Welcome

The town of Halstead is located on the borders of Essex and Suffolk seven miles north of Braintree, eight miles south of Sudbury straddling the river Colne.

Halstead derives its name from the Old English word 'heald' meaning a sloping hillside and 'stede' a place of shelter. Archaeological evidence indicates that Halstead has been occupied since the early Bronze Age. The sites of Iron Age and Roman settlements, including a villa, were discovered in the vicinity of Greenstead Hall, where Saxon pottery was also found.

The Halstead and District Local History Society was formed on Thursday December 16th 1976 at a meeting held in the Scout Hut, New Street, Halstead.

The Society currently has a membership of over 100 and holds meetings on the third Thursday of each month in the Baptist Church, Hedingham Road, Halstead, Essex.

Each year we run a varied programme of local history related meetings spanning the dark ages to more recent times including the influence of the industrial revolution on the area.

News (click on each heading to read more)

Halstead Heritage Museum

Halstead Heritage Museum to re-open from 2nd August with new admissions policy (click for full details)

Published by - 14/7/2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

2020 Programme Cancelled (click for full details)

Published by - 14/7/2020

The society has a comprehensive collection of photographs dating back to the 1800s showing scenes from Halstead and the surrounding district. Come along to the Halstead Heritage Museum if you would like to see more.

If you would like to see a collection of articles from past newsletters or download a subscription form, go to our Information page.

If you would like to join the society, our 2020 subscription rates are:

Visitors: £5 per meeting
Single Member: £16 per annum
Couple: £26 per annum
Under 30 years of age: FREE

The Halstead & District Local History Society is open to all. If you’re interested in local history, why not come along to one of our meetings?