BOREHAM, a scattered village on and nearthe Colchester road, and the Eastern Counties Railway, from 3 to 4 miles N.E. of Chelmsford, and 5 miles S.W. of Witham, has in its parish 989 souls, and 3740 acres of land, including 162A. of wood, and 40A. of waste. The soil is various, but generally very fertile, and the surface picturesquely undulated. The Chelmer bounds the parish on the south, and receives here a tributary stream from the woodlands, near New Hall. The parish was formerly divided into six manors, viz.: Old Hall, New Hall, Brent Hall, Porters, Culverts, and Walkefares ; but the soil is freehold, and most of it belongs to Sir John Tyssen Tyrell, Bart. , who resides at BOREHAM HOUSE, a large and handsome white brick mansion, originally built by Benj Hoare, Esq. , about 1730, and embellished with fine marbles, and other materials taken from New Hall. It is approached by an avenue of stately trees, between which there is a fine sheet of water.
The centre is in the Vanbrugh style of architecture, and the wings are light, and terminated by arches, flanked by columns. The principal apartments are of large dimensions, and fitted up with much taste. The park is rich in sylvan beauties, and commands fine views of the vale of the Chelmer. The Tyrell Family is descended from Sir Walter Tyrell, who accidentally slew King William Rufus, and held the manor of Langham, in Essex. For fifteen generations after him, the head of the family was always knighted; and in 1673, Sir John Tyrell was created a baronet, but the title became extinct in 1766. The late Sir John Tyrell married the heiress of William Tyssen, Esq. , of Waltham House, Herts, and was created a baronet in 1809. His son, the present worthy baronet, was born in 1795, and succeeded to the title and family estates in 1832.
NEWHALL, a large ancientmansion on the north-west side of the parish, near Springfield, was so called to distinguish it from the ancient manor house, which stood near the church. As some recompense for the services and sufferings of his family, in the cause of the House of Lancaster, Henry VII. granted New Hall to Thomas Butler, Earl of Ormond, with a
license to build walls and towers about it. It passed with one of his daughters, in marriage to Sir William Boleyn. After Henry VIII. had married Lady Anne Boleyn, New Hall became a royal residence, and here the King kept the feast of St. George, in 1524. His daughter, the Princess Mary, resided here several years, and added considerably to the extent and magnificence of the mansion. Queen Elizabeth granted it to the Earl of Sussex; and it was sold with the mansion, in 1620, to the renowned George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, for £30,000. In 1650, it was seized by Parliament, and given to Oliver Cromwell, who exchanged it for Hampton Court; but when Charles II. ascended the throne, it was restored to the
second Duke of Buckingham, who sold it to General Monk, Duke of Albemarle, who lived here in great splendour. The second Duke of Albemarle was governor of Jamaica, where he died in 1688, without issue.
Benj. Hoare, Esq. , purchased the reversion of this and other estates, and in 1737, sold New Hall to John Olmius, Esq. , afterwards created Lord Waltham of Ireland. He took down a large portion of the mansion and added several new offices. There was formerly a splendid chapel belonging to the mansion, and when it was taken down, its beautiful stained glass window was removed to the church of St. Margaret, in Westminster. For many years, New Hall has been occupied as a NUNNERY, by a community of nuns of the order of the Holy Sepulchre, who were driven from Leige, in Germany, during the French Revolution. Besides their religious occupations, the nuns are engaged in the education of about 60 young ladies of the Roman Catholic faith. Mrs. Blount is the reverend mother ; the Rev. Fras. Lythgoe, director of the nuns and scholars ; and the Rev. Fras. Brownbill, chaplain. New Hall originally consisted of two extensive quadrangles, but three sides of both of them were taken down many years ago, and some modern offices added to the wings of the principal or western front, which is in the Tudor style, and has six large bay windows inthe first and second stories, with stone mullions, and is finished with a parapet, evidently of modern construction. The great hall is 45 feet high, 20 long, and 50 broad ; and has been elegantly fitted up as a chapel for the nuns, scholars, and the Catholics of the neighbourhood. The altar-piece is a fine painting of the Crucifixion, by Le Brun. Queen Elizabeth’s arms ornament the porch over the entrance ; and over a door in the eastern front, are the arms of Henry VIII. , finely executed in freestone. The grounds attached to New Hall, comprise about 30 acres, mostly enclosed by a wall, and approached through an iron gate on the Chelmsford road, where a noble avenue of trees extends to the mansion. The farm buildings, and the priest’s house, are at a distance from the hall, in the northern parts of the grounds. The farm of Bull’s Lodge, (a corruption of Boleyn’s Lodge) , was formerly part of New Hall Park. The house is in the Tudor style, and is said to have been often visited by Anne Boleyn.
BOREHAM CHURCH (St. Andrew), is an interesting structure, exhibiting every style ofarchitecture, from the Saxon of the ninth, to the perpendicular Gothic of the fifteenth century. A square embattled tower, containing six bells, rises between the nave and chancel. The latter is spacious, and on the south side of it is the Sussex chapel, built by Sir Thos. Ratcliffe, as a burial place for his family ; but it has lately been rebuilt. In the vault beneath, are 12 coffins, bearing various dates, from 1581 to 1643. In the chapel is a splendid monument, erected by Thomas, Earl of Suffolk, to perpetuate the memory of his noble relatives and himself. On the top are recumbent effigies in armour, of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Earls of Suffolk, of the Ratcliffe family ; the latter of whom was the founder of the chapel, and died in 1583. The inscriptions are in Latin, engraved in deep tables of blackmarble, with costly borders of Egyptian porphyry. In the chancel are several mural tablets, belonging to the Bramston family ; and in the churchyard is the handsome mausoleum of the Walthams, built in 1764, of stone and white brick, in imitation of the octagonal Temple of the Winds, at Athens. The last of the family who died at New Hall, was interred here. The rectory of Boreham was appropriated, at an early period, to the Deanand Chapter of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, but is now held by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and let on lease to T. W. Bramston, Esq. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £14. 3s. , and in 1831, at £432, was endowed with part of the great tithes in 1292. The Bishop of Rochester is patron, and the Rev. Charles John Way, M.A., incumbent. The tithes were commuted in 1841- the vicarial, for £440, and the rectorial, for £680 per annum. National Schools were built in the Tudor style in 1847, for about 120 children.
CHARITIES. In 1716, Edmund Butler, Esq., vested in trust an estate of 1934. to provide for the education and clothing of poor children, of the parishes of Boreham and Little Baddow. This estate is now let for only £120 a year, being heavy poor land. It lies within a ring fence, in the parishes of Stow Maries, Cold Norton, Woodham Ferrers, and Purleigh.
In 1830, the trustees purchased two cottages at Little Baddow, now let for £11 ; and they have also £430 Three and a half per cent. Stock, purchased with savings of income. They pay £25 each to the schoolmasters of Boreham and Little Baddow, for the education of 50 poor children (boys and girls) , of whom they provide clothing for 20 in each parish.
William Allen, T. Hodges, and others, were appointed trustees in 1811. For teaching six poor girls, a schoolmistress in Boreham, has a yearly rent charge of £3, left by Robert Clough, in 1725, out of a house and 20 acres of land, now belonging to Mr. Stubbings. In 1652, William Ward left a yearly rent-charge of £6 out of Culverts Farm, to be given in clothing to four poor widows by the churchwardens, who also distribute among the poor parishioners, in bread, the dividends of £119. 11s. 8d. Three per cent. Consols, purchased with £100 left by Lady Falkland, who, in 1776, left various sums to other parishes, for charitable uses. Boreham parish sends two poor men to Tweedy’s Almshouses, at Stock.
BOREHAM.
POST OFFICE at Mrs. Ann Shead’s. Letters via Chelmsford.
Algar John, victualler, Red Lion
Anderson Charles, baker & plasterer
Ardley Mark, victualler, Cock
Argent Henry, parish clerk
Blount Mrs A. M. lady superior, New Hall Nunnery
Brewster Miss Eliza
Burgess Miss
Brownbill Rev Fras (Catholic) New Hall
Cliff William, wheelwright
De Crespigny Capt Adjutant, H O C
Everard George,swine dealer
Fuller William Harvey, saddler & shopkeeper
Haselfoot Chas. Esq. Manor House
Lythgoe Rev. Fras. (Cath.) New Hall
Moggridge Arthur, corn miller
Saunders Joseph, tailor
Seabrook William, gent. Brent Hall
Shead Mrs Ann, postmistress
Stammers Thomas, beerseller
Tyrell Sir John Tyssen, Bart. Boreham House
Way Rev. Chas. John M.A, vicar
FARMERS.
Algar William
Brewster James
Buttle Edward, and salesman
Cousins John and Charles, Stocks
Felton Charles Edward, Brick House
French Robert, Bull’s Lodge
Gibling George, Boreham Hall
Harvey Thomas, Porters
Hurrell John William, Culverts
Ketley Mrs Elizabeth, Wallace’s
Marriage William & Hy. Mount Mascalls
Pertwee James, and machine owner Seabrook
Mrs Hannah, & butcher
Stubbings William and cattle dealee
Blacksmiths
Harris John
Worsley Richard
CARPENTERS .
Beardwell Thomas
Lucking Chas.
Phillipson A.
SCHOOLS.
Laurie Miss
Lewin Jas & Mrs Newhall Nunnery
Mrs Blount
Nichols Miss
SHOEMAKERS.
Brown Thomas
Clarke Samuel
Smith Edward
Stanimers Wm.
SHOPKEEPERS.
Chapman Thomas
Chapman T. jun.
Lucking Chas.
Smith Wm. and brewer
CARRIERS
Pass to Chelmsford &c.