Heydon Whites Directory in 1863
HEYDON, or HAYDON, a village and parish 5 miles E. by S. of Royston, and 8 miles W. by N. of Saffron- Walden, occupies the highest and extreme north-western part of the county, near the junction of Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. It is in Royston Union, and comprises 368 souls, and 1225A. 3R. 31P. of land, rising in bold hills, and having a thin soil, resting on chalk, except at the Grange, where a stratum of sand and gravel commences. Lord Braybrooke is lord of the manor, and owner of most of the parish; and resides occasionally at Heydon House, a large mansion, built about 35 years ago, and having tasteful pleasure grounds commanding extensive views. The manor called Heydonbury 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 ofGeorge II. , III. , and IV.
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 Braybrooke, and incumbency of the Hon. & Rev. Latimer Neville, M.A., who has 49A. 3R. 4P. ofglebe, and a good Rectory House, rebuilt in 1853. 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 Charity. (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 84. of land in the fields of Great Chishall and Heydon. 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 Hey- don, and 4A. 1R. 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.
POST from Royston.
BRAYBROOKE LORD, Heydon House
Baines William, parish clerk and Audley-End
Barton John, tailor
Lyles John Toovey, Grange Farm
Mumford Joseph, vict. Green Man
Neville Hon. & Rev. Latimer, M.A. rector, Rectory
Nunn Samuel, shopkeeper and baker
Packe Rev. William James, curate
Phillips John, carpenter
Smith Sarah, beerhouse
Sutton Hy. carrier to Cambridge
Watts Thomas, carrier to Royston
Wilson Alfred, blacksmith
Wilson Martha, schoolmistress
Wilson Miss, shopkeeper
Wragg John, Hill Farm