LITTLE BADDOW, a scattered village on the picturesque acclivities above and near the confluence of the river Chelmer
and the Sandon Brook, 4 miles E. by N. of Chelmsford, has in its parish, 2738 acres, and 605 inhabitants, including MIDDLE MEAD hamlet, which has 175 souls, and about 500 acres, locally situated in Dengie Hundred. Lord Rayleigh is lord of the manor, but part of the soil belongs to the Bridges, Pledger, and other families. The copyhold fines are equal to 1½ years rent, and there is in the parish about 306A. of woodland. The manor house of Tofts was formerly a’ residence of the Barrington family. The CHURCH (Virgin Mary) is a small ancient fabric, with a tower and four bells. In the chancel is a stately marble monument of that great warrior, Sir Henry Mildmay, who died in 1639, and resided in Graces, in this parish, anciently a seat of the Le Grass family. Sir Henry was knighted on the field of battle, in the Irish wars, and his statue is represented clad in armour, in a reclining posture. At the foot of the monument are two kneeling female figures. In a recess in the south wall are the effigies of two females, supposed to represent the founders of the church. The benefice is a rectory, valued in K.B. at £15. 15s. 6d. The glebe is 44A. , and the rectorial tithes have been commuted for £363.17s.; and the vicarial, for £197.5s. 6d. per annum.
Lord Rayleigh is patron, and the Rev. W. B. Ady is the incumbent, and has a good parsonage house. Here is an Independent Chapel, with a house for the minister, built, about 1670, by one of the Barringtons, for a minister who was ejected from Boreham. Attached to it is a School, endowed with £25 a-year from Butler’s Charity, for the education of 13 boys and 12 girls. Twenty of the children are also clothed and provided with books, at the expense of the same charity, as noticed with Boreham. Two tenements and an acre of land have long been vested with the parish officers for the use of the poor.
POST OFFICE at Susan Horth’s. Letters via Chelmsford.
Ady Rev. William Brice, rector and rural dean
Bearman John, carpenter
Boultwood David, steward, Tofts
Hills Philip , shoemaker
Horth Susan, schoolmrs. Post Office
Jaggs Thomas, carpenter and victualler, Generals’ Arms
Johnson Admiral, W.W.P. Lindsell William, parish clerk, &c
Lucas Charles, Esq. Holly Breads
M’Vittie Joseph, schoolmaster
Morrell Rev. Thomas (Independent)
Pigott John & Son, millers and corn and coal merchants
Purkis Samuel, well borer
Riley John, wheelwright
Saward Richard, bricklayer
Snow Simon, corn miller and farmer
Wire Arthur, National schoolmaster
BEERHOUSES.
Gibson James – Queens Head
Smith Charles – Rodney
Thake William
BLACKSMITHS
Maddocks Joseph
Willers William
FARMERS.
Brown Joseph
Copland Edm. P.
Graves George
Hunt William
Livermore Bj. E.
Pledger Jeremiah
Raven John
Simmons John
Snow Simon
Tweed James
Yell Joseph
SHOPKEEPERS .
Gibson James
Smith Charles
Sorrell Stephen
Thake William