Navestock 1848 Whites directory
NAVESTOCK, a pleasant scattered village, from 4 to 5 miles S. of Chipping Ongar, and from 5 to 7 miles N.N.E. of Romford, is partly on the south side of the vale of the Roding, and partly on the cultivated heath, which has a hilly surface, and extends southward to the bounds of Havering. Its parish contains 887 inhabitants, and 4152 acres of land, nearly all the property of the Countess of Walde- grave, the lady of the manor, which was granted by Queen Mary, in 1553, to Sir Edward Waldegrave, whose descendant, Sir Henry, was created Baron Waldegrave, in 1626. The son of the latter was created Earl of Waldegrave, in Northamptonshire, in 1729, and built Navestock Hall, which was a large and handsome building, which stood in awell-wooded park, and was the seat of the succeeding Earls, till 1811 , when it was pulled down, and the park converted into a farm. The present Earl resides at Strawberry Hill, Middlesex. The remains of an ancient fortification are apparent on Navestock Common, near a high embankment, which has a deep ditch on each side of it.
The Church (St. Thomas,) is an ancient cemented structure, with a wooden belfrey, containing five bells, and surmounted by a spire of the same material. The north door is in the Saxon style. The nave has a south aisle, and in the chancel is a large and handsome mural monument in memory of the two first Earls of Waldegrave, with a long inscription written by her Royal Highness Duchess of Gloucester and Countess Dowager of Waldegrave, relict of the second Earl. Nearly opposite this is a beautiful monument, executed by Bacon, and erected in 1812, in memory of the Hon. Edward Waldegrave, who, after distinguishing himself as a lieutenant under Sir John Moore, in Spain, was shipwrecked off Falmouth. The monument represents a mother weeping over the canteen of her son, which has been washed ashore, and in the background is seen aboy unfurling the British standard.
Here are several other memorial of the Waldegraves, and under the north side of the chancel is their family vault, where many of them are interred. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £13.3s. 9d., and in 1831 at £461 , is in the patronage of Trinity College, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. Jas. Ford, B.D., who has an old residence with neat pleasure grounds, and 13A. 30p. of glebe. The great tithes, which belong to the said College, were commuted in 1840 for £574 per annum. The vicar is the lessee, and pays a small quit-rent to the College, and a fine certain of £60 .
In 1625, John Green bequeathed for the use of the poor parishioners, the following property, viz., a house and yard at Brentwood, let for £20; a cottage at Navestock, occupied by paupers; Heathfield Meadow 4A 3r let for £10. 19s .; Bunn’s Field, 4A. 25P., let for £7.8s.; Pinksty Field, 2A. 3R. 9A. , let for £4.7s. 6d.; and three pieces of meadow land, (3A 2R 18r) let for £6. 3s. 3d. The yearly rents, amounting to £48. 17s. 9d., are distributed in shoes, jackets, and fagots. Mr. D. Hicks and others are the trustees. In 1669, Lewis Betts left to this parish two yearly rent- charges out of the Red Lion Inn, at Romford, viz. , £1 for the four oldest labouring men, and £2, for apprenticing apoor child. The poor parishioners have a yearly rent-charge of 20s., out of Dycotts’ Farm, (belonging to Sir R. D. Neave,) left by an unknown donor ; and eight poor persons, not receiving alms of the parish, have the dividends of £275 three per cent. Reduced Annuities, left by Elizabeth Prince, in 1796. The vicar and churchwardens are trustees .
Crouchman Jno. baker & shopkeeper
Ford Rev. James, B.D. Rectory
Harris Jas. schoolmaster & parish clerk
Heslop William, carpenter
Hide James, blacksmith
Knightbridge Henry, butcher
Wakeling Henry, blacksmith
FARMERS.
Bull John, Hall farm
Fitch Cornelius
Dove John
Hicks Daniel
MottJohn Hicks John, Gold Hall
Lash Lucy, vict. & shopkeeper, Plough
Jackson Robert, Hawlets Hall
Roach Richard, gentleman
Sadler Thomas, corn miller
Smith James, vict. Green Man
Stearn John, baker, &c.
Toulmin Hy., Esq. Dudbrook House
Turner James, shopkeeper
Pratt Charles, Loft Hall
Pryor Joshua
Randell Thomas
Seal Charles
Seal William
Tabrum Litchfield, Bois Hall
Tyrrell Henry
Weatherall Robert
(Post Town is Romford)