Lawford 1848 Whites Directory
LAWFORD, a pleasant and fertile parish on the south side of the river Stour, extends westward from the town and port of Manningtree to the distance of two miles, and includes Lawford Street, Wignall Street, and several neat mansions and scattered houses. It contains 868 inhabitants and 2679 acres of land, mostly in the manors of Law- ford Hall and Dale Hail. Mrs. Greene is lady of the former manor, which was held by Harold before the Conquest, and afterwards by the Earls of Boulogne, and the Bourchier, Blount, Darcy, Waldegrave, and other families. She resides at Lawford Hall, a large and handsome man- sion, which stands in a beautiful park, and was modernized and mostly rebuilt by Edward Greene, Esq., about 80 years ago, when most of the old house, built by Edw. Waldegrave, Esq. , in 1583, was pulled down. Mrs. C. Cox, of Lawford Place, is lady of the manor of Dale Hall, a neat and delightfully situated mansion, now the residence of Major Sadler, and anciently the seat of the Dales, from whom it passed to the Darcy, Crew, and Burton families. Lawford House is the handsome seat of Thomas Nunn, Esq.; and part of the parish belongs to Carrington Nunn, Esq., and several smaller owners, mostly copyholders. subject to arbitrary fines.
The Church (St. Mary,) occupies an elevated site nearly in the centre of the parish, and has a nave, chancel, and tower. It is an ancient structure, which has undergone many repairs, and the walls of the interior are curiously ornamented with elaborate stone carvings. The fine east window is blocked up with the wood on which the altar-piece is painted. The eight side windows are in the decorative style, each differing in mouldings, ornaments, &c. In the chancel are some neat mural monuments in memory of the Greenes and former lords of the manor. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £15, and in 1831 at £642, is in the patronage of St. John’s College, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. Chas. Merivale, B.D., who has a large residence with pleasant grounds, and 41 A. 3R. 12P. of glebe. The tithes have been commuted for £730 per annum. Near the churchgate is a house left many years ago by a Mr. Pecksale, for the use of the sexton, provided he keeps it in repair, and pays 8s. yearly to the owner of Lawford Hall. In 1723, John Leach bequeathed his farm and lands in Wignall street, in trust to apply the rents in clothing ten poor people and schooling ten poor children of this parish. This charity estate now consists of a large house, barn, and 22A. of land, let for £42, a garden let for £4, and 12A. now forming part of Mrs. Greene’s park, and held by her on lease, at the yearly rent of £21 .
Mr. James May is one of the trustees, and a large portion of the in- come is distributed annually in clothing, and the rest is applied in sup- porting a dame school.
LAWFORD DIRECTORY.
(Some ofthe inhabitants are included with Manningtree.)
Barber John, wheelwright, &c.
Bendall O. machine maker, &c.
Bellingham Thomas, gentleman
Bloom James, saddler
Cant Robert, shoemaker
Clark Mrs. schoolmistress
Cocker Captain Barnard
Cooper Abraham Richardson, vict. King’s Arms
Cooper William, farmer, Fox Ash
Cox Mrs C. Lawford Place
Crossley Samuel, gardener
Death William, corn miller
Ely Lucy, shopkeeper & beer seller
Frostick Mrs J. toll bar keeper
Garling John, beer seller
Greene Mrs Mary, Lawford Hall
Harris Philip, yeoman
May James, corn miller
Merivale Rev. Charles, B.D. Rectory
Nunn Thomas, Esq. Lawford House
Parker George, farmer, Pond Hall
Payne Henry, cattle salesman
Payne Robert, cattle dealer & farmer
Rawson Timothy, policeman
Richardson Thomas, farmer
Roe William, farmer
Sadler Major G. Stebbing, Dale Hall
Spooner John, tailor, baker, & shopkeeper
Spooner William, shoemaker
Tabor James, gentleman
Taylor John, parish clerk
Unwin Thomas, blacksmith
POST & CARRIERS, see Manningtree.