Mr Edwards

You may have visited Greensted Church and stood in the churchyard and wondered at the wooden cross by the gate. It is old and rather broken and mysterious. Well, it belongs to a Mr Edwards from Wales. You may then wonder why a Welshman is buried such a long way from home.

Mr Edwards was a cattle drover. He and his friends drove cattle from Wales and the borders via the network of green lanes to markets in and around London where they could attain a better price for the animals. They would be away from home for months at a time. At night the cattle would be fenced in the green lane to rest and forage would be cut for them to eat. One of the drovers would be left to watch over them; the others would go to a local hostelry. Mr Edwards and his friends went to the Two Brewers at the bottom of Ongar High Street. It was here that Mr Edwards fell in love with the innkeeper's daughter. He asked for her hand in marriage but was refused unless ... Unless he returned with his hat full of silver.

In time Mr Edwards returned with his hat full of silver and he married the innkeeper's daughter. This sounds as if there was a happy ending to the love affair but not so. Mr Edwards' friends visited him and laid a wager that he had forgotten how to scythe the verges to feed the cattle. He thought he was quite capable and went off down Greensted Road with his scythe. Not so. Unfortunately he cut his leg and bled to death before anyone found him. Hence he was buried at Greensted. However on a quiet night when you are driving home along the Greensted Road take care, you might just see Mr Edwards walking home as he still haunts the lane.