Black Notley 1848 Whites Directory
NOTLEY, (BLACK) a scattered village, from 1 to 2 miles S. of Braintree, has in its parish 520 souls, and 1936A. 2R. 17P. of land, rising in gentle undulations from the small river Brain, and crossed by the Braintree and Malden Railway, now constructing. About 129A. are woodland, and 36A. waste. The parish includes the small hamlet of Row Green, and was called Nutlea at the Domesday survey. The soil is various, but very fruitful. Daniel Bell Hanbury, Esq. , of London, is lord of the manor, but a great part of the soil belongs to Mr. Savill, of Colchester, and other proprietors, mostly freeholders. The hall, or manor house, is occupied by a farmer, and was successively a seat of the Mandeville, Spice, Leveson, and other families. The Spices also held Stauntons ; and another estate here, called Buck, or Plumtrees, was the seat of Milbourne Carter, Esq. Several fragments of antiquity were dug up in the parish, in 1752, among which were an oblong blueglass vessel, a copper vessel, and a copper ornament, terminated by a ram’s head.
The Church (St. Peter and St. Paul,) is an ancient Norman structure, with a wooden turret, containing three bells, and crowned by a shingled spire. It has undergone many repairs, and the windows are mostly insertions of the 15th century, in the perpendicular style. The chancel was renovated in 1847, and the porch is modern, and not in character with the church. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £15, and in 1831 at £487, is now in the patronage of St. John’s College, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. Edw. Nottidge, M.A., who has a good parsonage house and 25A. 3R. 35P of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1839, for £497 per annum. For schooling ten poor children, and the relief of eight poor widows of this parish, James Coker, in 1702, left two houses in Braintree and Bocking, now let for £22 per annum ; of which £8 is paid to a schoolmaster for the ten free scholars, selected by the rector. The poor parishioners have £8 a year from a house, &c., in Rose alley, London, left by Mary Kitchen, in 1722. The learned Bishop Bedell was born here, in 1570, and educated at Emanuel College, Cambridge, where he obtained a fellowship at the age of 23. In 1629, he was presented to the bishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh, in Ireland, where, he died in 1642, and was followed to his grave by a large concourse of the rebel forces, who had previously imprisoned him and his family. He was author of many learned works. That distinguished naturalist, John Ray, F.R.S. , was born at Black Notley, in 1627, and was the son of a blacksmith. After being some years at school in Braintree, he went to Catherine Hall, and afterwards to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took the degree of M.A., and became a senior fellow. In 1661, he made the tour of Great Britain, in search of rare plants, and with the same object he accompanied the celebrated Fras. Willoughby, in a tour through Holland, France, Germany, and Italy. Towards the latter part of his life, he removed from Cambridge to his native village, where he died in 1706. In the churchyard is a handsome square monument, on a pedestal, with a long latin inscription to his memory. Among his most valuable works are, ” Topographical and Moral Observations made in Foreign Countries,” ” The Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of the Creation,” and ” Three Physico-Theological Discourses concerning Chaos, Deluge, and Dissolution of the World. ” He was modest, affable, and communicative, and distinguished by his probity, charity, sobriety, and piety ; and lamented in his last moments, that had not more closely followed the more peculiar duties of his sacred function. There is a long memoir of him in the Englishwoman’s Magazine, from the pen of Mrs. Pattisson.
Brewer James, vict., Rein Deer
Brewster William Esq. , Lodge
Butcher Thomas, corn miller
Challis Samuel, schoolmaster & parish clerk
Carricoats John, gentleman
Eley Charles, higler
Francis Frederick, butcher
Fuller Rachel, blacksmith
Musgrove James, bricklayer
Nottidge Rev. Edw. M.A., Rectory
Potter James, shopkeeper
Sanders William, vict. Green Dragon
Thompson Mr Dd.
Tomlinson Rt. registrar
Wright Joseph, carpenter
BEER HOUSES .
Hynds William
Nash J.
FARMERS.
Brown James
Clark Robert
Dowsett James
Hills Thomas, Friars
Piggott Jno. Buck
Piggott J., jun. , Ludlam Hall
Piggott Robert
Pool George, Hall
Revell William, Troys
Rolfe Lucy
Smith Henry
Wakeling Alfred, Dewlands
Watkinson Samuel , Stauntons
Wynn William
SHOEMAKERS.
Dodd William
Moys William
POST from Braintree.