Birdbrook 1848 Whites directory
BIRDBROOK, a pleasant village, on abold eminence, near the chief source of the river Colne, 10 miles N.W. of Halstead, and 4 miles S.E. of Haverhill, has in its parish 557 inhabitants, and 2330 acres of land, including the small village of BAYTHORN END, on the high road, and on the south bank of the Stour, 2 miles N.E. of the church, and 3 miles from Haverhill and Clare. It has several neat mansions and scattered farm houses, and the soil is generally a strong wet loam, and partly a deep sandy loam. The surface is well wooded, and pic- turesquely broken into hill and dale, and the views from some of the summits are extremely beautiful. The executors of the late Sir W. B. Rush are lords of the manor, but the greater part of the soil be- longs to J. P. Elwes, King Viall, A. Fitch, W. Gibbons, G. W. Gent, F. Bailey, and H. Gurney, Esqrs , and a few smaller owners. Bay- thorn Hall, an old mansion near the Swan, is the property of King Viall, Esq. , who also owns the larger and more elegant mansion of Baythorn Park, which has extensive grounds, and stands on abold acclivity above the river Stour, but is now unoccupied. The latter was built in 1668, by George Pyke, whose father purchased the estate in 1640, and whose descendant, of the same name, took downthe gate and court walls in 1801, and new- fronted, sashed, andgreatly improved the house. The park was formerly stocked with deer, and has some fine large trees, especially several large oak pollards. A clump of alders in the hall gardens are much admired, each being about seven feet in girth, at the height of five feet from the ground. Several of the farm houses in this parish are fine old mansions, and that on the Moat farm is encompassed by amoat. That called Herksted Hall, now belonging to G. W. Gent, Esq., was the seat of the Walfords, who purchased the Whitley estate in 1657, and greatly improved and beautified the pleasure grounds and gardens. Human bones have been dug up on Chadwell and Honex farms, and in other parts of the parish, and with them several Roman urns were found. The Church (St. Augustine,) is a small ancient structure, without aisles, but having a tower, containing three bells, and crowned by a smallwooden spire. It was thoroughly repaired in 1793 and the two following years. The handsome font, and a fine painting of Jesus baptised of John in the river Jordan, were given by the late T. Walford, Esq. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £19, and in 1831 at £500, is in the patronage of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. Jph. Cape, M.A., who has a good residence, and 89A. 2R. 22P. of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1843 for £600 per annum. As noticed with Finchingfield, this parish is entitled every fifth year to the rent of Messings Farm, left by Ann Cole, in 1730, and now let for £54 per annum. The rent received by Birdbrook parish is applied in schooling poor children. Martha Blewit, who died in 1681, had nine husbands.
BIRDBROOK.
Marked * are at Baythorn End.
*POST OFFICE, at Mrs Farrant’s.
Letters despatched 4 half afternoon via Halstead
Butcher Ann, shopkeeper
Cape Rev. Joseph, M.A. Rectory
*Courtney Rev. W. P. curate
Davey Joseph, horse dealer
*Farrant Eliz. shopkeeper & smith
*Fitch Joshua Ambrose, miller, Water Mill ; house Wixoе
*Hills Mrs Mary
Ralling Charles, machine owner
Ralling Robert, bricklayer
*Unwin Joseph, vict. Swan Inn
FARMERS .
Cowling Jacob, Herksted Green
Fitch Ambrose G. Eagle Farm
Payne Henry, Moat Farm
Pool John, Upper House
Ralling Charles, Chadwell
Ralling George, Wash Farm
Rider Thomas, Herksted Hall
*Sharp Henry, Whitley Farm
Smoothy John, Birdbrook Hall
Smoothy Samuel, Bailey Hill
Unwin Henry, Messings Farm
*Viall Simon Quye, Baythorn Hall
BEER HOUSES.
French John – Colne Valley Arms
Leach William
Ralling Charles – Plough
Sorrell William
SHOEMAKERS.
Hunniball Chas.
Ralling William
Smee John
WHEELWRIGHTS .
French John
*French John