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Finchingfield is on the B1052 Braintree to Saffron Walden road, fifty-four miles from London and close to Constable Country. In the time of William the Conqueror it was called Phincingfelda. William gave Finchingfield to one Roger Bigod (his way of rewarding his knights for their services during the invasion). The arrangement of houses around a central green produces a harmonious
effect. There may be villages with smarter greens, more stylish buildings,
or prettier ponds but they rarely combine in quite such a natural, apparently
unplanned way. The classic view of foreground green, pond, more green, cottages and road
climbing a hill surmounted by the church must have inspired hundreds of thousands
of photographers and a good many painters. It appears in virtually every
calendar of Essex.
The best approach to the church is through the archway of the Guildhall,
which was built Some way out of the village on the same road is a house once owned by the writer Dodie Smith, author of "101 Dalmatians". The poet and patron of the arts Edward Benlowes was born in the village in 1602. Amongst the many painters who have been inspired by the village was Lucien Pissarro. He was a son of the great French Impressionist Camille Pissarro and painted in the impressionist style. He visited twice, staying at a local farm. His first trip, in 1904, was blighted by bad weather and he was only able to produce some sketches. The following year, however, he made several oil paintings.
The most distinguished house in the area is Spains Hall, named after a Norman family called Hispani who owned a property here in the 11th century. The present building is Elizabethan. From the 14th to the early 18th century the property was owned by the Kempes, it then passed to the Ruggles family. Sir Evelyn Ruggles-Brise (1857-1935) was a prison reformer who was involved in the founding and development of the Borstal system.
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Down on the green there are many interesting
buildings to see. The snow scene shows the Fox Inn and next to it the Manse,
which was the home of the Minister of the Chapel. The War Memorial commemorates
the 27 men of the Parish who died in the first world war and six who died
in the second. 
Look for examples of pargetting.
This is the technique of moulding designs into the external plastering of
a wall. Incised pargetting is the most common, but the raised variety is
also to be found, usually on larger houses. It is very characteristic of
the area. 
The tiled roofs on most of the buildings in the centre of the village contribute to
the harmony of the scene. If you're looking for thatch,
try the road that passes the windmill. Further down from the
cottage shown here is
the Round House, of 18th Century Dutch design and
referred to locally as the Pepper Pot.
Photo taken about 1930