WOODHAM FERRERS, or FERRIS, is a compact village, seated on the slope of a considerable eminence, 9 miles S.E. of Chelmsford, and 8 miles S.S.W. of Maldon. It lies south-west of Woodham Walter and Mortimer, and its parish contains 947 souls, and 4681 acres of land, including 139A. of wood, and 306A. of waste. About 1000 acres, and 124 of the inhabitants, are in that part of Bicknacre hamlet which lies in this parish, and extends from 1 to 2 miles N. of the church. A rivulet rises here, and flows southward to the navigable river Crouch, near Hull Bridge. The soil is mostly a strong wet loam, which produces about 24 bushels of wheat per acre. Lord Rayleigh is lord of the manor of Woodham Ferrers, but a great part of the parish belongs to other pro- prietors. At the Norman Conquest, this manor was given to Henry de Ferrers. From his noble family, it passed, in the reign of Henry VI. , to that of Grey. In 1743, it was sold to Mr. Joseph Strutt, an ancestor of Lord Rayleigh. Wickhams is an ancient farm-house in the Elizabethan style, encompassed by a moat. It has been modernised externally, and is now the property of William and Henry Marriage, Esqrs. Champeynes, orChampions, is an old manor house, and there are several others in the parish, bearing different names.
Edwin’s Hall, a large farm house on an eminence, about a mile from the church, was built by Bishop Sandys, about 1576. It is in the Tudor style, and was formerly surrounded by a moat. It contains some fine old wainscoting, and was formerly much larger than at present. The Church (St. Mary) is a large fabric, in the styles of architecture which prevailed in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, and consists of a nave, with aisles, a chancel, a porch, and a small wooden belfry, containing one bell. The old tower, after being twice rebuilt, fell down in 1774, when four of the five bells were sold. In the chancel is a sedilia of three arches, and also a piscina. Part of the staircase which led to the rood loft, and a portion of the old screen, richly carved, still remain; as also do some of the antique benches, with poppy-head carvings, &c. Onthe right hand of the communion table, is a beautiful mural monument, in memory of Cecilie Sandys, who survived her husband, Archbishop Sandys, 22 years, and died in 1610. Her effigy is placed in a kneeling posture, in a niche of black marble, superbly ornamented. A pillar supports a phenix on each side, adjoining to which are figures of Time and Death. The whole is executed with much taste, and on the entablature is a long inscription. The church was given by Robert, Earl Ferrers, to Bicknacre Priory, but the advowson remained with the Ferrers, and other lay patrons, except in 1517, when the monks of Elsing Spittle, without Bishopsgate, London, presented. Henry VIII. granted the advowson to Henry Polsted; and it afterwards passed to the Mildmays. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £28.13s. 4d. , and now at £950, is in the patronage of Sir B. W. Bridges, and incumbency of the Rev. Robt. St. John Shirreff, M.A. The tithes were commuted, in 1839, for £969 per annum. Here is a neat Independent Chapel, in the early English style, built in 1844, and behind it is a school, erected in 1845. A fair for toys, &c. , is held here on Oct. 11th. In 1776, Lady Falkland left £50, to provide for ayearly distribution of bread among the poor parishioners. This charity now consists of £63 Threeper cent. Consols. About £30 is distributed yearly in coals, among all the poor families of the parish, as the rent of a barn, and 15A. of land, derived from the gift of George and Eliz. Woollard, in 1729. The Poor’s Orchard comprises about three roods, and is let for £2. 2s. The Church Property comprises a cottage, garden, and 10A. of land, let for £31. 10s. per annum, which is carried to the churchwardens’ account.
BICKNACRE, a hamlet with much wood, and many scattered houses, in the vale of a rivulet, from 5 to 6 miles E.S.E. of Chelmsford, has about 300 inhabitants, in Woodham Ferrers and Danbury parishes. Its PRIORY, founded by Maurice Fitz Geoffery, sheriff of Essex, in the reign ofHenry II. , for black canons, stood in Woodham Ferrers parish, and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. Henry II. defrayed most of the expense of the building, and granted to the monks the site of the hermitage, which had previously stood here. In the reign of Henry VII. the possessions of this priory bad been so much lessened by neglect, that it was almost abandoned ; and on the petition of the prior and monks of Elsing Spittle, without Bishopsgate, London, the king granted it to that hospital. After the Dissolution, the manor of ” Bycknacre,” with the site of the priory, was granted to Henry Polsted, who sold it, in 1548, to Sir Walter Mildmay, of whose grandson it was purchased by George Barrington, Esq. , of Little Baddow. The site of the priory is now the property of Sir Fras. W. Sykes, Bart. , and the only remaining portion of the monastic buildings is a fine lofty pointed arch, which supported the western side of the tower. A considerable part of the nave, and the west transept, were long occupied as a farm house, but were taken down in 1812. Here is an ever-flowing well, which is said to have been formerly in the priory kitchen .
WOODHAM FERRERS.
Marked § are in Bicknacre.
POST OFFICE at Chas. Borne’s. Letters via Chelmsford and Maldon.
Gigney James, harness maker
Keeble Robert, corn miller
Perkins Mrs Susan, schoolmistress
Shirreff Rev.Rt. St.John, M.A. rector
$White John, woodman
Wright Thomas, butcher, carrier, and parish clerk
FARMERS. ( * are Owners.)
Barker Frederick, Hamberts
*Beard Jonathan, Brazils
Death George, Hollands
Hamilton Charles Edward, Birkett’s
*Hart George, Ilgars
Hawes Thomas, Charity Farm
Joice David
Kerridge Daniel
King Benjamin, Edwin’s Hall
Main Thomas, Champions
Oddy Thomas, Pentlands
*Pertwee Albert, Fen Farm
Pertwee Henry, Wickhams
Pledger Jeremiah (and L. Baddow)
Reiley Jas. Lodge
$ Spicer Thos.
Straight Samuel
Whitehead Henry
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Bell, George Rayner
§Compasses, William Jaggs
Whalebone, James Hills
BLACKSMITHS.
Cooper William
Flatman Robert
Lewin Robert
$Reeve William
BEERHOUSES.
$Bitten James
Brewster James
§Jarvis Edward
Orris John – Butchers Arms
Pond William
CARPENTERS.
Eaton Robert
Perkins Isaiah
SHOPKEEPERS .
Bornes Charles
Hedgeley Harriet
Livermore Wm.
Pond W. baker
Saunders James
§Upson Mrs
Walden Francis
WHEELWRIGHTS.
Cooper Samuel
§RaynerAthr. G.
CARRIER to Chelmsford, T. Wright, Tu. & F.