Waltham Abbey Whites Directory in 1863
WALTHAM-ABBEY, or WALTHAM HOLY CROSS, is a small ancient market town, on the east side of the river Lea, about a mile E. of Waltham Cross Station on the Great- Eastern Railway, in Hertfordshire, on the opposite side of the vale, and 12 miles N. by E. of London. It is lighted with gas from the works at Waltham Cross, in Cheshunt parish, and is in a low situation near the river Lea, which receives near it the Cobbin Brook, and forms several small islands, bordered by fruitful meadows, and said to have been caused by King Alfred, when he altered the course of the river, for the purpose of stranding the Danish fleet. These little islands are partly occupied by the Royal Gunpowder Mills and Magazines, which extend in detached branches a distance of four miles northward. Some of the corning mills were blown up in 1801, 1843, and in several subsequent years. The town is irregularly built, and consists chiefly of one main street. It has a small market on Tuesday, and fairs on May 14th and Sept. 25th and 26th. Its extensive PARISH is in Edmonton Union, and comprises about 11,000 acres of land, and 5044 inhabitants ; and is divided into four wards, viz.:
WALTHAM ABBEY, which comprises the town and suburbs, and has about 2700 inhabitants ; HOLYFIELD hamlet, which extends three miles northward, between the river Lea and Cobbin Brook, and includes Galley and Mangham Hills, part of the Gun-powder Mills, and about 400 inhabitants ; SEWARDSTONE hamlet, which extends from 1 to 3 miles S.W., and includes a large part of Epping Forest, High Beech (where there is a district church), Leopard’s Hill, Sewardstone Green, many scattered houses, and about 840 inhabitants ; and UPSHIRE hamlet, which extends two miles eastward from the town to the forest, and along the south side of Cobbin Brook, and includes Warlies Park, Sergeant’s Green, many scattered houses, and about 1100 inhabitants. Broomstick Hall Common and Honey Lane Common, in Upshire hamlet, have recently been enclosed. For this large parish there have lately been established a Board of Health and a Burial Board, and the latterhas provided a parochial Cemetery. Mr. Joseph Frederick Jessopp is clerk to both Boards. Waltham Abbey has a Mental Improvement Society, a Parochial Library, an Horticultural Society, and several Friendly and Provident Societies. Petty Sessions are held here every Tuesday, at the Police Station ; and Mr. J. F. Jessopp is clerk to the magistrates.
Waltham County Court District comprises the parishes of Waltham Abbey, Chingford, Epping, Latton, Loughton, Laver-Magdalen, Matching, Nazeing, Netteswell, North-Weald-Bassett, Great and Little Parndon, Roydon, Thoydon-Bois and Thoydon-Garnon, in Essex; and Cheshunt, in Herts. William Gurdon, Esq. , is the judge ; J. W. F. Siddall, Esq. , registrar ; Mr. H. J. Jenour, high bailiff ; and Mr. G. Eversfield, bailiff.
Waltham Abbey, or the 22nd corps of Essex Volunteer Rifles, are commanded by Captain William Leask.
ABBEY. Waltham derived its early importance from its extensive and richly endowed Abbey, of which there are now but few remains. The first mention of Waltham occurs in the time of Canute, inwhose reign the then lord of the manor, Tovy, or Tovius, standard-bearer to that monarch, attracted by the great quantities of game in the forest, founded here a village and church, placing 66 dwellers in the former, and two priests in the latter. After his death, his son and heir, Athelstan, squandered his inheritance ; and Waltham, reverting to the Crown, was given by Edward the Confessor to Earl Harold, on condition that he should build a monastery in the place where there was a little convent founded by Tovy. Harold enlarged this small convent, and refounded and endowed it as a college, for adeanand seven secular canons of the Augustine order. A distinct manor was allotted for the maintenance of each canon, and six for the support of the dean. The church was at the same time enriched with a vast number of relics, one of which was a miraculous cross, with a figure of Our Saviour upon it, and said to have been found at Montacute. Henry II. , about 1177, changed the old foundation of seculars into an abbey of regular canons of the same order, augmenting the number to 24, and proportionably increasing their revenues, by a grant of the rich lands of Sewardstone and Epping. Great additions were made to the church and monastic buildings, and the whole was re-dedicated to the aforesaid Holy Cross and St. Lawrence. The first abbot was Walter de Gaunt, who was indulged by the Pope, in 1191, with the use of the pontificals, and exempted from episcopal jurisdiction. Richard I. granted to the Abbey his whole manor of Waltham, with the great wood or park called Harold’s Park, 460A. of forest lands, and other estates and privileges. He afterwards gave the mansion and estate of Copped Hall, to be held in fee of the Abbey, by Robert Fitz Aucher. Henry the Third augmented the privileges of the Abbey, and bestowed upon it many rich gifts, so that it now became one of the most opulent monasteries in the kingdom. The latter monarch frequently made the Abbey his place of residence, to avoid the expenses of acourt; and for the purpose of supplying the increased consumption which his presence and retinue occasioned, he granted the town the privilege of a weekly market, and a seven days’ annual fair. In his reign, great disputes took place between the monks and the townspeople respecting the right of the former to pasture their cattle on the adjoining grounds. The Abbey was suppressed in 1539, when its annual revenues were valued at £900. 4s. 11d. according to Dugdale, or at £1079. 12s. 1d. as recorded by Speed. The last abbot, Robert Fuller, may be reckoned among the literati of the monastery, of which he wrote a history in 460 folio pages; the substance of which is given by his namesake Fuller, at the end of his ” Church History.” The site of the Abbey, with the manor, &c., was granted for 32 years to Sir Anthony Denny, who dying about the second of Edward VI. , his widow bought the reversion in fee for about £3000. Sir Edward Denny, grandson of Sir Anthony, was created Earl of Norwich by Charles I., and from him the manor of Waltham Holy Cross passed by the marriage of his daughter to the celebrated Earl of Carlisle. It afterwards passed to the Wakes, and is now held by Sir Chas. Wake, Bart. , of Courteen, Northamptonshire. In 1636, the Earl ofNorwich charged the Claverhambury estate (about 7004.) with the yearly payment of £100 for the officiating minister of Waltham Abbey, but his grandson sold the whole, except the manorial rights and the Claverhambury farm, the latter of which is now subject to this rent-charge. Many proprietors have estates in the parish, and some of them have neat mansions here.
The Abbey House was pulled down in 1770. The gateway into the Abbey-yard, a bridge which leads to it, some ruinous walls, an arched vault, and the parish church, are the only vestiges of the Abbey. Adjoining the gateway is the Porter’s Lodge, anda piece of ground now called Bramblings, but formerly Romeland, on account of its rents being formerly appropriated to the see of Rome. On this spot, Henry VIII. is said to have had a small pleasurehouse, which he frequently occupied on his visits to Waltham.
CHURCH. The Abbey Church was an extensive and elegant cruciform structure, with a massive tower and eight bells. The intersection of the transept is yet visible, though the site of Harold’s tomb, which stood in the chancel, is about 40 yards from the termination of the present building.
Part of the tower fell down a few years after the surrender of the Abbey, and the rest was taken down in 1556, together with the remains of the choir, transept, &c., leaving only the west end of the building, which constitutes the present parish church. This venerable relic, though much disfigured and mutilated, contains several interesting and curious specimens ofthe ornamented columns, semicircular arches, and other characteristics of the Norman style of architecture. Since 1859 it has undergone athorough restoration, at the cost of about £5000. Towards the east end is a handsome screen of wood, and near it there was formerly a painting in glass of Harold, the founder, which was destroyed by the Puritans, in the reign of Charles I. The unfortunate Harold offered up his prayers for victory in this church, previous to his engagement with the Norman invaders. His body, with those of his two brothers, slain at the same time, was brought here for interment, attended by a small dejected remainder of the English nobility. His tomb was of plain grey marble, and the epitaph is said to have been only these two expressive words, Harold infelix; though Weever gives it in a dozen lines of barbarous Latin, from an ancient manuscript once belonging to the Abbey. In the reign of Elizabeth, a gardener found a large stone coffin, supposed to contain the royal corpse, but the remains, on being touched, mouldered into dust.
About 1800, a second coffin was found near the same place, containing an entire skeleton enclosed in lead, which conjecture identified as one of the royal brothers. The benefice is a donative curacy, valued at only £195. It was endowed in 1636, by the Earl of Norwich, with £100 per annum, out of the Claverhambury estate, as already noticed. The Earl, at the same time, vested the patronage in Trustees, and the living is now held by the Rev. James Francis, M.A. The Church Estate comprises two houses in Sewardstone street, and 234. 1R. 7P. of land in Upshire hamlet, vested in trust, for the service of the Church, and now let for £91. 14s. per annum. Here are two Baptist Chapels, one belonging to a congregation formed in 1729 ; and at the top of Quaker lane is a Wesleyan Chapel.
HIGH BEECH, a beautiful and romantic part of the parish of Waltham Abbey, occupies an elevated part of Epping Forest, about 3 miles S.E. of the town, and has many handsome houses commanding extensive prospects. Here the argilaceous formation, called the ” London clay,” reaches its highest elevation, 759 feet above the level of the sea. C. W. H. Sotheby, Esq., is lord of Sewardstone manor, and resides at the Manor House. Sewardstone hamlet is said to have been anciently a parish, and some remains of an old building are spoken of as the ruins of its church. The ECCLESIASTICAL DISTRICT OF HIGH BEECH, formed about 1845 out of the hamlets of Sewardstone and Upshire, is in extent about three miles by two, and has about 500 inhabitants. Its Church, dedicated to St. Paul, was built by subscription in 1836, at the cost of about £900. It is a small structure, and annexed to it is a National School. The benefice is a perpetual curacy, of small and uncertain amount, in the patronage of the Bishop of Rochester, and incumbency of the Rev. L. A. Beck, M.A. It is said that Henry VIII. came to High Beech before the execution of his unfortunate Queen Anne Boleyn, in order that he might be at a distance, and still have the savage satisfaction of hearing the Tower guns fired, as a signal that the bloody tragedy was ended. WARLIES PARK (250A.), in Upshire hamlet, about 2 miles E. by N. of Waltham Abbey, is one ofthe seats of Sir Thos. Fowell Buxton, Bart
The Parish of Waltham Abbey, or Holy Cross, has several PUBLIC SCHOOLS and various CHARITIES for the poor parishioners generally, as well as some for those of the separate hamlets. The poor parishioners have the following yearly rent- charges , viz.: 40s. from Rampson’s Charity (see Walthamstow) ; 30s. out of the Cock Inn, left by Robert Browne, in 1587 ; 20s . out of a house in High Bridge street, left, in 1597, by Robert Catrow ; 40s. out of an estate at Yardley, in Hertfordshire, left, in 1691, by George Weylett ; 40s. left by Robert Grub, in 1708, out of land at Holyfield belonging to N. Connop, Esq.; 10s. out of a house left by Robert Dane ; and 52s. out of Fisher’s farm at Holyfield, left by Henry Wollaston .
The ALMSHOUSES, in High Bridge street, contain rooms for the residence of eight poor widows, and were built about 1815, on the site of four old tenements left for the use of four poor widows by one Green, in 1626. The four widows in the upper rooms have each 2s. 2d. weekly from the dividends of £1350 New Three-and-a-half per Cent. Reduced Annuities, left by Mowbray Woollard, in 1826, for that purpose, and also for providing 1s. each per week for five poor men and five poor women in the workhouse to buy snuff or other comforts with. The almswomen have also small weekly stipends from the parish.
In 1756, ARABELLA JAMES left a yearly rent-charge of £5 for the education of five poor boys. This legacy was void under the statute of mortmain; but JOHN EDMONSON, in 1766, gave in lieu of it two cottages, let for £13. 10s. per annum, and a garden let for £2. In 1814, JOHN HALFHIDE left £210 new 3 per cent. annuities, and directed the dividends to be applied, one half towards the support of the Sunday school, and the other half to be divided among all the poor widows of the parish, by the minister and churchwardens. The rents of the above-named cottages and garden, and half of the income ofthe latter charity, are applied in aid of the Parochial Day and Sunday Schools, which are conducted on the national system. Here is also a British School, supported by dissenters. In 1823, THOS. LEVERTON bequeathed, after the death of his wife (which happened in 1833) , £6000 Three per Cent. Consols in trust to apply the yearly dividends as follows : £80 in clothing 20 boys and 20 girls ; £30 to a school- master, and £90 to a mistress, for teaching the said 40 children ; £10 to provide them with school books and stationery ; £10 for apprenticing two of the said children ; £5 to be given to five of the children who behaved well in their first servitude ; £12 to be given in clothing to six poor men and six poor women; £5 to be distributed in bread among the poor on Christmas day; £3 for keeping his monument in repair, and the remaining £5 to be reserved by the trustees for contingencies. The sum belonging to this charity was reduced by legacy duty, &c., to £5378.17s. 5d.
The school-house occupied by the master and mistress was purchased in 1824, by the executors of Geo. Fawbert, who also built the school-rooms out of the money left by Mr. Fawbert to be appropriated at their discretion to some charitable use. The poor of Waltham Abbey division of the parish have the dividends of £389 old South Sea Annuities, derived from the bequest of Jane Dobson, in 1817. They are distributed by the minister and churchwardens every two or three years. The hamlet of Sewardstone has two yearly rent-charges of 20s. for the poor, and 20s. for the repairs of the highways, left by Margaret Gidney, in 1587, out of a large estate there, belonging to the Bazett family.
WALTHAM ABBEY PARISH DIRECTORY.
Those marked 1, are in High Beech ; 2, Holyfield Hamlet ; 3, Upshire Hamlet ; 4, Sewardstone Hamlet ; and the rest are in the town of Waltham Abbey, viz.: 5 , in Green yard; 6, High Bridge street ; 7, Market place ; 8, Sewardstone street ; 9 , in Sun street ; 10, Paradise row ; and 11, in Church street.
POST OFFICE at David Bavister’s, in High Bridge street. Letters via Waltham Cross. Money Orders granted and paid. There is a sub-post office at High Beech, and a pillar letter box at Sewardstone. Letters despatched to London, &c. , four times a day.
Many of those without trades attached have places of business in London.
6 Askwith Colonel William Harrison, R.A., superintendent of Royal Gunpowder Factory
1 Bartholomew Edw. Esq. Fairmead
Beck Rev. Louis Alex. M.A. incumbent of High Beech
Bond Rev. C. W. curate
1 Bulmer Edw. S. Esq.
Burch William
1 Burrell Mrs S.
Coulton Miss
Buxton Sir Thomas Fowell, Bart. Warlies Park
Carr William, parish clerk.
3 Bates Richard.
11 Clark Susan, cowkeeper
6 Colver James, upholsterer, &c.
4 Connell William & Co. bleachers and scourers, Sewardstone Mills
4 Davies John Speed, Esq. Yardley House
1 Dawson Mr Jas.
3 Dick Mr John
Durnford G. E. and P. E. clerks, Gunpowder Factory
9 DyerWilliam, furniture, &c. broker
Edenborough Capt. S. B. Thrift Hall
10 Eversfield George, bailiff, &c.
4 Fisher Joseph Esq. & Gibbs C. A. Esq.
Flinter J. S. clerk Gunpowder Factory
Francis Rev. Jas. M.A. incumbent
4 Giffard Jno. Esq.
4 Hebden William
9 Hanchett John, stonemason
3 Hembrow Mr
Hatherill Henry
Henry Major, R.A. captain instructor, Gunpowder Factory
Hicks Miss Jane; and William colourer &c.
4 Horner John James, Esq.
8 Howard Thomas, tax surveyor
4 Hunt George, parish clerk
Inglis Captain Thomas, R.E.
Joyce Fredk. percussion cap manufacturer
9 Law Wm. hairdresser, &c.
Leask Capt. William, High Beech
9 Littler Edmund, printer, stationer, and china, &c. dealer
6 Lucas George T. tobacconist
1 Lupton Mr William
3 Rigge Major
Marshall Jas. Ainsworth, druggist
1 Martin Jas. Esq. Alder Grove Lodge
11 Maynard William, umbrella maker
Morse John, artificial flower maker
10 Murch Rev. Spencer (Baptist)
Newland Captain Arthur, Honilands
4 Pegrum Joshua, relieving officer
9 Pryor Charles, auctioneer, &c.
Randell John, clerk of works (R.E.)
6 Rowley James, bacon dealer, &c.
6 Saunders Edward, pawnbroker
3 Smith Mr John, Galley Hill
1 Soames Frederick Esq. Beech House
1 Sotheby Chas. W. H. Esq. Manor House
5 Street Wm. chimney sweeper
Symondson William, William jun. and George, gent. Upshire Hall
6 Tabraham Joseph, tobacconist, &c.
9 Tuckwell William, horse, &c. letter
6 Turnham Joseph, fishmonger
3 Walker Henry, potter
Watkins Henry, lime, slate, &c. dealer
Whale Henry, police sergeant
Wigan Alfred, Esq. Monkhams Hall
4 Wigan Hy. Esq.
4 Young Jn. Chs.
11 Winters William, news agent, &c.
ACADEMIES AND SCHOOLS.
8 Harper William
7 Littler Miss
8 British School, Joseph & Mrs Upton
6 Leverton’s School, George and Mrs Smith
National Schools, James J. Lindeman and Misses Marsh & Bulbeck
ATTORNEYS.
1 Allsup James, High Bridge street
Jessopp & Siddall, High Bridge st
Jessopp Joseph Frederick (clerk to magistrates, & to Board of Health and Burial Board)
Siddall James William Frederick, registrar of County Court
FIRE AND LIFE OFFICES.
Atlas, Agricultural, &c. J. Allsup
British Empire, F. & S. Richardson
Imperial, Samuel Bensted
Leeds and Yorkshire, William Dyer
London, James A. Marshall
Mutual, John Phipps
Phoenix and Pelican, Charles Pryor
Scottish Equitable, J. F. Jessopp
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Angel, Joshua Paul, Sun street
Cock, William Stewart
8 Compasses, Jno. Turner, basketmaker.
7 Green Dragon, Daniel Read
3 Green Man, William Green
9 Greyhound, Edward Smith
Fox, Edward Carter, Sewardstone
Harp, William Skinner, Church street
6 King’s Arms, William Roberts Clark
1 King’s Oak, John Hawes
9 New Inn, Richard Tuckwell
Ordnance Arms, George Baker
Oak (empty) , Sewardstone
4 Owl, Henry Lane, Leopard’s hill
Red Lion, George Kenzett
3 Rose & Crown (Old) , Joseph Osborne
Sun, John Clayden, Sun street
8 Three Compasses, John Turner
Three Tuns, John Carr, Market place
Wake’s Arms, William Dawkins, Upshire
White Horse, William Paveley, Sun st
9 White Lion, Sarah Copperwheat
BAKERS, And Shopkeepers.
10 Baker George
7 Bridgman Hy.
3 Clark Daniel
8 Coxshall Geo.
6 Cook William
9 Crean George
11 Page Jonathan
6 Reed Thomas
6 Reed William
9 Tyler Samuel
BEERHOUSES.
3 Askew George
4 Carter Edward
6 Champness G.
Cleverley George
4 Cole James
Copperwheat J.
3 Glasscock Geo.
2 Hampton Robert
1 Hampton Jonas
3 Hasler Thomas
Hicks John
3 Jennings James
8 King Eliza J.
4 Lane Jemima
11 Larman Jas.
3 Palmer William
2 Pegrum William
3 Powell Philip
3 Reynolds John
7 Reed William
4 Turner W W
2 Walker J B
BLACKSMITHS.
9 Cooke William
Copperwheat J.
1 Greatorex John
4 Powell Philip
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS
9 Austin Samuel
7 Back William
6 Beckwith Benj .
6 Colverd James
6 Godfrey Thos
8 Hunt Charles
8 Hunt C. jun.
6 Hunwick Mary
7 Larman James
10 Miller James
9 Pond Peter
7 Reynolds Hy.
9 Upton Jesse, & registrar
2 Walker J. B.
BREWERS.
Clark Wm. R.
9 Lee Charles
10 Parker Edw.
BRICKLAYERS .
8 Adams Thomas
Wiggs Chas. William
BUTCHERS.
6 Carr Sarah
7 Gocher Henry
9 Goodchild J.C.
9 Green Mary
6 Hayes John
8 Lawrence Hy.
6 Newland Chas.
6 Rowley John
4 Salmon Frederick
CARPENTERS And Builders
9 Bentley John
6 Cashbert Chas.
9 Chater Hy. S.
11 Franklin Jas.
7 Gardener William
CHINA, GLASS, &c. DEALERS.
7 James Isaac
9 Littler Edm.
9 Trapp Thomas
COAL AND CORN MERCHANTS.
9 Carr& Skerman
5 Clark Joseph
5 Clark William R.
4 Hampton John
9 Webster G. & W.
CORN MILLERS.
9 Brown F. & E.
9 Carr & Skerman
11 Carr James
9 Webster G. & W.
FARMERS.
3 Alderson Christopher
4 Ashcomb John
4 Ashcomb William
4 Banks Henry
4 Barber John
3 Bee Edward
2 Bott William
2 Brett Thomas Jno. and John Thomas.
2 Chapman Chas.
2 Chapman Thos.
Chapman T. jun.
2 Clayden Hannah
4 Cole George
8 Coxshall Geo.
3 Doe George
2 Green Mary
4 Hampton Jas .
4 Hampton Jonas
3 Hide John
3 Hobson Josiah
4 Izard Robert
2 Littlechild Dd.
3 Mason George
4 Mills Peter
2 Mills William
3 Mugglestone Robert Baker
8 Oram William
3 Palmer Joseph
3 Parrish William
2 Pegrum Thos.
2 Pegrum William
2 Perry Thomas
2 Pryor Benj
Symondson Geo.
3 Stout William
2 Walker Eliz
3 Webb James
9 Webster Chas.
4 Welch Joseph
GARDENERS.
6 Carter David
1 Crawford James
King George
9 Talbot S. W.
GROCERS, &c.
9 Bates John
6 Bensted Geo.
1 Burrell William
7 James Isaac
9 Mills Robert
6 O’Brien J. E.
7 Ricket James
5 Thompson Samuel
IRONMONGERS And Braziers .
7 Marsh John
9 Richardson Fk. and Samuel
LINEN & WOOLLEN DRAPERS
6 Bavister David
9 Pugh Samuel B
9 RichardsonJ.E.
9 Sedgwick Wm.
MALTSTERS.
9 Lee Charles
Skerman James
MILLINERS, &c.
6 Chapman Cath.
8 Frye Mrs Han.
11 Pegrum Sar.
Richardson Mrs
6 Williams Jane
PLUMBERS, PAINTERS AND GLAZIERS.
Button Eliza
6 Cashbert Chas.
8 Lawrence Geo.
SADDLERS, &c.
9 Crossingham Stephen
9 Judd William
SHOPKEEPERS.
10 Baker John
6 Champness W H
7 Dyer William
7 EllisChas. & Co.
1 Field J. Post Office
Hummerston T.
8 Lawrence Jas.
8 Parcel Frederick
8 Saich Robert
10 Tabraham An.
7 ThompsonJno.
SURGEONS.
9 Battie Henry
8 Priest Arthur
TAILORS
4 Davis George
6 McCabe N. J.
9 Mumford Geo.
7 Phipps John
10 Warner W. P.
WATCHMAKERS &c.
Spurgin Mr
7 Warden Jno. S.
WHEELWRIGHTS.
9 Cook James
8 Copperwheat J.
8 Cobb William
RAILWAY Trains from Waltham Cross, 5 times a day. OMNIBUS to meet trains from the New Inn.
CARRIERS to London daily from the Inns.
BARGES to London weekly, from G. & W. Webster’s, Joseph Clark’s, and Carr and Skerman’s