LEIGHS (LITTLE) is a parish of scattered houses, near the small river Ter, 6½ miles N. of Chelmsford, and 5 miles S.S.W. of Braintree. It has only 171 inhabitants and 1080 acres of land.
LEIGHS PRIORY, which stood at the extremity of the parish, more than 14 mile N.W. of the church, was founded about 1230, by Sir Ralph Gernon, Kt. , for Augustine canons, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. John. The buildings were extensive, and there was a spacious park and pleasant gardens. The patronage remained in the heirs of the founder, till its suppression, when its revenues were valued at£114. 1s. 4d. It was granted by HenryVIII. , with themanors of Little Lees, Camsey, Berns, and Herons, to Sir Richard Rich, an eminent lawyer, who converted the Priory into a magnifi- cent seat for himselfand family. He enlarged the park from 400 to about 800 acres, and in 1547, was created Baron Rich, of Leeze.”
His grandson, Robert, was created Earl of Warwick, in 1581;buton the death of the 8th earl, without male issue, in 1759, all his honors became extinct. Charles, the 4th earl, died in 1673, and left Leighs Priory to his sister’s son, the Earl of Manchester. It afterwards passed by purchase to the Duke of Buckingham and Sir Charles Herbert Sheffield; the latter ofwhom sold it and the estate, about the close of the 18th century, to the Governors of Guy’s Hospital, London, who converted the park into farms, and took down the Priory, except the Porter’s Lodge, some buildings converted into a
farm house, and the fine Tower Gateway. The latter is of brick, with stone dressings, and has an imposing appearance, having a handsome octagon turret at each corner, finally embattled. The doorways and windows in each story are richly ornamented, and there are still some fragments of glass in the latter. The Princess Elizabeth was confined here during some part of the reign of her sister Mary. The estate still belongs belong to Guy’sHospital; and other parts of this parish belong to Mrs. Badeley, and several smaller owners.
The CHURCH (St. John) is a small antique fabric, with a wooden tower and spire. The Rectory, valued in K.B. at £9, and in 1831 at £400, is in the patronage of the Rev. J. C. Green, and incumbency of the Rev. John Green. The glebe is 17A. 3P.; and the tithes were commuted in 1831, for £385. 5s. per annum. Poor families have distributed among them, during Lent, £5 in coals, from Lord Rich’s Charity. (See Felsted.) For distribution in bread, the poor parishioners have two yearly rent charges of 20s. each, one left by John Smith, in 1726, out of acottage in Great. Waltham, and the other left by Owen Offlet, out of Shalford Hall.
Post from Chelmsford.
Green Rev. John, rector, Rectory
Mann Benjamin, baker & shopkeeper
Willis Charles, shopkeeper
Willsher Samuel, parish clerk.
FARMERS.
Barnard Mary
Butcher Thomas
Oliver William
Porter John, Priory
Simons Richard, Hall