Little Maplestead 1848 Whites Directory
MAPLESTEAD, ( LITTLE) a pleasant straggling village, 2 miles N. of Halstead, has in its parish 407 souls, and 1063A. of land. The lords of the manor, impropriators of the great tithes, patrons of the church, and owners of the Hall farm, (382A.,) are the Trustees of Davis’s Charity, left by a Mr. Davis, for the benefit of that religious sect of christians in Lon- don, who hold their Sabbath on the Saturday, and call themselves ” Sab- batarians.” George De Horne Vaizey, Esq., Firmin de Tastet, Esq. , and several smaller owners have estates in the parish, mostly free and partly copyhold. In the reign of King Stephen, the whole parish was given by Juliana Doisnel to the Knights’ Hospitalers, of St. John of Jerusalem. In 1540, it was granted to George Harper, from whom it passed to the Wise- man, and other families. The Church ( St. John of Jerusalem,) is an ancient structure, celebrated on account of its resemblance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, at Jerusalem, to Temple Church, in London, and the two round churches at Cambridge and Northampton. It is supposed to have been built on the site of the original church by the Knights’ Hospitalers, soon after they obtained possession of the parish. The west end forms a circle 30 feet in diameter, and has a peristyle, consisting of eight clustered columns, supporting pointed arches. The whole length of the building is 70 feet, and the east end is semi-circular. Projecting from the west end is an unsightly vestry, built on the site of the ancient porch, which had three doors, and opened immediately into the circular part.
The perpetual curacy, valued in K.B. at £10. 10s., and in 1831 at £54, is in the incumbency of the Rev. Henry Whittington, B.A., who has 20A. of glebe at Gestingthorpe. The impropriate tithes were commuted in 1841.
Here is a small Independent Chapel.
Brewster James, Esq. Hall
Clements Rev. William (Baptist ) schoolmaster
Drane Henry, blacksmith
French Jno. pork butchr. & constable
Thompson Hy. piano mkr. & repairer
Hearn William farmer
Jones Mr. Joseph T. B., Prospect place
Mayes Thomas, timber carter
Oakley Thomas, wheelwright
Brewster James, Esq. Hall
Clements Rev. William (Bapt. ) schoolmr Drane Henry, blacksmith
French Jno. pork butchr. &constable
Thompson Hy. piano maker & repairer
Hearn William farmer
Jones Mr. Joseph T. B., Prospect pl.
Mayes Thomas, timber carter
Oakley Thomas, wheelwright
Sadler John, farmer, Aldricks
Richbell Samuel, vict. Cock Inn
Viall Samuel, beerhoyse & shopkeeper
Watkinson Thomas, blacksmith
Watkinson Rev. Joseph (Independent )
Weybrew George Willing, farmer
Whittington Rev. Hy., B.A., incumbent.