Little Totham
Little Totham is a village in the Maldon District of Essex, England. The parish sits on the edge of the River Blackwater and has common and heath land to the north. It is about 6 miles from Maldon and 5 miles from Tiptree, on the road between Goldhanger and the Maldon-to-Colchester route. In 2021, 424 people lived there.
Most residents live near Tolleshunt Major on the main road that passes The Swan pub and a children’s play area. The rest of the parish is mostly farmland.
The village has a long history. The parish church, All Saints, is from the 12th century and contains one of the country’s oldest stone doorways, dating to around 1085. Little Totham Hall also dates from this period. The main road used to be a smugglers’ route along the River Blackwater.
Evidence of Bronze Age settlement has been found near the River Blackwater and near Osea Island. The area’s main farms began in the 11th century, and cottages along the smugglers’ route were built in the late 16th century. Pubs have come and gone: The Swan (an old ale house) is still known, while The White Hart was demolished and The Eagle is now a private house. The Peculiar People Chapel sits on the common and remains an active Evangelical church.
Today the village mixes old houses with newer homes. Some people work from home, others commute to Maldon, Witham, Chelmsford, Colchester or London. The farms grow cereals and rape, and there are poultry, pig and sheep farms. Gravel pits nearby have been turned into lakes for nature trails and fishing.
Each year Little Totham hosts a Classic Car Show on the Village Green and a Village Fête, organized by local residents with help from All Saints’ Church and the parish council.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 06:23 (CET).