, a Saxon, who at some point had taken it from a Briton, now living in Wales.

• 1066

  The Norman Conquest. Bad news for the Saxons. Hedingham 'given' to Aubrey de Vere, a Frenchman, by William the Conqueror, his brother-in-law. There were no complaints of nepotism as the Romans had left, taking their language with them, and Aubrey was extremely tough.

• 1140

  The Keep at Hedingham and associated outbuildings are completed. From the roof of the keep, Aubrey can see most of Essex, and keep a lookout for people to hit.

• 1215

  Civil War in England. Robert de Vere takes up arms against King John to make him sign the Magna Carta, which gave him and the other barons even more power.

• 1216

  Hedingham is besieged by King John. Robert's men throw fish at him for a while to show that they don't care, but surrender anyway.

• 1282

  King Edward, helped by the fifth Earl of Oxford, conquers Wales. The Britons are not wildly amused.

• 1337

  The Hundred Years War with France begins, and sensing a long-running opportunity, Thomas the 8th Earl of Oxford, is born at Hedingham.

• 1415

  Agincourt. Was a de Vere there? Oh yes. It was battle, wasn't it?

• 1455

  War in England! De Veres Involved!

• 1485

  End of the War of the Roses. The 13th Earl backs the right King and is made very rich, though the King, Henry VII, takes quite a lot away again when he sees quite how rich the Earl has become.

• 1509

  Henry VIII becomes King, visits Hedingham, hurls a ham bone at the Jester - Jonathan de Hadleigh the 1st - and composes Greensleeves by the lake. Prove he didn't.

• 1561

  Elizabeth I visits Hedingham. Didn't compose anything, but hummed a little by the new bridge. This can still be done today.

• 1591

  Fast performance of a play by William Shakespeare, who, as we all know, was really the 17th Earl of Oxford and a very clever and cultivated man. And the ancestor of the current owner.

• 1720

  The dovecote is completed by the Bog Garden at Hedingham.

• 1748

  Horace Walpole, son of Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister, visits Hedingham and makes scathing remarks about the House. Great name Horace.

• 1897

  The Bog Garden is completed by the dovecote at Hedingham.

• 1918
  The Great Fire at Hedingham, accidently caused by the army, who were using it to signal aircraft in WWI, by lighting a stove on the roof to keep warm.

• 1968

  Birth of Jason Lindsay, current owner and descendant of the Earl of Oxford. War with France feared.

• 2015

  Smokeless heating via biomass boiler installed in the Keep, making it pleasant to use in the winter for the first time. Ever. Weddings now also held in the Keep as well as the Georgian House.

• 2023
  The Royal Chamber at the top of the Keep is opened - the only modern bedroom in a Norman Keep in the country. Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, visits.