Stansted Mountfichet Whites Directory in 1863
STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET is a small ancient town, with many good houses and shops, pleasantly situated on and near the Newmarket road, from 3 to 4 miles N. by E. of Bishop’s Stortford, and 19 miles N.W. of Chelmsford. Its parish has a Railway Station, and contains 1769 inhabitants and 4094 acres of land, including BENTFIELD hamlet, which is in Clavering Hundred, and contains 526 souls and about 800 acres, in close proximity with the town, which is commonly called Stansted Street, and is distant more than half a mile N.W. of the church, and has a fair for cattle, &c., on May 1st, and on the day following for toys, &c.
Its name Stansted, or Stone Street, was probably derived from a vicinal way, which branched off from the Great Roman road near Bishop’s Stortford, and passed northward to Chesterford, nearly in the line of the present turnpike. The appellation Mountfitchet, appears to have been given it in contradistinction to Stansted, in Hertfordshire, and probably arose from a large artificial mount, on which stood the keep of a Castle, erected by William Gernon, who assumed the surname of Montfitchet, and inherited the lordship from his father Robert Gernon, to whom it had been given, with many others in this county, by the Conqueror. After the erection of the Castle, it became the head of the great Barony of Montfitchet, and some traces of the fortress are yet visible, about a quarter of a mile from the church, near a rivulet which falls into the Stort, on the south-west side of the parish. On the death of Richardde Montfitchet, without issue, in 1258, the barony was divided among his three sisters, and Stansted fell to the share of Margery, wife of Hugh de Bolebec. After remaining several generations with his family, it was sold to Thomas de Vere, a son of the third Earl of Oxford. W. F. Maitland, Esq. , is the present lord of the manor of Stansted Hall with Burnels and Bury Lodge, and resides at STANSTED HOUSE, a large and handsome modern mansion, situated near the railway, in an extensive and well-wooded park of rich grazing land, not far from the lofty hill, on the summit of which there still remains one ofthe towers of Stansted Hall, an ancient mansion, which commanded extensive prospects, and was the seat of the Maitlands till they erected the present more extensive and commodious residence some years ago. The manor of Bentfield-bury has been held by the Vere, Hubert, Middleton, and Heath families, but now belongs to Robert Gosling, Esq. Many smaller owners have estates in the parish, mostly copyhold, subject to arbitrary fines. Thremhall Priory stood within the bounds of this parish, about two miles S.E. of the church, and was founded by Gilbert de Montfitchet, soon after the Conquest, for Benedictine canons. Its chief endowments were derived from that family and the De Veres. On its suppression its annual income was valued at £70 19s. 3d., according to Speed.
The parish Church (Virgin Mary) stands near the park, and was asmall ancient fabric, but was much enlarged and the decayed parts restored in 1829, at the cost of £1385. It has a brick tower, which contains five bells, and was rebuilt about 1690, by Sir Stephen Langham, who also rebuilt the porch, and newly ceiled the church. The interior has now a handsome appearance, and still retains some of the ancient carved seats. In consideration of a grant of £200 from the Society for Enlarging Churches, &c. , 200 additional free seats were provided in 1829. The font is rudely sculptured, and bears marks of great antiquity. On the north side of the chancel is the mutilated effigy of a Crusader; and on the floor is a small brass plate inscribed to the memory of Robt. de Bokkyng, the first vicar, who died in 1361. Against the south wall is a handsome marble monument in memory of Sir Thomas Middleton, Kt. , who is represented in a recumbent posture, in plate armour, with gilt studs. He died in 1631, aged 81, and a long Latin inscription records his virtues and his extensive knowledge in the languages, merchandise, and manners of foreign countries.
The church was appropriated to Thremhall Priory, and the impropriate rectory now belongs to W. F. Maitland, Esq. , who is also patron of the discharged vicarage, valued in K.B. at £13. 6s. 8d. , and in 1831 at £300, and now in the incumbency of the Rev. Thomas G. Luard, B.A., who has a good residence and 2A. of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1840, the rectorial for £315. 15s. , and the vicarial for £306. Here is a Friends’ Meeting- house, and also two Chapels belonging to Independents and Primitive Methodists. Here is a National School, built in 1838; and a British School, erected in 1835. The parish has also the following charities : –
In 1593, Edward Hubbard left a yearly rent-charge of 40s. out of Barker’s Mead (30A.) , to be applied to the use of the church. In 1609, Eliz. Cook, alias Chapman, left for the relief of the poor parishioners, about 2A. , at Great Hallingbury, called Ball’s Croft. They have also a yearly rent-charge of20s., givenby Jas. and Harriet Browne, in 1610, out of a field here, called Revell’s. In 1620, Robert Buck left property to the Drapers’ Company, London, chargeable with providing yearly, materials for clothing three poor men and three poor women, with 10s. a-piece in money, to buy them shoes and hose. He directed that this charity should be received in rotation by this parish and those of Ugley and Manewden. About 1660, Dionysius Palmer charged a house and land, at Bishop’s Stortford, with the yearly payment of £2. 15s. to this parish, to be distributed in weekly doles of bread. In 1758, Kitty Rush left £100 for the poor parishioners and it was afterwards laid out, with £14, parish money, in the purchase of a copyhold cottage and barn. Out of the rent of these premises, £5 is applied to the funds of the National School. In 1825, Maria Brent left for the poor £500, which was vested in the purchase of £459. 9s. new 31 per cent. Reduced Annuities, the dividends of which are distributed by the churchwardens in January. They also distribute among the poor parishioners £6 yearly as the rent of 4A. , called Battles Field, purchased in 1723, with £60, left by Gertrude Peck. Four of the oldest widows have 10s. a year as the rent of an acre of land at Birchanger, left byEliz.
Cook, in 1604. The parish is in Bishop’s Stortford Union.
STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET.
POST OFFICE at Thomas Hassall’s. Letters via Bishop’s Stortford.
Money Orders are granted & paid.
Bacon Wm. furniture dealer, &c.
Bedlow Wm. wheelwright, &c .
Bedlow Misses, milliners, &c.
Boast Wm. Anthony, music professor
Bond Catherine, furniture dealer &c.
Chambers Thos. Esq. Croft House
Chappel John, postman
Clarke Alexander Brown, maltster and corn factor
Davies Rev. Daniel ( Independent)
Dennison John, station master
Grange Benjamin, machine maker
Hassall Thos. stationer, Post Office
Haynes Sidney, surgeon
Herring Rev. Henry, Woodhouse
Hicks Chas. & Edw. maltsters, &c.
Hockley Hy. relieving officer & registrar
Jay Henry, saddler and parish clerk
Jeffery Major John Morton, Thremhall Hill
Levey George, horse dealer
Luard Rev. Thomas Garnham, B.A. vicar
Maitland William Fuller, Esq. Stansted House
Mumford James, brewer
Nockolds Arthur, auctioneer, &c.
Norris James, basket maker & fancy depôt
Osborne John, hair dresser
Pilgram James, glover
Pledger Miss Ann
Potter Hillary Ratcliff, plumber, painter, &c.
Potts Sophia, milliner
Pulteney Rev. Rd. Ths. Hargrove Lodge
Ratcliff Mary Hannnah. plumber, &c.
Ridge Mr Geo.
Lawrence Bentfield
Salmon Charles, baker, &c.
Sanders William, watchmaker. & ironmonger
Sawkins Sarah, druggist
Snow John Henry, lime burner
Snow George, bricklayer
Speller Rhoda, saddler, &c.
Vincent Henry Esq. Vineyard
Weatherhead Mrs G.
Wilson Mrs
Welch Chas. Jas. Esq. Pine-hill
Welch George, surgeon & superintendent registrar
Welch Samuel, surgeon
Wiffen William, corn factor
Woodley Matthew, corn factor, &c.
FARMERS.
Bull William
Griggs Thomas
Cornell Edmund
Clark Joshua
Hicks Alfred, Grove Hill
Hicks Charles , jun. Bentfield Green
Newman George
Newman John
Parris William, and maltster
Patmore John William, Priory
Phillips Joseph
Rand Thomas
Spencer Charles, Norman House
Spencer Edward, Bentfieldbury
Trigg Henry, Bury Lodge
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Bell, Susannah Clark
King’s Arms, Charlotte Russell
Rose and Crown, Samuel Gilby
Three Colts, Mary Sanders
ACADEMIES .
Boast Mrs Mary
Bourne Mr & Mrs
Green Mrs Mary
Osborne Angna.
Vincent Mary J.
Wallis Mrs and Langdon Miss
BEERHOUSES.
Levey Thomas
Little George – Barley Mow
Paul Elizabeth – Victoria
Pomfret William
Prior Benjamin
BLACKSMITHS.
Bedlow William
Brett Thomas
Phillips George
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS
Hassall Thomas
Plasted John
Pledger Benjamin
Smith John
BUTCHERS.
Levey John
Mascall John
Payne George
CARPENTERS.
Levey Isabella
Sanders Richard
Sanders Thomas
CORN MILLERS.
Robinson Henry
Brand Thomas William
Hicks Edward
Chopping Joseph
Little William
GROCERS & DRAPERS
Green & Marsh
Martin Jno. & G.
Pavitt William Lord
Sanders Arthur
Seamer Eliza
Thorogood Joseph.
TAILORS.
Fennell John
Living William
Potts George
RAILWAY
Trains to London, &c. 5 times aday
CARRIERS
Pass daily to London, Newmarket, &c.