NETTESWELL
Netteswell ancient parish, comprising 1,552
a. (628 ha.), was bounded east by Latton and west
by Great and Little Parndon. Like Latton it was a
long, narrow parish extending south from the
river Stort. (fn. 1) When Little Parndon parish was
abolished in 1946 that area was transferred to
Netteswell, but in 1949 the southern part of the
enlarged parish was transferred to North Weald
Bassett. (fn. 2) The remainder of Netteswell, which
lay within Harlow town, was in 1955 merged in
the new parish and urban district of Harlow. (fn. 3)
The terrain rises from the Stort valley, 40 m.
above sea level, to 110 m. in the south. Boulder
clay and London clay form the upper slopes, and
glacial gravel the lower. (fn. 4) The southern end of
the parish, originally wooded, was cleared in the
Middle Ages, and Netteswell and Copshall
commons survived in that area until 1851. (fn. 5)
NETTESWELL c. 1875
Until the later 19th century Netteswell was
thinly populated and entirely rural. There were
35 tenants of the manor in 1230. (fn. 6) Eleven men
were assessed to the lay subsidy in 1327 and 32 in
1525. (fn. 7) There were 47 houses in 1670. (fn. 8) The
population was 288 in 1801. After rising to 365 in
1851 it fell to 332 in 1881. In the 1880s Kirkaldy's
engineering works was opened near the railway
station at Burnt Mill, in the north-west corner of
the parish, and by 1891 the population had leapt
to 555. It continued to rise, with fluctuations, to
672 in 1931. (fn. 9)
The ancient pattern of roads and settlement
appears to have changed little until the later 19th
century. (fn. 10) A spinal road from Netteswell common ran northwards past Tye Green, continuing
as Netteswell (formerly Hole) (fn. 11) Street to Netteswell Cross on the Roydon road, and as Mill Street
(later Station Road, and afterwards Spring Street)
to Burnt Mill, where a bridge over the Stort was
recorded from 1607. (fn. 12) In the Middle Ages the
manor house and the church lay on Netteswell
Street, and there were hamlets at Netteswell
Cross, at Tye Green, and on the northern edge of
Netteswell common. There seems to have been
no settlement between Netteswell Cross and the
mill until Redmells (later Marshgate) Farm was
built, probably in the later 17th century. (fn. 13)
In the later 18th century there were only 'a few
mean scattered houses' in the parish, apart from
the manor house and the rectory. (fn. 14) Spurriers,
west of Marshgate Farm, was built c. 1870 by
William Cox, a London solicitor, who transferred
to it the name of an earlier house at Netteswell
Cross, probably derived from the family of
Richard Spurrier (fl. 1409). (fn. 15) In the earlier 19th
century the only buildings at Burnt Mill were the
mill house, the railway station, and a lock-keeper's
cottage, but after the opening of Kirkaldy's
works a number of houses were built in Station
Road, and by 1897 Burnt Mill had become a large
village. (fn. 16) Between the two world wars three small
council estates were built at Netteswell Cross. (fn. 17)
Netteswell'sold settlements have been engulfed
by Harlow town. The village at Burnt Mill has
been almost entirely demolished, Netteswell
Cross is preserved in the New Town park, and
Tye Green is surrounded by new building. Old
buildings preserved at Netteswell Cross include
Hoppits, a timber-framed house of two storeys,
largely of the 17th century but incorporating part
of an earlier house of one storey with attics. Hill
House Farm is a tall timber-framed house of the
late 17th century, partly encased in red brick.
Marshgate Farm, timber-framed and weatherboarded, probably dates from the late 17th
century. At Tye Green are Oak End, a 17thcentury cottage, originally of two-roomed plan,
and Jean's Yardling, formerly Tye Green Farm,
a timber-framed house possibly of medieval
origin but remodelled in the 17th century.
Orchard Cottage, one of the houses along the
edge of the common, appears to have been
originally a small cottage of one storey with
attics, but was heightened to two storeys in the
19th century.
There were two inns at Netteswell in the 18th
century. The Chequers, Commonside Road, was
built c. 1745. It has continued to trade under that
name, but c. 1965 the business was transferred to
a new building next door, and the old building,
dating from the 18th century, became a private
house. (fn. 18) The White Horse, Netteswell Cross,
was recorded from 1755. (fn. 19) It seems to have
become the Hare and Hounds c. 1802 and the
Greyhound by 1819. (fn. 20) It is a small brick building
of c. 1800, with substantial later additions.
In 1741 coaches from Harlow to Hoddesdon
(Herts.) were passing Netteswell Cross. (fn. 21) The
Northern and Eastern railway line from London
via Broxbourne (Herts.), reached Harlow in
1841, with a station at Burnt Mill, and was
extended to Cambridge in 1845. (fn. 22) A post office,
opened by 1878, had been transferred by 1902
from Netteswell Cross to Spring Street. (fn. 23) The
parish had piped water from c. 1894. Main
drainage was apparently installed at Burnt Mill c.
1905, to prevent pollution of the Stort, but Tye
Green and Netteswell Common were not sewered
until Harlow town was built. Electric street
lighting was provided in 1937. (fn. 24)
Manor.
The manor of NETTESWELL or
NETTESWELLBURY, conterminous with the
parish of Netteswell, was one of the manors given
by Earl Harold in 1060 to his college of secular
canons at Waltham Holy Cross, a grant confirmed
by the king in 1062. (fn. 25) The manor was not listed
among the college's possessions in Domesday
Book, and it is possible that it was included in the
large manor of Waltham then held by the bishop
of Durham. (fn. 26) The bishop's manor was seized by
William II, but between 1096 and 1189 Waltham
college, later priory and then abbey, gradually
acquired the whole manor by a series of royal
grants. Netteswell came into the hands of Henry
II, who in 1177 granted it, along with some lands
in Waltham Holy Cross, to Waltham priory, on
its refoundation. (fn. 27)
Waltham abbey retained Netteswell until the
Dissolution. Roger and Margaret of Bray were
tenants of the abbey at Netteswell in 1196.
Shortly afterwards their son Miles of Bray sold
all his land there to the abbey for 25 marks. (fn. 28) The
family name survived in Brays mead, recorded in
1270, and Brays grove (1544). (fn. 29) Netteswell was
farmed directly by the abbey in the 13th century,
but from c. 1400 was let to a tenant. (fn. 30) In 1540,
when the abbey was dissolved, Netteswellbury
was on lease to Andrew Finch. (fn. 31)
Netteswellbury was one of the manors granted
at the Dissolution to the last abbot of Waltham,
Robert Fuller, for life. On his death c. 1542 it
came into the hands of the king, who in 1544
granted it with the advowson of the rectory to
Richard Heigham of Roydon. (fn. 32) Richard (d. 1546)
was succeeded by his brother William Heigham
(d. 1558), and he by his son John. (fn. 33) John Heigham
conveyed the manor and advowson in 1561 to
(Sir) Richard Weston, justice of the Queen's
Bench. (fn. 34) Sir Richard was succeeded in 1572 by
his son (Sir) Jerome (d. 1603). Sir Jerome's son
Sir Richard, later earl of Portland, minister to
James I and Charles I, sold Netteswell in 1618 to
Sir William Martin of Woodford. (fn. 35)
Sir William Martin was succeeded in 1679 by
his son Cuthbert (d. 1697) whose son, another
William Martin, died childless in 1717. Netteswell had been settled on William's wife Mary (d.
1764). She was succeeded by the Revd. Matthew
Blucke of Hunsdon (Herts.), a descendant of
Cuthbert Martin's sister. Blucke, who took the
surname Martin, died in 1766 leaving Netteswell
to his son, also Matthew Martin. (fn. 36) Matthew
Martin sold Netteswell c. 1772 to Thomas
Blackmore of Briggens, in Hunsdon. (fn. 37) In 1778 the
estate comprised 797 a. (fn. 38)
Thomas Blackmore was succeeded in 1789 by
his son Thomas who was or became a lunatic, in
the care of his sister Mary (d. 1818) and her
husband the Revd. Charles Phelips (d. 1834). (fn. 39)
On Thomas Blackmore's death in 1824 Netteswell passed to Charles (d. 1869), son of Charles
and Mary Phelips, (fn. 40) who sold Old House and
Marshgate farms in 1867 to L. W. Arkwright,
owner of Mark Hall, Latton. His son Charles J.
Phelips died in 1903, and the remainder of Netteswell was then sold to L. J. W. Arkwright of
Mark Hall. In 1947 Netteswell was sold with
most of the Mark Hall estate to Harlow development corporation. (fn. 41)
Netteswellbury manor house adjoined the
church to the west. It was let to tenants until c.
1640, when Sir William Martin moved there. It
seems to have remained the family seat until the
death of William Martin in 1717. (fn. 42) He is said to
have rebuilt it during Queen Anne's reign. (fn. 43) In
1771, however, it was described as 'a large,
ancient, venerable edifice', which suggests that
Martin had only extended or improved the
previous building. (fn. 44) The house was partly demolished by Thomas Blackmore (d. 1789), who
intended to rebuild it for his younger son, but did
not complete the work. The remainder of the
house was pulled down c. 1820, and a new farm
house was built on an adjoining site. (fn. 45)
The farm buildings include a large aisled barn,
probably late medieval, north-east of the house.
Another aisled barn, east of the house, may be of
16th-century origin, but has later extensions to
the south. (fn. 46)
Economic History.
The ancient pattern
of land use was similar to that in Latton, with
woods on the southern uplands, arable fields in
the centre, and marshland pasture to the north. (fn. 47)
Henry II in 1178 granted Waltham Abbey licence
to assart in Netteswell, and 40 a. had been
assarted by 1189. (fn. 48) That clearing is probably to
be identified with the Riddens or Riddings, lying
south of Netteswell common, and recorded from
1400. Other early inclosures were Stock Ridden
(1400), north of Netteswell common, and Brays
Grove, which lay south-east of the church on the
Latton boundary. (fn. 49) In the earlier 13th century
there was intercommoning by the men of Netteswell and those of Little Parndon in the woods of
the two manors. (fn. 50) With the other Harlow hundred
parishes Netteswell was included under Henry
III in the royal forest of Essex, but was excluded
in 1301. (fn. 51) In 1638, during Charles I's attempt to
extend the forest boundaries, Sir William Martin
was forced to compound for the disafforestation,
since 1301, of 1,000 a. in Netteswell. (fn. 52) It is
unlikely that much woodland still survived in
1638. The manorial demesne had contained only
60 a. of woodland in 1546, (fn. 53) and there were no
more than 27 a. in the parish in 1778. (fn. 54)
Two areas which had probably been woodland
in the Middle Ages survived as common pastures,
regulated by the manor court, until the 19th
century. (fn. 55) They were Netteswell common and
the smaller Copshall common adjoining it to the
north-west. Small inclosures were recorded there
down to the 18th century, but in 1840 the
commons still comprised about 173 a. (fn. 56) They
were finally inclosed in 1851. (fn. 57)
The ancient common woodlands at the
southern end of the parish were matched by
common meadow at the northern end. Three
common meadows, lying beside the Stort on the
Latton boundary and totalling 9 a., survived until
their inclosure in 1851. (fn. 58) They may have been
part of the medieval common meadow called
Tunmanmead, (fn. 59) with strips visible in 1840 suggesting former common use. (fn. 60)
In the centre of the parish, in the 13th and
14th centuries, were arable open fields. There
was one large open field, Tunmanbrodfield, and
several smaller ones, including Muckmore in the
north-west, Bossells in the north-east, and Hides
in the west. (fn. 61) Most of the smaller fields seem to
have been inclosed by the early 17th century, and
none remained in 1840. (fn. 62) The large open field,
which lay south-east of Netteswell Cross, survived in part until 1851, when the remnant of
33 a. was inclosed. (fn. 63)
About 1230 Netteswell manor contained 1
tenant holding a virgate of land, 9 with ½ virgate,
and 26 with smallholdings between ¾ a. and
10 a. The virgater, Thomas of Netteswell, paid
annually 6s. rent, 2 ward pence, a cock, 2 hens,
and 30 eggs. He did no week work, but performed
certain boon works. Those with ½ virgates did
regular week work on the demesne, as well as
boon works. (fn. 64) Later some of the tenants' homesteads lay at Netteswell Cross and some at Tye
Green. (fn. 65)
By the 17th century the manorial demesne had
been consolidated in a large belt across the centre
of the parish. Apart from the rectory and the mill
there were at least 28 other tenements, all copyhold, many of which can be traced from the 15th
century or earlier. (fn. 66) In 1778 the lord of the
manor, Thomas Blackmore, owned 797 a., all
on lease; the larger farms were Netteswellbury
(297 a.), Hill House (180 a.), and Old House or
Mangers (160 a.). The only copyhold farm of
more than 50 a. was Goldsmiths, formerly Yorks
or Scotts, and later Goldings. By 1916 Goldings
had been enlarged to 155 a., but Netteswellbury,
Hill House, and Old House were still the largest
farms, and Old House was being managed jointly
with Riddings farm (140 a.) (fn. 67)
In 1546 the manorial demesne contained 200 a.
of arable and 240 a. of meadow and pasture. (fn. 68) In
1840 the whole parish contained 828 a. of arable
and 485 a. of pasture. (fn. 69) The area of arable
returned fell from 657 a. in 1866 to 586 a. in 1906
and 302 a. in 1926. The area under grass fell from
622 a. in 1866 to 563 a. in 1906, and 556 a. in
1926. There were 409 sheep in the parish in 1824
and 1,095 in 1866, but none were recorded in
1906, and only 52 in 1926. Cattle numbered 88 in
1866, 59 in 1906, and 150 in 1926. Pigs increased
from 67 in 1866 to 104 in 1906 and 105 in 1926. (fn. 70)
In 1866 a total of 478 a. of cereals was returned
for the parish, including 291 a. of wheat and 112
a. of barley. Vegetable crops totalled 179 a.,
including 56 a. of mangolds and 50 a. of peas.
Though probably incomplete the returns may
indicate the relative proportions of cereals
and vegetables. The 1906 returns give 419 a.
of cereals, including 221 a. of wheat and 109 a. of
oats, and 166 a. of vegetables, including 55 a. of
beans and 36 a. of turnips and swedes. Those for
1926 list 261 a. of cereals, including 170 a. of
wheat, and 41 a. of vegetables, mainly beans and
mangolds. (fn. 71)
In 1203 Ralph son of Walter conveyed a mill at
Netteswell to Waltham Abbey. It was almost
certainly the water-mill on the Stort recorded
between 1203 and c. 1211, and it may have been
the predecessor of Burnt Mill, recorded from
1580. Burnt Mill belonged to the lord of the
manor, from whom it was leased by the miller. (fn. 72)
The Death family, who were the millers from c.
1824 until 1870 or later, acquired the freehold,
but the mill was closed c. 1880. (fn. 73)
Tradesmen recorded in the parish included a
weaver (1558), a ploughwright (1583), a clothier
(1623), and a tanner (1700). (fn. 74) In the 18th century
there was a tanyard at Tanyard or Tannery (later
Netteswell) House, west of Netteswell Cross. It
seems to have closed by 1840. (fn. 75) A malt house,
opposite Spurriers at Netteswell Cross, was
mentioned in 1782. (fn. 76)
John Kirkaldy Ltd., marine engineers of Limehouse (Lond.), bought Burnt Mill in 1885 and
built a factory on the site. During the First World
War there were about 300 workers, but the firm
became too dependent on Admiralty orders: after
the war business declined, and the works were
closed c. 1930. (fn. 77) Most of the factory buildings
were demolished, though a surviving part of the
premises was occupied during the Second World
War by a food-distributing firm. In 1957 part of
the site was occupied by a small factory making
projectors. (fn. 78)
Local Government.
In 1275 Waltham
abbey claimed the right of gallows, the assize of
bread and of ale, and all other royal liberties
except warren. (fn. 79) Court rolls of Netteswell manor
survive for 1270, 1271, nine years between 1400
and 1468, 1512, and 1522. (fn. 80) There are court
books, rolls, and other records for the period
1672–1905. (fn. 81) The court leet, with jurisdiction
over the whole parish, continued to be held up to
1822, but met rarely after the 17th century. It
recorded the appointment of a constable in 1512,
1522, and 1822, and two constables in 1677 and
1686. Two overseers of the commons were also
appointed in 1677, and two headboroughs in
1822. Two aletasters were mentioned in 1271.
The last two meetings of the leet, in 1785 and
1822, were concerned mainly with manorial
customs, including the regulation of the
commons.
Parish overseers' accounts survive for the
periods 1719–53 and 1817–36. (fn. 82) Between 1719
and 1753 one overseer presented accounts. In
most years from 1740 to 1753 two overseers were
nominated. Several overseers served for two
years or more, not always consecutively. A
widow served in 1729 and another in 1730.
Between 1818 and 1824 one overseer accounted.
Thomas Rickett, overseer from 1822, was in 1825
appointed salaried assistant overseer, and continued to present the accounts until 1830, when
John Rickett succeeded him. One churchwarden
and one constable were nominated annually
between 1818 and 1836.
The annual poor rate averaged £38 between
1719 and 1735, and £64 between 1736 and 1753.
There was a sharp increase in the 1740s, to a peak
of £97 in 1751. The cost of poor relief was £93 in
1776, and averaged £112 in the three years
1783–5. (fn. 83) It reached £422 in 1801, but during
the remainder of the decade averaged £260. (fn. 84)
Between 1817 and 1836 the overseers' annual
expenditure, including the county rate, averaged
£283.
The parish had two poorhouses, both at Tye
Green. One had been built on waste land granted
in 1599 by Sir Jerome Weston, lord of the
manor. (fn. 85) The other, lying farther west, by Copshall common, was given in 1746 by Mary Martin,
lady of the manor. (fn. 86) Each house apparently
contained two dwellings. In 1825 they accommodated a total of 10 adults and 7 children. (fn. 87)
Mrs. Martin's house was later an infant school. (fn. 88)
Between 1719 and 1753 the number of paupers
receiving weekly doles rarely exceeded 6, though
it reached 11 in 1750. In the period 1813–15 the
number was usually between 17 and 20, while
some 20–25 received occasional relief. (fn. 89) In 1830
there were only 10 weekly pensioners, with doles
ranging from 2s. 6d. to 7s. At all recorded periods
the vestry also provided relief in clothing, fuel,
rent subsidies, boarding allowances, sick pay,
and medical care. Throughout the period
1817–36 the vestry employed a part-time doctor.
In 1819 it resolved that paupers should be
employed by the larger ratepayers on the roundsman system. Only one parish apprenticeship was
recorded. (fn. 90)
In 1836 Netteswell joined Epping poor law
union.
Church.
A church existed at Netteswell by
1177, when it was granted along with the manor
to Waltham priory. (fn. 91) Pope Lucius II (1181–5)
licensed the canons of Waltham to appropriate
the church. That was confirmed in 1195 by
Celestine III, who stipulated that the churches of
Epping, Loughton, Netteswell, and Woodford
should be assigned to the use of the sacristy of the
abbey. (fn. 92) Only at Epping was a permanent appropriation made. (fn. 93) In 1254 the abbey was retaining
all the tithes from the demesne at Netteswell, but
it had apparently ceased to do so by 1291, and in
1840 all the tithes belonged to the rector. (fn. 94) There
is no record of a vicar. In the earlier 13th century
the cure was apparently served by a chaplain
appointed by the abbey, but rectors, known to
have existed in the later 12th century, were again
recorded from 1286. (fn. 95) The advowson of the
rectory descended with the manor. (fn. 96) William
Smith, who presented in 1522 for one term, may
have been a benefactor to the church. (fn. 97) Matthew
Martin, who sold the manor c. 1772 to Thomas
Blackmore, retained the next presentation, which
he made in 1802. The Crown presented in 1805
because Thomas Blackmore the younger was a
lunatic, but in 1821 Blackmore's nephew Charles
Phelips presented. (fn. 98) The Arkwright family retained the advowson when they sold the estate in
1947.
The rectory was valued at £3 6s. 8d. in 1254
and 1291, and £13 6s. 8d. in 1535. (fn. 99) In 1650 the
income was £60, including £5 from the glebe,
then about 4 a. (fn. 100) It was no more than £100 in the
later 18th century, but in 1840 the tithes were
commuted for £231 and there were 7 a. of
glebe. (fn. 101) The Rectory house was recorded in the
17th century, partly tiled and partly thatched. (fn. 102)
Between 1766 and 1771 it was replaced by an
'elegant' brick house. (fn. 103) In 1956 a new Rectory
was built at Tye Green. (fn. 104)
John Saxton, rector in 1418, was licensed to
hold up to four additional livings. (fn. 105) Edward
Hales, rector 1560–72, was also vicar of Witham.
His four successors, 1572–1634, were all Welshmen. Thomas Denne, rector 1634–40, had
previously been vicar of Latton. (fn. 106) Thomas
Cramphorne, rector 1640–80, retained the living
throughout the Civil War and Interregnum and
conformed in 1662. Abraham Kent, 1716–33,
was also vicar of Amwell (Herts.), but lived at
Netteswell, which in his time became a fashionable place for the weddings of people from the
Amwell and Hertford area. Between 1738 and
1835 there was rarely a resident rector, and
curates were employed. Even Anthony Natt,
rector 1766–1801, who built the new Rectory,
spent his later years in London. Philip Johnson,
1835–73, though he served the cure himself,
usually came to Netteswell only at weekends.
Heathcote A. Wake, 1873–90, restored the
church. Wilson Carlile (1847–1942), founder of
the Church Army, was rector 1890–92. (fn. 107) Canon
John L. Fisher, rector 1918–54, was a notable
Essex antiquary. (fn. 108)
The church of ST. ANDREW, formerly isolated in the centre of Netteswell, beside the
manor house, is now surrounded by the houses of
Tye Green neighbourhood in Harlow town. (fn. 109) It
is a simple rectangular building of flint rubble
with ashlar quoins and dressings, comprising
nave and chancel in one, north vestry, south
porch, and western bell turret. The nave and
chancel were built early in the 13th century, as
shown by the lancet windows and the roundheaded door arches in the north and south walls.
The original east window, of which traces remain,
and the piscina in the chancel, are of the same
period. The wooden bell turret, supported on
chamfered posts and a tie-beam, may have been
built c. 1400 to house the two bells of that period
which survive. Other 15th-century alterations
included a new east and a new west window, each
of three lights, a matching pair of two-light
windows on the north and south walls of the
nave, and the building of the south porch. A
panel of brickwork, possibly commemorating
that work, is set on the outside of the south wall of
the nave. It depicts a double rose with supporters,
perhaps for Gervase Rose, abbot of Waltham
1497–1500.
In 1618 a three-tier pulpit, bearing the date,
was placed on the south side of the church. At the
same period box pews were installed, and a west
gallery was erected. A rough lean-to vestry, on
the north side of the nave, probably dated from
the 18th century. The church was thoroughly
restored in 1875 to the designs of Frederic
Chancellor. The porch and vestry were rebuilt,
and the bell turret was given a broach spire in
place of a low pyramidal cap. Most of the roof
timbers were replaced, the gallery was removed,
new pews were installed, and the pulpit, much
altered, was moved to the north side of the
church.
There are three bells, two of which were cast
by a founder active in the period 1385–1418. (fn. 110)
The plate included a cup and paten of 1641 and
an alms dish of 1656, all of silver. (fn. 111) The font dates
from the 13th century. Fragments of 15thcentury glass survive, reset, in the heads of the
larger nave windows. They include the figures of
the evangelists and of St. Mary Cleophas and St.
Mary Salome with their children.
There are brasses to Thomas Laurence (d.
1522), and John Bannister (d. 1607), and a
marble monument to William Martin (d. 1717).
Another marble monument, erected by William
Martin's widow Mary (d. 1764) to her brother
Robert Crosse and nephew Thomas Crosse, was
removed in 1969 to the Victoria and Albert
Museum. (fn. 112) A large altar tomb covers the family
vault of Anthony Natt (d. 1801), rector.
Burnt Mill mission originated in 1890, when
the rector, Wilson Carlile, started services in a
barn at Netteswell Cross. The mission hall was
opened in Spring Street in 1891. (fn. 113)
In 1957 the ecclesiastical parish of Netteswell
was reduced in size and designated the parish of
Tye Green with St. Andrew, Netteswell. (fn. 114) St.
Andrew's remained the parish church until 1964,
when it became a chapel of ease to the new church
of St. Stephen, Tye Green. In 1978 St. Andrew's
was closed and declared redundant. (fn. 115)
Nonconformity.
There were a few
Baptists at Netteswell in the later 18th and the
earlier 19th century, but no regular meeting. (fn. 116)
Burnt Mill Methodist church, seating 150, was
built in 1887 by the North West Essex Wesleyan
mission. (fn. 117) It was closed in 1962 and demolished
in 1963: by that time the Methodist church of St.
Andrew, the Stow, had been opened. (fn. 118) Brethren
started cottage meetings at Burnt Mill in 1892,
but soon moved to Great Parndon. (fn. 119)
Education.
William Martin Church of
England junior and infant school, Tawney Road,
Harlow, was founded by William Martin (d.
1717) of Netteswellbury, who in his will gave a
cottage, ½a. of land, and £1,000 to build and
maintain a school and to employ a master and
mistress to teach 20 poor children of Netteswell,
vacancies being filled by children from Latton
and Great and Little Parndon. Any residue was
to be used for the children's clothing. (fn. 120) The
legacy fell due on his wife's death in 1764, and
following a Chancery order a school was built in
School Lane in 1777. In the 18th century children
were occasionally given shoes, and in the period
1777–82 Great Parndon was granted up to four
places. (fn. 121) The school seems to have been closed
for a short time in the early 1820s, but was
reopened in 1825 and was attended by 20 children,
chiefly girls, aged 5–12. (fn. 122) By 1835 the master
could admit paying pupils. At that time Netteswell children filled all the free places, and from
1836 Fawbert and Barnard's free school at Harlow
was also open to them. (fn. 123) An infant school, opened
in 1848 in a former poorhouse at Tye Green, was
still listed in 1863. (fn. 124) By a Scheme of 1876
Martin's school was opened to the poor of all the
beneficiary parishes. (fn. 125) It was enlarged in 1872,
1889, 1891, and 1898. Attendance rose from 50 in
1886 to 89 in 1894. (fn. 126) The school received annual
government grants from 1878. (fn. 127) It was reorganized in 1944 for juniors and infants, and in 1954
for infants only. In 1958 it was moved to new
buildings farther north, and was again opened to
juniors. (fn. 128)
Charities for the Poor.
Thomas
Laurence (d. 1522) gave a 5s. rent charge to the
parish poor, probably from land given to him by
John Waylett for an obit. (fn. 129) The charity had been
lost by 1741. (fn. 130) The foundation of Emanuel Wolley's gift in 1617 to poor Netteswell tradesmen,
and its history to 1680, are treated under Harlow.
Payments to Netteswell poor are recorded for the
years 1635–42, 1680–99, 1704–10, 1716–33, and
1743. (fn. 131) In the 19th century the poor received
money or clothing every 3 or 4 years. (fn. 132) In the
1970s the annual income of 50p provided occasional gifts to poor people in Tye Green parish. (fn. 133)
Netteswell allotments, Commonside Road,
were founded in 1851 by the inclosure award,
which granted 3 a. from Netteswell common for
the use of the labouring poor. (fn. 134) They were still in
use in 1979, under the management of Harlow
district council. (fn. 135)