Terling 1848 Whites Directory
TERLING is a pleasant village on the banks of the small river Ter, near Lord Rayleigh’s beautiful park of Terling Place, 3 miles W. of Witham, and 8 miles N.N.E. of Chelmsford. Some of its houses are ancient buildings of timber and plaster, and one of them (the residence of R. Ellis, Esq.,) is in the Elizabethan style, and contains some finely carved oak wainscoting. A pleasure fair is held here on Whit-Monday. The parish contains many scattered houses, 921 inhabitants, and 3206 acres of land, including about 200A. of wood, and 41A. of waste. Lord Rayleigh owns nearly all the soil, and is lord of the four manors, viz . , Terling Place, Terling Hall (or Margeries,) Loys Hall, Ridley Hall, and Ringers. The manor houses of all, except the first, are now occupied by farmers. Loys Hall was formerly very extensive, but a great part of it was taken down many years ago. It was a seat of the Rochester family for many generations. The manor of Terling was part of the endowment of Ely Abbey, till William the Conqueror gave it to Ralph Peverel. It afterwards passed to the Bohuns, earls of Essex and Hertford, of whom it was held in 1269 by the Bishop of Norwich, and his successor had a palace and park here, with a chapel, which had the privilege of sanctuary, and to which the celebrated Hubert de Burgh, earl of Kent, fled for refuge from the pursuit of his enraged sovereign, Henry III .
It was held by the see of Norwich till Bishop Nix exchanged it with the Crown, in 1535 for the manor of St. Bennet de Hulm. Henry VIII. occasionally resided here and at Jericho but he granted the manor and rectory to Lord Chancellor Audley, who, in 1540 had license to enclose 300A. for a park. From the Audleys the manor passed by marriage to Thomas Howard, duke of Norfolk, who sold it to Thos. Mildmay. It was afterwards held by the Westerns, and Featherstonehaughs ; and was purchased of the latter in 1761 by John Strutt, Esq. , grandfather of Lord Rayleigh, the present owner, who resides at TERLING PLACE, a large and elegant brick mansion, with extensive wings, enclosed in a beautiful park of about 200 acres, well- wooded, and crossed by the winding stream of the small river Ter.
Great improvements were made in the house and grounds by the two late proprietors, and others are now in progress, to complete the designs of the late Colonel Strutt, who built the wings. The principal apartments are spacious, and contain a fine collection of paintings and other works of art. The entrance hall is surrounded by a gallery, under which are casts of the Elgin marbles ; and the staircase is after the model of the Beauregard, near Paris. Among the pictures are four Florentine views by Canaletti, and a fine copy of the Ascension by Rembrandt. In 1824, the gardener dug up in the grounds a number of gold and silver coins, some of the reigns of Constantius and other Roman emperors; and among them were two rings. John Strutt, Esq. , who purchased this estate, represented Maldon in three successive parliaments, and died at the advanced age of 90. His eldest son, the late Colonel Joseph Holden Strutt, married Lady Charlotte Mary Gertrude, daughter of the Duke of Leinster, and in 1821 , she was created Baroness Rayleigh . The Right Hon. John James Strutt, her only son succeeded as Lord Rayleigh in 1836, and was born in 1796. His son and heir, the Hon. John William, was born in 1842. The late Col. Strutt was one of the parliamentary representatives of Maldon from 1790 till 1827. His brother, the late Major-General Wm. Goodday Strutt, died at Little Baddow, Feb. 6th, 1848, in his 86th year. This distinguished officer entered the army in 1778. He was at the siege of Gibraltar, and in many other important engagements, and was appointed Governor of Quebec in 1801.
Terling Church (All Saints,) is a spacious building, chiefly in the perpendicular style of the 15th century. It has a nave, south aisle, and chancel, with a tower which contains five bells, and was rebuilt in 1732, after the old one had fallen down. The tower is of brick with stone dressings, and is crowned with a spire. The church was thoroughly repaired and elegantly fitted up by the late John Strutt, Esq. The porch is of wood, in the Tudor style. In the aisles are some fine old brasses,
and under the north chapel is the family vault of the Strutts. The benefice is a discharged vicarage, valued in K.B. at £10, and in 1831, at £230. Lord Rayleigh is impropriator and patron, and the Rev. Wm. Goodday, M.A., is the incumbent. The glebe is 13A. IR. 1P. , and the vicarial tithes have been commuted for £278. 17s . 3d. per an- num, but the parsonage-house is small. On the Green is an Independent Chapel, erected about 90 years ago. For distribution in clothing among the poor of this parish, not receiving parochial relief, about £30 is paid yearly to Lord Rayleigh, from the funds of Henry Smith’s Charity. (See Braintree.) In 1775, Benj. Joscelyn left a farm to John Strutt, Esq. , charged with a yearly rent of £15, to be applied as follows : £10 for schooling poor boys of Terling, and £5 for schooling five of Kelvedon. This charity was void under the Mortmain Act, but was established in 1820, when the late Col. Strutt granted an annuity of £15 out of Troys Farm. The schoolmaster and free-scholars are appointed by Lord Rayleigh, who contributes liberally towards the support of the school. The rents of two cottages and a building, formerlythe parish workhouse, are applied to the repairs of the church, though they are supposed to have originated from the gift ” four houses,” by an unknown donor, to the poor. About 20 years ago, the late Col. Strutt gave a new building in exchange for two ancient tenements, which had been used as the workhouse.
Lord Rayleigh, Terling Place
Strutt Hon. Miss Emily Ann, Terling Place
Blyth Isaac, gentleman
Bullen Shadrach, schoolmaster
Drake Rev. Benj. (Independent min.)
Ellis Robert, Esquire
Emberson Joseph, baker
Emberson Richard, shoemaker
Garnett Susan, schoolmistress
Goodday Mr Arthur Robert , New House
Goodday Rev. William, M.A. vicar, Crackbone
Harris John, blacksmith
Marshall Samuel, wheelwright
Payne Dd. gardener to Ld. Rayleigh
Pavitt John, butcher
Robinson Giles, tailor, Post Office
Rodwell Rev. C. B. , curate
Smith John, vict. White Hart
Speakman William, parish clerk
Taylor Mrs. Sarah
Turner Joseph, bricklayer
FARMERS.
Algar Thomas and Richard
Boreham Sarah, Wases
Chipperfield Thomas, What Hobs
Cottis Jno. (& maltster) Ivatts
Cousins John, Three Ashes
Ely John, Leelands
Fairhead Golden, Loys Hall
Fairhead William, Porridge Pot Hall
Gooday Charlotte, Rolls
King Samuel
Marlton Joseph
Pond William, Ridley Hall
Smith Jno.
Hammond Thomas
Snow Benjamin, Scarletts
Speakman Robert
Ward Joseph
Walker James
Steele William
Willshere Mary, Ringers
SHOPKEEPERS
Ardley Edmund (and cooper)
Hartley Robert
Loker John
Middleditch Thomas, (& beerhouse)
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