Sue and I were so excited and I know it must have showed on our faces, even though we had total jet-lag, and felt tired and haggard. A very nice looking young man ( Phillip Burton owner) showed us into THE BYRE, which would be our home for the next couple of days. I am really not sure what BYRE means, but it has something to do with stables, which this very "comfy" accommodation is said to have been at one time.
Cathy Burton (wife of Phillip) was in town purchasing a microwave, just for us. That is an example of what thoughtful people the Burtons are. Cathy did show up within a few minutes with a large box, microwave inside. Phillip promptly set it up.
The Byre is certainly very nice like the photos on the Internet had shown. .

After we had been shown around our "house"- The Byres", and Cathy and Phillip had taken leave, we decided to test out the sandwiches which we had purchased at Stansted. It was now around 16:30 4:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m. by our internal clocks) We weren't sure whether to call this dinner or breakfast..but it didn't matter, as we were now well into a whole new day. Our dinner was very tasty, topped off with some fresh fruit which Cathy had arranged so nicely in a bowl on the table. While I cleaned up a little, Sue disappeared out of the door, a specialty which she has always been known for. She returned a half hour or so later, with a smug look on her countenance. Indeed, she was proud to announce that she had been on a tour of the farm with Cathy, and had also taken off for parts unknown..all by herself..exploring! She then proudly displayed her "finding" of the day...a piece of iron metal with a letter G engraved on it! Her eyes beamed with joy as she held up her treasure..saying "Maybe this was something made by the BARLTROP Smithy at the Bell Inn! (Phillip said it was part of an old plow...:))) This was only the first of her mysterious disappearances. She always returned with some wonderful finding..usually just beautiful FLINT stones, or some chips of pottery which were to be found in the fields.
This had been a very long day indeed, and while I hung clothes up in the closet, I learned that Sue never unpacks as she wants to utilize every minute of her stay..wherever that may be!
We decided it was time to go to bed.. At this point in time, all I had on my mind was to please let me get some shut-eye! However, we soon discovered that the sun does not set in England in the summertime. It stays light most all of the night..which is very confusing to our internal clocks set in "Yanky" time. My eyes would not close, as they thought it was still afternoon. Sue in her bunk-bed on the other side of the wall, was having the same problem. Why was it so light outside? Can't go to bed when it's still daylight...so we discussed tomorrow's plans. We would head off through the fields to Church End, and visit the church, looking for names in the cemetery of relatives or friends, and getting the "lay of the land".
A soft rain began to fall....

Moor End is a 420 acre (170 hectare) arable farm which has been in the same family since 1935. The main crops grown are winter wheat, winter barley and oil seed rape. Evidence suggests that there has been a farm here since the 1670s, although the only remaining building from that time is a large Essex barn at the front of the main house.
The main Farmhouse, The Old Stables (a private house) and The Granary were built in the 1880s by the Countess of Warwick as a model farm for the mixed farming of that era. After the death of the Countess in 1919 the estate was split up, with individual farms being sold off. The farm at that time consisted of the buildings and 258 acres and was purchased by a Mr M Hoskin, the tenant at that time. He also bought some adjoining land, adding another 120 acres to his total.
After his death in 1935, the farm was bought by Charles Burton, great uncle to the present owners. In 1996 the adjoining farm was sold and another 50 acres was added to the farmland.
Moor End is in an area of Special Landscape Value. There is an extensive local footpath network and guests are welcome to use the many conservation headlands around the fields. There has been extensive tree planting carried out by the owners, over the last six years over 20,000 trees have been planted. There is an abundance of local flora and fauna in the old meadows and hedgerows.
The Local Area
The farm is ideally situated for exploring East Anglia, with quick and easy access to the M11 motorway and the A120/A12. It is located between the villages of Great Easton and Broxted, is only five miles from the ancient Flitch town of Great Dunmow, and a similar distance to the medieval village of Thaxted. Saffron Walden market town is a short drive away, as are the picturesque villages of Finchingfield, the Bardfields and Stebbing. London is a forty minute drive or train ride away. The University City of Cambridge is within easy reach, also by train or car.
Whitehall Country House Hotel is just over a mile away. There are several local pubs providing lunches and evening meals.

"A farmer fears his livelihood and family heritage could be bulldozed if the Government decides on constructing extra runways at Stansted Airport."
Phillip Burton of Moor End Farm, Broxted, has voiced his concerns in the wake of the Government's consultation document on up to three additional runways.
The consultation document calculates that one more funway would destroy 700 hectares of high grade agricultural land, while two or three runways would take 1,200 hectares of farmland.
These figures transiate into the destruction of more than the landscape and the loss of valuable crops. They can change lives forever.
For Mr. Burton and his family, exgtra runways for Stansted Airport would mean the end of their farm and the loss of their home. "I just feel a bit empty," he said. "I was born hereand grew up on the farm. After my father died, my brother William and I took over the 420 acres of land and I expected to see my children take over from me when I became too old to work. Ï suppose I thought we would be here forever. Now, everything could be bulldozed.
Charles Burton, bought Moor End Farm and Chickney Hall Farm in 1936. Chickney Hall Farm was sold after a number of years and in 1962 John Burton took over Moor End and its 370 acres, later adding another 50 acres when Tilty Grange Farm was sold.
Upon his death the farm was handed down to his sons, Phillip and William. Mr. Burton added: "We have worked hard to maintain this farm and in recent years we have planted thousnads of trees to improve the landscape. "Like many other farmers we have also worked hard to diversity by converting buildings for holiday use and catering for visitors with bed and breadfast. "We had plans to convert more buildings, but now we have put this on hold." In a good year one acre of wheat grown on this Grade II arable land will produce three-and-a-half tons of grain. Multiply that by the total acreage to get some idea of what tonnage will be lost if the farm is absorbed by airport development."