Standing the Test of Time
49
The Romans founded a colony at Colchester for retired soldiers. Each retiree was given space for a house within Colchester and land for farming outside the city. Throughout the Roman occupation, the agricultural land at St Osyth would have been supplying crops and animals for Roman Colchester.
695-1066
Viking raids began about 695 and continued until William the Conqueror invaded in 1066. Vikings were Pagan Norsemen from Scandinavia but had settled all along the continental North Sea coast, even as far as Normandy. Legend has it that the local noblewoman, Osyth, was beheaded by Viking raiders because she refused to worship their Pagan Gods. It is claimed she then picked up her head and walked to the local Chapel door, where she knocked three times and collapsed.
1118
Work on St Osyth Priory and the Parish Church started in 1118. The village and surrounding manors, together with many other parcels of land, were given to the Priory by the King and wealthy landowners for income. St Osyth Village was to benefit for a long time due to its Abbey as it provided employment, learning, healthcare, and charity.
1539
Between 1536 and 1541, English monasteries, abbeys and convents had their lands and wealth confiscated by King Henry VII. St Osyth Abbey was peacefully dissolved in 1539.
1921
The village was a focus for the St Osyth witch persecutions in the 16th and 17th centuries, where it is known that fourteen women were tried and ten local women were hanged. In 1921, however, the skeletons of two women, one in chains, were discovered in the garden of a house in the village. One was claimed to be the witch Ursley Kempe, who was the first to be prosecuted. The skeletons became a local tourist attraction and remain to this day.
1999
The Priory was purchased by its current owners, and the current restoration plans began. This includes creating a vibrant new community with private new homes, a country pub, a farm shop, and exquisite holiday accommodations, enhancing the Estate’s historical and ecological value.
Today
St Osyth Priory is now owned by City & Country, so the company has a real long-term interest in the area. The Priory itself is being restored to its former glory while also being prepared to thrive in the 21st Century, with the provision of a wedding venue, spa, farm shop and country pub. Plus, new homes and premium accommodation with attract new people to the village.
