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Temples
As Chipping Hill passes the Railway PH, the road now turns to the right, past Peregrine Cottage, and on to the Morrison's Roundabout. Originally, Chipping Hill turned to the left just past The Railway (then The Albert PH) and on to Powers Hall End.
Between Peregrine Cottage and Temple Villas (numbers 10-12 Chipping Hill) was once a house which was demolished to make way for Bellfield Road (the road through to Morrison's Roundabout), it was called 'Temples'. Having been built by a local builder for himself, it was reputed to be the best built house in Witham. Folklore had it that the doors and windows fitted so exactly when they were closed the fires went down. It was built in 1902 and demolished in 1969 and the new Road opened in 1970.
The house had workshops that were used by Alfred Playle for making commercial electrical equipment, then by Christy's HAT Group, electrical and heating engineers.
The illustration above shows the gap through which the new road passes, and below the house itself.
Sources: Witham & Countryside Society; Cyril Taylor; Albert Poulter.
