Aldham 1863 Whites Directory
ALDHAM, a small pleasant village, from five to six miles W. of Colchester, and 4.5 miles E.N.E. of Coggeshall, has in its parish 406 souls, and about 1790 acres of fertile land, crossed by the Colchester and Stour Valley Railway, and including the suburb of FORD STREET, where there is a mill and a bridge on the river Colne, 5 miles W. by N. of Colchester ; and where a fair is held on Easter Tuesday. Ford Street is sometimes called Little Fordham, being now connected with Fordham, on the opposite side ofthe Colne, by a good bridge, on the site of an ancient ford. Aldham parish has its name from the Saxon, Old-ham, or Old village, and was held by the Bishop of Bayeux, brother to the Conqueror, at the time of the Norman survey. It was afterwards held of the Earls of Oxford, as part of their barony of Castle Hedingham. It is now in two manors, viz. , Aldham Hall and Bourchier’s Hall, and T. B. Western, Esq. , is lord of both; but Messrs. W. Austin, J. Lay, J. Green, and J. Mayhew, and several smaller owners, have estates here.
The soil is mostly freehold. Aldham Hall, now a farm-house, is nearly a mile east of the church, and belonged successively to the Wiggeton, Goldington, Cornwallis, Glascock, and other families.
Bourchier’s Hall, near Ford Street, was anciently a seat of the Bourchier family, and afterwards of the Sayers, Marshams, &c. A
great part of it was pulled down many years ago, when the remainder was converted into a farm house.
The Old Church (St. Ann) being in a delapidated state, was taken down in 1854, when the New Church was erected in the centre of the village, half a mile from the site of the old one, at the cost of about £2000 It is a neat structure, in the decorated style, with two stained glass windows, one in memory of the rector’s parents, and the other of Morant, the historian of Essex, over whose remains a marble slab has been placed on the site of the old church. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £13, and in 1831 at £357, is in the patronage of the Bishop of Rochester, and incumbency of the Rev. Chas. Bannatyne, M.A., who has about 23 acres of glebe, and a neat residence in the Elizabethan style. The tithes have been commuted for £405 per annum. Love’s Charity : In 1565, Thomas Love left £120 to be laid out in lands, and the yearly proceeds thereof to be divided equally among the 12 parishes of Aldham, Great and Little Horkesley, Boxted, Langham, Wormingford, Fordham, Lexden, West Bergholt, Nayland, Mount Bures, and Ardleigh, for distribution among the poor. This legacy was laid out in the purchase of about 26A. of land in Lexden, close to the town of Colchester, let for £30 a year from 1828 to 1842 ; but now greatly increased in value, being in great demand for building purposes. A trustee is chosen by each ofthe 12 parishes interested in the charity. The share belonging to Aldham is distributed among the poor parishioners in bread and blankets. The poor of Aldham have also a farm of 16A. OR. 16P. ,
given at an early period by an unknown donor, and now let for £26 a year. After deducting £2 for repairs, the rest is divided in shares of 28s. each to 16 poor parishioners who have been married five years, and do not receive parochial relief. Aldham and United Parishes Insurance Society was established in 1827, and has about 700 members who pay small monthly contributions for mutual relief in cases of sickness and death. They are residents of all the parishes within about 10 miles round Aldham. This useful club is supported by many honorary members, and dispenses more than £1100 annually in relieving its sick members. C. G. Round, Esq. , is president ; and the Hon. and Rev. F. Grimston, secretary.
ALDHAM DIRECTORY.
Marked * are in FORD STREET, where there is a POST OFFICE, at Enoch Bibby’s. Letters via Colchester.
Bannatyne Rev. Chas. M.A. Rectory
Bently Henry, assistant overseer
*BibbyEnoch, saddler, Post Office
*Blackwell James, pig jobber
*Evans William, shopkeeper
*Causdale James, tailor
*Glasson John, baker & shopkeeper
*Hawkes Peter, cooper, hoopmaker and victualler, Coopers’ Arms
*Johnson Thomas James, maltster
*Ladbrook Samuel, wheelwright
Lovell John, toll collector
Mole James, parish clerk
Neep Robert, carpenter
*Palmer Mrs Elizabeth, dressmaker
*Payne Wm. vict. Queen’s Head
Payne John, shoemaker
Rowland Miss Mgt. schoolmistress
*Scott John, shopkeeper
*Wendon Samuel, butcher
FARMERS.
Barritt Walter, Aldham Hall
Bently Samuel, Hill Farm
*Green Jas. miller (and W. Bergholt)
Lay John G. (and at Great Tey)
Mayhew Jas. Coleman, Church House
Mayhew Fras. Hy.
Nice Benj.
Partridge James, Hoe Farm
Pettitt John, Checkley (and Great Tey)
Scillitoe James (and seed grower)
Stebbing Robert Rule, Bourchier’s Hall