The Manningtree Witches. In Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part I (Act 2 Scene 4), Flastaff is referred to as “that roasted Manningtree ox“. This was marked in 2000 with a sculpture of an ox in the town centre. A.K. Blakemore's 2021 novel, The Manningtree Witches, is set in the town. The novel won the Desmond Elliott Prize 2021, being described by the judges as "a stunning achievement." Notable people Margaret Thatcher lived in Manningtree and worked for BX Plastics Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witch-Finder General, lived in Manningtree Twin town Frankenberg, Hesse, Germany References External links Manningtree Town Council website Towns in Essex Civil parishes in Essex Tendring Populated coastal places in Essex