Fordham 1863 Whites Directory
FORDHAM, a pleasant village on the north side of the river Colne, 6 miles W.N.W. of Colchester, and 7 miles E.S.E. of Halstead, has in its parish 782 souls, and about 2000 acres of land, including 30A. of open heath. It is sometimes called Great Fordham,
to distinguish it from Aldham, or Little Fordham, on the opposite side of the river. Onley Savill Onley, Esq. , is lord ofthe manor of Great Fordham and the Frith; and the Dowager Countess Cowper is lady of the manor of Fordham Hall. Under the Conqueror, these manors were held by Hugh de Gurnai, William of Warren, and Richard Fitz-Gilbert.
The Church (All Saints) stands on elevated ground, and has a nave, aisles, and chancel, with a square tower at the west end. It was repaired and newly seated in 1861.
The roof is now covered with tiles, the lead having been stripped off in the civil wars, for the manufacture of bullets. In 1549, Edward VI. granted a free chapel here to Ralph Agard and Thomas Smyth. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £14. 14s. 2d., and in 1831 at £605, is in the alternate patronage of Dowager Countess Cowper and O. S. Onley, Esq., and is now in the incumbency of the Rev. W. H. Herring, B.A., who has 25A. 1R. 30p. of glebe, and a good residence. The tithes were commuted in 1840, for £560 per annum.
The poor have £2. 10s. yearly from Love’s Charity (see Aldham), and the parish clerk has a rood of land given by an unknown donor. In 1797, William Ellis bequeathed £1000 upon trust, to invest the same in the purchase of property, and to apply the yearly proceeds as follows : £10 to the minister of LADY HUNTINGDON’S CHAPEL, at Fordham; 20s. to the clerk; 40s. to the person who teaches singing in the chapel; 40s. for distribution in bread, at Christmas, amongst the poor of the congregation; £10 to the minister, or any other person, for teaching ten poor children reading, writing, and accounts ; and to expend the residue in painting and repairing the said chapel, which was built about 1790, chiefly at the cost of Robert Spark, who also left £700 to be invested for the benefit of the minister. Mr. Spark, having Ellis’s legacy in his own hands, charged the payment of both sums (£1700) on a farm of 85A. , called Howe’s or Godfrey’s, which he bequeathed to the Rev. John Harris, the late minister. In respect of these charities, this farm is now charged with the yearly rent of £75. The chapel has a school, which was rebuit in 1859. The National School was built in 1849, at the cost of about £400.
Post, from Halstead.
Beard William, farm bailiff
Bull Oliver, vict. Horse Shoes
Ellis Emily, schoolmistress
Everitt William Page, carrier
Frost Sarah, schoolmistress
HerringRev. William Harvey, B.A.rector
Osborne William, vict. Shoulder of Mutton
Steel James, parish clerk
Warmington Rev. Francis Albert , (Huntingdon)
BEERHOUSES.
Arnold Thomas
Bull Oliver
Fenner Charles
BLACKSMITHS .
Arnold Thomas, & wheelwright
Bull Oliver
Grant John
CORN MILLERS
Bull and Bush
Derlin Charles
Green Jas Mercer
FARMERS.
Bere William
Bush Jonathan
Cant Thomas, & butcher
ChaterWm. Place
Grant James
Green James M.
GreenMrs M. A.
Green Joh. Hall
Green Thomas
Harvey Edmund
Harvey James
King Philip
Newman John
Pettitt Zach.
Salmon Henry
Smith William
Taylor Charles
RAT CATCHERS.
Butcher Daniel
Pettitt William
Thurler John
SHOPKEEPERS .
Alt Thomas
Arnold Henry
Butcher George
Diss Abraham, and bricklayer
Partridge James
CARRIER.
W. P. Everitt, to Colchester daily