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Margery Allingham

One of the “Queens of Crime”, this Tolleshunt D'Arcy novelist was famous for her fictional detective Albert Campion

Allingham started writing in childhood, and her first novel, Blackkerchief Dick, an occult story allegedly based on a tale she had heard during a séance, was published in 1923. Her breakthrough occurred in 1929, however, with the publication of her first detective story, The Crime at Black Dudley. Although a fairly minor character in her first book, the detective Albert Campion caught the public’s attention and he returned in her next book Mystery Mile. He proved such a successful character that he became the centrepiece of another 17 novels and more than 20 short stories, continuing into the 1960s.

In 1941, Allingham published a non-fiction work, The Oaken Heart, in which she describes her experiences in Tolleshunt D’Arcy (which she nicknames Auburn) as the locals and troops prepared for the possibility of a German invasion. Allingham was heavily involved in the war effort as village billeting officer and first aid organiser, and her house became the Air Raid Precautions Post and accommodation for troops.

Allingham died from cancer in 1966, aged 62, and her final Campion novel, Cargo of Eagles, was completed by her husband at her request. She is buried in St Nicholas’ new churchyard, on the opposite side of the road from the church and to the south.

Her literary legacy regards her as one of the “Queens of Crime” from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, alongside Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers and Ngaio Marsh.

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D'Arcy House

A blue plaque marks D'Arcy House as the home of famous novelist Margery Allingham who wrote the Albert Campion detective stories.
St Nicholas's, Tolleshunt D'Arcy

St Nicholas Church is Grade I listed. Its churchyard extension, a little way up the road, has three Commonwealth War Graves.
Tolleshunt D'Arcy Maypole

In the middle of the road junction in Tolleshunt D'Arcy stands the village maypole, one of the few remaining original maypoles to be found. The bottom has been protected by a wooden cage.

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Woodham Walter War Memorials & Commonwealth War Graves

Address

Woodham Walter, CM9 6RF

Woodham Walter

War memorials in the village of Woodham Walter include a Memorial Shelter, a Memorial Garden and a Memorial Clock on the parish church. The churchyard also contains two Commonwealth War Graves.
Maldon War Memorial

Address

Outside All Saints Church, High Street, Maldon, CM9 5PF

Maldon

The war memorial in Maldon stands in the High Street outside All Saints Church and is a Grade II Listed white stone cross on a plinth and base, with bronze plaques set into the design. It was designed by Chelmsford Architect Wykeham Chancellor and…
Burnham United Reformed Church URC

Address

Station Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, CM0 8HF

Telephone
01621 783393

Burnham-on-Crouch

Burnham-on-Crouch United Reformed Church (URC) has a modern building in Station Road and meets for worship on Sunday mornings at 10.30am as well as hosting a wide range of groups and events throughout the week, including youth clubs, children's…
St Thomas Church including War Memorial & Commonwealth War Graves

Address

East End Road/High Street, Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, CM0 7PY

Telephone
01621 779620

Bradwell-on-Sea

Grade II Listed church dating from the 14th century, with the parish War Memorial inside and Commonwealth War Graves and a Roll of Honour memorial in its grounds. The church has a medieval timber porch, parish cage and peal of bells.
Burnham War Memorial

Address

High Street, Burnham, CM0 8AG

Burnham

Burnham’s war memorial remembers 98 local soldiers who died in the First World War, and 27 soldiers and 10 civilians who died in the Second World War. The pale stone obelisk, which looks out over the estuary, was designed by the renowned architect R…
Combined Military Services Museum

Address

Station Road, Maldon, Essex, CM9 4LQ

Telephone
01621 841826

admin@cmsm.co.uk

Maldon

An award winning collection of British military artefacts from the English Civil War to today. Collections focus on the Special Forces, espionage, uniforms, medals, swords, and the Donnington Firearms Collection of over 700 guns.
St Cuthberts RC Church

Address

40 Chapel Rd, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8JA

Telephone
01621 852259

maldon@brcdt.org

Burnham-on-Crouch

Burnham's Roman Catholic church of St Cuthbert was built in 1911 in the Early English style in red brick, comprised a small, aisle-less nave and chancel.
St Mary's Chapel

Address

Braxted Road, Little Braxted, CM8 3LD

Little Braxted

The great church artist Ernest Geldart was Rector of Little Braxted from 1883 to 1900, and he built this little chapel beside his Rectory in 1885 during a time when he was incapacitated after breaking a leg.
Great & Little Braxted & Wickham Bishops War Memorial

Address

Junction of Beacon Hill and Kelvedon Road, Wickham Bishops, CM8 3HW

Wickham Bishops

Great Braxted, Little Braxted and Wickham Bishops war memorial is a Grade II listed stone memorial with a tall, hexagonal pillar topped with an orb and cross, standing on a three-step hexagonal plinth. The memorial was given to the area by Mr and…
St Mary's Church, Maldon inc Commonwealth War Graves

Address

Church Street, Maldon, Essex, CM9 5HP

Telephone
01621 857191

Maldon

St. Mary's Church is known locally as the Fisherman's Church as its tower guides sailors and their craft into the Hythe Quay. The existing building dates from 1130, but archaeological evidence suggests that it used to be the site of a Saxon church.
Althorne War Memorial

Address

Junction of Main Road and Station Road, Althorne, CM3 6DB

Althorne

Althorne's unusual war memorial is in the form of a traditional, decorative lychgate, framed in oak, with a pitched roof covered with clay tiles. It was designed by local artist Walter Savage Cooper and built after World War 1. A metal plaque…
Monastery of St John the Baptist

Address

The Old Rectory, Rectory Road, Tolleshunt Knights, CM9 8EZ

Tolleshunt Knights

The Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist is an Orthodox monastic community composed of nuns and monks of various nationalities. The monastery was founded by Sophrony Sakharov, later canonised as Saint Sophrony. The calm…
Elim Church Maldon (Pentecostal)

Address

17 Wantz Road, Maldon, CM9 5DB

Telephone
07940 830855

rob_sefton@hotmail.com

Maldon

Maldon's Elim Pentecostal Church is the home of the Maldon Food Pantry food bank as well as a centre for worship. Normal Sunday services are at 11:00 and all are very welcome.
Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation Sea Lock

Address

Lock Hill, Heybridge Basin, CM9 4RX

Heybridge Basin

Heybridge Basin's famous sea lock links the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation to the Blackwater Estuary and would once have enabled smaller boats to enter and exit the canal and travel around the coastline. Today it is can still be used by suitable…
Tollesbury Congregational Church

Address

East St, Tollesbury, Maldon, CM9 8QD

Telephone
01621 869230

philip.grove@tollesburychurch.co.uk

Tollesbury

Tollesbury Congregational Church has served the village since 1803.
World War One Avenue of Remembrance

Address

Promenade Park, Park Drive, Maldon, CM9 5JQ

Maldon

The World War One Avenue of Remembrance at Promenade Park begins by the coach park and loops around the field to the main vehicle entrance from Park Drive. The Avenue originally consisted of 180 numbered trees and was dedicated on 27 November 1935…
World War II Minefield Observation Tower and Pillbox

Address

Seawall, 900m south-east of Holliwell Farm, Burnham-on-Crouch, CM0 8NG

Burnham-on-Crouch

An unusual piece of wartime history can be found on the seawall heading out of Burnham-on-Crouch towards Bradwell-on-Sea. Around 4 miles from Burnham you will come to a unique hexagonal, two-storey control/observation tower and an accompanying…
The Museum in the Park

Address

47 Mill Road, Maldon, Essex, CM9 5HX

Telephone
07973 559981

enquiries@maldonmuseum.org.uk

Maldon

The trademark Penny Farthing bicycle entices visitors to explore the treasures of this compact museum. Housed over two floors of the former Park Keepers Lodge, the exhibits are wide ranging. The replica waistcoat of the Fat Man of Maldon, which…
St George's Church

Address

Basin Road, Heybridge Basin, CM9 4RJ

Telephone
07950 636 660

Heybridge Basin

The little church building behind the bus shelter in Heybridge Basin began life during World War 1, as an Armstrong Hut, used as the Sergeants’ Mess hut on Goldhanger Airfield. This airfield was first used as a night landing ground by the Royal…
Southminster Congregational Church Cemetery and Commonwealth War Graves

Address

Access between 2 and 4 North End, Southminster, CM0 7DN

Southminster

The cemetery includes two Commonwealth War Graves. Private E Chinnery of the Middlesex Regiment and W Witney, a driver with the Royal Army Service Corps both have memorials there.

Margery Allingham

One of the “Queens of Crime”, this Tolleshunt D'Arcy novelist was famous for her fictional detective Albert Campion

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