Great Burstead 1863 Whites directory

BURSTEAD, (GREAT) or Great Burghsted, is a pleasant scattered village, near the head of the river Crouch, from 1 to 2 miles S.S.E. of Billericay, and has 722 inhabitants, but its parish comprises 2255 souls, and 3620 acres, of which about one half of the land, and 1533 souls, are in the town and chapelry of Billericay, which maintains its poor jointly with Great Burstead, as one township.
Ingar held the manor of Great Burstead in the Confessor’s reign, but the Conqueror gave it to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, on whose disgrace it reverted to the Crown, and was granted to the Mareschall family. Stratford Abbey had a Grange here, and held most of the parish till the dissolution. In 1551, this estate was granted to Sir Richard Rich, whose descendants held it till 1600, when it was sold to Sir John Petre, an ancestor of Lord Petre, the present lord of the manor, impropriator of the rectory, and owner of most of the soil. The farm called Blund’s Walls, about a mile W. of Billericay, was anciently a seat of the Blund family, and has the latter part of its name from an entrenchment, of which there are still distinct remains, consisting of a ditch and rampart, including about four acres, partly in the farm yard. The rampart is considerably above the level of the fields, but several artificial mounds within the enclosure have been nearly levelled. On a high hill, between Great Burstead and Billericay, have been found, at various periods, fragments of urns, pateræ, and other earthen vessels, about three feet below the surface, together with Roman copper coins and two silver ones, of the emperors Trajan and Adrian.
pper coins and two silver ones, of the emperors Trajan and Adrian. Numerous specimens of vases, urns, &c. , were dug up here in 1847, and these and the other discoveries clearly prove that there was a small Roman Station and burial ground here. The estate called West House, half a mile W. of the parish church, was held by the Lumleys, who sold it to Guy’s Hospital.
The Church (St. Mary) has a nave, with aisles, a chancel, and a north chapel. There are two orna- mental niches on the south side of the communion table ; and the entrance door on the north has a pointed arch, with rich mouldings.
The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £17. 6s. 8d., and in 1831 at £190, is in the patronage of the Rev. Edward Evans and incumbency of the Rev G L Hanson M.A.

Charities – In 1692, Samuel Bayly left to the vicar of Great Burstead, for the time being, and other trustees, a farm at Laindon, in trust, to pay out of the rents such asalary as they thought sufficient, to aschoolmaster, for teaching ten poor children of this parish. The farm comprises 74A. 4P. , and is let for £100 a year, out of which the trustees pay £75 yearly to the master of Billericay Grammar School, for teaching a number of free scholars. In 1733, James Mabbs left £500 to the trustees of the dissenting meeting house in Billericay, for the education of poor children nominated by them. This sum was laid out in the purchase of £580 three-per-cent. consols, and the dividends are paid for the education of ten poor children. As noticed with Laindon, the poor of this parish have £4 yearly from Puckle’s Charity. For distribution in bread, they have the interest of £100, left by Thomas Blatch, in 1800; and for coals and bread, at Christmas, they have £5 yearly from £166. 13s. three-per-cent. consolidated annuities, left by Dr. John Jenner, in 1827. The Poor’s Field, about 2A. of pasture land, is let for £10, which is distributed by the churchwardens inblankets, &c. The poor parishioners have also the dividends of £100 three-per- cent. consols, left by Jas. Chaplin, in 1830.

GREAT BURSTEAD. (See also Billericay.)
Marked * are at South Green, and + at Tye Common.
*Aylett James, baker and shopkeeper
Bennett Eliz . schoolmistress, Slygate
*Boughtwood Samuel, cattle dealer
*Boughtwood Thomas Chas. cattle dealer
Bull Joseph, wheelwright
Clayton John, victualler King’s Head
Coleman John, brewer & beerhouse
Drake William, shoemaker
*Firman Fredk. cattle salesman
Hanson Rev. George Lowdon, M.A. vicar
Harriss Benjamin, blacksmith
Jones Edgar, Esq. The Elms
Lazell William, victualler King’s Arms
*Maples Mr Chas.
Cooch Peter
Mason John Little, baker, &c.
Parker Robert. wheelwright & blacksmith
Redgwell Thomas, beerseller
+Studd Mrs Mary, beerseller
Swan William, coal dealer
Swan Joseph, shopkeeper, Slygate

FARMERS.
Barnard Mrs My.
Ann, Grange
Blyth Geo. Hy. , White’s Farm
Cole William
*Coleman George
Crush Isaac
Drake David
French James
Harriss Richard
Jefferies James
Joslin James
Joslin Peter
Marriage W. & H.
Mee Edw. Dyson
*Pease Joseph
+Philpot Daniel
*Rivers Daniel S.
+Stock John
+Thorogood Hy.
Waylett Wm. Rd.