Saffron Walden (UK Parliament constituency) It borders Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, and also extends deep into the middle of Essex near Chelmsford. Three medium-sized market towns, Saffron Walden, Dunmow and Halstead are in the constituency. All three have historic links, and are busy and regionally visitor-drawing towns in the South East. The largest single source of employment in the constituency is Stansted Airport, while there are also a host of small businesses, many of them high-tech, along and at the ends of the London-Cambridge corridor. The constituency consists of Census Output Areas of two local government districts with similar characteristics. Uttlesford district forms the bulk, and
Saffron Walden during de Mandeville's tenure, increasing the town's influence. This Tuesday market was held from 1295. The town’s first charter was granted in about 1300, to what was known then as "Chepyng" (i. e. Market) Walden. The town at that time was largely confined to the castle's outer bailey, but in the 13th century the Battle or Repel Ditches were built or extended to enclose a larger area to the south. The focus of the town moved southwards to Market Square. The main trading item in medieval times was wool, and a guild hall was built by the wool-staplers in the