Sewards End is a village and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. Its area is 1211 acres. It is set in the rolling countryside of north west Essex. The village's village hall is two miles east of the centre of Saffron Walden and one and a third miles from Tesco's store. The population was 511 in 2011 with 124 children under the age of 18 and 87 people aged over 64. The median age was 47. There are about 210 houses in the village (2020). There are 23 listed buildings. The village became a civil parish on 1 April 2004. Location Sewards End is in the county of Essex, in south eastern England, 43 miles from London, 17 miles from Cambridge, 14 miles from Bishops Stortford and one mile from Saffron Walden. History In the 11th century Sewards End did not exist as a defined community. At that time there were four smaller communities around what would eventually become Sewards End. Probably the most influential at that time was Wills Ayley where Monks from Saffron Walden had been granted 60 acres of land in 1070. In 1090 Geoffrey de Mandeville, Lord of Saffron Walden, granted 60 acres of land to Sigesward reputedly his food taster. Ten years after his death in Belgium in 1114, his grandson, Albold de Pouncyn applied to have the land reinstated to him. Albold named the village in memory of his grandfather. The monks of Wills Ayley acquired St Aylotts by 1248. Everyone had to serve the Monks and over the next 200 years they took over the village. In the mid 14th century the Black Death reached Sewards end and the population of the village reduced from 400 to 100. By the 15th century the monastery applied for and was granted the position of land recorders and they grabbed the titles of every available land holding. Very early in the 16th century the village was amalgamated under the name of Sewers End. However, the monks continued to dominate. Rents were high and men, women and children had to work 7 days a week in order to pay rent. Seeking wood for fuel or catching rabbits for food led to flogging or hanging. The citizens of Sewards End were virtual prisoners within the confines of the village as they had to pay at the toll gates set up around every exit and entry