West Mersea 1863 Whites directory
MERSEA ISLAND comprises the two parishes of East and West Mersea, and extends from Mersea Stone, at the mouth of the Colne, to the estuary of the Blackwater. It is of an oval figure, presenting a length of about five miles to the ocean, and being from 1½to 2 miles in breadth; separated from the mainland only by a creek, called the Pyefleet, which communicates with the estuaries of the Colne and the Blackwater, and is celebrated for excellent oysters ; and immense quantities of the spat is sent hence to the Kentish and other oyster layings. The island is also famous for wild fowl, of which great quantities are sent to London and other markets. A raised causeway, called the Strode, crosses the Pyefleet, and communicates with the main land, but it is covered by the sea at high tides. The island is well wooded, beautifully diversified, and presents a bold commanding coast to the German ocean. It contains 1234 souls, and about 3500 acres of good arable and pasture land, and more than 1000 acres of marshes and saltings, which are mostly inundated at high tides . This island was occupied by the Romans, and is supposed to have been the residence of the general who was styled “Count of the Saxon shore. ” Several tumuli on the island are apparently Roman, and in one of them many antiquities have been found. When repairing West Mersea Hall, and making a new garden, in 1730, a fine tessellated pavement was found, composed of various coloured tesseræ, disposed in a variety of elegant patterns. During the incursions of the Danes, this was frequently the landing place and retreat of their ferocious bands, and Alfred the Great is said to have beseiged a large party of them here in A.D. 894, after pursuing them from Farnham. There was formerly a blockhouse, at the south-east corner of the island, to defend the passage of the river Colne, and what remains of it is called Mersea Stone. There is now a coast guard station on the island.
West Mersea 1863 Whites directory
MERSEA (WEST) is a large and pleasant fishing and bathing village on the sea coast, at the western extremity of Mersea Island, andat the mouth of the estuary of the Blackwater, 9 miles S. of Colchester. It has a fair for toys and pedlery on Whit-Tuesday, and its parish comprises about two-thirds of the island, having 929 inhabitants and 3136 acres, including part of the salt marshes bordering upon Salcott and Pyefleet creeks, in the latter of which is a wild fowl decoy, near the Strode. The trustees of the late Thomas May, Esq., are lords of the manor of West Mersea Hall ; but here are several smaller manors and estates, called Bower Hall, Bocking Hall, Peete, &c. , belonging to J. Watson, J. Pledger, T. G. Harvey, J. Mason, Mrs. Round, and several smaller owners.
The copyholds are subject to fines certain. The chief manor was given in 1046 to St. Oven’s Priory, at Rouen, in Normandy, which had a cell or subordinate PRIORY here, founded by Roger Fitz-Ranulph, near the east end of the church, for monks of the Benedictine order. On the suppression of the alien houses, Mersea Priory was granted, in 1422, to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who settled it and the manor on Higham Ferrers College, which was dissolved in 1542, when this manor was granted to Robert Dacres. Bocking Hall farm belongs to Winsley’s Almshouses, at Colchester.
The Church (St. Peter and St. Paul) has a nave, south aisle, and chancel, with a tower and five bells, and was appropriated to the Priory. The living is a discharged vicarage, valued at £230, and having 8A. of glebe. It is in the patronage of the trustees of the late Thomas May, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. E. F. Ventris, M.A. Here is an Independent Chapel, which was rebuilt in 1841, and is now under the ministry of the Rev. Charles Cock, and has attached to it a British School. The National School was formerly a chapel belonging to the Wesleyans, who erected a new chapel of whitebrick in 1861, near the centre of the parish.
The CHURCH AND STRODE LANDS, given by unknown donors, comprise about 80 acres, held of the manor of West Mersea, in trust for applying the rents and profits in repairing the church and the long causeway called the Strode or Strood, which connects the island of Mersea with the main land, and is composed of shingles enclosed on each side by stakes driven into the earth, so thick and close together as to form a
raised wooden footpath above the level of the carriage road. The land, with five houses upon it, lets for about £165 a-year. The master of the Sunday School has the interest of £180, left by Sarah Overall in 1813 ; and the poor parishioners have £3 a year from Comyn’s Charity, as noticed with Peldon.
WEST MERSEA.
POST OFFICE at M. Banks’ . Letters via Colchester.
Banks Manassah, Post office
Brand George, vict. Victory
Brown James, pork butcher
Cause William, saddler, &c.
Digby Miss Sarah Ann, schoolmistress
Gladwell George, thatcher
Green Hugh, surgeon
King Miss Sarah vict. White Hart
Ladbrook John Carter, builder, &c.
Munson Robert, wheelwright
Munson Joseph, blacksmith
Munson William, tailor
Mussett James, jun. fish & coal merchant, and bathing machine owner
Pitman Miss Eliz. schoolmistress
Pullen Alfred, parish clerk
Reed Isaac, rat catcher
Richardson William, coal & corn merchant
Rogers William, shopkeeper and vict. Fox
Sheldrake William, beerseller
Underwood John, coast guard officer
Ventris Rev. Edward Flavell, M.A. vicar and surrogate
Wyatt Thomas shipwright
Fenning Thomas
Smith Fdk. corn miller
BOOT & SHOEMAKERS.
Nevill Abraham
Smith James
FARMERS.
Bacon Jno. butchr
Bean Henry, Well House
Bean Edwin S. Waldegraves
Booley Thomas
Bonner Mrs Eleanor
Croyden George
Downes Charles
Harvey Jeffery, Bower Hall
Keeble Thomas
Mason George W. West Hall
Mason James, Peete Hall
Watson Joseph Bocking Hall
Watson Abraham
White William
GARDENERS.
Pullen Elijah
Pullen John
Pullen George
Rogers William
GROCERS, &C.
Hempstead Jas.
Ladbrooke J. C.
Kemp Mrs Sarah
Rudlin John
White William
OYSTER MERCHANTS And Fowlers.
Freshwater Arnold
Cock Charles
Hempstead Jas.
Innes John
May Hy. John
Mussett John
Mussett James
MussettJ. jun.
Mussett William
CARRIERS
To Colchester, daily.
CudmoreGeorge Mussett Jas. jun.
Rudkin William
Sach James