Heydon 1848 Whites directory
HAYDON, or HEYDON, a village and parish 5 miles E. by S. of Royston, and 8 miles W. by N. of Saffron Walden, occupies the highest and the extreme north- western part of the county, near the junction of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. It is in Royston Union, and comprises 324 souls, and 1225A 3R. 31P. of land, rising in bold hills, and having a thin soil, resting on chalk, except at the Grange, where stratum of sand and gravel commences. Lord Braybroke is now lord of the manor, and owner of
most of the parish. The manor called Heydonbury was long held by the Senevil, Seagrove, De Lisle, Aylesworth, and Soame families, and passed from the latter to Mrs. Buckworth. It was held by the grand sergeancy of attending the kings of England at their coronation, with a basin and towel, to wash the king’s hands before dinner, and to have the basin for the fee. It was anciently in two portions ; one lord held the basin and the other the towel. The claim of the lord, as to the towel only, was allowed at the coronations of George II, III, and IV. Sir William Soame, who resided here, was created a baronet in 1684 ;
but the present baronet resides at To Ho Cottage, in Little Chishall parish, and at Thoydon Bower, near Epping. The old manor house was rebuilt by the Soame family, but is now occupied by the curate.
The Church ( St. Peter,) is a neat embattled structure, with a tower and five bells. A small chapel in the chancel is the burial place of the Soame family. The rectory, valued in K.B at £18, and in 1831 at £688, with that of Little Chishall annexed to it, is in the patronage of Lord Braybroke, and incumbency of the Rev. John Collin, jun. , M.A., who has a good residence, and 49A. 3R. 4P. of glebe. The tithes here were commuted in 1839, for £430. 8s . 8d. per annum. Here is a National School, built in 1846. For teaching 12 poor children, the schoolmistress has the dividends of £156. 5s. , New South Sea Annuities, given by a late rector. The poor have 13s. a year from Martin’s Chapity. ( See Chrishall.) A legacy of £41 13s. 4d. , left by the Rev. Edward Younge, D.D., for the poor parishioners, was augmented to £50, and laid out in 1703, in the purchase of 8A. of land in the fields of Great Chishall and Haydon.
Since the enclosure of these parishes, under acts of the 51st and 55th of Geo. III , the land belonging to this charity has consisted of 9A.7P in Haydon, and 4A. IR. 27P. in Great Chishall. It is let for about £11 per annum, of which two-thirds are distributed among the poor, and the remainder is applied to the repairs of the church.
Adams John, parish clerk
Barton Thomas, tailor
Boothby Rev. Cunningham, B.A. , curate
Collin Rev. John, jun. M.A. Rectory
Greenhill James, bricklayer
Hunt John, farmer, Hill Farm
Kidner Jesse, farmer, Lane Farm
Lyles Jno.Toovey,farmer, Heydonbury
Moor Martha, schoolmistress
Morgan John, shopkeeper
Muncey Thomas, shoemaker
Nunn Samuel, shopkeeper
Scruby Dd. butcher & vict. Green Man
Smith William, beerhouse
Wallman James, blacksmith
Letters from Royston