Finchingfield 1863 Whites directory
FINCHINGFIELD is a large and well-built village, pleasantly situated on an acclivity, and in the vale of a tributary stream of the river Blackwater, about 9 miles N.W. by N. of Braintree, and W. by S. of Halstead. Its extensive parish contains 2440 inhabitants, and 8011 acres of land, including Daw Street, near the Blackwater, about a mile south; and Cornish Hall End, Tinker’s Green, Howe Street, Spains End, Robin Hood’s End, and Little London, from 1to 3 miles north of the village. The parish has many scattered farm-houses and several neat mansions; and the soil varies from a deep clayey loam, to a light gravelly pasture ground, near the river Pant, or Blackwater. The surface is generally low, but in some parts it rises boldly to a considerable height. A fine white sand, in which are many fossil shells, mixed with veins of white and blue clay, is found in various places, especially in the high lands called Justice Hill. There are several hop plantations in the parish. S. B. R. Brice, Esq., is lord of the principal manors, and has a fine old seat here, called SPAINS HALL, standing in a small park, and evidently rebuilt in the early part of the reign of Elizabeth, as its front is a fine specimen of the domestic architecture of that period.
At Domesday Survey, the manor of Spains Hall was held under Count Alan by Hervey de Hispania, from whom it had its name. The Gent, Beddall, Smith, Giblin, and other families, have estates here, mostly free and partly copyhold. The estates of Ashwell Hall and Hawkins Harvest belong to Guy’s Hospital.
The Church (St. John the Baptist) is an ancient structure on a bold eminence, and has a stone tower, which contains eight bells, and was formerly surmounted by a lofty spire, which was blown down in 1702. It was anciently appropriated to Thetford Priory, and the rectorial tithes now belong to Rd. Marriott, Esq. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £18, and in 1831 at £528, is in the patronage of the Rev. J. Stock, and incumbency of the Rev. Geo. Mansfield, M.A., who has about 40A. of glebe, and a good Vicarage House, in the Tudor style, built in 1843. The vicarial tithes were commuted in 1842 for £721, and the rectorial for £1406 per annum. In the chancel are chapels belonging to the manors of Spains Hall and Petches.
In the former is a monument in memory of Wm. Kemp, Esq., of Spains Hall, who died in 1628, and for one inadvertence in speech imposed on his tongue a seven years’ silence. Here was anciently a religious fraternity, called Trinity Guild. For the accommodation of the inhabitants of the northern parts of this extensive parish, a neat DISTRICT CHURCH (St. John) was built at Cornish Hall End, in 1841, by subscription, and a grant from the Church Building Society. The minister’s house was built in 1846, chiefly at the cost of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Cornish Hall End Church District has about 720 souls, of whom 76 are in Ridgwell parish, and the rest in this parish. The living is a perpetual curacy, now valued at £100, in the patronage of the Bishop hop of Rochester, and incumbency of the Rev. J. W. Carver, B.A. A School was built at Cornish Hall End, in 1848, by the late G. W. Gent, Esq. , who endowed it with £20 per annum. In the village is an Independent Chapel, built in 1779, but since then it has been three times enlarged. It is under the ministry of the Rev. T. B. Sainsbury; and in connexion with it is a Day School. Sergeant Wm. Bendlowe, in 1567, bequeathed to this parish, out of land at Great and Little Sampford, an annuity of 40s, viz., 13s. 4d. for the repairs of the church, and the rest for the poor. He also gave an Almshouse, which, having fallen into decay, was rebuilt by the parish about 30 years ago, and is now occupied by twelve poor widows. The poor parishioners have a yearly rent-charge of £10, out of Spains Hall estate, left by Wm. Kemp, in 1623. An old house at the church gate, called the Guildhall, was given as an almshouse for poor widows, by Robert Kemp, in 1630. Sir ROBERT KEMP gave 38A. of land, called Spains or Park Field, at some unknown date, and it is nowlet for £45 a-year, which is applied mostly in aid of the National School, after paying £8 yearly for a monthly distribution of bread, and £1. 10s. yearly for wood fuel for the almspeople. To provide fuel for the poor parishioners, Stephen Marshall, in 1650, gave a cottage and 3A. of land, called Waseys.
The poor have the interest of £45, left by John Legerton, in 1828. ANNE COLE, in 1730, left Messings Farm, in trust, to apply the rents there of for the benefit of the children of such poor persons of the four parishes of Finchingfield, Birdbrook, Bumpstead, and Stambourne, as do not receive parochial relief. This farm comprises 94A. , and is let for about £60 a year. The rent is paid every fourth year to the vicar of Finchingfield, and applied in aid of the National School.
FINCHINGFIELD.
Marked , are at Cornish Hall End.
POST OFFICE at Uriah Darby’s. Letters from Great Bardfield, via Braintree.
Brise Lieut.-Colonel Samuel Brise Ruggles, Spains Hall
2.Carver Rev. Jeremiah Wolsey, B.A. incumbent of St. John’s
Coates William, tailor and parish clerk
Darby Uriah, cooper, &c.
Dodd Henry, plumber, painter, &c.
French Joseph, hairdresser
Hills Arthur, and Fitch Wm. sextons
Linsell Joseph. & Son, straw plat manufacturers
Mansfield. Rev. George, M.A. vicar
Mascall Edmund, postman
Richard Edward W. surgeon
Sainsbury Rev. Thos. Byerley, B.A. Independent
Simms Josiah, straw plat dealer
Turner Edward, poulterer
Warters William, tailor
White Mary, straw hat maker
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Green Man, William Webb
2 Horse and Groom, Joseph Cowell
Red Lion, Maria Sargeant
Three Tuns, Robert Marsh
FARMERS (*are owners.)
Arnold William Stock, CornishHall
Beddall Charles, Dairy Farm
Beddall Mrs J. Brent Hall
*Beddall Henry, Daw street
Beddall Samuel Whitehead, Hill House
Beddall Mrs M. Garlands
Beddall Thomas, jun. Justices
Byford William, Cross Farm
Crick William, Rivet’s Farm
Dare John, Loppins
Fenton John Cook, Elms
*Giblin John, Ashwell Hall
Legerton John Stock
Metson Joseph , Tinker’s Green
Myhill Samuel, Boarded Barn
Mortlock Luke, Great Winsey
Ruse Mrs J. Waltham’s Cross
*Smith Ezekiel, Coleman’s
Spurgeon Haddon R. White House
Staning William, Park Farm
Thurban Charlotte, Shore Hall
Toft William, Broyde Farm
Totman Mrs Mary, Howe Hall
Unwin Samuel, Belcumber Hall
Unwin Joseph Clarke, Cockfield
Warren Beniah, Whitley
Willsher Charles Wedd, Petches
BAKERS .
Cutts Isaac
2 French Gabriel
Turner Isaac
Watts William
BEERHOUSES.
Allen Frederick
Digby William
BLACKSMITHS .
2 Hardy Cornelius.
Turner Charles
Turner Samuel
BRICKLAYERS .
3 Martin Henry
Wright John
BUTCHERS (*Pork).
Bowyer Frederick
Freeborne John, W. and Samuel
Norris Henry
*Turner Samuel
*Turner Simon
Turner Richard
CARPENTERS.
Hitching Daniel and Joseph
Martin John
CORN MILLERS .
Jackson John, Monk’s Mill
Letch Andrew
Willsher Charles Wedd
GROCERS & DRAPERS.
2 Hardy John
Linsell Geo. Darby, & insurance agent
Marsh Robert
Smith Elizabeth
Wolton John
Wright John
MILLINERS.
Crossman Mrs
Dodd Maria
Wakelin Sarah
Yeulett Emma
SCHOOLS.
Coe Emma
Coker George
2 Warren Mrs
SHOEMAKERS.
4 Gilby Charles
Hitching John
2 Humphrey Hy.
Martin George
Thorne Joseph
WHEELWRIGHTS.
2 Barker John
Doe William
Juniper Thomas
CARRIERS.
Geo. Yeulett, to
London, Fri. William White, to Braintree, &c. , Wed. & Fri. & Walden, Sat.