'I’ve lived in Chelmsford nearly all my life but a historic walk taught me something I never knew'
It's easy to think that you might have an encyclopaedic knowledge about the town you are born, raised and spend most of your life. When you spend so long in a single place, you end up assuming that you know the area like the back of your hand.
That's exactly how I felt about Chelmsford. I lived there for around two decades before moving elsewhere in Essex but felt pretty knowledgeable about the city and what you should or shouldn't say to someone who is a 'Chelmsfordian'.
But I recently went on a historic walk through the city and ended up learning something I had no about. That is that back in 1808 a huge fire engulfed several properties at the top of what is now the High Street and a grave to the victims is near the entrance to the Cathedral grounds.
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I discovered this whilst on a Treasure Trails walk through Chelmsford. This family-friendly trail starts by the railway station on Duke Street and takes around two hours to walk the complete route.
Those taking part in the walk are encouraged to throw themselves into a fictional crime as detectives wanting to catch the culprit. Many of the clues and stops told me things I already knew, but whilst observing my surroundings at the Cathedral I also noticed the large memorial to those that died in the fire more than 200 years ago.
The Haunted Histories website says the tragedy is quite well known to most local researchers, but beyond that it's relatively unknown. The fire was reported at around 3am on March 19, 1808, and had engulfed properties at the Tindal Square end of Chelmsford High Street.
The website continues: "The newspapers report that seven occupants of the residence were hanging desperately out of the windows on the second floor, trying to get away from the flames which were ravaging the first floor beneath them. Quickly, ladders were sent for and even soldiers from the local garrison came to try and assist in both the rescue and the quelling of the fire."
A number of people survived the blaze, but that was not the case for Mary Smith, a hat maker, and her two apprentices, Mary Ann Woolmer and Mary Elizabeth Eve. The fire is known as 'the deplorable fire'.
The tomb's inscription reads: "This tomb is erected to the memory of Mary Ann Woolmer, Mary Elizabeth Eve and Mary Smith who were hurried into eternity by the awful fire which visited this town on the morning of the 19th of March 1808. The two former perished in the flames. The latter survived seven days."
This instance proves that it's very easy to think that you know everything about the area that you live. That's not always the case, however, and there might be something still for you to learn about where you are.