A Brief History of the Village of Little Clacton
It is believed that Little Clacton has it’s roots in the 11th century when settlers turned north from the track which stretched from St. Osyth to Little Holland at a place known as Bockings Elm. The land was divided into two estates, which were given to the Essex families of Bovills and Engaynes. These two farms stood opposite each other in what is now called St. Osyth Road West. Later the land, where the village of Little Clacton now stands, was parcelled out to a group of settlers who had made their home there. Bovills Hall, with part of the farm’s original moat, still stands on the site and Gidea Hall, re-built after a fire, is on the site of Engaynes Hall. The oldest houses still in existence in the village were farmhouses when this was a flourishing agricultural area. Other notable buildings are Saint James Church, The Blacksmith’s Arms; The Methodist Chapel- built in 1851- and the old school, which is now an art studio, erected in 1868.
In 1806 there was a murder in the village when a fight broke out at the Blacksmith’s Arms between local men and the Cameron Highlanders from barracks in Weeley. Alexander McDonald was chased along The Street where he was set upon and died. His grave is in Weeley Churchyard. This fight was during the St. James’ Day Fair, which was held annually in front of the Blacksmith’s Arms until 1872 when it was abolished.
In 1830 there were riots among the farm workers who marched to Lodge Farm and smashed a threshing machine that they thought was threatening their livelihood. In the 19th century Little Clacton had all the shops and businesses needed for day to day living. There was a grocery and drapery shop near the churchyard, shoemaker, dressmaker, pig dealer, wheelwrights, coal carters and a basket maker, who incidentally was blind. On the other side of the road there was a butcher, grocer, alehouse, the smithy and the village saw-pit.
In 1935 the Lord Lieutenant of Essex opened the Rifle Club Hall, built by volunteers and public subscription. This building, after some alterations, is now the Village Hall. During the two wars troops were billeted in the village and in 1920 Lord Byng unveiled the War Memorials in St. James and beside the Methodist Chapel. The names of those who died in the Second World War have since been added and the stone memorial moved to The Green. During the latter half of World War 2 some American soldiers were billeted in Orchard Lea, which was once the Street Farm.