Great Bentley 1848 Whites Directory

Great Bentley 1848 Whites Directory

BENTLEY ( GREAT) is a large and pleasant village, scattered round an extensive level green or common, of 42 acres, on the eastern side of the vale of a rivulet, 8 miles E.S.E. of Colchester. It has a fair for toys, pedlery, &c. , on the Monday after the 15th of July. Races were formerly held on the green, which is often the resort of cricket players . The parish contains 1005 inhabitants, and 3188 acres of fertile land, pleasingly diversified with hill and dale, and extending southward to the creek, which communicates with the Colne, near Brightlingsea. The lordship was held at the Domesday Survey, by Alberic de Vere, ancestor of the noble family of the first Earls of Oxford, who held it till about 1550, when it was sold to a Mr. Glascock, of whom it was purchased by Sir Roger Townshend. It afterwards passed to the Papillon, Clay, and other families, and is now held by W. W. Francis, Esq, solicitor, of Colchester, but a great part of the soil belongs to Lord Ashburton, Wm. Auston, Esq. , of Bentley Hall, Wm. Carrington, Esq., the Smythies family, and other proprietors, mostly copyholders, subject to arbitrary fines and the custom of Borough English . The ancient Hall, which stood in Hallfield, near the church, was long a seat of the de Vere family, and was a stately mansion, with an extensive park, but there are now no remains, except some traces of its moat and fish ponds. The Lodge estate belongs to Lord Ashburton ; and another estate, with the woods of Great and Little Catlins, belongs to Caius and Gonville College, Cambridge.
The Church (Virgin Mary,) is a plain building,with a tower and five bells. The arches of the doors are semicircular, and the walls are of rag stone, but the tower has a mixture of flint. The rectory was appropriated to Colne Priory, in 1321, by the Bishop of London, who reserved the advowson of the vicarage to himself and his successors .
The benefice is a discharged vicarage, valued in K.B. at £7, and in 1831 at £236, in the patronage of the Bishop of London, and incumbency of the Rev. Thos. Jones, B.D., who has a good residence, and about 13A. of glebe. The present value of the living is £306 per annum, and on the death of the present Bishop of London, the patronage will pass to the Bishop of Rochester. The great tithes belong to the land owners. Aneat National School, with a dwelling for the master and mistress, was built by subscription, in 1848 ; and here is a Wesleyan Chapel, registered for marriages.

POST OFFICE at N. Mawby’s. Letters despatched 7 evening, via Colchester
Almond Edm. veterinary surgeon
Claxton Geo. plumber, painter, &c
Cowell Arthur, bricklayer
Dennis John, tailor
Devall William Maples, clock & watchmaker.
Harris John, postman
Hobby Shadrach, saddler, &c
Hyem Wm. auctioneer & estate agent
Jones Rev. Thomas, B.D. Vicarage
Kidley Charles, cooper
Leggitt Daniel, painter, &c
Meadowcroft William, surgeon
Nuttall Mrs
Osborne Wm. drill owner
Pryers James, whip maker
Sherman Mrs
Sizer Mrs
Wilson Jno. police
Weaver James, tailor
Wright Isaac, gardener, seedsman, and parish clerk
Yeates Rev. Jno. Thos. (Wesleyan)

INNS AND TAVERNS.
King’s Arms, Abraham C. Richardson
Lion, Abm. Shelley (& plumber, &c)
Plough, Charlotte Reynolds

ACADEMIES
Balls Misses
Hawkins Mrs
Lugar Miss
Thompson John

BAKERS
Finch James
Hacklett William

BEERHOUSES.
Clark John
Porter Joseph
Potter Thomas

BLACKSMITHS
Almond Abraham
Neville George

BUTCHERS AND Cattle Dealers.
Alward James
Webb William

CARPENTERS.
Banyard Joseph
Banyard William
Clark John
Dorman John

CARTERS .
Herbert Peter
Howard George

FARMERS.
Auston William Esq. Hall
Borrodell John B. Esq.
Brown Thos. S.
Cant George
CantWilliam
Carey Thomas
Carrington William Esq.
Cousins Samuel
Cousins Sus.
Fisher John
Hyem William
Kemp William
Lufkin John B.
Lufkin James
Matthew Abm.
Mills Isaac
Nunn Henry
Risbee Abraham
Roper James
Sizer John (and miller)
Ward George Balley, Lodge
Ward Joseph

GROCERS, &c.
King Daniel
Mawby Nathaniel
Marshall George
Pope John

SHOEMAKERS.
Almond James
Bugg Joseph
Clark Thomas
Woadley William
Waterman Joseph.

THATCHERS .
Taylor Joseph
Woadley William

WHEELWRIGHT.
Goodwin Samuel

CARRIER.
William Poulton, to Colchester, Mon. Wed. Thurs. & Sat. 8 morning.; & POSTCART daily