Back in the early years of 1100 the area of Tolleshunt D’Arcy was an inhospitable place with various tribes ruling the local areas. The tribe associated with D’Arcy was known as the Tolles, a formidable tribal unit working and hunting in packs feeding on easy prey or even other tribes that were conquered.

Records recently uncovered told of the Tolles being attacked from the south by another tribe known as the Arcyes, a larger tribe than the Tolles but it appears not as well organised. They came up the estuary in their ¬Wackodyts (a small boat). The first attack caught the Tolles unawares and they suffered a number of losses along with the rape and pillage within the settlement.

Eventually when the Tolles regrouped and a war plan was hatched, this included there war cry “die arcyes, die arcyes” and at full volume they soon overpowered their enemies and control of the settlement was re-established.

It was apparent from these uncovered documents that this is how D’Arcy established its name, from the war cry “die arcyes” to the present day name of D’Arcy.

As time moved on and the records bring us up to 1700 AD and we discover that D’Arcy was a place notorious for the hangman with a reputation for swift justice and this local hangman was known as Sidney Gertrude Hunt he had a reputation that preceded him.

With the Tolles tribe in the 1100’s and their war cry “die arcyes” that merged into D’Arcy and the notorious hangman Hunt we can see how Tolles - Hunt D’Arcy acquired it name to the present day.

Tolleshunt D’Arcy