Ford RideLondon 2024 to come through Witham < Back Ford RideLondon 2024 2 Apr 2024 Ford RideLondon 2024 to come through Witham Ride London 2024 travels through Witham on Saturday May 25th as part of the Elite women's 3 day road race. There will be various points in Witham you will be able to watch the riders compete, further information can be found at www.ridelondon.co.uk/community-info Please see the below map for details of the road closures that will be enforced during the event. Previous Next

Wooden carved sculptures installed on the River Walk < Back River Walk Wooden Sculptures 13 May 2026 Wooden carved sculptures installed on the River Walk Witham Town Council is delighted to invite residents and visitors to explore a new collection of wooden sculptures installed along the town’s popular River Walk. The sculptures form part of public art project funded through developer contributions collected by Braintree District Council. These Section 106 contributions were specifically allocated to be spent on public art in the community. The sculpture trail features six totem-style carved posts located near key entrances to the River Walk, together with ten additional wooden sculptures positioned throughout the route. As visitors make their way along the route, they will discover a range of wildlife designs inspired by animals and birds round along the River Walk, including an otter, fox, rabbits and kingfisher. The sculptures have been created by Simon O’Rourke, the artist commissioned for the project, by using chainsaw techniques to carve the nature designs into wood. The sculptures have been designed to encourage people to enjoy the outdoors while discovering unique pieces of public art in natural surroundings. A dedicated sculpture trail map will be available from Witham Town Hall in the coming weeks to help visitors locate each carving and explore the full trail experience. Town Mayor, Councillor Paul Heath, said ‘We are pleased to complete this public art project utilising Section 106 funds to provide an interesting addition to our much loved River Walk. We hope that the sculptures will provide focal points for visitors of all ages and encourage more people to enjoy this important open space” Further information about Witham’s River Walk and the new sculptures can be obtained by contacting Witham Town Council on 01376 520627, or by visiting the Information Centre at the Town Hall. Previous Next

Call for Gardeners - Witham Open Gardens < Back Witham Open Garden Scheme 11 Jun 2025 Call for Gardeners - Witham Open Gardens Do you have a garden you're proud of? Big or small, wild or wonderful? We're looking for local residents to take part in our Open Gardens 2026 event! Whether it's a hidden courtyard, a flower-filled haven, or a quirky green space, we'd love for you share it with the community. This is a great way to meet fellow garden lovers, support a good cause and celebrate the beauty right on our doorstep. If you are interested, please contact openspacesadmin@witham.gov.uk or call 01376 520627 Let's make 2026 bloom with community spirit! Previous Next

Community Committee The Community Committee’s remit covers monitoring those services which impact on the community as a whole, such as public transport, bus shelters and public seats, public health issues, arts and tourism and making community grants. Members of the Press and Public are welcome to attend Community Committee Meetings. Local residents are invited to address the meeting on any item on the agenda, speaking for a maximum of 3 minutes. The Community Committee will meet at 7.30 pm in the council chambers in the Town Hall. Members of the Community Committee: Cllr E Adelaja Cllr L Barlow Cllr JC Coleman (Chair) Cllr B Fleet Cllr L Headley Cllr P Heath (Vice Chair) Cllr R Playle Cllr J Robertson Cllr A Sloma Cllr E Williams Agenda for Meeting 24th August 2026 PDF Minutes for Meeting 24th August 2026 will be available here Agenda for Meeting 1st June 2026 PDF Minutes for Meeting 1st June 2026 PDF

Crafty Bear Cafe win first prize < Back Witham Christmas Window Competition Winners 22 Dec 2023 Crafty Bear Cafe win first prize Witham Mayor, Councillor Susan Ager, has presented Crafty Bear Cafe with their prize hamper after they were voted clear winners in the Witham Christmas Window Competition. Business owners and members of the public were asked to submit their nominations for the award. We received nine entries, and the public were asked to vote on Facebook by 'liking' their favourite picture. Crafty Bear Cafe were clear winners by almost 400 clear votes with their advent calendar style painted windows. Their window clearly captured the public's imagination and lent itself perfectly to the style they had chosen, and were the perfect way to celebrate their first Christmas in the town. Congratulations also go to the runners up, Rag Tag & Bobtail and Havens Hospices, and to all the entrants for their beautiful windows and the hard work that went into them. Previous Next

< Back Witham Open Gardens Saturday, 20 June 2026 Previous Next

< Back Witham Fire Brigade photos Three photos of Witham Fire Brigade in a frame These three photos show Witham Fire Brigade between 1900 and 1930. In these photos, you can see the progression of the appliances from horse drawn to steam engine to motorised engine. The last photo clearly shows the date of 1930. Over the years, the home of Witham Fire Brigade changed several times. Originally in Newland Street, it later moved to the bottom of Guithavon Street, then behind the Swan pub before finally settling in it's current home in Hatfield Road. More information can be found on each of these photos can be found on Janet Gyford's website and on the Witham Town Trail website for the Fire Station: www.janetgyford.com Fire brigade with horse drawn fire engine Witham fire brigade with its horse-drawn fire engine, c.1900. From left to right, back row: George Ottley (driver, ran cabs from near station), William Kentfield (wife was nurse), ???, ???, Charles… www.janetgyford.com Fire Brigade and new steam fire engine Fire brigade and new steam fire engine. It was purchased to celebrate the coronation of George V. This was particularly as a result of the performance of the visiting steam fire engine from Maldon … www.janetgyford.com Fire Brigade and new motor fire engine Fire brigade and new motorised fire engine, with date 1930 on it. Probably at first demonstration when new The men are, at the front left to right, George Shelley the elder (blacksmith, chief of fi… www.withamtowntrail.com Old Fire Station | withamtowntrail

< Back Engraving of Newland Street Engraving of the top end of Newland Street We have this engraving of Newland Street entitled 'Witham, Essex'.. The drawing is by W. Bartlett and the engraving by W Watkins. The drawing shows people milling about, a horse-drawn carriage and a person on a pony. It is set up by Avenue House, where the Memorial Gardens are. The engraving is featured on Witham historian Janet Gyford's website. You can find more information here: www.janetgyford.com Engraving of top of Newland Street with coach Engraving of top end of Newland Street, entitled ‘Witham, Essex’. ‘Drawn by G.B.Campion’ [George B Campion, 1796-1870, better known as a water colour painter, see DNB]. R…

< Back Chains of Office Witham Urban District Council Chains of Office Upstairs at the Town Hall, our Council Chamber is home to this piece of Witham Urban District Council history. Displayed in a glass-fronted wooden display box are the chains of office that were donated to WUDC by the directors of W. Pinkham and Son Limited in memory of their founder, William Pinkham. William Pinkham was the founder of W. Pinkham & Son Ltd, the renowned glove makers which were established in Witham. Having previously made the gloves in their home, in 1905 William Pinkham and his wife Rebecca set up in a property in Albert Road bought for the purpose of manufacturing gloves, before later building a factory in Witham in 1912. William Pinkham was a Witham Urban District Councillor from 1912-1932 and was chairman of the Council from 1930-1932. William passed away in 1938. The links of the chain are engraved with the names and terms of chairmen of WUDC from 1955 until it's dissolution in 1974. One or two of these names may be familiar to Witham residents as they have roads or buildings names after them. Also included in the display box is a matching pin for the Vice-Chairman of the Council.

< Back Local Election Flyer Witham Urban District Council Election 1926 Candidate Flyer This Witham Urban District Council election flyer is for the election in 1926. Unusually for us, who are used to our elections being held on a Thursday, this was held on a Saturday on 27th March. It was held in the National Schools, in Guithavon Street, which stood where Newlands Drive Car Park is now. The recipients of this leaflet is identified on the front as Mr and Mrs Allshorn who resided at 61 Newland Street, now the Town Hall. Mr Alfred Samuel Allshorn was the manager of Barclays Bank at 61 Newland Street from 1922-1930. Barclays moved out of the building in 1939. The candidate courting the vote of Mr & Mrs Allshorn was Ebenezer Smith. Mr Smith had first been elected to Witham Urban District Council in 1920 and was here seeking re-election. Mr Smith moved to Witham in 1900 and worked on the railways as a signalman from 1910. Among his many accomplishments, Mr Smith was a first aider and ambulanceman, a Justice of the Peace and a preacher. Ebenezer Smith was elected Chairman of Witham Urban District Council in 1933, serving until 1935. His picture can be found in the stairwell of the Town Hall, along with other former chairmen of Witham Urban District Council. Upon his death in 1946, aged 74, a new road on the Church Street development was named in his honour, Ebenezer Close. More details can be found on Janet Gyford's website: https://www.janetgyford.com/people/ebenezer-smith/

< Back Chairman's Medal WUDC Chairman's Medal in Case This medal was presented to William Marsh, former chair of Witham Urban District Council. The bar at the top shows it to be for past chairmen, and two pins have been added to show the dates that Mr Marsh served as Chairman on the Council, 1971-72 and 1972-73. The picture in the centre of the medal shows a factory, a house , fields and trees alongside a river. This matches both the serving chairman and vice chairman medals on display with the chains of office in our Council Chamber and featured in an earlier entry. Witham Urban District Council was dissolved in 1974 when Braintree District Council was set up.

< Back School Football Cup Witham Secondary School House Football Cup This appears to be a silver cup, which is engraved "In Memory of George Pennell presented by his father" The cup was presented from 1949 to 1959 to various school houses named after saints. We have no record of who George Pennell may have been, or what happened to him. His name does not appear on the War memorial, nor in our records of burials in the closed churchyard in Lockram Lane. If you are able to help us shed any light on who George Pennell was, please get in touch.