Stanford Rivers by H. M. Scott (Part 3): The History of the Manors of Stanford Rivers

THE HISTORY OF THE MANORS

Lords of the Manors

Former Residents of the Manors

The Story of the Manors of Stanford Rivers, Traceys, Bellhouse, including the former sub-Manors of Littlebury, Berwicks, Stanford Park etc

THIS STORY, covering as it does a number of interwoven estates with different owners during the same periods may be found most confusing to my readers. It will be seen that although the area now consists of only three Manors, in earlier years certain estates within these were important enough to be treated as Manors and their owners or tenants were entitled to be “lords”. With this in mind I propose to deal firstly with the Manor of Stanford Rivers and later revert back to the others. This may lead to some repetition and I intend to be as brief as possible. A complete and serious history can be studied by consulting The Victoria History of the County of Essex (Vol IV) which will be found in all large Public Libraries.

STANFORD — probably so named from a stone ford over the River Roding. It is known that the Romans raised pavements on many rivers in Britain in order to make shallow crossings and thus save bridge building. Little is known regarding pre-Conquest times but the “Essex Review” (Vol 13) dated 1904 mentions a local field, “Danesfield”, and the tradition of a battle thereabouts suggesting the presence of the Danes.

In 1042, during the time of Edward the Confessor, the main Manor (9 Hides) was held by Lewin; Aluric and Brictwin held 20 acres and another free man held 40 acres.

LITTLE STANFORD (1 Hide and 80 acres) was held by Ingelric the Priest and the father of Aluric. This area can possibly be identified with the later sub-Manor of Littlebury.

In 1066 all the estates were held by Earl Eustace of Boulogne — Lord of Angre (Ongar) who was the brother-in-law of King Edward and they were then valued at £24. In 1086 the value had increased to £40. The Domesday distinguishes between Great and Little Stanford but this distinction later disappeared. The Earl’s grand-daughter, Maud married King Stephen (formerly Stephen Blois) and thus the estates passed into Royal hands. The King’s son, William, Earl of Montaigne and Surrey granted the estates in 1156 to Richard de Lucy (together with Ongar etc.) for services rendered at the battle of Falaise against the Duke of Anjou. The ownership continued in the de Lucy family and finally descended to Maud de Lucy who was given in marriage by King John in 1213 to Richard de Riparis (Rivers). Maud de Rivers died in 1243. During the ownership of the de Rivers family the estates were split and granted to various families. Here the confusion commences! Although the de Rivers family held the Manors until early in the 14th century, various portions were leased for given periods. In 1300 John de Rivers leased the Manor of “Stanford without the park” to Fulk of St. Edmunds and his son and on the same date he granted the Manor of Stanford Park to Humphrey de Walden for life. After this Stanford Park became known as Ongar Park. The Manor of Stanford Rivers was granted by John de Rivers in 1308 to Richer de Refham, citizen and alderman of London “to hold for life and two years after life”. In 1309 this grant was converted into a “tenancy in fee”. In 1313 de Refham granted it to his son, John, who, in 1314 granted it to John de Gras and Pauline, his wife. In 1334 John, son of John de Rivers released all his rights in the Manor to Pauline, widow of John de Gras. In 1348 Pauline de Gras granted it to Ralph, Baron (later Earl of) Stafford.

On the death in 1460, of Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham, the Manor passed to the Duke’s 3rd son John, Earl of Wiltshire who died in 1473. On his widow’s death the Manor passed to Edward Stafford, Earl of Wiltshire and on his death in 1499 to Edward Stafford, third Duke of Buckingham.

After the Duke’s execution and attainder the estates passed to the Crown. In 1524 King Henry VIII granted them to Wm. Carey and his wife Mary—née Boleyn, (please see “The Carey family” for other interesting details). Records show that Mary Carey held a Manorial Court in 1534, but later the Manor reverted to the Crown and it was controlled by Crown Stewards from 1544-1547.

In 1548 the Manor(s) were given to Princess (later Queen) Mary. In 1557 the main Manor was annexed by Letters Patent to the Duchy of Lancaster and remained in the Duchy’s hands until 1613 when James I sold it to Richard Cartwright and Thomas Cowley of London. A fee-farm rent was apparently retained by the Crown. In 1614 Cartwright and Cowley conveyed the Manor to Henry Spiller and Alexander Williams, who in 1619 sold it to Sir Thomas Elliott Kt. In 1623 Sir Thomas sold to Wm. 2nd Baron Petre. In 1628 Baron Petre settled the estate on his 3rd son, William as a jointure for his daughter-in-law Lucy. At this time the Petre family acquired all the Manors and sub-Manors in the area, except Littlebury, and the Stanford Rivers branch of the family made the Mansion of Bellhouse their home. The estate then comprised of 1600 acres. In 1645 Parliament granted the Estates to the Earl of Essex due to Wm. Petre’s adherence to Charles I, (Essex died 1646). Wm. Petre, however, continued to live at Bellhouse and use a portion of the estate—the rest was administered by a member of the committee formed to run the estates of delinquents. In 1653 Wm. Petre regained possession of the whole property. It appears that he never lost the control of the Manor Court, as the Court Rolls of 1647—1660 show him as Lord of the Manor. He died in 1677 and was succeeded by his son William (See Notes on Petre family). William Petre II succeeded to the Manor and died in 1686 and the estates descended to his son, William (III). In 1727 the administration of Stanford Rivers was handed over to his kinsman, Robert (Baron Petre) who died in 1742. William Petre died in 1745 and his nephew John became his heir.

In 1747 a Receiver was appointed in Chancery to administer the estate but apparently John Petre assumed control in 1748 and remained so until his death in 1762. From that year until 1775 the estate was administered by a Steward for John Tempest, the Executor of John Petre’s Will. During this period the whole estate was leased to various farmers and smallholders. In 1775 it was conveyed to Lord Petre as guardian of his second son, The Hon. George William Petre. In 1791/3 it was encumbered to the extent of £9,750, plus substantial other mortgages. In 1796 part of the estate was sold to Charles Smith of Suttons in Stapleford Tawny for £7,650 and in 1797 George Wm. Petre died leaving the remainder to his son, George. In 1819 George Petre sold all his property within the Manor to Judith Smith (formerly of Stratford, Essex) for £25,280. Judith Smith was Lady of the Manor until 1830, when the Lordship (and the estate) passed to her nephew, Sir Charles Joshua Smith, Bart. (Son of the above mentioned Charles Smith). On his death in 1831 the 1350 acre estate passed to Augusta Smith and in 1838 to Sir Charles Cunliffe Smith, Bart.—the grandson of the original purchaser. From that date it descended with the Baronetcy until 1955 when on the death of the 6th Baronet, Sir Thomas Cospatric Smith, it was administered by his executors and the various farms were sold by them and the Estate finally broken up. In 1965 the incorporeal titles of the three manors of Stanford Rivers, Traceys and Bellhouse were disposed of to Harold Montague Scott, Esq., of London. Although this ends the story of the landed owners of the Manors, reference to the list of Lords of the Manors—given later—and to the details of the lives and background of some of the most important ones will be found of great interest.

THE MANOR OF TRACEYS

TRACEYS was so named from a family of that name. Although I am giving below certain details of its history, it must be remembered that—as with Bellhouse, Littlebury, Berwicks its story is from time to time interwoven with that of the paramount Manor of Stanford Rivers. In 1268 John de Tracey and Margery, his wife, conveyed land at Stanford Rivers to William de Tracey at a nominal rent. The tenement was held of the Earl of Stafford by service of a pair of Spurs of the value of 6d and an annual rental of 1lb. of pepper. In 1315 Hugh de Tracey and his sister Agnes conveyed to Margery (probably their widowed mother), one messuage, one carucate of land, 25 acres of meadow, 50 acres of wood, 40 acres of pasture and 50/- rent. In 1325 a settlement was made on Margery de Tracey of the lands with 14 cows and 14 heifers—with Remainder to Thomas de Tracey and his wife, Mabel and to Thomas’s heirs. By 1335 both Thomas and Mabel had died leaving a young son, James. Until James came of age in 1348, Edward III granted the custody of the land to Mabel Fitzwaryn, a damsel of Queen Phillipa.

It seems that James de Tracey died in the “Black Death” (1347—1350) and the property went to his kinsman, Hugh de Tracey and later to John de Rivers and some years later to the Stafford family. In 1372, the Manor, with 240 acres of arable, 20 acres of meadow and 64 acres of wood was held by Sir Hugh Stafford. In 1412 it appears to have been leased to Nicholas Bradshagh (see “Stanford Hall”) and to have been valued at £20. In 1415 Sir Hugh, jointly with his wife Elizabeth demised to John Tyrell and others. In 1420 the Manor was held by Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham who was slain at the Battle of Northampton.

Although, as with the other “sub-manors”, Traceys has, since the middle of the 14th century, followed the same ownership as Stanford Rivers, it has had different tenants from time to time. In 1543 a 21 year lease was granted to Richard Elliott (see “Berwick”) at £15 per annum. The Elliotts farmed Traceys for a number of years and we find documents in The Public Record Office (London) showing Thomas Elliott as “Bayliff of Trases” in 1612. In 1738 and in 1768 records show that the Petre family leased to John Shuttleworth for £156 per annum (£42 Land Tax and £10 for repairs was deducted). In 1839 Hale’s Survey of Stanford Rivers stated “Traceys Farm—belonging to Sir Charles Cunliffe Smith, Baronet—in the occupation of Mr. John Palmer. This farm is situate on the northern side of the London Road and to the west of Murrells Farm and is otherwise surrounded by woodlands of the same proprietor. House, and garden 1 acre. Farm buildings, orchard Traceys Mead, Gays wood, Cottage and garden, Gravel pit field, Old House field, Hoppit, etc., 163 acres”. The Tithe award 1842 shows John Palmer as tenant farmer of 162 acres.

Others who have farmed here during the last century include—Thomas Carter 1878, Arthur Hadcock 1886, Thomas W. Duff 1890, John S. Freeman, Jnr., (also “Lawns”) the Land Steward to Sir Charles C. Smith 1890—1928. Mr. James Anthony Green took over the house in 1928 and farmed the land alone until 1969 when he was joined in partnership by his son, Mr. William James Green.

Note: For full details of the present house and up-to-date information see under “The Houses of the Manors”.

THE MANOR OF BELLHOUSE

The story of this Manor really does not need to be set out in full here as it is really already told in that of Stanford Rivers and also by the section covering the former Mansion of Bellhouse. The Mansion being the home of the Stanford Rivers branch of the Petre family further information will also be found under the heading “The Petre family”. As with Traceys, the Manor still officially exists and is legally included in my Title. The land is now mainly incorporated in that of “Murrells”.

THE FORMER MANOR OF BERWICK

(alias “Barwicks”, or “Berewick”)

Since the 15th century this former Manor has been absorbed into, and followed the descent of, that of Stanford Rivers. Its history can be read in my section dealing with Berwick Farmhouse.

THE former MANOR of LITTLEBURY

The main history of this small manor will be found in my story of Littlebury (see “The Houses of the Manor”) and I therefore do not intend to repeat same here, but will merely mention a few interesting details which have come to light since I wrote the story of the house.

In 1767 a dispute arose between John Tempest (the acting Lord of the Capital Manor) and Timothy Graves of Littlebury (Grave’s wife was the daughter of Mrs. Bull).* The dispute concerned certain manorial rights claimed by Graves. The outcome of this dispute is not clear but Graves continued to deny that Littlebury was part of the Manor of Stanford Rivers and a few years later when Lord Petre was administering the Bellhouse estate, there was another quarrel over fishing rights, in the course of which Graves pushed one of Lord Petre’s servants into the River Roding. The legal right of this small estate to claim to the name of Manor seems to have been discontinued about this time.

* See list of Lords of the Manors.

THE LORDS OF THE MANORS

Note. In spite of much research, this list cannot be considered 100% reliable — a few names may be included of major tenants of the Lord of the Capital Manor and who may, or may not, have been legally entitled to hold Courts.

The dates given are approximate only — in the early centuries. It begins with the names of lords of the Capital Manor and is followed by the names of those of the “sub-manors” — here again the accuracy is unfortunately suspect.

The Lords of Bellhouse (see Stanford Rivers).
The Lords of Berwick (see Berwick Farmhouse).

Littlebury and Rowenho

The Lords of the Manor of Traceys

Former residents in the Manors

The names below are some of those who lived here during the 17th and 18th centuries and whose Wills can be seen at the Essex Record Office. Please note, however, that the inclusion of any of the names which follow does not mean that they are not specifically mentioned elsewhere in this Work.

Some Former Residents during the 19th and 20th Centuries

1830   A list of Freeholders who had the right to vote included:— E. Dowdeswell, D.D. (Rector); Charles Dallady, John Ging, Stephen Jones, Edward Luck, Wm. Noak, Thomas Nicholls, John Ray, Edward Rayner, Jonathan Stokes, John Stallibrass, Isaac Taylor, Wm. West, and Wm. Wilson.

Various Directories such as Pigots, Wm. White’s, and Kelly’s, have yielded the following:—

1832   Isaac Taylor — Gentleman; Edward Sammes — Grocer and Carpenter.

1845   Thomas H. Sadler — Miller.

1848   Thomas Oldham (Berwicks), J. Palmer (Traceys), Henry Pavitt, Matthew Playle, Smith and Rayner, John Stallibrass (Ongar Park), Jonathan Stokes, Rev. R. Waller, Isaac Ward, Mary Waterhouse, Edward Garrett and James Sharp (Shoemakers), Michael Connolly and George Vale (Shopkeepers), Charles Carter (Butcher), John Halls (Cornmiller), John Mott (Carpenter), Wm. Mott (Cattle Salesman), Wm. Rayner (Bricklayer), Wm. Pavitt (Wheelwright), Henry Rudd (Blacksmith).

1855   John and Edmund Allen (Farmers), Charles and John Baker (Farmers), Mrs. Mary Baker (Farmer), John Barnard (Beer retailer and Farmer), Augustus Berkeley (Farmer), Wm. C. Clark (Farmer), John Freeman (Cattle Dealer), Mrs. Mary Jennings Farmer), John Mansfield (Farmer and Surveyor of Roads), Moore (Miller), William Wilson (Shopkeeper).

1863   Wm. White’s directory is quite comprehensive and includes many names of residents already included above, or elsewhere in various sections of this book:— Mrs. S. Baker, Mrs. Mary Barton, Thomas Carter, John Cheer, Wm. Docwra, James Fitch, John Haride, James Noakes, John Palmer, Thomas Thorogood, Mrs. C. Waters, Mrs. M. Waters (all listed as Farmers). John Mitson and Jesse Wakeling (Shopkeepers), John Redington (Cornmillers), Henry Rudd (Blacksmith), Rev. John Pound Smith (Curate), John and Wm. Stane (Carpenters), George Ives (Shoemaker).

1867   Wm. Buer (Farmer), Wm. Willson (Harness Maker).

1871   John Owers (Baker) Toot Hill.

1878   Mrs. Sarah Edwards (Shopkeeper), John Wilson (Beer retailer), Josiah Piggott (Beer retailer and Steam Threshing Machine Proprietor), Wm. Read (Shoemaker of Toot Hill), James Tucker (Hay carter).

1886   Mrs. Jane Piggott (Beer retailer of Toot Hill), William Staines (Wheelwright of Toot Hill).

1890   Wm. Berry (Shopkeeper), Joseph Brown (Blacksmith), Wm. Hutchins (Hay Carter), George Lane (Shopkeeper), Mrs. Hannah Surridge (Farmer — see Toot Hill Windmill).

1902   Joseph Downham (Boot and Shoemaker), Daniel Wright (Head Keeper to Sir Charles Smith), Alfred G. Hadley (Beer retailer), John Mumford (Farmer), Wm. Scarrott (Head Gamekeeper at Ongar Park Wood), Julian Plummer (Farmer).

1910   Wm. N. Jarvis (Surveyor to Ongar R.D.C.), A. E. Seymour (Shopkeeper), Henry Tucker (Farmer), Robert W. Tyrrell (Blacksmith), Frederick Welch (Beer retailer).

1912   Francis Moore (Holly Tree Laundry), Frank Garrett (Bootmaker).

1922   Robert Camp (Blacksmith).

1933   R. W. Heasman of Church Lane, Lewis O. Rowe (Holly Tree), Mrs. Camp (Shopkeeper), Warrington Grigg (Shopkeeper), Mrs. Susan Welch (Beer retailer), John Shepherd (Beer retailer), Messrs. Harrison and Grigg (Stanford Rivers Egg Grading Station), Wm. Woodrow (Headkeeper to Sir D. C. Smith), John Harding, Arthur Licence (Poultry farmer), F. P. K. White of Toot Hill.

1934   Frank Burton (Headkeeper to Sir D. C. Smith), Miss A. Littlefair (District Nurse), H. Woolleston (Woodman), Thomas Licence (Tomato Grower).

(For later and up-to-date list — please see local List of Electors).