Essex Archdiaconal Records, 1638

Revd. Edward Reeve (1858–1936) was an extraordinarily keen local historian, researching and publishing work with particular reference to his native parish of Stondon Massey. He has left a goldmine of unexplored and unpublished information, now preserved at the Essex Record Office. Over recent months I have started to unlock some of these treasures and have begun to understand more about this Victorian gentleman clergyman.

One hundred years ago he noted some of the Essex Archdeaconry records for local parishes, dated 1638¹.

Stondon Massey

Visitation of the Ven. Edward Layfield, STB, Archdeacon of Essex
Henry Brand. Richard Sach. Wardens

Order for Stondon Massey Church

• A Wainscott betwixt the Commn. Table and the Walls from the ground, a foote higher than the Table.
• A dyaper clothe for the Commn. Table.
• The chancell to be seeled and the Church next somer.
• The Tenne Commandments to be sett in the East of the Chancell.
• The King’s Armes to be new peynted.
• A Whood for the minister.
• A newe cover for the fonte.
• A border for the pulpit.
• A newe Book of Comon Prayer.
• A case of greene clothe for the pulpit cushion suitable to the carpet.
• A Table for the degrees of Marriage.
• The Churchyard to be paled or rayled.
• A Flagon for the Wyne at the Communion.

“With regard to the order for Stondon”, Reeve writes, “I may observe that the wainscott behind the Communion Table was clearly to provide a re-table for the legal ornaments. The King’s Arms were first ordered to be placed in every Church by King James I. That King was somewhat ostentatious of his position and rights as Defender of the Faith, and fancied himself another Constantine.

The Royal Arms were ordered by Cromwell to be burnt, and a systematic search was made for them. At that time the Arms at Stondon now to be ‘newe peynted’, probably disappeared. Theydon Bois near Epping is one of a very few places where the Arms of James I are still to be seen. The retired position of that Church appears to have screened it from the vigilance of Cromwell’s messengers”.

The Arms may still be seen in the nineteenth century parish church at Theydon Bois. The old church, which stood about a mile out of the village, was demolished in mid-Victorian times.

Items at Stondon Massey Church which even one hundred years ago were not in existence were the “new cover for the fonte” (replaced 1850); the Book of Common Prayer (“which must have been the edition of 1604, practically the Elizabethan Prayer Book of 1559”); the “Table for the Degrees of Marriage” and a “Flagon” which Reeve supposes were “melted down in the troubled times which followed. Archdeacon Layfield was deprived and imprisoned in 1642, but restored in 1660. He survived all his trouble, and died in 1680”.

Reeve then comments on some of the returns for other parishes, noting that at that time the complete set of returns for all Essex parishes survived.

The Archdeacon Order for Blackmore, 1638

• The east end of the Church to be fairely wainscotted, and a rail made with a doore fore eight.
• A newe Table and Book of Homilies.
• A carpet for the Table.
• The pulpit clothe and quishion and new.
• A new Reading deske.
• The Chancell to be separated from the nave of the Church.
• A Table for the Degrees of Marriage.
• The ground to be rayled whereon the raile is to stand.
• The cupp to be changed.
• The commandments to be peynted upon the east end of the Church.
• The ground to be paved new.
• The font stone to be newe peynted, and a new cover on it.
• A newe chest for the ornaments of the Church.
• A Whood for the minister.
• The east of the Chancell to be newe glazed.
• 2 Flaggons.

“Evidently the Archdeacon was doing all he could to restore the Worship of the Church to its proper dignity. Men had lately been accustomed to keep their hats on during service time, and great carelessness and laxity prevailed”.

At Chipping Ongar the Archdeacon’s Order stated: “The congregation to sitt bare at the tyme of Divine service and sermon”².

Reeve continues, “The fact that there was a newe wainscott behind the Holy Table in each case shows that the idea was not new, but there had been the same plan before, probably originating in the time of King Edward VI”.

“The ornaments of the church are mentioned expressly in the case of Blackmore. The rail for Communicants was not straight across the church as now but enclosed the Communion Table as in a sort of pen. This seems referred to in the Order for Kelvedon Hatch where the wainscott is to extend to the back of the Holy Table from ‘rail to rail’.

The Book of Homilies is mentioned a number of times. This contains the doctrine of the Church of England.

“The severance of the Chancel from the Church is provided for at Blackmore and Bobbingworth, and was evidently regarded as important.

“The seating of the parishioners in the Bobbingworth order is curious”.

The Archdeacon ordered:

“The Churchwarden are to place the parishioners in the Church ascnding to their ranke and quality, men on one side, and the women on the other”.

Reeve comments, “It seems opposed to the teaching of St James but may have appeared to be necessary for the maintenance of decorum. At Stondon the separation of the sexes is still voluntarily and automatically observed among the lower orders, while in 1840 it was still observed by the farmer class. Curiously enough, the men claim the north side, the reverse of the usual plan where the separation has only been lately introduced.

“There must have been a good Register Book at Stondon at this time, or we should have found the volume ordered. Alas that it should have completely perished!”

The earliest Parish Register now in existence at Stondon Massey dates from 1708.

“A mat was ordered in several places for kneeling upon at Holy Communion. Every effort was being made to encourage reverence. Cases had been known where people would remain seated in their pews to receive the sacred elements.

At Abbess Roothing (Roding) and North Weald ‘a booke for the fifth of November’ was ordered in each instance.

‘The fifth of November’ was scarcely yet a quarter of a century old, and we may imagine it would be observed with great fervour. Sad times, however, were close at hand for both Church and King”.