High Laver is a village and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of the county of

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Gr ...

, England. The parish is noted for its association with the philosopher

John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the "father of liberalism". Considered one of ...

History

High Laver is historically a rural agricultural parish, predominantly arable. In 1086 there were 1428 acres of arable land, woodland for 200 pigs and 37½ acres of meadow. The 1881 census data collected indicates that the majority of the male population were employed in agriculture. High Laver school was founded 1866 with accommodation for 75 children. At one point the school breached its capacity with a total of 132 pupils attending. Pupils of High Laver today typically attend Magdalen Laver school, west from High Laver. The manor of Otes may originally have been part of Little Laver. It was purchased around 1614 by William Masham, and passed to his son Sir William Masham, 1st Baronet. When

, British philosopher, died in 1704, he was buried at High Laver, where he had lived at Otes as a paying guest in the household of Sir Francis Masham, 3rd Baronet since 1691. The wife of Sir Francis was the philosopher and theologian Damaris Cudworth Masham. In 1887 John Bartholomew, in the ''Gazetteer of the British Isles'', wrote: "Laver, High, par., Essex, in NW. of co., 4 m. NW. of Ongar, 1891 ac., pop. 477; the churchyard contains the grave of John Locke (1632–1704), the philosopher".

Geography

High Laver village is situated 4 miles (6.4 km) east of

Harlow Harlow is a large town and local government district located in the west of Essex, England. Founded as a new town, it is situated on the border with Hertfordshire and London, Harlow occupies a large area of land on the south bank of the upper ...

and 1.4 miles (2.2 km) north-west of Moreton. The land is nearly 300 ft. (90 m.) above sea-level in the south-west, about 250 ft. (75 m.) in the north and 230 ft. (70 m.) in the east.

Demography

"In 1801 the population was 346. By 1851 it had grown to 534. It was a little below this level until the last decade of the century when there was a sharp decline to 386. In the first half of the 20th century it rose gradually to 463 in 1951" According to 2011 census data High Laver had a population of 493 persons across 200 households. Within High Laver 260 persons out of the 493 who participated in the 2011 census aged 16 to 74 are in employment. The 1881 census data indicates that the majority of the Male population of High Laver were employed in agriculture, this is typical of Parishes at this time due to the surrounding countryside being ideal for farming. 2011 census data indicate that 260 16- to 74-year-olds are in employment out of the total population of 493. The demographics in High Laver are fairly uneven according to the 2011 census data; the data indicates that the largest demographic are the 45 to 59's. Population of High Laver between 1801 and 2011 using census data

Population of High Laver between 1801 and 2011 using census data

Demographics of High Laver using data from the 2011 census

Landmarks

All Saints' Church in High Laver consists of a nave,

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. O ...

, west tower, south porch, and north vestry. The church was constructed from flint and rubble during the late 12th century; there also remains evidence that some Roman bricks and tiles were used as they are visible among the chancel walls, and also the north wall of the nave. Over the years there has been refurbishment and maintenance on the church. In the 15th or 16th century the roofs of the chancel and nave, which are ceiled in except for the plates and tie-beams, were renewed. Within the tower there is a font with an octagonal bowl which dates from the 14th century. Outside the south wall of the nave is the brick altar tomb of the philosopher

(1704). A mural tablet, originally above the tomb, was moved inside the church for preservation in 1932. The grave of Abigail Masham, Baroness Masham, a

favourite A favourite (British English) or favorite (American English) was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In post-classical and early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated si ...

of Queen Anne and a cousin of

Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, Princess of Mindelheim, Countess of Nellenburg (née Jenyns, spelt Jennings in most modern references; 5 June 1660 (Old Style) – 18 October 1744), was an English courtier who rose to be one of th ...

, is also found in the churchyard. The complex relationship between these three women is dramatised in the film ''

The Favourite ''The Favourite'' is a 2018 period black comedy film co-produced and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, from a screenplay by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. Set in early 18th century Great Britain, the film's plot examines the relationship be ...

''.

Notable people

* Samuel Masham, 1st Baron Masham (1678/79 – 1758), British

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the official ...

, lived at Oates Manor in High Laver * Damaris Cudworth Masham (1659 – 1708), English writer, philosopher, theologian, wife of Samuel Masham *

FRS (1632 – 1704), English philosopher and physician, lived with the Masham's at Oates Manor * Thomas Standfield (one of the

Tolpuddle Martyrs The Tolpuddle Martyrs were six agricultural labourers from the village of Tolpuddle in Dorset, England, who, in 1834, were convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. They were arrested o ...

) and his family lived at Fenners Farm, Tilegate Green from 1838 to 1846

Transport

The main road from Ongar to Harlow which is a key transport route enters the parish at High Laver Bridge. High Laver lies near junction seven of the

M11 motorway The M11 is a motorway that runs north from the North Circular Road (A406) in South Woodford to the A14, northwest of Cambridge, England. Originally proposed as a trunk road as early as 1915, various plans were considered throughout the 1960 ...

. There are three bus services that run through the parish, four days a week. The nearest railway station is Harlow Town. Epping Underground station is equidistant.

Gallery

File:All Saints Church John Locke churchyard tomb at High Laver Essex England.jpg, John Locke's tomb File:Fingerpost at High Laver and Matching Essex England.jpg, Fingerpost in High Laver parish File:19th Century Ordinance Survey Map of High Laver.jpg, 19th-century Ordnance Survey Map of High Laver File:Faggotters Farm, High Laver, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 79901.jpg, Faggotters Farm, High Laver File:Faggoters Lane High Laver and Matching Essex England.jpg, Faggoters Lane sign, High Laver

References

External links

{{authority control Villages in Essex Epping Forest District Civil parishes in Essex