Elsenham 1848 Whites Directory
ELSENHAM, a pleasant village, 7 miles N.W. by W. of Dunmow, is about a mile east of the North Eastern Railway, on which it has a station. Its parish contains 491 souls, and 1825 acres of land, mostly the property of George Rush, Esq. , the lord of the manor, who resides at the Hall, a large brick mansion, with embattled walls and tasteful grounds. At Domesday Survey, the parish was held by Robert Gernon and John Waleram; and it afterwards passed to the Barley, Adams, Dawkins, Heath, and other families . J. B. Daubuz and several smaller owners have estates here, mostly copyhold, subject to arbitrary fines.
The Church (St. Mary,) is an ancient structure, with an embattled tower, containing four bells, and crowned by a slender spire. The entrance is under a semi-circular arch, with plain and reticulated Saxon mouldings, and supported by massive pillars, covered with indented mouldings, and having capitals rudely formed and of very antique appearance. In 1070, this church was appropriated to Caen Abbey, in Normandy, by John Waleram. The rectory, which is a manor, was granted by Henry VIII. to Thomas Lord Audley, and was sold about the time of the Restoration to William Canning, Esq. , an ancestor of the Rev. Thomas Canning, M.A., the present impropriator of the rectory, and patron and incumbent of the vicarage, valued in K.B. at £11 , and in 1831 at £122. The glebe is 38A. 1R. 32P. , and the parsonage is a commodious brick mansion, with pleasant grounds.
The tithes were commuted in 1839, the rectorial for £413, and the vicarial for £152. 4s. 11d. per annum. In 1656, John Wells left three cottages and an orchard in trust, that the rents should be distributed by the churchwardens in cloth among the poor parishioners. This property is now let for £9 a year. In 1756, Thos. Rayner left £30 to be applied in schooling poor children, but no interest has been paid since 1809, and the principal is supposed to be lost.
Bowtell William, vict. Crown
Canning Rev. Thos. , M.A. Vicarage
Child William, shopkeeper
Dixon William, tailor
Gunn Hannah, schoolmistress
Robinson John, butcher
Robinson William, carpenter
Rush George, Esq. Elsenham Hall
Ward Benjamin, shoemaker
Ward Elizabeth, shopkeeper
Wright Ann, beerhouse keeper
FARMERS. ( + at Tye green.)
+Cornell Thomas
+Dennis Quilter
Legerton Samuel, Green street
Livermore William, Cox’s Farm
Mumford William
+Wilkinson James
Phillips John (and corn miller)
Savell Elizabeth, Motts Hall
RAILWAY trains several times a day to London, Cambridge, &c.
Letters from Bishop Stortford