Waltham HUNDRED Whites Directory in 1848
WALTHAM HUNDRED,
Commonly called the HALF HUNDRED OF WALTHAM, is of small extent, and of a triangular figure, its eastern and western sides measuring only eleven miles, and its northern seven. It comprises a large portion of Epping Forest, and is bounded on the west by the river Lea, which separates it from Middlesex and Hertfordshire ; on the north, by Harlow Hundred ; and on the south-east by Becontree and Ongar Hundreds. It is watered by the Cobbin brook, and several smaller streams, and though it is not traversed by any railways, the North-Eastern line runs along the opposite side of the river Lea, and a branch is projected from Lea Bridge and Ilford to Epping. On its eastern side is a large and thickly wooded part, as well as some open tracts, of Epping Forest. It anciently belonged to Waltham Abbey, on the western verge of the forest ; but, after the dissolution, it passed to the Denney, Hay, Wake, and other families. It is in Epping Polling District of the Southern Parliamentary Division of Essex ; and contains only four parishes, and part of another, as will be seen in the following enumeration, shewing their hamlets, their territorial extent, their population in 1841 , and the annual value of their lands and buildings, as assessed to the property tax in 1843.
PARISHES and HAMLETS. Acres. Population in 1841.
Chingford parish 2459 971
*Epping parish – 1943
Epping Upland chapelry 5695 363
Ryehill hamlet – 116
Nazeing parish 3890 824
†Roydon (part of) 1303 313
PARISH of WALTHAM HOLY CROSS
Or Waltham Abbey.
Waltham Abbey township. – 2041
Holyfield hamlet 11,470 382
Sewarstone hamlet – 901
Upshire hamlet – 853
Total 24,827 8709
Epping Forest comprises about 60,000 acres in the parishes of this and adjoining Hundreds, and in it the parishioners have extensive forest rights. Epping is in the Liberty ofthe Duchy of Lancaster.
† Roydon parish is mostly in Harlow Hundred. That part in Waltham Hundred is called Roydon Hamlet.
‡ The entire parish of Walthan Abbey, or Holy Cross, contains 4177 souls.
§ High Beech is an ecclesiastical district, in Upshire and Sewardstone hamlets.
The whole Hundred is in the Diocese of Rochester, and Archdeaconry of Essex, except Chingford. which is in the Diocese and Archdeaconry of London.
All the parishes are in Barking Deanery, except Roydon, which is in Harlow Deanery
CHIEF CONSTABLE, Mr. John Smith, of Harold’s Park. UNIONS :-
The parish of Waltham Abbey, or Holy Cross, is in Edmonton Union, which is mostly in Middlesex, and partly in Hertfordshire ; and all the other parishes of this Hundred are in Epping Union. PETTY SESSIONS are held for this Hundred at the Police Stations in Epping, and Waltham Abbey ; at the former place,
every Friday, and at the latter place every Tuesday. Mr. R. B. Andrews is clerk to the magistrates at the former, and Mr. Joseph Jessopp at the latter place.
Mr. Jessopp is also clerk of the COUNTY COURT, held monthly for Waltham District ; and John Herbert Koe, Esq. , Q.C., is thejudge : Harry James Jenour, high bailiff ; and Mr. Alex. Smith, sub bailiff. Mr. Thos. Godwin is police superintendent for Epping District.
EPPING UNION comprises the 17 parishes of Chigwell, Chingford, Epping, Harlow, Latton, Loughton, Magdalen Laver, Matching, Nazeing, Netteswell , Great and Little Parndon, Roydon, Sheering, Thoydon-Bois, Thoydon-Garnon, and North Weald Bassett, which comprise an area of 77 square miles, and in 1841 had 15,987 inhabitants, of whom 8204 were males, and 7783 females .
The UNION WORKHOUSE is at Thoydon Garnon, in Ongar Hundred, near the town of Epping, and forms a handsome brick and stone building, erected in 1836, at the cost of £8000, and having room for 300 paupers. The average annual expenditure of the 17 parishes, on the poor, during the three years preceding the formation of the Union, was £9242 ; but in 1838, it was only £4725 ; and in 1839, £5960. 12s. For the year ending Sept. 30th, 1847, the expenditure was £8670, including about £1550 paid to the county rates. Two guardians are elected for each of the parishes of Chigwell, Epping, Harlow, and Loughton, and one for each of the other parishes. Mr. John Windus, of Epping, is Union Clerk and Superintendent Registrar ; and Mr. Edward Champness and Mrs. Alice
Jeffery, are master and matron of the Workhouse. Messrs. John Turner and John Chew are the relieving officers ; and Mr. Fdk. Payne, of Epping, is registrar of marriages. Messrs. Geo. Moore, of Epping, John Turner, of Loughton, and John Chew, of Harlow, are the district registrars of births and deaths. Ten surgeons are employed by the Union; and John and Maria Maynard are teachers of the Workhouse Schools .