Heybridge Basin

A lovely stroll along Heybridge Basin, the sea-ward entrance for the Chelmer Navigation. There's lots to commend Heybridge and Maldon, fabulous places, great to visit, rich in sights and history. I read recently that one of Heybridge's famous characters, Francis Waring (1760–1833), was the local vicar. He was notorious for the extraordinary way he performed the duties of his office. He would read church lessons at breakneck speed, give a very quick sermon of one or two sentences and then run down the aisle and leap onto a horse to gallop off and repeat the performance at two other churches in the area. Something I'd love to see today.

His domestic arrangements were equally peculiar. Although he wasn't poor, his vicarage was furnished with rough-hewn logs instead of chairs. His children ate their meals from a trough next to the split-log dining table. He and his wife slept in an enormous wicker cradle suspended from the ceiling. Again, something I'd love to see!

Happy New Year folks, let's hope it's a good one, with plenty of cheer!