LAINDON, or Langdon Clay, is a pleasant village, on the northern declivity ofthe Laindon Hills, 3 miles S. by E. of Billericay, and 7miles S.E. by E. of Brentwood. Its parish contains 412 inhabitants, and 2300 acres ofland, exclusive of Basildon chapelry, which is consolidated with it ecclesiastically, under the name of Laindon-cum-Basildon, as afterwards noticed; but they support their poor as two separate townships. Since Domesday Survey, the manor of Laindon, or Langdon, has been held by the successive Bishops ofLondon; but part of the soil belongs to John Offin, and W. and J. Roper, Esqrs., and several other proprietors. The Church (St. Nicholas) stands on rising ground, and has a nave, south aisle, and chancel, with a wooden tower and spire. It was restored in 1854.
It had a chantry, founded and largely endowed in 1329, by Thomas Berdefeld, for a chaplain to pray for his soul for ever, at the altar of the Virgin Mary and St. Thomas the Martyr. Some ancient gravestones in the church have several figures of persons in religious habits, but the inscriptions are gone. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £35. 6s. 8d., and in 1831 at £779, with the perpetual curacy of Basildon annexed to it, is in the patronage of the Bishop of Rochester, and incumbency of the Rev. J. F. Colls, D.D., who, in 1859, erected a handsome Rectory House in Basildon chapelry, at the cost of about £4000. In 1617, John Puckle left in trust, for charitable uses, a farm of 624acres, called Puckle’s, and now let for about £70 a-year. The rent of this farm having greatly exceeded the sums directed by the donor to be paid for charitable uses, a new scheme for the future administration of the charity was confirmed by the Court of Chancery in 1881, and under it the rent is applied yearly as follows:-£4 to the poor of Great Burstead parish ; £20 to the master of Laindon School, for teaching 20 poor children of this parish; £1 for a sermon on St. John’s day; and about £45 in distributions of coals and clothing among the poor parishioners- except what it maybe necessary to deduct for repairs, &c. The poor of this parish have also a yearly rent-charge of £4, left by an unknown doñor, out of an estate called the Vineyard, in Fobbing parish.
Post Office at Chas. Buckenham’s, Letters via Billericay.
Bayford Jonth.wheelwright & carpenter
Bridge Samuel, victualler, Fortune of War
Colls Rev. John Flowerdew, D.D. Rectory
Hollowbread Hezekiah, beerhouse
Horn John, baker, Common
Hornsby James, schoolmaster, &c.
Hunt Stephen, victualler, Duke’s Head
Lee Warner Rev. Thomas, curate
Miller William, blacksmith
Pond James, grocer, &c.
Spurgeon Richard, gent. Frith Villa
Woodfine Thomas, wheelwright
FARMERS.
Buckenham Charles, Laindon Pond
Dalliston John
Drory James
Hollowbread Hy.
Clark Henry
Horslen James, Noke Bridge
Hunt John
Offin John, Esq.
Peck Samuel, Common
Jefferies James
Moss Benjamin
Pryer Mrs Jane
King Mrs
Richardson Thomas
Cole William
Rivers John David, Salmons Farm
Roper Thomas, Watch House Farm
Roper John
Roper William
Scotchman Mrs Jane