Wivenhoe 1863 Whites Directory
WIVENHOE, a large and respectable village, 3½ miles S.S.E. of Colchester, is seated on a picturesque acclivity, on the north side of the Colne, at the point where that navigable river begins to expand into a broad estuary, of which the higher parts of the village command a fine prospect, down to Mersea Island. A railway is about to be extended from Colchester to Wivenhoe and Tendring Hundred. With Rowhedge, on the opposite side of the river, and Brightlingsea, a few miles below, Wivenhoe forms, in matters of pilotage, &c. , amember of the Cinque Port of Sandwich, in Kent.
It is within the jurisdiction of the Custom House establishment at Colchester, and maybe called the shipping port of that town, as “colliers” and other large vessels here receive and discharge their cargoes by means of lighters. A constant and extensive fishing trade is carried on here, especially in oysters and soles, which are considered the best in the kingdom. Many dredging boats employed in the oyster trade, as well as coasting vessels, are built here. A fair is held here on the 4th of September and four following days, for pedlery, toys, &c.; and on the river is a good quay. The parish, of Wivenhoe is at the south-east angle of Lexden Hundred, and contains 1838 inhabitants, and about 1800 acres of land, rising boldly from the low marshes near the river, and having in the higher parts a sandy soil, but fertile and well cultivated. It has been variously called Wyneho, Wyfenho, and Wyvenhoo, and was held by Robert Gernon at the Domesday Survey, as part of his barony of Stanstead Mountfichet. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it was held by the De Vere family, Earls of Oxford, one of whom made the road from the heath into the village. The manor of Wivenhoe was sold by the 17th Earl in 1585, to Roger Townsend, Esq. , and it was sold by his family, in 1657, to Nicholas Corsellis, an ancestor of Nicholas Cæsar Corsellis, Esq. , the present owner, whose family were long seated at Wivenhoe Hall, which is now occupied by Sir Claude W. C. De Crespigny, Bart. , who succeeded his grandfather as the third baronet in 1829. The Corsellis family came from Roussilier, in Flanders, and one of them, Frederic Corsellis, is said to have been the first person who introduced the art of printing into this country. The present owner, N. C. Corsellis,
Esq. , resides at Bensington, in Oxfordshire. As lord ofthe manor he has the exclusive right of a ferry to Fingringhoe, and derives £14. 6s. 2d. yearly in quit rents from the manor; as well as a common fine of 11s. 8d. paid at the court leet. The Hall is a fine old mansion, with pleasant grounds, on the north-west side of the village. When held bythe Earls of Oxford, it had a tower gateway, of considerable height, which served for a sea-mark. The parish is mostly freehold, and a great portion of the soil belongs to J. G. Rebow, Esq., Philip Havens, Esq. , and several smaller proprietors. The latter has a neat residence in the village, near which was Wivenhoe House, a handsome residence of the Brummell family, but it was pulled down in 1861 by Mr. Thomas Harvey, and the ground divided into building plots.
WIVENHOE PARK, the delightful seat of John Gurdon Rebow, Esq. , is partly in this and partly in Greenstead parish, but the mansion, which is large and handsome, stands within the bounds of Wivenhoe, about two miles S. W. of Colchester, where the Rebow family were formerly settled as merchants and woollen manufacturers. The park is extensive, richly clothed with wood, and embellished with a fine sheet of water, and a stock of deer. It occupies an estate anciently belonging to the Beriff family, and was converted into an elegant seat by Isaac Martin Rebow, Esq., about 1740.
Both it and the mansion were much improved by the late Lieut.-General Fras. Slater Rebow, who, like his successor, was an active magistrate of the county. Wivenhoe Gas Company was formed in 1861, with a capital of £2000, raised in £5 shares; and the village was first lit with gas on the 20th of January, 1862. The parish has a BURIAL BOARD, which in 1858 provided a Cemetery of about two acres, half a mile from the church, at the cost of about £900.
Wivenhoe CHURCH ( Virgin Mary) was an ancient Gothic structure, but it was mostly rebuilt in 1859, at the cost of about £3000,
raised by subscription. It has a nave and aisles, a chancel, and a square, embattled tower, containing five bells. It had formerly a chantry, founded in 1413, in a small chapel, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The whole interior is now modern, and is handsomely fitted with carved oak benches, &c. The Pulpit and Reading Desk are stone, and four of the windows are enriched with stained glass. On the walls are several neat marble tablets, and on the floor is a fine antique brass, on which are pourtrayed effigies of Lord Wm. Beaumont and his lady. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £10, and in 1831 at £380, is in the patronage of N. C. Corsellis, Esq. , and incumbency of the Rev. Edward Thomas Waters, M.A., who has a good residence, and a yearly rent-charge of about £400, in lieu of tithes.
In the village is an Independent Chapel, belonging to a congregation formed in 1790, and attached to it is a British School.
The National School was built in 1847, at the cost of about £1100 , in the Elizabethan style. Jonathan Feedham left £50 to be
invested, and the yearly proceeds to be distributed amongst poor sailors, or sailors’ widows, belonging to this parish. In 1803, this £50 was given to the lord of the manor, in exchange for 3A. of waste land, now let for £6 per annum. The poor widows of the parish have a yearly rent-charge of £2, left by one Cox, out of a garden of four acres. Ten poor parishioners, attending the church, have two yearly rent-charges of 50s. each, left by William & Benjamin Sanford.
Wivenhoe POST OFFICE is at Miss Sarah Pratt’s. Letters via Colchester. Money Orders granted and paid
Barrell Daniel, wheelwright, &c.
Blyth Isaac, plumber, glazier, &c.
Brown William Lancaster, shopman
Browne William, ropemaker, &c.
Catt Samuel, blacksmith
Chamberlain John Green, gent.
Church John H. vestry clerk, &c.
Church William, bricklayer, &c.
Cole Ann, druggist, &c.
De Crespigny Sir Claude William Champion, Bart. Wivenhoe Hall
Durrell David, sailmaker
Elsworthy John, mast, block, and pumpmaker
Firman Henry Joseph, gent.
Firman Henry Benj. druggist, &c.
Francis Joseph, corn miller
Frost Rev. George Oliver (Independent)
Harvey Nathl. coal and oyster merchant
Harvey Thomas & Sons, ship and yacht builders, ship owners, &c.
Harvey Thomas, jun.; h Ipswich
Harvey John ; h Wivenhoe
Havens & Squire, surgeons
Havens Philip, surgeon
Hindwood William, carpenter
Husk James , boat builder, &c.
Jolliffe William, gardener
Jones William, ferryman
Madder William, sail maker
Pratt Robert, coal merchant, &c.
Pratt Miss Sarah, postmistress
Price Frederick John, ship chandler
Rayner George Miles, master mariner
Rebow John Gurdon, Esq. and Lady Georgiana, Wivenhoe Park
Sadler Joseph , shipwright
Sandford Edward, greengrocer
Squire Samuel Nathaniel, surgeon (Havens and Squire)
Summers John, blacksmith
Waters Rev. Edw. Thomas M.A.Rectory
Went Solomon, brick and tilemaker
Wilkinson Rev. Edward, B.A. curate
Wilkins Joseph. National Schoolmaster
Willis Robert and William, master mariners
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Anchor, Chas. Heath, & oyster merchant
Black Boy, William Goodwin
Falcon, Nathaniel Rogers Ham
Greyhound, Berkely Sainty
Horse and Groom, David Grimes
Rose and Crown, James Gardner
Ship Launch, George Chamberlain
Union Flag, Sarah Wenden
BAKERS.
Franks William
Ham Edward
Howard Thomas
BOOT & SHOEMAKERS.
Bush Isaac
Chamberlain G.
BUTCHERS.
CarringtonThos.
Ridgley William
Smith James
CARPENTERS
Abbott William Abm. Irwin
Barrell Daniel
Eade John
BEERHOUSES.
Bacon Edward
Dowsett Maria
Sainty Arthur
Wade Rebecca
FARMERS.
Carver Daniel
Cooper Edgar, Lodge
Harvey Thomas
Hines William
Vincent Henry
Went John, Cross
GROCERS, &C.
Abbott William Abm.
Appleby James Alf.
Firman Hy. Benjamin
Jones Ellen
Moore James
Moore John
Polley John
Tabram & Parkes, and Colchester
PILOTS.
Harvey George
Harvey Stephen
Howard John
SHIP AND SMACK OWNERS
Blyth Isaac
Chamberlain J. G.
Cole William W.
Crosby Robert
Denton William Emery
Durrell David
Goodwin Thomas
Goodwin William
Ham Jas. and Rd.
Harvey Nathaniel
Heath Charles
Madder William
Murrell William
Penny James
Pratt John
Price Frank
Price Frederick
Scott John
Taylor William
TAILORS.
Nice Thomas
Stewardson William Fdk. barber
CARRIERS to Colchester daily.
Appleby Moses
Cole Daniel
Polley John