HORNDON (WEST) is a churchless parish, from 2 to 3 miles S.E. of Brentwood, containing only 64 inhabitants, and 1034 acres of land, mostly in the extensive and beautiful park of THORNDON HALL, the princely seat of Lord Petre, who owns all the parish, and is lord of the manor. The three Horndon parishes are variously called, in old records, Horninduna, Torninduna, and Horndon, and the latter is nowtheir common appellation, though the Hall retains the name of Thorndon. West Horndon adjoins East Horndon, Herongate, and Ingrave ; which are on the east side of the park. It was held by two freemen in the Confessor’s reign, and by Edmund, son of Algot, at the Norman Survey. It afterwards passed successively to the Thany, Brianzon, Drokensford, Neville, Fitz-Lewis, and Mordaunt families. In the reign of Henry VII. , Sir John Fitz-Lewis, who married a daughter of Sir Robert Lovel, had the melancholy fate of being consumed, with his bride, on the wedding night, in a fire which destroyed the manor house. Ela, his sister, being heiress of extensive possessions, was married to Sir John Mordaunt, who had given the King 1300 marks for her wardship.
In the reign of Queen Elizabeth the manor became the property of Sir William Petre, father of John Petre, who, in 1603, was created Baron Petre of Writtle, a title which has descended to the present lord, who is the 12th in succession. Thorndon Hall, the seat of Lord Petre, is situated in an extensive Park, on a fine eminence, about two miles from Brentwood, at the south-eastern extremity of an avenue leading from that town. This extensive and elegant mansion was executed from designs by Paine, and under his inspection. It is built with white brick, and consists of a centre, and two wings, connected by circular corridors. On the north front is a small portico, supported by six Corinthian pillars, fluted. The Hall is a noble room, forty feet square ; the roof is supported by eighteen columns, covered with a composition resembling marble, by Wyatt. In the Dining-Room are various portraits of the Petre family; Henry the Eighth, and Edward the Sixth, apparently by Holbein; James the Second; the Earl of Darnley, whole length; Joan of Arc; the Duke of Buckingham; and some others. The State Bed- Room contains a fine painting of St. Catherine, reading, and leaning on the wheel of Martyrdom. In the Drawing-Room, thirty-eight feet by twenty- six, are portraits of the Dowager Lady Petre, and Mrs. Onslow, by Cosway. The Library, a particularly handsome apartment, is formed over the East Corridor, and resembles a semi-circular gallery. It contains several models of cattle, executedby Garrard, for Lord Petre ; and elegant busts of the Hon. Charles James Fox, R. J. Petre, and R. E. Petre. The Saloon, sixty feetby thirty, is unfinished, but contains a great number ofportraits.
The Chapel (Roman Catholic), which occupies the right wing, is elegantly fitted up, and decorated with a fine painting of the Nativity,
brought from Rome. In a small cemetery in the Park is a beautiful Mortuary Chapel, which was erected in 1854, by Lord Petre, at the cost of about £4000. Under it are interred the remains of the late Lord Petre. The park and grounds extend more thantwo miles in length, and about one in breadth, and command extensive and beautiful prospects. They are well stocked with wood, and the oaks are remarkably massive, and many of the other trees are of great rarity and value. The noble family of Petre were formerly seated at Writtle and Ingatestone. Sir Wm. Petre, the founder of the family, was born at Tor-Brian, in Devonshire, and in 1535 was one of the visitors of the monasteries. He was knighted in 1535,
and became one of the chief secretaries of state in 1543, and so continued till the commencement ofthe reign of Queen Elizabeth.
He died in 1571, and was buried in Ingatestone church, leaving only one son, John, who was created Lord Petre in 1603, as already noticed. West Horndon Church (St. Nicholas), which stood in the park, below the hall, was pulled down in 1734, when this parish was united ecclesiastically with Ingrave, by Act of Parliament, and a new church was erected for them in the latter parish, as afterwards noticed. The consolidated rectories of the united parishes, valued in K.B. at £21. 16s. 8d. , and in 1831 at £347, are in the patronage of Lord Petre, and incumbency of the Rev. Robt. Abercrombie Johnstone, who has, in Ingrave, 82A. of glebe, and a neat residence. The tithes of Ingrave were commuted in 1839, for a yearly rent of £308, and those of West Horndon were given up in 1776 for a yearly modus of £80, pursuant to an act of parliament.
The Rev. Jas. Bamber, of Ingrave, is chaplain to Lord Petre, and officiates at the chapel, in the Hall. The Right Hon. Wm. Bernard Petre, the present LORD PETRE, was born in 1817, and succeeded his father in 1850. He married, in 1843, the eldest daughter of the Hon. Charles Thomas Clifford. His son and heir, the Hon. Wm. Joseph, was born in 1847. His lordship has five brothers.
Thorndon Park extends into Ingrave parish, and the following are mostly in his lordship’s employ:- Alex. Crawford, gardener ; Chas. Squire and Joseph Campbell, farmers ; John Tyler, stud-groom ; and WilliamWalker, farm bailiff.