HERTINGFORDBURY
Herefordingberie (xi cent.); Hertfordburia, Hertfordingebyre, Hertfordiggebiry (xiii cent.).
The parish of Hertingfordbury has an area of
2,644 acres, of which 1,223 acres are arable land
and 750½ acres are permanent grass. (fn. 1) The greater
part of the parish lies at an altitude of over 200 ft.
above the ordnance datum, reaching 264 ft. in the
west, but in the east of the parish and along the
northern border, in the valleys of the Lea and Mimram, the ground is below 200 ft. The road from
Hatfield to Hertford runs through the parish in an
easterly direction until it reaches St. Mary's Church,
where it turns off at right angles, and is joined
by the road running due north from Bayford. The
village is situated at this corner and along the Hatfield
road to the north. The last house in the parish is
Epcombs, the residence of Mr. Charles Leslie, which
is just on the boundary between Hertingfordbury and
St. Andrew, Hertford, but a few houses on the other
side of the boundary seem to belong to Hertingfordbury. The mill stands a little south of it on the
same side of the road. The rectory is situated to the
east of the village and north of the church. The
old parsonage, which stands in the middle of the village,
is an early 17th-century building of brick, most of it
plastered externally; it is L-shaped on plan, and has
tiled roofs. On the side facing the street is an old
chimney, the lower intakes of which are concealed by
stepping the brickwork in front of the sloping portion—a common mode of construction in Hertfordshire.
The infants' school to the north of the church is a
brick two-storied building of the same date, with a
good central chimney stack surmounted by four octagonal shafts.
The southern half of Panshanger Park is included
in this parish, the River Mimram, which runs
through the centre of the park, forming part of the
boundary. At the south-western corner of Panshanger
Park, on the Hertford road, is the hamlet of Cole
Green. Birch Green and Staines Green are farther
along the road towards Hertingfordbury. From Cole
Green a road goes south to Letty Green and
Woolmers Park, the latter the residence of Mr. Charles
Edward Wodehouse, M. A., J.P. In Woolmers Park,
to the east of the house, is a spring known as Arkley
or Acherley Hole. The water surface is about 70 ft.
long and 40 ft. wide, and the depth is said never to
have been found. It rises
directly through the chalk,
and in wet weather adds a
large volume to the River
Lea, whilst in dry weather it
ceases to flow. Eastend Green
and Roxford, now a farm at
which is a homestead moat,
lie about a mile to the west.
Birchall, where there is also a
homestead moat, is situated in
the west of the parish, beyond
Cole Green, and Hertingfordbury Park, the residence of
Mr. Robert William Partridge,
is in the extreme east.
There are two railway
stations on the Hertford branch
of the Great Northern railway, one at Cole Green and
the other a short distance
south-east of the village of
Hertingfordbury.
The subsoil of the parish is
chalk superimposed on the
south side by traces of the
Woolwich and Reading Beds, London Clay and brick
earth, and there are many disused chalk-pits and
gravel-pits to the west of Panshanger Park. At
Birchall occurs an extensive outlier of the Woolwich
and Reading Beds.
The inclosure award was made in 1813, the
authorizing Act being passed in 1801. (fn. 2) Both are in
the custody of the clerk of the peace. Lampits Field
was inclosed in 1841.
Place-names which occur in the parish are:
Talbottesland, Bauleys, Leverounhull, Stockenhull,
Knyhteslond, Halpanyhache, Sampsoneshache (xiv
cent.); John Amores, (fn. 3) Gorberyshot, Chilwelfeld,
Flamstead, Beryfeld and Chapmans (xvi cent.);
Copthall, Slabridge, Foxwell, Aldermaster, The
Thorpe, Hanging Grove and Wytchfield (xvii cent.).

Old Parsonage, Hertingfordbury
MANORS
Heartingfordbury
The manor of HERTINGFORDBURY was held before the Conquest
by Alwin, a thegn of Earl Harold, and
was given by William the Conqueror to Ralph Baynard
or Bangiard before 1086, when it was assessed at
5 hides. (fn. 4) Juga Baynard was probably Ralph's widow
and Geoffrey Baynard her son and heir. (fn. 5) A William
Baynard succeeded, who forfeited under Henry I,
when his barony was granted to Robert son of
Richard son of Gilbert de Clare, ancestor of the Fitz
Walters. (fn. 6) Hertingfordbury does not seem, however,
to have been included in this grant, and was possibly
given to Peter de Valognes, for it was in the possession
of Agnes de Valognes, widow of Peter's son and heir
Roger, (fn. 7) in 1185. (fn. 8) At the death of Robert son of
Roger about 1194 Hertingfordbury came to his
daughter and heir Gunnora de Valognes, (fn. 9) who
married Robert Fitz Walter. (fn. 10) Their daughter
Christine, (fn. 11) wife of William de Mandeville, died
without issue, and the Valognes estates were divided
between her three heirs, Lora de Baliol, Isabel
Comyn and Christine de Maune, daughters of Philip
de Valognes, cousin of Gunnora. (fn. 12) Hertingfordbury
came eventually to Christine, the wife of Peter de
Maune or Maule, (fn. 13) and passed before 1294 to Henry
de Maule, probably her son, who enfeoffed Agnes de
Valence, (fn. 14) daughter of William de Valence. The
king acknowledged the conveyance, which had been
made without royal licence, in 1294, (fn. 15) but the transaction was not completed until 1297. (fn. 16) Agnes
continued to hold the manor until her death in
1309–10, (fn. 17) when it passed to her brother Aymer
de Valence Earl of Pembroke, who died in 1323
without issue. (fn. 18) His heirs were his nephew John
de Hastings, son of his sister Isabel, Elizabeth
Comyn, and Joan wife of David de Strathbolgi,
daughters of his second sister Joan. (fn. 19) Elizabeth
Comyn, to whom Hertingfordbury was assigned, (fn. 20)
married Richard Talbot, (fn. 21) who in 1332 granted the
manor to Roger de Chauntecler of London as security
for a debt. (fn. 22) In 1345 Richard and Elizabeth surrendered the manor to the king in exchange for various
lands in Herefordshire, (fn. 23) and it was granted in the
following year to Queen Isabella, the king's mother,
for her life. (fn. 24) Isabella died in 1358, and William de
Louthe was appointed steward in 1359. (fn. 25)

Vernon of Hertingfordbury. Argent Fretty sable a quarter gules with a molet or therein.
In 1376 the king granted this manor with others
in tail-male to his son John of Gaunt. (fn. 26) John of
Gaunt died in February 1398–9, and Hertingfordbury again fell to the Crown with the duchy of
Lancaster upon the accession of his son Henry in
1399 as Henry IV. (fn. 27) In 1422 Henry VI granted
Hertingfordbury in dower to his mother Queen
Katharine (fn. 28) and afterwards to his own queen, Margaret of Anjou. (fn. 29) Edward IV also granted it for
life to his queen Elizabeth Woodville. (fn. 30) After this
it seems to have remained in the possession of the
Crown until Edward VI granted it in 1553 to his
sister Princess Mary. (fn. 31) It remained in the hands of
Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, (fn. 32) and in 1619
was granted by James I to Sir Henry Hobart and
other feoffees for ninety-nine years to the use of
Charles Prince of Wales. (fn. 33) In 1627 the feoffees
transferred the remainder of the term to Christopher
Vernon for a rent of £26 0s. 3d., the grant being
confirmed by the king in the same year, whilst the
reversion of the manor in fee simple was granted to
William Downhall and John Darnell. (fn. 34) The latter
grant was probably in trust for Christopher Vernon
and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Darnell. (fn. 35)
Christopher died in 1652 and was succeeded by his
son Francis, (fn. 36) and Hertingfordbury remained in the
Vernon family (fn. 37) (descendants of the Vernons of
Haddon Hall) until 1690, when it was sold to
James Selby. (fn. 38) James Selby was holding it in 1700 (fn. 39)
and his widow in 1728, (fn. 40) after whose death it descended to their son Thomas
James Selby. (fn. 41) In 1785 Ellen
Wells and Henrietta the wife
of Dixie Gregory, the heirs
apparently of Thomas James
Selby, (fn. 42) joined with Sir Rowland Alston, bart., in conveying the manor to Joseph Hill, (fn. 43)
probably in trust for George
Earl Cowper, whom Clutterbuck gives as the purchaser.
Hertingfordbury has since descended with the earldom, (fn. 44)
and is now held by Countess
Cowper, widow of the seventh
earl.
The park of Hertingfordbury is first mentioned in
1285. (fn. 45) In 1359–60 William de Louthe the keeper
accounted for three men who were employed for five
days at 3d. a day in inclosing and cutting wood in
the park. (fn. 46) It was granted together with the manor
to Princess Mary by Edward VI in 1553. (fn. 47) In
1604, when Sir Michael Stanhope was keeper of the
park for James I, he was commanded to forbear
killing any deer there for three years. (fn. 48) Later in
the same year a special commission was appointed
which certified that the extent of the park was 205
acres of very hard soil 'after the nature of Hertfordshire,' which would keep 150 deer and no more, and
that 160 out of 200 deer kept there had died in one
year. (fn. 49) In 1623 a buck from it was given by the
king to Sir Henry Marten, judge of the Admiralty
Court. (fn. 50) The park continued with the manor (fn. 51)
until 1626, when Prince Charles's feoffees granted the
remainder of their ninety-nine years' lease to John
Purefey and John Graunt. (fn. 52) In the following year
the king granted the reversion to Anthony Lowe,
Christopher Vernon, Arthur Lowe and John Coxe.
The park then contained 237 acres besides a meadow
of 3 acres called 'le deere meadowe,' and I acre of
osier woods. Free chase and free warren in it were
granted at the same time. (fn. 53) In 1628 John Walter,
Sir Henry Hobart and the others granted £20 rent
from the park, which they had reserved from their
earlier grant, to Richard Brownelowe, and this was
confirmed in the same year to his son John Brownelowe by the king. (fn. 54)
Before 1643 Hertingfordbury Park was purchased
by Thomas Keightley, (fn. 55) who seems to have built a
house there, where he received a visit from his
cousin John Evelyn the diarist in March 1643. (fn. 56)
He was succeeded by his son William Keightley, (fn. 57)
whose widow Amy married secondly John Belson and
continued to live at the house during her lifetime. (fn. 58)
After her death the park descended to her son
Thomas Keightley, who sold the estate in 1681 to
John Cullinge. (fn. 59) John Cullinge, son of the latter,
was holding it in 1700, (fn. 60) but died childless shortly after,
his lands passing to his sister Elizabeth, whose heirs
sold Hertingfordbury Park to Spencer Cowper before
1727. (fn. 61) The latter died in 1727 (fn. 62) and was succeeded
by his son William, and his grandson of the same
name in 1740. (fn. 63) The latter died in 1769, and his
widow Maria Frances Cecilia joined with William son
of William Cowper in conveying the park to Richard
Baker in 1773. (fn. 64) Richard Baker, who died in 1780,
bequeathed it to his brother William Baker of Bayfordbury. The latter gave it to his younger brother
Samuel, who lived there until his death in 1804, and
later it was occupied by William's eldest son William,
who died in 1863. (fn. 65) His son was the heir of William
Baker of Bayfordbury, and also held the manor of
Roxford, with which Hertingfordbury Park subsequently descended. The old house at Hertingfordbury Park was pulled down in 1816, with the
exception of part of the kitchens and cellars, which
were left until the present house was built by
Mr. R. W. Partridge, who resides there.
Christine de Valognes claimed in Hertingfordbury
sac and soc, thol, theam and infangentheof, by
charter of Henry I, and also view of frankpledge,
amendment of the assize of bread and ale, and
tumbrel 'of ancient custom.' Christine de Maule
claimed also free warren, and made a claim to have
gallows, which was not allowed. (fn. 66) Agnes de Valence
obtained a fresh grant of free warren in 1309. (fn. 67) In
1446–8 John Treoylian was farmer of the 'warren
of conies' for Queen Margaret at 70s. yearly, (fn. 68) and in
1517 Sir Edward Benstede was granted an annuity
of £3 from it. (fn. 69)
Hertingfordbury possessed two mills in 1086, (fn. 70)
but only one is mentioned later. In 1247 Peter de
Maule and Christine de Valognes his wife granted
their mill to Henry de Neketon, saving to themselves
free multure for the use of their household in their
manor of Hertingfordbury, also the meadows adjoining
the mill and the fishery in the mill-pool. (fn. 71) They
seem to have paid 20s. rent from the mill to the
Master of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalene at
Hertford, for Christine bought back this rent in
1279. (fn. 72) Possibly a grant of the mill had been made
to the hospital at the time of its endowment, and the
lords of the manor had subsequently rented the mill
from the hospital. In 1354–5 a rent was still paid
to the same hospital. (fn. 73) The farm of the mill and
fishery adjoining amounted to 43s. 4d. in 1383–4. (fn. 74)
In 1491 the king leased it to Edward Benstede for
seven years, (fn. 75) and again for a term not stated in
1501–2. (fn. 76) In 1619, when the manor was granted
by James I to his son Prince Charles, the mill was
reserved, (fn. 77) and seems to have been let to Thomas
Docwra. (fn. 78) In 1633 the king granted it, at the
request of Sir John Heydon, to William Scriven and
Philip Eden and their heirs, at which date it was
worth £4 yearly. (fn. 79) The mill is situated on the River
Mimram at the northern end of the village. There
is a tradition that a second mill stood on the Lea
300 yds. north-east of Water Hall Farm, where
there was a house within living memory and where
there is still a floodgate.
Roxford
Before the Conquest ROXFORD (Rochesforde,
xi cent.; Rokesforth, Rokkysford, Roxeforth, xvi
cent.) was held by Goduin, a thegn of King Edward;
in 1086 it formed part of the lands of Geoffrey de
Bech, of whom it was held by Guy the Priest, and
was assessed at half a hide. (fn. 80) With other lands of
Geoffrey de Bech this fee came to the Wake family, (fn. 81)
and the overlordship descended with Stapleford (fn. 82) (q.v.).
In the 13th century lands in Roxford were held
by the families of Moyne and Valognes, (fn. 83) but the
manor of Roxford seems to be the eighth of a fee
held in 1303 of Lady Wake by Nicholas de Paris. (fn. 84)
In 1304 he conveyed his lands there with the advowson of the chapel of Roxford to Herman de Brickendon, (fn. 85) who in 1330 settled them on his son and
daughter-in-law, Philip and Hawise. (fn. 86) The immediate
successors of Philip de Brickendon are not known, (fn. 87)
but in the following century the estate seems to have
come into the possession of the Louth family. A
Robert de Louth, who was M.P. for Herts. in 1382,
was holding land in Hertingfordbury in 1406, (fn. 88) and
is again mentioned in connexion with the parish
in 1434. (fn. 89) It is probable that this Robert held
Roxford, as another Robert de Louth died seised of it
in 1484. He left three sisters and co-heirs, Gille
the wife of John Gryme, Christine, aged thirty-four
and unmarried, and Alice the wife of John Wigge. (fn. 90)
The manor seems to have been divided between these
three, but apparently Christine sold her share to
Alice and John Wigge, for Thomas Wigge, son of
Alice and John, sold two-thirds of the manor in
1542 to Hugh Mynors. (fn. 91) In 1550 Mynors conveyed
them to William Southwood. (fn. 92) In the following year
William Southwood sold the property to William
Caldewell, (fn. 93) who before 1557 conveyed it to William
Coventry. (fn. 94) The last William left directions in his
will that the two thirds of the manor should be sold
after his death, and they were accordingly sold to
John and Anne Myston, in spite of the protests of
William's daughter Joan. (fn. 95) The Mystons, however,
did not keep the estate for long, as in 1569 they sold
it to William Kympton. (fn. 96) The two thirds then or
subsequently seem to have been divided between
John Baylie and William Kympton, William keeping
one third, including the manor-house, for life, with
remainder to John Baylie, (fn. 97) the other third being
delivered to John by George Kympton in 1605. (fn. 98)
John Baylie the elder died in 1611 and was succeeded
by his son John, then a minor. (fn. 99) John was holding
the two thirds in 1622, (fn. 100) but before 1651 there
must have been a sale to Thomas Fanshawe, since the
latter had united these two thirds with the other
third and was holding the whole manor in that
year. (fn. 101)
Of the third of Roxford apportioned to Gille and
John Gryme nothing is known for a hundred years
following. In 1586 John Knighton died seised of it,
having settled it upon his son George, (fn. 102) after which it
descended in his family in the same manner as
Bayford (fn. 103) (q.v.) and came before 1651 to Thomas
Fanshawe. (fn. 104) The Fanshawes appear to have sold the
manor soon after to John Cox, (fn. 105) who presumably
conveyed it to George Chalncombe. (fn. 106) In 1700
Frances Chalncombe, widow of George, joined with
her daughter Frances, wife of Patrick Crawford, in
conveying Roxford to John Brassey. (fn. 107) Nathaniel
Brassey, successor of John, was succeeded in 1765 by
his son Nathaniel, (fn. 108) who died in 1798. (fn. 109) Richard
John Brassey, son of the latter, sold the manor in
1801 to William Baker (fn. 110) of Bayfordbury (q.v.), in
whose family it has since descended.
Woolmers Park
WOOLMERS PARK evidently took its name from
the family of Wolmer. John Wolmer is mentioned
in Hertingfordbury between 1285 and 1289 (fn. 111) and
Thomas Wolmer in 1358. (fn. 112) In 1518 Woolmers was
said to be held of the king as of his duchy of Lancaster, (fn. 113) so that it had probably always been held of
the manor of Hertingfordbury. Sir Edward Benstede,
who died in 1518, held a 'tenement or farm called
Wolmers,' which he left to Joyce his wife for her life
with remainder to his niece Alice Ferrers, daughter
of his sister Katherine. (fn. 114) Joyce married secondly
William Purdy, and was still living in 1531. (fn. 115) If
Alice Ferrers died without issue the property was to
pass to her elder brother John Ferrers, who was
Sir Edward Benstede's nearest male heir, but there is
no evidence to show whether it did so. Woolmers is
not heard of again until the beginning of the 19th
century, when it was in the possession of Francis
Duke of Bridgewater. He died in 1803, leaving it
to his nephew George Granville Earl Gower and
Duke of Sutherland, (fn. 116) who died in 1833. (fn. 117) It is said
to have been afterwards sold to Sir John St. Aubyn,
bart., and to have been subsequently possessed by
Sir Gore Ouseley, bart., and Rear-Admiral the Hon.
George Frederick Hotham. (fn. 118) In 1842 it was bought
by Mr. William Herbert Wodehouse, (fn. 119) who in 1903
was succeeded by his son Mr. Charles Edward
Wodehouse, the present possessor. (fn. 120)
Birchholt now Birchall
The manor of BIRCHHOLT now BIRCHALL
was composed of lands granted at various dates to the
Prior and convent of the Holy Trinity, London, (fn. 121)
including the service owed by Roger de Essendon for
land in Birchholt granted by John de Rocheford
between 1316 and 1325. (fn. 122) These continued in the
hands of the convent of the Holy Trinity until its
surrender in 1531, (fn. 123) after which Birchholt was
granted in 1534 to Sir Thomas Audley (fn. 124) of Walden,
Lord Chancellor. About 1539 the latter conveyed
it to William Cavendish and Margaret his wife. (fn. 125)
It seems to have been re-conveyed to the Crown, for
in 1599 Queen Elizabeth granted it to Henry Best
and Robert Holland. (fn. 126) They sold it shortly afterwards to Sir Robert Wroth, (fn. 127) from whom it descended
to John Wroth and Maud his wife (fn. 128) in the same
manner as Tewin (q.v.). The latter sold it in 1621
to Sir Thomas Trevor, (fn. 129) afterwards chief baron of
the Exchequer. He died in 1656, (fn. 130) leaving a son
Thomas Trevor, baronet and knight of the Bath,
who died childless in 1676, (fn. 131) after which the history
of the estate is lost.
Epcombs
The estate called EPCOMBS (Epecaumpe, Epecombes) is thought to be the half hide in 'Thepecampe' (fn. 132) held both before and after the Conquest by
a priest, in alms, of the king. An estate of 100 acres
in Epcombs is said to have been held in the reign of
Richard I by one Lyving, and to have descended to
Luke son of William of Hertingfordbury, who claimed
it in 1281. (fn. 133) Early in the 16th century it was in the
possession of the Lawrence family, and in 1529 was
held by Richard Lawrence and Agnes his wife and
William Lawrence. (fn. 134) The latter, who was the son of
John Lawrence, had a son William, (fn. 135) who died leaving
four daughters—Susannah wife of John Darnell, Anne
wife of John Jeve, Elizabeth wife of Rowland Hall,
and Alice—between whom the
property was divided. (fn. 136) Alice,
who was a lunatic, and her
three sisters were all living in
1606, (fn. 137) but it is not known to
whom Epcombs afterwards
descended. Susan Darnell had
four daughters, of whom the
eldest, Elizabeth, married
Christopher Vernon, (fn. 138) lord of
the manor of Hertingfordbury,
and it is therefore possible
that Epcombs thus became
united with the main manor.
In 1877 it was the residence of Mrs. Fenwick, (fn. 139) and
is now occupied by Mr. Charles F. H. Leslie.

Lawrence. Argent a ragged cross gules.
In 1086 there was a mill at 'Thepecampe.' (fn. 140)
Rectory Manor
The RECTORY MANOR has always been held
by the rectors of the parish. (fn. 141) As a rule the records
of only one court a year survive, held at various
times; where the records of two survive they
took place in May and October. In the reign
of Edward III as many as four are recorded in
a year, but this is exceptional. In 1638 the
rents from the manor amounted to 9s. annually,
besides six capons and various customary works. (fn. 142)
CHURCH
The church of ST. MARY,
which stands at the south-east end
of the village, consists of chancel
38 ft. 6 in. by 21 ft., north chapel 22 ft. by 13 ft.,
south vestry and organ chamber, nave 50 ft. 6 in.
by 23 ft., north aisle 50 ft. 6 in. by 11 ft. 6 in.,
south porch and west tower. These measurements are all internal. The church is built of flint
rubble with stone dressings. The roofs are tiled.
The church was extensively restored and
altered in 1845, and in 1890 it was practically
rebuilt. The chancel and possibly the nave
walls were built in the 13th century, the north
aisle and west tower being added in the 15th
century.
The three 13th-century grouped windows in
the east wall of the chancel consist each of a
single lancet having moulded arches and shafted
jambs with moulded capitals and bases. The
moulded labels have head stops. The external
stonework is modern. In the chancel is a double
piscina, part of the eastern jamb of which is
original; it is of 13th-century date and has
moulded and shafted jambs enriched with the
dog-tooth ornament. The head and jamb stones
of two windows in the north aisle, which are each
of two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil opening in the head, are of 15th-century date, as are
parts of another window in the same wall, of two
lights under a square head; a similar window in
the south wall opposite is probably a little later. (fn. 143)
Two jamb stones of the south doorway and the lofty
four-centred and moulded tower arch are also of 15th-century date. The buttressed tower is of three stages
with embattled parapet and leaded spire. Some parts
of the belfry windows may be original. All the other
detail in the church is modern.

Hertingfordbury Church: West Tower
On the north side of the tower is an altar tomb to
Anne wife of George Calvert, 1622. On the tomb
is an alabaster effigy of a lady, with mural cornice
above supporting three shields of arms. On the
south side of the tower is an altar tomb to William
Harrington and his wife; it is of early 17th-century
work. On a black marble slab are two recumbent
shrouded effigies of alabaster; an arched cornice
above, supported on pilasters, bears the arms of
Harrington, eighteen quarterings in all. In front is
the kneeling figure of a child. Over the pulpit is a
mural tablet to Christopher Vernon, 1652, with his
arms above. In the north aisle is a mural slab to
Thomas Keightley, 1662, and his wife, 1682; and
in the chancel are floor slabs to Robert Mynne, 1656,
and Helen Mynne, 1659. On the north wall of the
tower is a brass with inscription and shield of arms to
Thomas Ellis, 1608, and his wife, 1612.
There are five bells: the first by John Waylett,
1706; the second by T. Lester, 1750; the third by
John Briant, 1823; the fourth and fifth by John
Hodson dated 1656.
The plate includes a cup with cover, a standing
paten, and a flagon of 1675.
The registers before 1812 are as follows: (i) baptisms, burials and marriages from 1679 to 1744; (ii)
baptisms and burials from 1745 to 1767, marriages
from 1745 to 1762; (iii) baptisms from 1767 to
1812; (iv) burials from 1768 to 1812; (v) marriages from 1763 to 1812.
ADVOWSON
The advowson of the church
belonged to the lords of the manor (fn. 144)
until Richard and Elizabeth Talbot
surrendered the manor to the king in 1346, when
they reserved the advowson. (fn. 145) Probably, however,
they sold it to the king soon after, for they did not
die seised of it, and it appears to have been granted
to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, and so passed
to the Crown in the person of his son Henry IV.
The presentation has ever since been made by the
king in his capacity of Duke of Lancaster. (fn. 146)
In 1638 there was a 'parsonage house built of
timber covered with Tile two storyes high, the lower
storyes disposed into these roomes, a parlour, a hall,
a kitchin, a milkhouse, a brewhouse, a mealehouse, a
buttrye, and all these roomes are chambred over and
boarded except the brewhouse and the mealehouse.' (fn. 147)
The glebe lands amounted to 54½ acres.
A chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Roxford is
mentioned in 1304 (fn. 148) and in 1330. (fn. 149) The advowson
belonged to the lord of the manor.
The chapel of ease of ST. JOHN BAPTIST at
Letty Green, built in 1849–50 and enlarged in
1890, is served from the parish church.
Meeting-places for Protestant Dissenters in the
parish were certified in 1788 and 1811. (fn. 150)
CHARITIES
In 1613 Grace Ellis, by her will
proved in the P.C.C. 20 March, gave
40s. yearly for the poor, charged
upon property in Norton Folgate, London. The
annuity was redeemed in 1863 by the transfer to
the official trustees of £66 13s. 4d. consols, now
producing £1 13s. 4d. yearly, which is distributed
in bread biennially to the value of 2s. to each
recipient.
In 1708 Walter Wallinger by his will directed
that £400 should be laid out in the purchase of a
rent-charge to be applied in apprenticing sons and
daughters of poor housekeepers not in receipt of
parochial relief. The legacy, with interest, was laid
out in the purchase of a fee-farm rent of £6 issuing
out of Middle Mills, Colchester, a fee-farm rent of
£5 out of Foxearth Hall Farm, Long Melford,
Suffolk, and a fee-farm rent of £10 from Easthampstead Park, Berkshire. The last-mentioned
was redeemed in 1904 by the transfer of £400
consols to the official trustees. The income has been
found more than sufficient for the objects of the
charity, and the surplus has from time to time been
accumulated and invested in consols. The stock
now amounts to £4,152 6s. 6d. consols with the
official trustees and £115 19s. 6d. consols in the
names of C. E. Wodehouse and two others, the
annual dividends amounting together to £106 3s. 8d.
The premiums usually amount to £12 10s.
In 1870 Thomas Newman, by his will proved
11 March, left a legacy, now represented by
£582 4s. 2d. consols with the official trustees, the
annual dividends, amounting to £14 11s., to be
applied in aid of the schools.