Felsted 1848 Whites Directory
FELSTED, or Felstead, is a large village, with many good houses, on the north-eastern acclivity of the vale of the Chelmer, and near a tributary stream of that river, 4½ miles E. by S. of Dunmow ; 6½ miles W.S.W. of Braintree, and 10 miles N. by W. of Chelinsford. Its parish contains 1798 inhabitants, and 6246A. 28. 17P. of land, including roads, &c. , and the GREENS called Bannister’s, Bartholomew’s, Cobler’s, Cock, Grimsall, Molehill, Pye’s, Thistley, and Willow Greens, where there are many scattered farm-houses and cottages. The soil is generally a strong fertile loam, on a whitish clay marl; and on the south side of the parish are the remains of Leigh Priory, and Hartford Bridge, on the Chelmer.
Several houses in Rayne village are in this parish. In the Confessor’s reign, Algar, Earl of Mercia, held the lordship of Felsted, but at the Conquest, it was given to Caen Abbey, in Normandy. The Earl of Mornington is now lord of the manor, but a great part of the soil be- longs to Guy’s Hospital and many other proprietors, of whom about 20 are residents and have good houses, as distinguished in the follow- ing list of farmers. Most of the parish is freehold , and the rest copyhold, subject to certain fines. The ancient families of Glanvil, Graunt-Court, Camsey, Mandeville, Helpston, and Rich were formerly owners here, and some of their names are still attached to old manor houses in the parish. The Church ( Holy Cross,) stands on an elevated site, and is seen at a great distance. It is a fine antique fabric, consisting of a nave and aisles, a chancel , and a massive square tower, containing five bells, and having a lantern rising above the battlements. The gallery in the south aisle was erected in 1828, when 70 additional freesittings were provided . A small chapel on the south side of the chan- cel is the burial-place of the Rich family, and contains a superb monument to the memory of Richard Lord Rich, who died in 1567, and founded the school and almshouses, afterwards noticed. The effigy of his lordship, in his chancellor’s robes, reclines under a grand cornice, decorated and supported by Corinthian pillars. The church was repaired about three years ago. On the south side of the pa- rish there was anciently a free chapel, called Camseys or Hartford Chapel, and appropriated to Leigh Priory, but no traces of it are now extant. The lands belonging to it were granted, in 1591 , to Edward Wymark. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £18 . 6s. 8d. , and in 1831 at £402, is in the patronage of the Earl of Mornington, and incumbency of the Rev. Jeremiah Awdry, M.A. , who has 27A. 3R. 11P. of glebe, and a parsonage house, but does not reside here.
The tithes were commuted in 1843. Here is an Independent Chapel, built in 1833, and also National and British Schools. FELSTED FREE GRAMMAR SCHOOL and HOSPITAL, the former for 80 free boys, and the latter for six poor people, have an endowment worth about £2000 perannum, but not half of that amount is at present appropriated to the uses of the charity, which has for a long period been the subject of a suit in chancery institutedby the Attorney-General against George Finch, Esq., the patron, and others. Application is now (1848) making to Parliament for an act to alter, vary, and extend the trusts and administration, and to enlarge the charitable uses, extend the objects, and regulate the application of this much-abused charity, according to the provisions of a new scheme, sanctioned by the Court of Chancery. The School and Hospital were founded by LordRich, in 1554 and 1565, together with a provision for the yearly distribution of red and white her- rings, during Lent, among the poor of Felsted, Little Leigh, and Much Waltham.
For the foundation, he obtained the letters patent of Philip and Mary, which vested the patronage of the charity in him and his heirs. His son Robert was created Earl of Warwick in 1618, and left three co- heiresses, one of whommar- ried Daniel Finch, afterwards Earl of Nottingham, in whom the patronage ofthe hospital and school became vested. Geo. Finch, Esq. , of Burley, in Rutland- shire, is the present patron. In 1797, Lady Augustus Eliz. Finch left £500, and directed the yearly proceeds to be distributed after the death ofher two sis- ters among the six almspeople. This legacy was received in 1830, and vested inthepurchase of £649.7s. three per cent. consols. The propertyderived from thegifts ofLord Rich, the founder, consists of the Rectory of Broomfield, now worth £500 a year, and a farm there, let for £180 per aunum; the Rectory of Matching, worth about £450 per annum; a Farm at Morton End, comprising 76A. , let for £93 a year ; the Rectory of Braintree, worth £680 per annum ; a yearly rent charge of £20 out of Felstedbury Farm ; afarm of 21A. and two woods, containing 5A. , at Felsted, occupied bythe almspeople ; and a house, garden, and close occupied by the schoolmaster. Though the three Rectories and the farm at Morton End are worth more than £1800 per annum, they have for many years been let by the patron for the time being, to his friends, at small rents now amounting to only about £600 in money, and 2 qrs. 6 bushels of wheat and 4 qrs. 1 bushel of barley malt. The Hospital forms three sides of a quad rangle, and is occupied by six almspeople, who have a common dining room, granary, garden, &c., and occupy for their ownprofit a small farm and5A. ofwood, asjust noticed, and keep six cows and two heifers, under the superintendence of the churchwardens. They receive stipends which amount to 5s. 31d. each per week. They also receive amongst them six chaldron of coals, and £5 for other fuel, yearly; and four bushels of wheat and six bushels of malt every lunar month. During one month in the hay season they have nine bushels of malt.
Their rates and part of their tithe and farming expenses are paid out of the charity funds, and they are allowed to partake of the 7 barrels of white and 3 barrels of red herrings, which are distributed during Lent to the poor of this parish. The SCHOOL is kept in a building in the churchyard, and the master’s house was rebuilt by subscription in 1799. The master was till lately only allowed £80, and the usher £40 a year, but the Court of Chancery has decreed that the former shall have £300 and the latter £150 a year till the new scheme is established. Though there have occasionally been as many as 60 boarders, there are at present neither scholars nor usher, and there were none when the Parliamentary Commissioners enquired into the charity in 1835, and certified it to theAttorney- General, for the consideration of a court of equity, Mr. Finch, the patron, having expressed his own doubts as to the propriety of the mode of administering the charity then acted upon. The almspeople are three aged widows and three widowers, and most of them are chosen from the county of Rutland, in which the patron resides. His steward audits the accounts ofthe charity, which are kept by the churchwardens.
SIDNEY BOTELER, in 1690, left a yearly rent charge of £7. 12s. out of the glebe lands. Of this annuity £5 is applied in educating poor children, and £2. 12s. in a weekly distribution of bread. For the latter purpose the poor of Felsted have yearly, £2. 12s. , left by one Tanner, out of Brook Farm ; £2. 12s. from Palmer’s Charity ( see Stansted Mountfitchet,) and £14 from two cottages,
and 5A. of land left by Arthur Wilson, in 1654.
FELSTED.
Marked 1, are at Bannister Green ; 2, Bartholomew’s Green ; 3, Causeway End ; 4, Cobler’s Green ; 5, Cock Green ; 6, Grimsall Green;
7, Hartford End ; 8 , Mole Hill Green ; and 9, at Willow Green.
POST OFFICE, at the Swan Inn. Letters despatched by Chelmsford & Dunmow mail cart, morning. & evening.
(See also Raine.)
Bannister John, church clerk
Bell Thomas, surgeon
Clarke John, corn and flour dealer
Crocker Rev. James, M.Α.
French Thomas. painter, plumber & glazier
Kay George, excise officer
Mark Rev. John (Independent)
Munson James, police officer
Norris William, saddler
Phillips Cheveley Fdk. grocer & draper, & agent for Royal Exchange Assurance Co.
Suckling Elias, tailor
Surridge Rev. Thomas, LL.D., head master of the Grammar School
Taylor Elias, baker, &c.
Young Mrs. Sarah
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Bell, Joseph Smith Peachey (and broker)
Chequers, James Skingle Weaver
Swan, William Philpot
1 Three Horse Shoes, James Fuller
FARMERS. (* are Owners .)
*Abraham John, Sewards
Bentall Arthur ( & miller) Fairy Hall
*Bentall Daniel, Old Peaches
*Bentall Emma, Whelpstones
Bentall Jesse, Howletts
*Bentall Robert, Willow Green
Brown John, Graund Courts
Brown William F., Drapers Farm
Crow Alfred W., Bridge Hs. & Thorps
*Davey William, Leigh Lodge
*Edwards Joseph
Drewett Sar.
*Gladwin Thomas, Frenches Green
*Harrisson John, Watch House
Harrisson Jno. jun. Prince’s Halfyard
Livermore Charles, Pond Park
Newman John, Gatewoods
Overall William, Stebbing Ford
Ridley William (miller) Felsted Mill
Rolfe Thomas, Pye’s Bridge
Seabrook Henry, Grimsall Green
Sewell Peter, Horstages
Sewell Henry, Garnett’s
Skill James, Felstedbury
Smith James, Cock Green
Snow John, Glandfields
Taylor Abijah, Brook Farm
Thompson John, Sparling’s Farm
*Wright William A.
*Wright Edw.
*Weaver James Skingle
White William, Buckle’s Farm
BEER HOUSES.
2 Cornell William
9 Digby Joseph
Gray James
1 Fuller Andrew
6 Wade William
7 Wallis Edw.
BLACKSMITHS .
3 Fuller James
1 Fuller James
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS.
Barker James
2 Cornell William
Philpot William ( & hairdresser)
7 Swallow Chas.
BRICKLAYERS.
Laszell Thomas
3 Laszell William
BUTCHERS.
Archer William
Brewer William
Harrisson John
Thompson William
CARPENTERS .
Gray James
Prance James
Young John
SHOPKEEPERS .
3 Barker Samuel
1 Fuller Andrew
1 Fuller James
3 Houlton Robert
7 Moss Hannah
Phillips C. F.
Player Ann
6 Wade William
SCHOOLS .
3 King Sarah
Laszell Eliza
WHEELWRIGHTS.
Ellis William (and coachbuilder)
3 Laszell William
5 Smith James
CARRIERS.
Jno.Bass, to London & Chelmsford Tues. and Fri.
Jas. Hodges, to Dunmow, Bishop Stortford, and Braintree, Mon.