Tiptre-Heath comes under the parish of Great Braxted/ Brackstead Parva, it covered an area of a thousand acres and remained the property of the King. Part of it covers Great Totham and Wickham Bishops which are directly adjacent to Brackstead Parva. The three parish boundaries conveniently meet at the summit of the biggest hill in Essex, whose significance will be addressed in due course. By an order of Council made in King Henry VIII reign, it was decreed and adjudged that all and every of the freeholders, copieholders, and inhabitants of the towns of Messing, Lyard Marney, Wygeboroughe Salcote, Tollyshunt-Knights, Tollyshunt- Darcye, Tollesburye, Goldeanger, Tolleshunt-major, Little Totham, Muche Tothame, Hebredge, Langeforde, Wikehamme, Braxted, Keldon in part and Inforde, and of Tip-treeheethe, shall have and enjoy to them, their heirs and successors and assignees Common of Pasture with all manner of Beastes and Cattells ( except Gootes ) at their pleasure without number, keeping their Hogges ringed, They also had the Estovers necessary for Fyreboote but could not use them commercially for making of bricke,tyle, lyme, pottes, nor for common Brewing to sell, nor for common Baking to sell out of their houses. There was also an ancient Silk and Spice Market where I believe goods from all over the known World could be traded even Gootes. I will never be able to look at a Goote in the same way again !!!
