Abbots Roding 1848 Whites directory
ROOTHING, (ABBOTS) or RODING-ABBESS, is a parish of scattered houses, at the north end of this Hundred, 6 miles N. by E. of Chipping Ongar, adjacent to eight other Roothings, or Rodings, which are intersected by and have their common name from the river Roding . This parish contains only 1575A. of land, and 254 inhabitants, of whom 126 are in BERWICK hamlet, which is situated in Dunmow Hundred. It is in three manors. Abbess or Abbots Hall, the principal manor, was long held by the Abbess of Barking Nunnery, and is now the property of T. W. Bramston, Esq. , M.P. The manor of Rookwood Hall was held by the Mandeville, Fitz-Richard, and other families, and now belongs to J. T. Selwin, Esq. The manor of Berwick was long held by the Berners and Bourchier families, and is now the property of Lord Dacre. W. N. Clay, Esq. , and a few smaller owners have estates here. The soil is mostly freehold, and the copyholds are subject to arbitrary fines.
The Church (St. Edmund,) is a small antique fabric, with awooden belfry, containing three bells, and surmounted by a small spire. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £14. 10s, and in 1831 at £343, is in the gift of Capel Cure, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. Thomas Dyer, M.A., who has an old residence, and 194. of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1843, for £450 per annum. Here is an Independent Chapel, which will seat about 800 hearers, and was built in 1730, on land given by Mr. Springham, who then held Cockerell’s farm. Dr. Watts was one of the contributors to the building, and the congregation originated in 1698, with the Rev. Samuel Pomfret, an eminentminister in London, who for the benefit of his health often visited Rookwood Hall, then a considerable mansion. Mr. Springham also endowed the chapel with two cottages, now converted into a respectable public-house, for the accommodation of the congregation, most of whom come from a considerable distance. The Rev. Charies Bateman, of Fyfield, is their present pastor. The parish clerk has 40s. a year out of a house called Fawkeners, left by Nicholas Burton in 1678.
POST OFFICE at William Crabb’s. Letters despatched before 2 afternoon, via Ongar.
Bentley Charles, cooper
Crabb William, carpenter
Dyer Rev. Thomas, M.A. Rectory
Reed Isaac, vict. Anchor
FARMERS.
Barker Joseph, Berwick Hall
Dodd Cornelius, Nether Street
Groves James, Parker’s farm
Izard William, Cockerell’s farm
Portway Peter, Abboť’s Hall
Smith Benjamin, Rookwood Hall