1848 Whites directory Woodham Ferrers
WOODHAM FERRERS, or Ferris, is a compact village, seated on the slope of a considerable eminence, 8 miles S.E. of Chelmsford,
and 6 miles N. of Rayleigh. It lies south-west of Woodham Walter and Mortimer, and its parish contains 895 souls, and 4,681 acres of land, including 139A. of wood, and 306A. of waste. About 1,000 acres, and 124 of the inhabitants, are in that part of Bicknacre hamlet, which lies in this parish, and extends from 1 to 2 miles N. of the church.
A rivulet rises here, and flows southward to the navigable river Crouch, near Hull Bridge. The soil is mostly a strong wet loam,
which produces about 24 bushels of wheat per acre. LordRayleigh is lord of the manor of Woodham Ferrers, but a great part of the parish belongs to other proprietors. At the Norman Conquest, this manorwas given to Henry de Ferrers. From his noble family, it passed, in the reign of Henry VI. , to that of Grey. In 1743, it was sold to Mr. Joseph Strutt, an ancestor of Lord Rayleigh. Wickhams , the residence and property of Mr. Jas. Trussell, is an ancient house in the Elizabethan style, encompassed by a moat. It has been modernised externally. Champeynes, or Champions, is an old manor house near the Church, and there are several others in the parish , bearing different names. Edwin’s Hall, a large farm house on an eminence, about a mile from the church, was built by Edwin Sandys, archbishop of York, about 1576. It is in the Tudor style, and surrounded by a moat. It contains some fine old wainscotting, and was formerly much larger than at present.
The Church (St. Mary,) is a large fabric, in the styles of architecture which prevailed in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, and consists of a nave, with aisles, a chancel , a porch, and a small wooden belfry, containing one bell. The old tower was of brick, and contained five bells, but it fell down in 1703. The present steeple was erected in 1715, at the cost of £275.0 Inthe chancel is a sedilia of three arches. Part of the stair-case which led to the rood loft, and aportion of the old screen, richly carved, still remain ; as also do some ofthe antique benches, with poppy-head car- vings, &c. On the right hand of the communion table, is a beautiful mural monument, in memory of Cecilie Sandys, who survived her husband, Archbishop Sandys, 22 years, and died in 1610. Her effigy is placed in a kneeling posture, in a niche of black marble, superbly ornamented. Apillar supports aphœnix on each side, ad- joining to which, are figures of Time and Death. The whole is executed with much taste, and on the entablature is a long inscription . The church was given byRobert, Earl Ferrers, to Bicknacre Priory, but the advowson remained with the Ferrers, and other lay patrons, except in 1517, when the monks of Elsing Spittle, without Bishops- gate, London, presented. Henry VIII. granted the advowson to Henry Polsted; and it afterwards passed to the Mildmays. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £28. 13s. 4d., and in 1831, at £696, is now in the patronage of Sir B. W. Bridges, and incumbency of the Rev. B. H. Bridges, of Danbury. The tithes were commuted in 1839, for £969 per annum Here is a neat Independent Chapel, in the early English style, built in 1844, and behind it is a school , erected in 1845.
A fair for toys, &c., is held here on Oct. 11th. In 1776, Lady Falk- land left £50 to provide for a yearly distribution of bread among the poor parishioners. This charity now consists of £63 three per cent. Consols. About £30 is distributed yearly in coals, among all the poor families of the parish, as the rent of a barn, and 15A. of land, derived from the gift of Geo. and Eliz. Woollard, in 1729. The Poor’s Orchard comprises about three roods, and is let for £2. 2s.
The Church Property comprises a cottage, garden, and 104. of land, let for £31 . 10s. per annum, which is carried to the churchwardens account.
BICKNACRE, a hamlet with much wood, and many scattered houses, in the vale of a rivulet, from 5 to 6 miles E.S.E. of Chelmsford, has 304 inhabitants, of whom, 124 are in Woodham Ferrers, and 180 in Danbury parish.
Its PRIORY, founded by Maurice Fitz Geoffery, sheriff of Essex, in the reign of Henry II. , for black canons, stood in Woodham Ferrers parish, and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. Henry II. defrayed most of the expense of the building, and granted to the monks the site of the hermitage, which had previously stood here. In the reign of Henry VII. , the possessions of this priory had been so much lessened by neglect, that it was almost abandoned ; and on the petition of the prior and monks of Elsing Spittle, without Bishopsgate, London, the king granted it to that hospital. After the Dissolution, the manor of ” Bycknacre,” with the site of the priory, was granted to Henry Polsted, who sold it in 1548, to Sir Walter Mildmay, of whose grandson it was purchased by Geo. Barrington, Esq. of Little Baddow. The site of the priory is now the property of Sir Fras. W. Sykes, Bart. , and the only remaining part of the monastic buildings is a fine lofty pointed arch, which supported the western side of the tower. Aconsiderable part of the nave, and the west transept, were long occupied as a farm house, but were taken down in 1812. Here is an ever flowing well, which is said to have been formerly in the priory kitchen.
WOODHAM FERRERS. (Marked & are at Bicknacre. )
Hedgeley John, jun. vict. Bell
Hills William, shoemaker
Hills James, victualler, Whalebone
Jaggs William, vict. Compasses
Price Rev. Jonth. Henry (Independant)
Perkins Sarah, National Schools
Tudor Rev. Summerton, curate
White John, woodman
Wright Thos. parish clerk & carrier
FARMERS. (* are Owners.)
*Beard Jonathan, Brazils
Bentall Josiah, Lodge
Dennis Wm. (Exors . of) Hall
Faukner Thomas, Brockman’s
Green John, Creephedge Lane
*Hart George, Ilgars
Hawes Thomas, Charity Farm
Joice Thomas, Hoblacks
King Benjamin, Edwin’s Hall
Lawrence Robert & Joseph Brock
Lewis John, Nuttings
Main Simon, (Exors. of) Champions
Oddy Thomas, Pentlands
*Pertwee John, Hamberts
*Pertwee James, Fen
§* Riley James ( & corn miller)
Straight William (Executors of)
*Trussell James, Wickhams
Wilkinson George, Burkett’s
BEER HOUSES.
Duffield Sarah
Eve Elizabeth – Butchers Arms
§Folkes William – Swan
BLACKSMITHS.
Blanks Thomas
Foster Sarah (& wheelwright)
§Lewin George
BUTCHERS .
Dennis Thomas
Watts Joe
CARPENTERS.
Cook William
Perkins Isaiah
SHOPKEEPERS.
Bornes Charles
Hedgeley John (& saddler)
Saunders James
Spicer Thomas
§UpsonDavid
Walden Fras.
POST from Chelmsford daily ; & T. Wright, carrier