LEIGHS, (GREAT) or Lees, is a parish of scattered houses, about 7 miles N.N.E. of Chelmsford, and 5 miles S.S.W. of Braintree. It is intersected by the small river Ter, and contains 909 souls, and 3125A. 3R. 30P. of land, of which 564 souls and 1810 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. The principal manors and their owners are, Bishop’s Hall, Rev. G. E. Howman; Mulsham Hall, Mr. John Brown, and Lyons, Jph. Tritton, Esq.; but a great part of the parish belongs to other proprietors. Bishop’sHall formerly belonged to the Bishop of Norwich. St.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 Thomas 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, contain- ing 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 thewalls, though ofgreat thickness, are supported by massive but- tresses. 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 now at £878, 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. 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 £20 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 schooling poor children, and the other half to be divided among seven poor parishioners.
Post from Chelmsford and Braintree.
GREAT LEIGHS.
Marked + in Chatley Hamlet.
+Archer Chas. victualler, St. Ann’s Castle
Coulson Jane, schoolmistress
+Fewell William, gentleman
Jenkins Rev. Clarke, B.D. rector
Jenkins Rev. Jenkins, M.A. curate
+Lewin William & J. bricklayers
Mehaffey Eliza J. British School
FARMERS (* are Owners)
*+Arnold Henry
Brown Samuel
*+Brown John, Mulsham Hall
Brown William, Noakes Farm
Dearsley John
*Eley John
*+Gooday Thomas, and maltster
Joslin Isaac, Creeds
Quilter George Joseph, Allsteads, &c.
Rayner William, Lyons Hall
*Richardson Daniel, Goodwins
+Rust George John, & cattle dealer
Simons William, Lylands
Smith John, Bishop’s Hall
Snow Peter John, Breams
Tunbridge, Mr, Hole Farm
Wright Samuel
Smith P. P.
BEERHOUSES.
+Newman Henry – Dog and Partridge
Smith William
Witham John
BLACKSMITHS.
+Hempstead Thomas.
Stokes Samuel & Joseph
Boot & Shoemakers
+Neville William
+Newman William
Smith William
CARPENTERS .
+Hawkes George
Knight George
SHOPKEEPERS .
+Collard Thomas
Lewis James
+Medson Samuel
Smith William
WHEELWRIGHTS.
+Taylor George, & parish clerk
+Taylor William