Coggeshall 1848 Whites Directory
COGGESHALL, a small ancient town, is pleasantly situated on the north side of the river Blackwater, and on the Colchester and Braintree road, 9 miles W. by S. of Colchester, 5½ miles E. of Braintree, and 3 miles N. by W. of Kelvedon. It has afair for pedlery, &c. , on Whit-Tuesday, but its market, formerly held on Thursday, is now disused. It was one of the earliest seats of the woollen manufacture in this county, and was celebrated for a kind of bays, or baize, of superior fineness, called ” Coggeshall Whites, ” in making which many persons acquired large fortunes, and one of them, Mr. Thomas Guyon, died here in 1664, worth nearly £100,000. This trade declined many years ago, and was succeeded by the silk manufacture, which still gives employment to many of the inhabitants, though it is now in a depressed state ; and a large mill, built about ten years ago, for the manufacture of French patent silk plush, for hats, is now closed. Here are several silk velvet weaving establishments, and a large silk throwsting mill ; and many females in the town are employed in the tambour lace trade. The parish of GREAT COGGLESHALL contains 2596A. IR. 35P. of land, besides about 40A. of roads, &c.; and had 2469 inhabitants, in 1831 , and 3408 in 1841. With it is ecclesiastically consolidated the parish of LITTLE COGGESHALL, in Witham Hundred , on the opposite side of the river. The latter was celebrated for its abbey, and had two churches, but has only 443 souls, and 1002A. of land. Morant affirms that the town owes its existence to the abbey, which, after its foundation, ” drew round it a number of inhabitants and dependants ; ” but some other antiquaries, and particularly Mr. Drake, suppose it to have been of Roman origin ; indeed, that gentleman argues strongly in favour of its being the Canonium of Antoninus, which others have placed at Writtle, and some at Chelmsford.
Drake endeavours to corroborate his opinion that Coggeshall is the site of the station Canonium, by mentioning some Roman coins and other antiquities found in the vicinity. In an arched brick vault, near the town, was found a phial with alamp in it, covered with a Roman tile, 14 inches in diameter ; and also some urns, with ashes and bones, and two sacrificing dishes of polished red earth, having at the bottom of one of them, in fair Roman letters, the inscription ” Coccili M.” At Westfield, which belonged to the abbey, was found a large brazen pot, and the ploughman who found it sent for the abbot to examine it. The mouth of the pot was closed with a white substance, as hard as burnt brick ; when that was removed, there was found another pot, of earth ; and within it, a lesser pot, of earth, covered with a velvet-like substance, fastened with a silk lace; and within this were found whole bones, and many pieces of small bones, wrapped up in fine silk, of fresh colour. These remains, though insufficient to prove that Coggeshall was a Roman station, are admitted as evidence that it was a Roman villa.
In Edward the Confessor’s reign, the lordship of Great and Little Coggeshall was held by Colo, a Saxon ; and at the Domesday survey, it was held by Eustace, Earl of Boulogne, whose heiress, Maud, conveyed it to the crown by her marriage with Stephen, Earl of Blois, afterwards king. In 1142, Stephen and his queen founded an ABBEY here, near the river, in Little Coggeshall, for Cistercian monks, and having dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, endowed it with this and other manors. In 1203, King John granted the abbot and monks permission to enclose and impark their wood at Coggeshall ; and in 1247, they obtained liberty of free warren from Henry III. , who also invested them with the privileges of holding a weekly market, and an eight days’ annual fair. In the reign of Edward III., the monks founded a chantry in their church , to pray daily for the king, the queen, and their issue ; in consideration of which, the king, in 1344, granted them a hogshead of red wine, to be delivered every Easter, out of the royal cellar. A second chantry was founded here, in 1407, by Joan de Bohun, Countess of Hereford, and others, who bestowed some valuable estates upon the monks for its support. On the surrender of the abbey, in 1538, its annual revenues were valued at £298.8s. In the same year, the site of the abbey, and the manor of Coggeshall and other estates, were granted to Sir Thos, Seymour, but in 1541, he exchanged them with the king for other possessions. Queen Mary, in the first year of her reign, granted the manors of Great and Little Coggeshall, Home Grange, a water mill, and the fishery of the river, to the wife of Thos. Laventhorpe, for life. Afterwards they passed, with Monk-wood and Little-wood, to Sir Henry Bromley. In 1604, they were held by Cyprian Warner and others, and afterwards by the Mayhews and Lydes. The heiress of N. Lyde, Esq. , (who also bought the dairy farms of Cardhall and Capons,) conveyed these manors and estates, in marriage, to Richard du Cane, Esq. , whose posterity have held them to the present time. Capt. Charles Du Cane, of Boxted, is the present lord of the manors of both parishes, but a great part of the soil belongs to J. Bullock, O. Hanbury, R. M. White, F. U. Pattisson, T. Batt, T. Sadler, C. J. Skingley, J. Hall, and J. Mayhew, Esqs. , and several lesser owners, some of whom have neat mansions here.
All that remains of the abbey is part of the church, now thatched and converted into a barn. It is in the form of a nave, chancel, and porch, and the east window is in three lights, apparently about the age of Henry III . The walls are chiefly of flint, with brick dressings. In the vicinity is a bridge of three arches, originally built by King Stephen, over a channel that was cut to convey the water of the river nearer to the abbey. OLDFIELD GRANGE, a handsome seat, about a mile N.W. of the town, is the property and residence of Osgood Hanbury, Esq. , and gives name to a manorwhich has a pound for waifs and strays.
High-field is the seat of R. M. White, Esq.; and Leeze House is the residence of Mrs. Skingley. Bourchier’s, vulgarly called Bowser’s Grange, is a farm which anciently belonged to the Bourchier family, and was afterwards held by the Smiths and Gurdons. Under the names of Coggeshall Magna-cum- Membris, and Coggeshall Parva, the two parishes form part of the Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster. John Mayhew, Esq. , is deputy coroner for those parts of this extensive liberty which are in this county. Some part of Little Coggeshall was given to Canterbury Cathedral, before the Conquest, by Earl Godwin, and that parish has since been considered a peculiar, in the spiritual jurisdiction of the Archbishop, under his commissary, the dean of Bocking, at whose court a sidesman is chosen every year, who pays 6s. 8d. as an acknowledgment. Mr. John Mayhew is secretary, and Mr. Joseph Denney, manager of the Gas Works. The town is partly on low ground, bordering on the river, but mostly on the acclivity,
whence it was anciently called Sunnedon, or Sunny bank.
Great Coggeshall CHURCH (St. Peter,) stands pleasantly in the highest part of the town, and is a large stone fabric, in the decorated style, with a square tower and six bells. It has a lofty nave and side aisles, separated by elegant light clustered pillars, supporting pointed arches. It is neatly pewed, and has a good organ, purchased by subscription, in 1819. It had formerly two endowed chantries and twelve obits, and on the walls are several neat monuments. One of the latter is in memory of the Hon. Robert Townsend, who served in the seven campaigns of the Duke of Marlborough. The living is a vicarage, valued in K.B. at £11.3s. 4d. , and in 1831 at £230, and now enjoyed by the Rev. W. J. Dampier, M.A., who has a good residence, and 16 acres of glebe. Capt. Charles Du Cane is the patron, and the great tithes belong to him and several other impropriators,
among whom are T. B. Western, Esq. , and C. J. Skingley, now a minor. The tithes are about to be commuted, and they belonged to the abbey till 1223, when the Bishop of London appointed a vicar, and obliged the monks to give up for his maintenance part of the small tithes, and 20A. of glebe. The inhabitants of Little Cogyeshall dispute their liability to pay vicarial tithes, or to contribute towards the reparation of the church, though they have been accommodated here with sittings, &c. , since their own two churches went to decay, viz. , the Abbey Church and St. Nicholas’s, the latter of which was built by the parishioners. Tradition says, the bells of the abbey church were sent to Kelvedon. The Baptists, Independents, Wesleyans, and the Society of Friends, have chapels in the town ; and here is a National and also a British School, the former built about 1840, and having dwellings for the master and mistress, and separate rooms for boys, girls, and infants. Here are also various Charities for the poor, and an endowed Free School, as noticed below. The Coggeshall Literary and Mechanics’ Institution, was established in 1847, under the presidency of W. P. Honeywood, Esq. , and it already numbers about 130 members. Its lecture and reading rooms are in Church street. The Coggeshall and United Parishes Agricultural Society holds its meetings here, and is liberally supported by the gentlemen and farmers of the town and neighbourhood. The Rev. John Owen, D.D. , a learned and voluminous writer, was born here in 1616, and became a favourite preacher to Cromwell, who made him vice-chancellor. He and his father held the vicarage here, as also did James Boys, who was remarkable for the ” infinite number of sermons of his own composition which he left behind him,” and for his Exposition of the Thirty- nine Articles.
In 1580 Thos. Paycock left £200 to be laid out in lands, and the yearly proceeds to be divided among the poor of Great and Little Coggeshall, in wood, and white and red herrings. The property purchased with this legacy is now let for £58 a year, and consists of 6A. of garden ground, a pasture of 5A. , and two fields containing 12A. , all in the parish of Halstead.
Pursuant to a decree of Commissioners of Charitable Uses, in 1613, only £3 of the yearly income is distributed among the poor of Little Coggeshall, and the rest among the poor of Great Coggeshall, under the name of wood money. In 1588 an ancient chapel then used for the corn market, and a small garden adjoining, were conveyed to 18 trustees, for the use and benefit of the Companies of Fullers and Weavers, until the purchase money advanced by them was repaid ; and afterwards for the benefit of the poor.
This old Market House was pulled down in 1787, and the site of it and the garden now forms part of the Market hill, and yields about 20s. a-year, in stallages, paid at the fair. Belonging to the same trust are two cottages in Back lane, let for £2. 10s., and the Clock Tower. The latter stands on land belonging to Crane’s Charity, and the two cottages were built with £50 belonging to the poor, among whom the rent is divided, with Paycock’s and other charities. Four Almshouses adjoining the above-named cottages, were built with charity money, on land given byJoseph Greenwood, in 1795. The inmates are appointed by the overseers and churchwardens. In 1601, JOHAN SMITH left £400 to be invested in the purchase of an annuity to be applied in weekly distributions of bread among the poor of Coggeshall and Bocking. In respect of this charity the two parishes have, in equal shares, a yearly rent charge of £15 out of the rectory of East Tilbury. In 1618 Jane Gooday left for the poor of Great Coggeshall £30, which in 1718 was vested in a yearly rent charge of 32s. out of a house in East street. This annuity is applied in needful clothing for the aged poor. In 1664 Thomas Guyon left £200 for the most honest aged poor, and it was invested in a
yearly rent charge of £10. 8s. out of Windmill Fields. This is distributed in weekly doles of bread, together with a yearly rent charge of £13, left by Sir Mark Guyon, in 1678, out of Highfield Farm, now belonging to Rd. M. White, Esq. In 1669 SAMUEL CRANE, left for the benefit of the poor, his house in Stoneham street, now in four compartments, two of which are let for £4. 10s.; a third is the Clock Tower, already noticed ; and the fourth is alarge upper room, in which Hitcham’s Charity School is kept. The £4. 10s. is distributed with the wood money, as also is £9. 4s. per annum, derived from the rents of three tenements in Church street, left by Anthony Hibben. The poor of Little Coggeshall have £8 a year out of Roman’s Farm, at East Haningfield, left by Ann Richardson.
HITCHAM’S CHARITY SCHOOL, &c.-The property belonging to this charity is vested with the Master and Fellows of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and consequently the late Charity Commissioners did not enquire into it. Sir Robert Hitcham, Kt. , of Ipswich, by will, in 1636, settled the castle and manors of Framlingham and Saxtead, in Suffolk, on the Master and Fellows of Pembroke Hall, in trust for the erection of a workhouse at Framlingham, ” to set the poor of that parish, and those of Debenham and Coggeshall, to work; and for the foundation of Almshouses and Schools at the same place, for the said poor, as well as for apprenticing poor children. For many years poor children and almspeople were sent from Coggeshall to Framlingham, but the distance rendering this expensive and inconvenient, law suits arose among the parties concerned ; and it was appointed by the parliament of Oliver Cromwell, in 1658, that the College should pay to the town of Coggeshall £150 per annum ; which sum should be paid to 12 trustees, in half-yearly moieties; and be employed by them in the support of a workhouse and a school ; and in binding out apprentices, and in sending some of the grammar scholars to Pembroke Hall College, Cambridge. The schoolmaster is appointed by the Master and Fellows of the said College, and they now allow him a yearly salary of £80, for which he is required to trustees teach grammar . , reading, and writing to 30 free scholars, appointed by the trustees.
COGGESHALL DIRECTORY.
Those marked 1 are in Church street ; 2, East street ; 3, Market hill ; 4, Stoneham street ; 5, West street ; 6, in LITTLE COGGESHALL ; 7, at Gravel ; 8, in Bridge street ; 9 , South street ; 10, Stock street ; 11, in Colchester road ; and 12 , at Robin’s Bridge.
The POST OFFICE is on Market hill, and Mr. Samuel Sprague is the postmaster ; and James Simmons, the letter carrier. Letters are received at 8 morning, and despatched at 9 night, via Kelvedon.
MISCELLANY.
1 Aldous Francis, parish clerk
Ardleigh John, engineer, Gas Works
6 Barrett Mrs Susanna
7 Batt Thomas, gentleman
4 Bonner Philip, organist
1 Brown Rev. George, B.A. curate
1 Clarke Elijah, town crier
3 Cooper William, bank manager
Corder Miss Jane, Gravel
Dampier Rev. William Jas. M.A. Vicarage
1 Elkins Henry, chimney sweeper
6 Evans Robert, toll collector
1 Evans Ephraim, schoolmaster
1 Godfrey Misses Mary and Emma
8 Grange James Cox, velvet entter
Hall Jno. silk throwster, Orchard Mill
Hanbury Osgood, Esq. Oldfield Grange
1 Hunwick Francis, carrier, &c.
1 Hunt Mrs Sarah, gentlewoman
4 Kay Rev. John, ( Independt. min.)
1 Mayhew John, solicitor and deputy coroner for Duchy of Lancaster
1 Moore Chas., sen. bank agent, &c.
3 Nott Mr William Francis
1 Pattisson Fisher Unwin, Esq.
2 Potter Win. collector
1 Ruffle Mary, carrier
2 Rolph Eliz.
4 Sadler Thomas, solicitor
7 Simmons James, postman
Skingley Mrs Ann, Leeze House
2 Smith Chas. estate agent & valuer
3 Sprague Samuel, postmaster
1 Stevens Mrs Maria
3 Surridge Joseph Smith, auctioneer, &c. (and Inworth)
5 Swinborne Brothers, ( Wm. & Thos.) tanners, fellmongers, and curriers
Swinborne Misses, West street
2 Swinborne, Unwin, and Co. woolstaplers, &c.
2 Till William, poor rate collector
Townsend Capt. Richd. Gravel House
2 Unwin Fisher, gentleman
2 Unwin Stephen, sen. & jun. woolstaplers ; house Mount House
5 Wash John, coach builder
5 White Mrs S.
White Rd. Meredith, Esq. Highfield
4 Willsher Benjamin, currier
BANKERS.
3 London & County, William Cooper, mngr.
3 Sparrow, Round, and Co , Charles Moore, sen. agent
FIRE AND LIFE OFFICES.
2 Alliance, Charles Smith
1 Clerical , Medical & General, W.L.Oliver
1 Dissenters’ & General, Matts. Gardner
3 Essex Economic, Chas. Moore, sen.
2 Essex & Suffolk Equitable, D.Leaper
3 Royal Exchange, J. S. Surridge
3 Suffolk & General County, W. Doubleday
INNS AND TAVERNS .
2 Bird in Hand, James Sibly Emberson
Black Boy, (unoccupied)
4 Black Horse, William French
1 Bull, Edmund Smee
3 Chapel Inn, George Winter
5 Fleece Inn, John Richmond
1 Greyhound, Adam Eavery
6 Hare and Hounds, Ann Turner
6 King’s Arms, William Gardner, (and maltster and spirit merchant)
3 Red Lion, John Cleveland
2 Swan, Daniel Balls
3 White Hart, Charles Baker Webb
5 White Horse, Rebecca Pilgrim
1 Woolpack, Sarah Buck
ACADEMIES.
British School, Ephraim Evans
8 Corder Eliz
4 Free School, Henry Emery
1 Heward Miss
5 National School , Peacocke Aungier and Mary B. Catchpool
6 Snell Mrs Sarah
BAKERS .
3 Bell Richard
2 Brown John
6 Coe David
7 Denney Alfred
1 Hunwick Jas.
1 Mount John
1 Prior Nehemiah
3 Pudsey Henry
4 Simmons Jeremiah
4 Strutt John
BASKET MAKERS.
3 Mount William
8 White William
BEER HOUSES.
11 Gunton Samuel.
1 Hunwick Fras.
4 Lawrence Fras.
4 Pilgrim Joseph.
4 Rowland North
2 Warren John
BLACKSMITHS.
8 Baxter Thomas
4 Dalton Jacob
2 Hunwick Fras. jun.
4 Lawton James
2 Nunn Joseph
8 Pudney James
BOOKSELLERS, &C
3 Doubleday Hy.
1 Gardner Mths.
2 Rout Maria
BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS.
1 Anthony Isaac
1 Beckwith William Jennings
1 Fairs Sophia
3 Johnson Edw.
7 Prentice Geo.
1 Smee Edmund
6 Spooner John
2 Till William (and collector)
1 Willsher Habk
BREWERS .
1 Beard George and William
4 Beard Isaac
6 Gardner William
1 Hunwick Fras
6 Skingley Samuel
BRICK MAKERS
2 Denney Joseph
Sadler Thomas
BRICKLAYERS
2 Denney Joseph
11 Turner William
BUTCHERS.
2 Browning Rd.
1 Candler Edm.
2 Goodey Wm.
1 Hills Francis
6 Hills Joseph
3 Neep John
CABINET MAKERS
1 Buck Win.
1 GardnerMaths.
1 Hunwick Jas.
2 Leaper Daniel
2 Rout Maria
CARPENTERS (And Builders)
1 Beard Geo. & Wm.
4 Beard Isaac
4 Ely John
1 Gardner Maths
CHEMISTS AND DRUGGISTS.
3 Knott Wm. F.
1 OliverWm. Lemon(shareboker)
3 Pridgeon Wm. Read
CHINA, GLASS, &c. DEALERS.
3 Doubleday Wm.
3 Knight John
CLOTHES DEALERS.
3 Doubleday Wm.
1 Matthews Wm.
3 Moore Henry
1 Smee Edmd.
3 Smith Mary
COAL DEALERS.
4 Cole Wm.
9 Hunwick Fras.
5 Hutley John
12 Lewsey John
CONFECTIONERS.
3 Durrant Sarah
3 Pudsey Henry
3 Pudsey Em. & J.
1 Mount John
COOPERS .
Brasier Samuel
3 Mount Wm.
7 Wheeler Thomas
CORN DEALERS.
4 Beard Isaac
4 Johnson Edw.
6 Skingley Saml.
7 Spooner Geo.
CORN MILLERS .
6 Appleyard Wm., Abbey mill
6 Barnard Chas.
4 Lewsey James
FARMERS.
(+ only Cowkeepers)
Dennis Wm. Gentry, Hovels
1 Eavery Adam
2 Hills Francis
5+Hutley John
2+Johnson Jas .
4+Lewsey John
6 Newman C., Scripps
10 Pilgrim John
5 Rayner Geo.
6 Sach Jph. , Abbey Farm
Sach Joseph , Bourchier’s grange
6 Skingley Mrs. A.
6 Skingley Joseph
6 Unwin Jacob, Grange
Unwin Stephen, MountHouse
5 Warricker Ant.
FURNITURE BROKERS
1 Clark Elijah
1 Foster Joseph
8 Grange Jas. Cox
2 Leaper Daniel Thomas
1 Matthews Wm. Thomas
2 Rout Sophia
GARDENERS, &c.
1 Anthony Isaac
11 Bright Edw.
3 Doubleday Wm, jun.
7 Evans Thomas
French Thomas
1 Hills Harry
1 Jepp James
2 Johnson James
7 King Jn. Kemp
5 King Wm.
5 Polley Saml.
1 Prior Nehemiah
1 Raven Nathaniel
7 Rowland Samuel
1 Ruffle Mary
2 Smith Charles
1 Willis Harry
5 Wood Wm.
GREEN GROCERS.
1 Anthony Isaac
4 Everitt Jas. (& fishmonger)
1 Fenn Edward
2 Leaper Maria
4 Plastow Jacob
8 Pudsey Henry
GROCERS, &c.
3 Bell Richard
7 Denney Alfred
3 Doubleday Wm.
7 Good Geo.
3 Moore Chs.jun.
3 Neep John
4 Popham James
7 Revitt Fras. (& Baptist min.)
HORSE, &C. LETTERS.
8 Cook Henry
4 French Wm.
1 Hunwick Fras.
IRONFOUNDER.
3 Kirkham Richard Meredith
IRONMONGERS.
2 Willet Johu
1 WoodwardEdw.
LACE WORKERS.
(Tambour.)
8 Alger Orpah
Crossby Wm.
4 Dalton Jacob
4 Lawton James
1 Luckhurst Dl.
4 Popham James
4 Spurge John
LINEN & WOOLLEN DRAPERS.
3 Doubleday Wm.
3 Kettle Thomas
1 Moore Charles
MALTSTERS
1 Beard Geo. and Wm.
4 Beard Isaac
3 Evans Thomas
6 Gardner Wm.
6 Skingley Samuel
MILLINERS.
7 Brasier Abigail
7 Fincham Reba.
7 Kent Ann, M. & E
2 Potter Charlotte.
2 White Eliz
PERFUMERS AND HAIR DRESSERS.
2 Kent Elijah
1 Rowland Danl.
3 Spurge Richard
PLUMBRS. , PAINTERS, & GLAZIERS
7 Brasier Abigail
3 Cawston Robert
SADDLERS.
3 Durrant Rehl.
2 Evans Sarah
8 Kirkham Rd. M.
SHOPKEEPERS . (See also Grocers.)
2 Brown John
6 Coe David
1 Everett James
5 Hutley John
8 Pudney James
3 Pudsey Ema. &J
2 Reeve Wm.
3 Spurge Sarah
3 Theedon Wm.
3 Till Wm.
SILK MANUFASCTURERS.
1 Gachet Louis, (plush)
5 Clark Samuel
6 Goodson Benjamin and Son
5 Hall John ( & throwster) Orchard mill
1 Westmacott Thos. (velvet)
STRAW HAT MAKERS
7 Kent Misses
1 Lawrence Sar.
5 Leaper Lucy
3 Spurge Sarah
1 Surry Eliza
SURGEONS.
2 Giles Harold ( & registrar)
3 Nott Wm. Fras.
1 Nott Jas. Stuart
1 Tompkin Thos.
1 Whitmore Hy.
TAILORS.
2 Clemence Sarah
2 Cox Samuel
12 Good Walter Thomas
1 Denney Benj.
3 Herbert Jn. & W.
11 Knight Fdk.
3 Moore Henry
TINNERS
8 Griffith Benjamin
2 Willet John
WATCH MAKERS.
2 Bennett James
3 Knight John
TOY DEALERS
1 Anthony Jacob
3 Durrant Sarah A.
WHEELWRIGHTS.
5 Leaper Ephm.
7 Leaper Stephen
6 Snell Shadrach
2 Surry Thos.
5 Wash Jno. (& coach builder)
7 Wheeler Thos.
WHITESMITHS.
3 KirkhamRd.M.
1 Woodward Edw.
CONVEYANCES.
Mail from Melford, and Coach from Sudbury, Halstead, &c. to meet the Railway Trains at Kelvedon,
daily; and an Omnibus to Braintree and Colchester, every Tues. Thurs. & Sat.: calling at the White Hart.
CARRIERS.
every morning. James Hodges, from the White Hart, to Colchester & Braintree. Wed &Sat.
Fras. Hunwick, Church street, Mary Ruffle, Church st. (Waggon)
(Van,) to Colchester, Mon. Wed. &| to London, every Mond. and Friday ;
Sat.; and to Kelvedon Station, at 7½ returns Wednesday and Saturday.