Eldenham Whites Directory in 1863
ELSENHAM, a pleasant village, 2 miles N.E. of Stansted and 7 miles N.W. of Dunmow, is near the Great Eastern Railway, on which it has a Station. Its parish contains 517 souls and 1825 acres of land, mostly the property of Mrs. Clara Rush, the lady of the manor, who resides at the Hall, a large brick mansion, with embattled walls and tasteful grounds. Several smaller owners have estates here, mostly copyhold, subject to arbitrary fines.
Church (St. Mary) is an ancient structure, with an embattled tower, containing four bells. The entrance is under a semi-ircular arch, with plain and reticulated Saxon mouldings, and supported by massive pillars, covered with indented mouldings, and having capitals rudely formed and of very antique appearance. In 1070, this church was appropriated to Caen Abbey, in Normandy, by John Waleram. The rectory, which is a manor, was granted by Henry VIII. to Thomas, Lord Audley, and was sold about the time of the Restoration to Wm. Canning, Esq.
The trustees of the late Rev. Thomas Canning are impropriators of the rectory and patrons ofthe vicarage, valued in K.B. at £11, and in 1831 at £122, and now held by the Rev. Sparks Byers, B.A. The glebe is 38A. 1R. 32p., and the parsonage is a commodious brick mansion, with pleasant grounds.
The tithes were commuted in 1839- the rectorial for £413, and the vicarial for £152. 4s. 11d. per annum. In 1656, John Wells left three cottages and an orchard in trust, that the rents should be distributed by the churchwardens in cloth among poor parishioners.
Bowtell William, vict. Crown
Byers Rev. Sparks, B.A. vicar
Clarke Thomas, station master
Dixon William, tailor
Robinson John, butcher
Robinson William, carpenter & parish clerk
Rush Mrs Clara, Elsenham Hall
Savill Arthur, butcher & vict. Robin Hood
Shefford Charlotte, schoolmistress
Snow Samuel, shoemaker
Ward Elizabeth, shopkeeper
FARMERS. (* at Tye Green.)
*Cornell Thomas
Evans Thomas.
Livermore William
Mumford William
Markwell John
Patmore Jno. W.
Phillips Peter
*Wilkinson James
Tofts Frederick, Green Street
RAILWAY trains to London, Cambridge, &c. five times a day.
POST from Stansted.