| Matching | |
St. Mary the Virgin church and a 15th century house |
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Matching
Matching shown within Essex |
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| Population | 635 [1] |
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| Parish | Matching |
| District | Epping Forest |
| Shire county | Essex |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HARLOW |
| Postcode district | CM17 |
| Dialling code | 01279 |
| Police | Essex |
| Fire | Essex |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | Brentwood and Ongar |
| List of places: UK • England • Essex | |
Matching is a village and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of the County of Essex, England.
The village of Matching lying on undulating land is separated from Stort valley by the parishes of Harlow and Sheering. It is a very old settlement and little is known of its early history but the name is of Saxon origin, being derived from the people or tribe of Moecca (Match) who settled in an open area of pasture called an "Ing", hence 'Matching'.
By the time of the Victoria Country History of Essex, Matching had four manor houses standing on or near their medieval sites; namely Matching Hall, Housham Hall, Parvilles and Stock Hall. Watermans Hall is also mentioned but where abouts is obscured, there is a deserted moated site where a manor house could possibly sited at Gunnetts Green but nothing remains there today.
All the owners of Down Hall just north of the church in Hatfield Heath parish played a major part in Matching.
The Church of St Mary the Virgin, there is no mention of this church in the Domesday book but a Norman church was probably built on an old Saxon site. The tower was added in the 15th Century. It is plain, square and embattled and surmounted by a low tiled spire and weather clock. It retains its original 13th Century doorway.
There are 6 bells which were restored in 1990. Originally there were 5 bells in the tower the 6th bell was added in 1887 to celebrate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. It is inscribed "God Save the Queen". The 2nd and 3rd bells were originally cast about 1500 by William Culverden of Houndsditch and inscribed "Sancte Thoma ora pro nobis" and "Sancta Anna ora pro nobis". Bells number 4 and 6 are inscribed "God Save the King. 1615" and "God Save the King. 1640" They were both made by Robert Oldfield of Hertford.
The clock was removed from the old church at Epping when the church was pulled down and set up in Matching in memory of Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, 1st Baron Rookwood of Down Hall. On the south wall the first window commemorates the restoration of the church by Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, 1st Baron Rookwood and Lady Selwin-Ibbetson later Lord & Lady Rookwood. The other stained window on the south wall is dedicated by parishioners and friends to the memory of Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, 1st Baron Rookwood who died on 15 January 1902. The east window, which commemorates Edan, Lady Rookwood of Down Hall are by Powell of Whitefriars.
The Organ is a rare Bevington with pipe work over the console. A brass plaque commemorates the erection of the orgam by Mrs. Calverley of Down Hall in memory of her brother, Sir Frederick Henniker, of 60th Rifles, who died 19 August 1908.
A memorial plaque remembers the American Airmen who lost their lives in World War II when stationed at Matching. They came from the 391st Bombardment Group of the U.S Ninth Air Force.
A World War II airfield, RAF Matching, was located nearby in Matching Green.
The Welsh poet and clergyman, John Morgan, was curate (1713 –1728) and then vicar (1728–1733 or 1734) here, and as a result gained the nickname "John Morgan Matchin".[2]
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Matching,_Essex Matching, Essex] at Wikimedia Commons
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