Tolleshunt Major 1848 Whites Directory
TOLLESHUNT MAJOR, or BECKINGHAM parish, has a village of the latter name, on a gentle eminence nearly half amile N.W. of the Church, and 5 miles N.E. by E. of Maldon. It contains 447 souls, and 2156 acres of land, watered by a rivulet, flowing southward to the Blackwater. The soil is various, but mostly a sandy or gravelly loam. The manor was given by Godfrey de Tregoz or D’Arcy, in the reign of Stephen, to Coggeshall Abbey; and was granted in 1543, to Stephen Beckingham, whose family held it till 1636, when it was sold to Sir T. Adams. In 1710, it was purchased by Dr. Daniel Williams, who settled it in trust with the New England Society, £60 of the rental to be paid to two itinerant preachers, for preaching to the negroes in the West Indies ; and the remainder of the yearly income to be paid towards the support of the College of Cambridge, in New England. Part ofthe parish belongs to J. A. Hardcastle, Esq. , M.P., and the Carter, Francis, Cousin, and other families. It includes estates called Highams, Joyces, Wykes, &c. Of Beckingham Hall, which was long the seat of the Beckingham family, the ancient brick gateway tower, in the Tudor style, flanked at the corners with embattled turrets, still remains. Near this gateway are two lofty turrets, which formerly flanked the gate leading to the servants’ part of the mansion. The farm house, which now occupies part of the site of the hall, is modern, except the kitchen, in which is some fine oak carving, especially the arms of Henry VIII.
The Church ( St. Nicholas,) is a plain ancient building, with a nave and chancel of one pace, a porch, and a brick tower, containing three bells. The nave is Normanan, with perpendicular windows, but the tower is of the Tudor period. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £8, and in 1831 at £150, is in the patronage of the Rev. C. W. Carwardine, M.A., and incumbency of the Rev. R. P. Crane, M.A., who resides at Heybridge, the glebe being only 2A , and the small Parsonage house, occupied by a farmer.
The New England Society are impropriators of the rectory, but two-thirds of the parish are tithe free. The vicarial tithes were commuted in 1847, for £187 per annum . On the condition of preaching a sermon on Christmas Day, the vicar has ayearly rent- charge of £5 out of Renter’s Farm, pursuant to the bequest of John Sims, in 1674. For distribution among twelve poor parishioners, Sir Christopher Clitherow left two yearly rent-charges, viz., £2 out of Joyces Farm, and £1 out of Highams Farm. A yearly rent of £2 left to the poor by Sir Stephen Beckingham, out of a messuage called Freme, at Tolleshunt Darcy,
has not been paid during the last 35 years.
Banham Robt. shopkeeper & carpenter
+Carter Alfred, Great Renters
Coe George, vict. Bell Inn
Dudley Daniel & Bridge Hy. shoemkrs
Dudley Thomas, blacksmith
Foster William, corn miller
Gentry Benjamin, brickmaker
Grout Jno. wheeler & Mrs. school
Horsnail William, shopkeeper
Martin George, bricklayer
Quinney John, basket maker
FARMERS. ( + are Owners.)
+Barrett Benj
Barrett James
Barrett William, Loamy Hill
Bright William
Cooper John
Carter Challis, Exors. of, Longs
Cowell William, Primrose Hill
Downes John
Fenn John
+Fairhead W. J. ( & Little Totham)
+Francis Robert, Joyces
Holmes Thomas, Bygrave
Hutley John, Stanes & Rivenhall
Humphreys Rbn.
Walker John
Knight Thomas, Hall
+Sharp William
Sharp James
Wager William
Wakelin Hezekiah
LETTERS from Maldon