Hatfield Broad Oak 1863 Whites directory
HATFIELD BROAD OAK, or Hatfield Regis, is an ancient village, pleasantly situated on the eastern side of the Pincey Brook, six miles S.E. of Bishop-Stortford, and seven miles N.E. of Harlow and S.W. of Dunmow. It was formerly a market-town, and it still has a fair for lambs, on the 5th of August. Its extensive parish comprises 1960 inhabitants and 8619 acres of land, divided into four quarters, called Town Quarter, Woodrow Quarter, Heath Quarter, and Broomsend Quarter; extending four miles north of the village, and including Broad Street Green, Bush-End, many scattered farm houses, &c., and a woodland district called Hatfield Forest. The latter is at the north end of the parish, and was long celebrated for its wide-spreading oaks, one of which gave the distinctive appellation of Broad Oak to the parish; but it was a venerable ruin when Arthur Young wrote, in whose time Sir John Barrington had in the forest a noble oak, for which a timber merchant had offered 100 guineas. The parish was anciently part of the King’s demesne, whence it derived the name of Regis. J. A. Houblon and G. A. Lowndes, Esqrs. , are lords of the manors.
DOWN HALL is the seat and property of Sir John Thos. Ibbetson-Selwin , Bart. , who assumed the name of Selwin in 1825, and succeeded, in 1861, to the baronetcy of his nephew, the late Sir C. H. Ibbetson, of Denton Park, Yorkshire. He was born in 1786, and his son and heir, Henry John Selwin, Esq. , in 1826. Many smaller owners have estates in the parish. Hatfieldbury manor was granted by Edward VI. to the Rich family, from whom it passed, in 1673, to Sir Charles Barrington, who was seated at Barrington Hall, now the seat and property of G. A. Loundes, Esq. , who was High Sheriff of Essex in 1861, and is now rebuilding the mansion.
Near the church was a BENEDICTINE PRIORY, founded in 1135, by Alberic de Vere, father of the first Earl of Oxford, and dedicated to St. Mary and St. Melanius Redonensis, a British or Armorican Saint, to whose glory a flourishing abbey was erected at Rennes, in Bretagne. To that abbey Hatfield Priory was originally a cell; but it is supposed to have been rendered independent of it by the Earl of Oxford. Its possessions were greatly increased by subsequent benefactors, and on its suppression were valued at £122. 13s. 2d. per annum. Henry VIII. granted the site and revenues of the priory to Thos. Noke, whose son Robert sold them, in 1561, to Thos. Barrington, Esq. , whose family had been settled at old Barrington Hall since the time of Henry I. From this mansion, a great part of which was pulled down and the rest converted into a farm house, the Barringtons removed to the Priory, and resided there till about the beginning of last century, when it was taken down.
The Church (Virgin Mary) is a handsome lofty fabric, of great antiquity, with a stone tower and six bells. The nave has a south aisle, and the chancel has two aisles, with a vestry on each side. Here is the mutilated effigy of Robert de Vere, third Earl of Oxford, who was buried in the church in 1221. The writings belonging to the Barrington family are deposited in the north vestry, which is supposed to have been part of the priory chapel. In the other vestry is a library, placed there in 1708, by Sir Chas. Barrington. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £7. 11s. , and in 1831 at £190, is in the patronage of Trinity College, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. George Burn, M.A. , who has about 3 acres of glebe, and a neat residence, in the Tudor style, built in 1838-9. The vicar has £30 a year from Dr. Clarke’s Charity. The tithes were commuted in 1839 – the vicarial for £100, and the rectorial for £1775. The latter belong to Trinity College, to which they were granted by Henry VIII.
TWO DISTRICT CHURCHES were built in this large parish in 1859, viz.: -HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, at Hatfield Heath, about two miles W. of the village ; and ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, at Bush-End, two miles N. of the village. Both are perpetual curacies in the patronage of the vicar. The Rev. T. G. Postlethwaite is incumbent of the former, and the Rev. C. D. Nix of the latter.
Schools are attached to each church. At Hatfield Heath is an Independent Chapel, founded by an ejected minister in 1662, and rebuilt in 1725, and enlarged in 1830. There is a small Independent Chapel in the village, built in 1818, and another at the north end of the parish, built about 55 years ago. Church, Poor, and Highway Estates :- From certain decrees, under a Commission for Charitable Uses, made in the 32nd of Charles II. , it appears that various lands and tenements had been long held by this parish, for the repairs of the church and highways, and the relief of the poor; and part of them are supposed to have been given by Robert de Vere, Eart of Oxford. This property may be divided into two distinct portions, viz:-the church property, and that for the poor and highways. The CHURCH PROPERTY consists of Bridge Foot Farm (86A. 1R. 36p.), and three closes near Stubbard’s Bush, (9A. 2R. 12P.) There is also a sum of £650 Three per cent Consols, belonging to the church estate, purchased with savings of income. The POOR AND HIGHWAY PROPERTY comprises 16A. 1R. 17P., called Brand’s Land; five other fields in this parish, containing 14A.; and 7A. 13p. at White Roothing, called Gallilands. These lands are let for about £40 a year, out of which £5 is applied to the highways; £8 to the National School; and the remainder to the use of the poor. Out of the lands called Gallilands, 8s. is paid for a sermon, and £2. 16s. per annum for a weekly distribution of bread, pursuantto the will of John Franck. A yearly rent-charge of £4, out of Keer’s Farm, in Aythrop Roothing, left by John Gobert, is distributed in bread. The trustees also hold here five cottages, occupied rent free by poor families.
The rent of 3A. of land on Change Common belongs to six of the poorest labouring men of the parish, pursuant to the will of Thos. Cheveley, who left £24 for that purpose in 1690. Twelve poor aged widows have a yearly rent-charge of £1. 10s., left by an unknown donor, out of Braintrees Farm, which belongs to the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy. The Barrington Almshouse, near the church, is supposed to have been given by one of the Barringtons, and is occupied by five widows.
HATFIELD BROAD OAK PARISH DIRECTORY.
POST OFFICE at T. Potter’s. Letters via Harlow.
Money Orders granted and paid. Here is a Post Office Savings Bank.
Marked 2 are at Hatfield Heath.
Berry Rev. Cornelius.(Independent.)
Heath Binder Rev. John, (Independent)
Boatman Geo. plumber, painter, &c.
Burn Rev. George, M.A. vicar
Button David, saddler, &c.
Clark James, ironmonger and smith
De la Touche Madame
Dolberry William, Bush-end schoolmaster
Drouhet Mrs Hannah, boarding school
Freeman Thomas Andrew, surgeon
Hales William, Natl. schoolmaster
Johnson Miss, Heath schoolmistress
King Thomas, cow leech and farrier
Lowndes George Alan, Esq. Barrington Hall
Mackenzie George, hair dresser
Morris John, basket maker, Heath
Nix Rev. Charles Devas, M.A. incumbent of St. John’s
Parris Mr G.
Pavitt Geo. cooper
2 Perry William, whitesmith, &c.
Postlethwaite Rev. Thomas George, M.A. incumbent of Hatfield Heath
Rogers John, carrier
Selwin Sir John Thomas Ibbetson, Bart. and Henry John Selwin, Esq. Down Hall
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Cock, Henry Sullins, and maltster
Duke’s Head, Charles Edwards
Feathers, John Button
2 Stag Inn, John Burnett
2 White Horse, Elizabeth Miller
FARMERS.
Barlow Benj. Irlam, Carters
2 Brown Daniel, Gladwin’s Farm
Dennis Quilter, Benningtons
Dixon Jas. Ryes
Davey E. S.
Eade Mrs, Corringales
Francis George, Hatfield Park
Green Stephen, Broomshaw
2 Griggs Noah, Little Heath
Hammond Henry, Water’s Farm
2 Hayden William Piggerills
Hayden Thomas, Lancaster’s
2 Hockley Daniel Henry, Shrubs
Hockley John D. Friars
Hockley John, Collier street
Judd George, Tom-by-the-Woods
Linsell William, Whiteheads
Matthews Barnard, Ardley-end
Mumford Samuel, Blocks
Nash Stephen, Heath
Nottage Joseph, Bonningtons
Pamphilon John, Lea Hall
Potter Alfred, Priory
Sullins William, Old Barrington Hall
2 Surridge David, Friars
Tebbit Aaron, Braintrees Farm
Tipler James, Withams
Webb William, Great Town Farm
Williams Josiah D. Matching Barns
Wolfe Mrs T. Ongars
BAKERS.
2 Bacon James
Mumford Simon
Parker William
Tizley Charles
BEERHOUSES .
2 Brice Solomon
Reid John
Smith Ann
2 Staines Car.
BLACKSMITHS.
2 Hawkins Aaron
Horsnell William
Mardell John
2 Perry William
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS.
Cockett John
Marriott Charles
2 Nash Stephen
Smith James
Ward James
Whybrow William
BRICKLAYERS.
Barker Isaac
Barker James
BUTCHERS.
2 Blatch Thomas
2 Burnett John
Cooper Thomas
2 Howland Sophia
2 Wolfe William
CARPENTERS.
Barnard James
Bird Isaac
Piper Henry
2 Reid William
Skingle William
CORN MILLERS.
Andrews Thomas
Mumford Simon, Heath
GROCERS, &C.
Boatman Sarah
2 Child Nathaniel
Halstead George
Piper Henry
Potter Thomas
Speller Charles
2 Witham William
TAILORS.
Smith Stephen
Speller Charles
Speller James
WHEELWRIGHTS .
Bird Nathaniel
Clark Thomas
Hudson William
Wentworth Rd.
CARRIERS.
To London, Mon. and Thursday, Rogers John Watson William