1848 Whites directory Writtle
WRITTLE, a large and well-built village, pleasantly situated on the west side of the river Can, 24 miles W. by S. of Chelmsford, has a spacious Green, ornamented with a sheet of water ; and a small one, called St. John’s Green. It has many good houses, and a large brewery ; and had formerly a weekly market. Its parish is the largest, andone ofthe finest in the county, comprising no less than 8,673 acres; of which, 5,705A. are arable, 1,644A. in pasturage, 748A. wood, and 319A. in open commons, &c. It encreased its population from 1,599 in 1801, to 2,521 souls in 1841, and includes the hamlets or districts of Oxney Green, Edney Green, Highwood, and part of Cook’s Mill Green, from 1 to 4 miles W. and S.W. of the village.
The four QUARTERS of the parish are styled- Town Quarter, Roman’s Fee, Highwood, and Bedell’s End; and contain many scattered houses, &c. , bearing different names, and some ofthem fine specimens of old domestic architecture. The Highwood quarter adjoins Blackmore, and is a picturesque woodland district. The arable lands in all parts of the parish, produce excellent crops of wheat. The soil is similar to that in Moulsham; and hops have been cultivated here.
As noticed at page 304, Writtle is conjectured to have been a Roman station. Gibson supposes it is the site of Canonium ; and Morant, and some other antiquaries, have placed here the Cæsaromagus of the Itinerary. Others have placed the latter at Dunmow, and the former at Widford, where Roman bricks and tiles have been found.
The road from London to Chelmsford, &c. , is said to have passed through Writtle, until Maurice, Bishop of London, erected Moulsham Bridge, about A.D. 1100. Near the village is a square plot of ground, enclosed by a moat, and supposed to have been the site of a palace erected by King John, about the year 1211 ; but no relics have been discovered to prove that the Romans had a station here In the time of Edward the Confessor, the extensive lordship of Writtle belonged to Earl Harold, and it was afterwards held by the Conqueror. It has since been held by various noble families, but it often reverted to the Crown, till Queen Mary granted it, and other estates, to Sir Wm. Petre, Kt. , au ancestor of Lord Petre, the present lord of the manor. The parish is mostly freehold, and agreat part of the soil belongs to J Attwood, Esq. M.P., J. A. Hardcastle, Esq. M.P., and many smaller proprietors. The court baron is held at a farm called the Lordship, and the court leet in a building on the little Green, where a market house formerly stood. The parish has a charter for two fairs, on Whit Monday and Oct. 10th, but the latter has long been obsolete, and the former only affords a few stalls of toys, &c. Writtle Races, supported by Lord Petre and other gentlemen, are held on Oxney-Green, in July. The Rectory is a manor belonging to New College ; and the manors of Morehall and Bowers belong to Wadham College, Oxford. Nine manors have at different times been parcelled out of the noble lordship of Writtle, which, with Roxwell parish, forms a liberty, which has its own coroner, and was anciently one of the royal forests. The ” bayliship of Writtle, and half hundred of Chelmsford,” was anciently heldby the service ofkeeping the king’s forests. There were here two parks, viz:-Osterly orHorsfrith, which was disparked some centuries ago ; and WRITTLE PARK, which still remains, and has a fine old Elizabethan mansion and beautiful gardens, belonging to Lord Petre, and occupied by the Hon. Fdk. Petre. This seat adjoins the Highwood, and is distant nearly 5 miles S.W. of Chelmsford. In 1603, John Petre, Esq. , was created Baron Petre, of Writtle. (See Ingatestone and Thorndon Hall.) Bedeman’s Berg was a hermitage in the midst of the Highwood, founded by Robert, a monk, in the time of King Stephen. It was afterwards held by the monks of St. John’s, at Colchester, and had about 504. ofland. Writtle Lodge, or Great Waterhouse, on the east side of the river, was built in 1712, by Geo. Bramston, Esq., and was afterwards a seat of the Fortesque family, but was purchased by J. Attwood, Esq., who lately pulled the man- sion down. DR. JOHN BASTWICK, was born at Writtle, in 1593, and practised physic at Colchester. He wrote a learned Latin treatise against the flagrant abuses of the Roman Catholic church, but the English prelates thinking themselves aimed at, he was ex-communicated, fined £1,000, and ordered to be imprisoned till he made a recantation. Instead of recanting, he wrote a book wherein he complainedd bitterly of the tyranny of the court which persecuted him , and charged the bishops with an inclination towards popery.
The parliament, in 1640, reversed the proceedings against him, and ordered him a reparation of £5,000, out of the estates of the commissioners and lords who had prosecuted him; but owing to the confusion of the times, he never received it. However, in 1644, an allowance was ordered for the maintenance of himself and his wife.
The Writtle Church (All Saints,) is a large and massive building, covered with lead, and consisting of a spacious nave and aisles, and a large chancel, &c. , with a lofty stone tower at the west end, containing eight bells. The tower having fallen down, was rebuilt in 1802, but it is not in keeping with the body of the church, which is mostly in the early English style of the 13th century. The clerestory is of later date, and the roof is in the Tudor style, springingfrom highly enriched corbels, with carved bosses at the intersections of the beams. In the aisles are two small chapels, supposed to have belonged to some of the four chantries and 12 obits, founded here in popish times. The nave is neatly fitted up, and has spacious galleries.
chancel was new roofed in 1844, when a handsome new window was inserted, in the perpendicular style, and decorated with the arms of the Rector, and William of Wykeham, in stained glass. In the interior are many handsome mural monuments ; some finely carved benches and pews ; and an ancient Norman font. In 1143, this church was given by King Stephen to the monks of Bermondsey; but it was afterwards given by King John to the hospital of the Holy Ghost, belonging to the English, at Rome. This hospital held it till 1399, when it was grantedby the Crown to William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, who gave it and the rectory as part of the endowinent of New College, Oxford, founded by him. The Rectory is a manor, called the manor of Roman’s Fee, from its having belonged to the English hospital at Rome. The rectorial tithes of both Writtle and Roxwell still belong to the Warden and Fellows of New College, and the two parishes formed their peculiar jurisdiction, exempt from all episcopal authority, until the recent abolition of all such ” peculiars,” by act of Par- liament. They are patrons of the Vicarage, which was valued in 1831 at
£718, with the curacy of Roxwell annexed to it, and is now in the incum- bency of the Rev. Thos. Penrose, D.C.L., who has about 11 acres of glebe, and a good residence, containing many valuable pictures. The tithes of the two parishes were commuted in 1839 for £2,281 per annum.
ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL, in the Highwood quarter, about 24miles S.W. of the church , is a neat chapel- of- ease, erected in 1842, for the accommodation of the inhabitants of that part of this extensive parish. Its situation is also convenient for the out- dwellers of the neighbouring parishes of Fryerning and Blackmore. It is built of red brick, in the early English style, and reflects much credit on the architect, Mr. S. Webb. It has about 400 sittings, all open and free, except 12 pews. The building cost about £1,200, raised by subscription, aided by a grant from the Society for building Churches , and a liberal sum given by the Warden and Fellows of New College. The Rev. T. Owens, A.B., is the minister ; and a neat house has recently been erected for him. In the village is an Independent Chapel, built in 1815.
The CHURCH PROPERTY comprises a farm of about 29 acres, called Bumpsteads, let for £16 a year. It has been vested, in trust, for the use of the church, from an early period, and it also comprised an old tenement, which occupied the site of the Boys’ National School; and an ancient tenement called Parker’s, which was repaired by the parish, at the cost of £40, and is now occupied, rent free, by poor persons, placed in it by the vestry.
The churchwardens have also a garden, let for 20s per annum. In 1777, John Blencowe left £1,200, This charity was established by a decree of the Court of Chancery, in 1785, when £2,733. 9s. 9d., three per cent Bank Annuities, were transferred to the trustees, who were directed to apply two-thirds of the yearly dividends for the education of poor children ofWrittle, and the remain- ing third for the same purpose, in Roxwell. The decree appoints the Warden ofNew College, Oxford, visitor of the charity; and directs that the owners of Skreens and Hylands, the vicar of Writtle, and the churchwardens ofWrittle and Roxwell, shall be trustees. The yearly sum of £54. 13s. 4d. is paid as the Writtleportionof this charity, to the master and mistress of the Boys’ and Girls’ National Schools, who teach gratuitously, in respect thereof, 32boys and 22 girls. The other scholars, (about 100,) pay 1 d. each per week. These schools were established in 1829. The girls’ school, and the house occupied by the teachers, were built by Mr. Henry Lambrith, in 1818, and given to the parish, inexchange for atenement called East Hayes, which belonged to the Church Property,” as also did the site of the boys’ school. Aschool, attached to St. Paul’s Chapel, in Highwood Quarter, was given to the parish by N. La- bouchere, Esq. , late of Hylands. In the village is a British School, supported by subscription.
Hawkin’s Almshouses, were founded in 1500, by Thos. Hawkins, who endowed them with Hook’s Farm, (60A.) at Margaretting, now let for £55 per annum. The Almshouses consist of six tenements, occupied by six poor aged widows, who have seen better days, and are selected by the vicar and churchwardens. They have each a weekly stipend of 3s. Ed. In 1605, Edward Hunt left two tenements in Church lane, for the residence of poor people, and for their reparation, he left a yearly rent charge of 20s. , out of a field called Ashfield. The houses are occupied by poor persons placed in them by the parish officers. In 1591, Wm. Horne left a yearly rent charge of £5. 6s. 8d. , out of some houses in Bishopsgate-street, London, for a weekly distribution of 2s. worth of bread, among the poor parishioners. In 1634, Dorothy Davis left a yearly rent of 53s. 4d. out of Boggis Farm, for a weekly distribution of bread among the poor, who have also, for the same purpose, the dividends of £121. Os. 8d. , three per cent. Consols, purchased with £100 left by Lady Falkland, in 1776. They have also a yearly rent of 20s. paid out of Chalk End Farın, under the name of the Poor Monk’s Gift ; and 20s. per annum out of a house on the Green, left by Eleanor Jones, in 1737. The Parish Land,
supposed to have been left by Baron Comyns, for the benefit of the governor ofthe workhouse, comprises 7A., let for £10. The condition of the labourers ofthis large parish, has been improved by Mr. Robert Baker, an eminent agriculturist and estate agent, who lets about 100 allotments, on Edney Common, at moderate rents, for cultivation by spade husbandry.
In the following Directory OF WRITTLE PARISH, those marked 2 are at Cook’s MILL GREEN ; 3 at EDNEY GREEN ; 4 at OXNEY GREEN ; 5 at Bedell’s End; 6 at Highwood ; 7 in Wick Street ; and the rest in Writtle Village, or where specified.
Baker Robert & Son, estate agents, surveyors, and auctioneers. (and Chelmsford)
Barlow Wm. Robert, surgeon
Brown Rt. & Chapman Jas. clerks
Bullock Mrs. Chtte.
Evans Mrs. My.
Dickson Samuel, surveyor, &c.
Fitt Joseph, hair dresser
Grant Mr. George Adams
Hardcastle Joseph. Alfred, Esq. M.P., brewer, & wine & spirit merchant; h. Coptfold Hall.
Harris William, clerk
Johnson Rev. Jas. Thos. , M.A. curate
4 Jones Mr. Geo.
Ketcher Mr. W. H.
Jones William, clerk
4 Kelly Gordon, Esq. Oxney Green House
Knox Vicessimus, Esq. , Parsonage
Law Rev. J. B. (Independent minister)
Livermore Rt. bricklayer & parish clerk.
Lugar John, gent.
Lucking Thos.
Miller Robert, cooper
Muir William, tea dealer
6 Owens Rev. Thos. A.B., incumbent of St. Paul’s, Highwood
Palmer Wm. clerk
Smith Mrs. Eliz.
Penrose Rev. Thos. D.C.L. vicar
Petre Hon. Fredk., Writtle Park
Simpson George, cattle dealer
Strutt Mr. William Thomas
Wilson Robert, assistant overseer
FARMERS.
Addy John William, Rolstons
Bailey John, Montpeliers
Baker Rt. & Son (surveyors, &c.)
6 Baker Henry (Executors of)
Barker Francis, Gorrells
Brazier Edw. sen.
Atkins Thos.
Carpenter Daniel, ( & maltster)
Challis William, Bush Farm
7 Copland William (& auctioneer)
Corder Mrs. Mary, Reeds
Cowlin John C. Wards
Cramphorn William
Crookes Thomas, Beaumont Otes
Crosier Peter, Bumpsteads
Dowson Joseph, Morchall
Edwards Robert, Bulymans
4 Edwards Edw. Rt.
Jones John
Fitch Samuel, Beadell’s Hall
Green Mary Ann, Turges
Jennings John, Jourdans
Livermore Jas. Isaac, Horsfrith
Lucking Saml. sen. Lordship Farm
2 Moss John, Branwoods
2 Norrington William, New House
3 Nottidge Joseph , Barrows baml
6 Nottidge Henry, Highwood
Oddy Timothy, Benedict Otes
Parnell James, Greys
Perry John, Warren
Reeves Samuel, St. John’s
Playle John, Easons
Roberts William, Fithlers
7 Sheppard William, Millbourne
Stock Richard, Bunditt’s hill
Simson Geo. (cattle dir.) Odams
Watkinson Samuel, Lee Farm
6 Warwick James, Highwood
Webster Francis, Cook’s Mill Green
Wing Benjamin, Little Waterhouse
Wilkinson George, Radley Green
Wood Joseph. jun.
5 Pratt Mr.
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Bull, Henry Clark (and brewer)
Cock & Bell, Thos. and Ann Hunt
Cock, Charles Cannon, Highwood
2 Fox & Goose, Francis Webster
Green Man, Wm. B. Finch, Edney Common
Rose & Crown, Samuel Lucking, jun.
Star, Zerubbabel Gigney
ACADEMIES. (* Pub. Schools.)
*Bonnington Miss
*Bwy William
Grant Mrs.
Humphreys Har.
Law Rev. J. B.
*Velmer Mrs.
BAKERS, &c.
Byford George
Griggs Alfred
Hammond Abm.
2 Webster Fras.
Webster James
BEER HOUSES.
4 Collicutt Sarah
Horsnell Thos.
Oliver John
Page George
4 Perry William
Polley Samuel
6 Rason George
Sewell William
BLACKSMITHS
6 Blanks Chas.
Chapman Richard.
Harris George
Sewell William
Wood Joseph. sen.
BUTCHERS.
Brazier Edward
Brazier Rt. C.
2 Ruffell John
Simson Thomas
CARPENTERS.
Monk William
Poole James
CORN MILLERS.
Crush Robert
2 Fitch William
DRESS MAKER
Clift Frances
Lapworth Mary
Wood Mary
GARDENERS.
Smith James
4 Wilks Joseph
PAINTERS, PLUMBERS, &c.
Somerville Hy.
Summerfield Jph.
SADDLERS.
Ardley Thos. (& Chelmsford)
Gigney Zrbl.
SHOEMAKERS.
Brand Jacob
Garwood
Gray Michael
Pearson Wm.
4 Perry William
SHOPKEEPERS. (* General Dealers.)
*Bailey John
Brewster Wm.
Burr Chas. (and tallow chndlr.)
*Dennis Samuel
3 Fitch Samuel
Lowe John
Oliver John
4 Rumsey James
Sorrell Keziah
Staines Joseph
*Sutton Martin
Wood Joseph. jun.
TAILORS.
Bush Richard
Collicutt Thos.
Hunt Thomas
WHEELWRIGHTS
Brazier John
Jackson J
Wood Jph . sen.
POST OFFICE at Mary Sach’s .
Letters from Chelmsford daily