Colne Engaine 1863 Whites Directory
COLNE ENGAINE is a village and parish, on the north side of the river Colne, 24 miles E. of Halstead, and about a mile N.W. of
Earl’s Colne. It contains 627 souls and 2444 acres of land, and near it is Colne Station, on the Halstead and Colne Valley Railway. It derived its distinguishing appellation from the Engaine family, its ancient lords, who held the manor from 1218 till about 1370, after which it passed to the Cheney, Clarke, Dale, and Ramsey families. About 1600, Lady Mary Ramsey gave the manor of Colne Engaine to the Governors of Christ’s Hospital, London, as an augmentation of the endowment of that valuable charity; but a great part of the parish is in other manors, and belongs to various proprietors, mostly freeholders.
Robert Hills, Esq. , is lord of the manors of Goldingtons and Shreves, and resides at COLNE PARK, a delightful seat, on the latter estate, about a mile E. of the village. Shreves was held by St. Botolph’s Priory, Colchester, and was sold in 1762 to Michael Hills, Esq. , whose son left it to Philip Hills, Esq. , who greatly improved the house and cased it with white brick. It has since been enlarged by the present owner, who has ornamented it with a handsome Grecian portico ; and has erected in the grounds a lofty and elegant Ionic column of Portland stone, in memory of the late proprietor.
OVERHALL, about a mile N.E. of the church, is the manor and seat of J. J. Mayhew, Esq., and pays a peppercorn yearly to the lord of the manor of Witnesham-with-Cockfelde, in Suffolk, if demanded. It was long held by the London family, together with the adjoining manor of Bromtons, or Bruntons. Several smaller owners have estates here, and on the west side of the parish are BOOSES GREEN and several scattered houses. The parish is encompassed on two sides by the Colne and one of its tributary streams.
The Church (St. Andrew) is an ancient structure, except its handsome brick tower, which appears to have been erected in the reign of Henry VII. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £13. 7s. 6d. , and in 1831 at £700, is in the patronage of the Governors of Christ’s Hospital, and incumbency of the Rev. John Greenwood, D.D., who has 52 acres of glebe, and a handsome Rectory House, half a mile from the church, commanding beautiful prospects. The tithes have been commuted for £750 per annum. The parish has a National School, and the poor have £10 from 3 acres of land, given by Wm. Littell, in 1697, and from the interest of £20 derived from the sale of timber. The sexton has had, from time immemorial, about an acre of land, called the Sexton’s Orchard.
COLNE ENGAINE.
POST OFFICE, at George Fuller’s. Letters via Halstead.
Beard John, Esq. The Lodge
Brewer Wm. beerhouse and shopkeeper
Butcher Mrs Jane and Mr Thomas
Firmin Thomas, blacksmith
Fuller George, boot and shoe maker
Greenwood Rev. Jno. D.D. Rectory
Hills Hy. & Co.millers; & Earl’s Colne
Hills Robert, Esq. Colne Park
Jarman Jonathan, wheelwright
Jenner Rev. Edmund, curate
Lambert William, mill manager
Laverock William, schoolmaster
Mayhew Jno. Jermh. Esq. Overhall
Mayhew J. J. jun. Countess Cross
Nice Samuel, victualler, Five Bells
Pudney Eliz. &Sons (Fdk. & Walter) , bricmakers, builders, & shopkeepers
Pudney Isaac, sexton
Pudney John, maltster & parish clerk
Rogers Jesse, assistant overseer, &c.
Sewell Mrs Sarah, Grove House
Shave Mr Jeremiah
Smith Mr Robert, shopkeeper
White Wm. corn miller, Ford Mill
FARMERS.
Beard John
Brewer William
Brown Isaac, Brick House
Brown Isaac Baker, Knights
Butcher Francis Elis Hall
Ellis Jas. and beerhouse, Rook Tree
Firmin George, and dealer
Firmin John, Bromtons
Gallafent Edward, Brook Farm
Shave William, Millbrook
Spurgeon George, Westwood
RAILWAY. Trains from Colne Station several times aday.
CARRIERS pass to Colchester, &c.