1848 Whites directory Great Leighs
LEIGHS, (GREAT) or Lees, is a parish of scattered houses, about 7miles N.N.E. of Chelmsford, and 5 miles S.S.W. of Braintree. It is intersected by the small river Ter, and contains 765 souls, and 3,125A. 3R. 30p. of land, of which, 564 souls, and 1,810 acres, are in CHATLEY hamlet, which is in Witham Hundred, and in the North Division of Essex, and extends northward to within 3 miles of Braintree, including Fayre-Wood, Deres Bridge, St. Ann’s, and the farms of Mulsham Hall, Gobion’s Hall, &c. The surface is picturesquely undulated, and the soil fertile. About 2,530 acres are arable, and259A.wood. The principal manors, and their owners, are- Bishop’s Hall, Rev. G. E. Howman; Mulsham Hall, Lady Stewart; and Lyons, Jph. Tritton, Esq.; but a great part of the parish belongs to other proprietors. The ancient owners were the Dapifer, Mandeville, Tani, Bovill, Melsham, Blount, Brayham, and other families.
Bishop’s Hall formerly belonged to the Bishop of Norwich. Ann’s, on the Braintree and Chelmsford road, near the bridge, was a hermitage, where pilgrims rested on their way to and from the shrine of St. Thomas-a-Becket. At the Dissolution, in 1571, it was given to Thos. Jennings, and its site is now occupied by an inn, called St. Ann’s Castle, and said to be the oldest licensed public house in England.
The CHURCH (St. Mary,) is an ancient Saxon structure, in a large burial ground, on the south side of the rivulet, about a mile east of the turnpike road. It has a round tower of flint and stone, containing five bells, and surmounted by a tall octangular spire, of wood, shingled. The west door has a handsome semi-circular arch, with chevron mouldings. The chancel is not so old as the nave; and the walls, though of great thickness, are supported by massive buttresses. Some of the windows are in the decorated style of the reign of Edward II.; and there is some fine stained glass in that at the east end. The interior has some fine old benches, a sedilia and piscina, and an Easter sepulchre, finely crocketted. The Rectory, valued in K.B. at £25. 7s. 1d. , and in 1831 at £920, has a good residence , and 14A. 3R. 25P. of glebe. It is in the patronage of Lincoln College, Oxford, and incumbency of the Rev. C. Jenkins, B.D. The tithes were commuted in 1839, for £891 per annum.
National Schools were built here in 1847-8, in the Tudor style ; and at St. Ann’s, is a neat British School, erected in 1845, at the cost of £345. The Bell-rope House is let for only about £2 a year, and the donor is unknown. In 1698, Fortune Watts left £100 to be invested in land, and the yearly proceeds thereof to be divided among ten poor people of this parish. The property purchased consists of a house and 7A. of land, let for £14 a year, which is distributed by the rector. In 1822, John Beadle left £200, now vested at four per cent. interest, and directed half the yearly proceeds to be applied in school- ing poor children, and the other half to be divided among seven poor parishioners.
Marked * are Land Owners ; and are in Chatley hamlet.)
*+Adams Eliz. Emily, corn miller
+Fewell William, gentleman
Francis Zachariah , butcher
Jenkins Rev. Clarke, B.D. rector
+Lewin Robert, bricklayer, &c.
Little Thos. assistant overseer, Glovers
Pármenter John , schoolmaster
+Pussey Miss, British School
++Harrison James, Fulbornes
Joslin Isaac, Creeds
King Samuel
King Robert F.
*+Lewin Robert, sen. Allsteads
*May David, Hole Farm
+Rust George, Coles
*Richardson Daniel, Goodwins
+Simons Hugh, jun. Lylands
Smith Joseph
Smith P. P.
*Smith John, (maltster) Bishop’s Hall
†Smith Peter Porter, victualler, St. Ann’s Castle
Wright Samuel
+White John
Taylor George, jun. baker
FARMERS.
Arnold Henry, High road
*+ Brown Daniel, sen. New House
+Brown John, Mulsham Hall
Brown Daniel, jun. Breams
Dearsley John, Saunders
*Eley John, Wakerings
Gladwin William, Lyons
+Gooday Thomas (& maltster)
Harrison Francis, Lyons Hall
Beer Houses.
Newman Henry – Dog and Partridge
Smith William
Whitham _
Blacksmiths
Hempstead Thomas
Stokes Thomas
Carpenters.
Valentine Wm.
White William
Shoemakers.
Andrews Mordca.
Smith William
Shopkeepers
Andrews Mordea.
Chipperfield Eliz
Lewis James
Smith Joseph
Wheelwrights.
Taylor George
Taylor Geo. jun.
POST from Chelmsford, daily