ROXWELL, a pleasant village near one of the sources of the river Can, 4 miles W. by N. of Chelmsford, has in its parish 986 souls and 4755 acres of land, and many scattered houses, extending northward to Boyton Cross and Chalk-end; and more than two miles south to the small villages of Radley Green and Cook’s Mill Green ; the latter of which is partly in Writtle parish. The soil is cold and moist springs being found everywhere in digging a few feet; and the river Can, and two of its tributaries, flowing through and nearly half encompassing the parish. The Highwoods, Edney Woods, and other waste lands, in this and Writtle parish, have recently been enclosed. Most of the manors in Roxwell, including Boyton Hall, Mountneys, &c. , form part of Lord Petre’s lordship ofWrittle; but a great part of the soil belongs to other proprietors, the largest of whom is T. W. Bramston, Esq. , M.P., of SKREENS, a large neat mansion, in a beautiful park, about a mile from the village. The manor of Skreens was held by the Skreen family in the 15th century, and was purchased by Richard Weston, in 1554. It was sold in 1634, to Sir John Bramston, Kt., lord chief justice of the King’s Bench, whose ancestor, William Bramston, was sheriff of London, in 1394. The house was built by Thomas Bramston, Esq. , about 1710, but it and the grounds were greatly improved by his successor. Thomas William Bramston, Esq., M.P., the present owner of Skreens, Tye Hall, and other estates in this parish and neighbourhood, has sat in six parliaments for the South Division of Essex.
The CHURCH (St. Michael) is a small ancient structure of stone, with a wooden turret and three bells. It was thoroughly repaired in 1853. The interior is remarkably neat, and contains a handsome marble monument, bearing a long Latin inscription, from the pen of Cowley, recording the virtues, learning, and honour of Lord Chief Justice Bramston, who died in 1654, aged 78.
The benefice was a donative curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Writtle, but since 1851 it has been a separate vicarage, in the incumbency of the Rev. Thomas J. Hearn. It is now valued at £250 per annum, and is in the patronage of New College, Oxford, which owns the great tithes. The National Schools, with dwellings for the master and mistress, form a neat building, erected in 1834, at the cost of about £500, by T. W. Bramston, Esq., and have room for 300 children. As noticed with Writtle, £27. 6s. 8d. is yearly applied towards the support of these schools, from Blencowe’s Charity. The poor of Roxwell have the following doles, viz.:-20s. from New College, Oxford; 6s. 8d. out of Boggis Farm, left by one Dorothy Davis, in 1634, and £1 paid out of Chalk-end Farm, under the name of the Poor Monk’s Gift. The rents of a garden and two pieces of land, called Church Lands, are carried to the churchwarden’s account.
In the following Directory of Rox-Well PARISH, those marked 2 are at Cook’s Mill Green, and 3 at Radley Green.
Bramston Thomas William Esq. M.P. Screens
Bartlem Mr Rt.
Bright Mgt. school.
Bright Mrs Sarah, Post Office
Chopping Henry, miller and baker
Cogdale Luke, bricklayer
Crouchman John, butcher
Drake James, schoolmaster
Ellis George, parish clerk
Emerson Jas. victualler, Hare & Hounds
Hearn Rev. Thomas John, vicar
Martin Richard, millwright
Page James, wheelwright
Page Jonas, carpenter
Porter Mrs (Exors. of), victualler, Chequers
Rutter James, schoolmaster
Thorn George, butcher
Turville Eli, farm bailiff
FARMERS.
Batt Daniel, Pepper’s Green
Blatch Thomas, Bolden Hatch
2 Burles William
Cooch Sophia
Christy Jas. jun. Great Boyton Hall
Crush John
Gandy William
Horsnell Charles, Stone Hill
Josling John
2 Milbank Charles
Matthews Christopher
3 Norrington William Long
Page Lewis
Stone William
Ram William, Newland Hall
Simons Hugh
Tippler Mrs
Crush Miss Elizabeth, gentlewoman
Tippler William and maltster, brickmaker and agent to Royal Farmers’ Insurance Society, Duke’s Farm
Turpin Benjamin R. Pooty-Pools
Young Michael, Butt’s Hatch
BEERHOUSES.
Cheek Stephen – Cross Keys
2 Maryon Henry – Thatchers Arms
2 Nieman Hy. G.
SHOEMAKERS.
Addy Frederick
Palmer John
2 Perry Thomas
SHOPKEEPERS .
Cannon Eliz .
3 Jester Mrs
2 Nieman Hy. G.
Rutter James
Tippler William
Wright Hy. R.
POST OFFICE at Sarah Bright’s – Letters via Chelmsford