Colne Engaine 1848 Whites Directory
COLNE ENGAINE is a village and parish on the north side of the river Colne, 2½ miles E. of Halstead, and about a mile N.W. of
Earl’s Colne. It contains 685 souls and 2444A. of land. It derived its distinguishing appellation from the Engaine family, its ancient lords, who held the manor from 1218 till about 1370, after which it passed to the Cheney, Clarke, Dale, and Ramsey families . About 1600, Lady Mary Ramsey gave the manor of Colne Engaine to the Governors of Christ’s Hospital, London, as an augmentation of the endowment of that valuable charity ; but a great part of the parish is in other manors, and belongs to various proprietors, mostly freeholders. Robert Hills, Esq. , is lord of the manors of Goldingtons and Shreves , and resides at COLNE PARK, a delightful seat, on the latter estate, about a mile E. of the village. Shreves was held by St. Botolph’s Priory, Colchester, and was sold in 1762 to Michael Hills, Esq. , whose son left it to Philip Hills, Esq. , who greatly improved the house and cased it with white brick. It has since been enlarged by the present owner, who has ornamented it with a handsome Grecian por- tico ; and has erected in the grounds a lofty and elegant Ionic column of Portland stone, in memory of the late proprietor. OVERHALL, about a mile N.E. of the church, is the manor and seat ofJ. J. Mayhew, Esq. , and pays a peppercorn yearly to the lord of the manor of Witnesham- with- Cockfelde, in Suffolk, if demanded. It was long held by the London family, together with the adjoining manor of Bromtons or Bruntons. Henry Skingley, Esq. , and several smaller owners have estates here, and on the west side of the parish are, BOOSES GREEN and several scattered houses. The parish is encompassed on two sides by the Colne and one of its tributary streams.
The Church (St. Andrew,) is an ancient structure, except its handsome brick tower which appears to have been erected in the reign of Henry VII. , and is crowned by a spire. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £13. 17s. 6d., and in 1831 at £700, is in the patronage of the Governors of Christ’s Hospital, and incumbency of the Rev. John Greenwood, D.D., who has 52A. of glebe, and a handsome modern Rectory House, half a mile from the church, commanding beautiful prospects. The tithes have been commuted for £750 per annum. The parish has a National School and an Agricultural Society. The poor have £4 yearly as the rent of 2A. of land, given by William Littell, lord of the manor of Goldington, in 1697, subject to the annual payment of Is. to the lord of the said manor. The sexton has had, from time immemorial, about an acre of land called the Sexton’s Orchard.
Atterton John, blacksmith
Brewer William, beerhouse keeper
Castle James, schoolmaster
Butcher Fs. butcher & vict. Five Bells
Butcher Isaac, cattle dealer
Dell Richard Latimer, corn miller ; house Earl’s Colne
Edwards William, farrier and castrator
Firmin Thomas, blacksmith
Fuller George, shoemaker
Greenwood Rev. John, D.D. Rectory
Hart Jas. shop and beerhouse keeper
Hills Robert, Esq. Colne Park
Jarman Jonathan, wheelwright
Mayhew John Jermh. Esq. Overhall
Patten William, horse dealer
Piper John Dixon, corn miller
Pudney John, parish clerk. & Isaac. sexton
Pudney Joshua, carpenter & shopkeeper
White William mill manager
FARMERS.
Arnold John
Woolman Isaac
Brown Isaac, Brick House
Brown Isaac Baker, Knights
Brown James Boyer, (and maltster, ) Elms Hall
Firmin William jun.
Beard John
Gallifant Edw.
Salmon George
Mayhew J. J. & G. J. and J. J. jun.
Sewell Thos. Fras. Grove House
Shave Jeremiah, Millbrook Overhall
Stuck James, Westwood