Roydon Parndon 1848 Whites directory
ROYDON, a pleasant village, is picturesquely seated in the beautiful vale of the river Stort, 5 miles W.S.W. of Harlow, and has a Station on the North Eastern Railway. Its parish contains 976 inhabitants, and 2,994 acres of land, of which 313 souls and 1,303 acres are in Roydon Hamlet, which forms the south side of the parish, and is in Waltham Hundred, near the confluence of the rivers Lea and Stort. The Earl of Mornington is lord of the manor of Roydon Hall ; and J. A. Houblon, Esq. , is lord of the
manors of Nether Hall and Doune Hall, but a great part of the parish belongs to St. Thomas’s Hospital, London; Chas. Phelips, Esq. , and several smaller owners. The copyholds are subject to certain fines. In Edward the Confessor’s reign the parish belonged to Inguar and five other freemen ; and at Domesday survey it was held by Ranulph, brother of Ilger. Roydon Hall manor was granted by Henry I., in 1285, to Robert Fitzwalter, who obtained a charter for a market here every Thursday, and a fair on
August 1st and 2nd, but both have long been obsolete. He afterwards gave the estate to the Knights Templars, from whom it passed to the Knights Hospitallers. After the Dissolution, it was given by Queen Elizabeth to Lord Norreys and others. It was afterwards held by the Cecil and Child families, and passed from the latter to the family of its present owner.
Near the confluence of the two rivers are the ruins of NETHER HALL, which was long the seat of the Colt family. The ancient mansion, which had been convertd into a farm house, was demolished in 1773, except the elegant gateway tower, which is of highly ornamented brick work, with a lofty half hexagonal turret on each side of the entrance, above which there were two
stories, each forming a room measuring 27 feet by 23 , and lighted by large windows ; but the upper one has fallen in. The ceiling of the first story is sustained on wainscot arches, resting on bold trusses, representing griffins, a bear and ragged staff, a spread eagle, a lion and unicorn, &c. On the summit of the gateway are some remains of two curiously twisted chimneys ; and above the entrance is a machicolation, and a trefoil ornament, with shields and fleur- de-lis . The manor of Nether Hall was anciently held by Waltham Abbey, but it became the residence and property of the Colt family in the reign of Edward IV. It was held by them till 1635, after which it passed to the Archers , and from them to the Houblons .
The Church (St. Peter,) is a neat structure, consisting of a nave, north aisle and chancel, with a square embattled tower, containing six bells.
The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £12, and in 1831 at £ 100, is in the patronage of the Earl of Mornington, and incumbency of the Rev. Alfred Pyne BA, who has a small residence, but no glebe. The patron is impropriator of the great tithes, which are commuted for £479, and the small tithes for £140 per annum. In 1729, the vicarage was augmented with £200 of Queen Anne’s Bounty, and £200 given by the Duchess Dowager of Marlborough. Here is an Independent Chapel, built about 40 years ago.
The FREE SCHOOL was founded by John Manning, in 1767, and has a house and garden, occupied by the master, and an endowment of £17 per annum , derived from two cottages , a barn, and about 34A. of land.
There are 15 free scholars , (boys and girls,) appointed by the vicar. The poor have a yearly rent charge of 6s. 8d. out of ” Newman’s Land,” left by Robert Adams. Ahouse and 3A. 3R. of land, called the Church Estate , are let for £10. 17s. per annum, which is carried to the churchwarden’s accounts.
ROYDON PARISH.
Those marked * are in Roydon Hamlet.
POST OFFICE at C. Roe’s. Letters by foot post from Harlow.
*Adams James, beer house
Barltrop James, blacksmith
Booth Mrs. Mary , Roydon Lodge
*Brown John , vict. Black Swan
*Bruty Thomas, vict. Green Man
*Cannon Simon, saddler
Collins Mrs. Sarah
Cook Abraham, shoemaker
Coppen William, shoemaker
Cornell John Philip, shopkeeper
Dowsett Samuel, blacksmith
Garratt Samuel, corn miller
Goodhew William, beer house
Hooper Henry, station master
Lawrance William, baker
Mason William , grocer & draper
Murray Charles, vict. Fox & Hounds
Oates Colonel James
Poole, Mount Pleasant
Pamphilon John, plumber, &c.
Pyne Rev. Alfred, B.A. vic
Roe Charles, schoolmaster
Rodwell William, vict. New Inn
*Sailing Edward, blacksmith
*Sessions Susanna, beer house
*Sibley Joseph , gentleman
Travell John, vict. White Hart
Trayler William , tailor
Tyser John, shopkeeper
Webb John , carrier to London
FARMERS.
Askers George
Brown James
*Brown Joseph
Bull John
*Cannon Daniel
*Cornell Philip
*Harris John
*Heath William
*Holmes John
Iredale Thomas
*James Charles
Parish John,
Nether Hall
Parish John, jun
Patmore James
Pavely Thomas, Doune Hall
Pavely William
*Pegrum Thomas
*Taylor John
Webb Thomas, Temple
RAILWAY
Trains several times aday
CARRIER,
J Webb, to London, Tues. & Fri.