High Country History Group

This very entertaining talk presented the progress of the police force in Essex from the early 1800’s. The talk described the slow acceptance of the police at first, by the “rich”, who had to pay, and objected, and by the “poor” who saw the police only as interfering with their normal pattern of life. At times, the police were rejected with harsh judgements sometimes made against them in court.

The talk illustrated the developments in police uniform and equipment. The local constabulary, apparently known as the “Scorchers”, demonstrated their new bicycles with obvious pride! Some of the more notable local incidents and cases were also described, for example the Moat Farm Murder. In macabre detail, Martyn provided advice on how to make capital from unexpected ownership of a body! Wanted posters, displayed widely in their day, were shown. The talk concluded with photos of the old Ongar police station.

Forty-four members attended. Questions flowed! Martyn is Secretary to the Essex Police Museum, Springfield, Chelmsford.

Anne Padfield led members on a well-prepared circular walk around Stapleford Tawney and Theydon Mount. Starting at Little Tawney Hall with its hexagonal barn, the party visited The Old Rectory, dating from the 16th or 17th century, St. Mary’s Church and Great Tawney Hall, on the site of Richard de Tani’s manor house. Crossing the parish boundary, the walk continued through St Michael’s Church to Hill Hall, the earliest “classical” house in the country.

Many details were described; the village pound to the north of St Mary’s; a companion hexagonal barn; the classical features on the porch of St Michael’s; the origin of the name of the “Moletrap”. From the viewpoint at the side of Beachet Wood, some aspects of the evolution of Mount End are visible with the opportunity to compare the landscape with older maps.

The route allowed the group to view closely some of those houses mentioned in Anne’s inaugural talk to the Group. Anne’s commentary was expert as were the accompanying walk notes. There were 28 walkers over the 4.5 miles. Lunch was provided at the Moletrap. With great prescience, the excesses of the prevailing monsoon-like climate were also avoided.

The chilly midsummer weather relented sufficiently to make our walk along the hedgerows a pleasant and instructive afternoon stroll To the casual uninformed eye a hedge is just a line of trees and shrubs along the edges of fields and roads, but under Anne’s expert guidance we identified 25 species of shrubs and trees in hedges along the route, and learned a great deal about why and how these boundaries came into being. We also learned that the different levels between fields evolved as a result of centuries of ploughing in one direction.

Walking by fields with little of the world of today intruding, it was easy to imagine oneself back in times past. The Romans knew this part of our world well, and we skirted the site of one of their villas that is still waiting to be uncovered; and before them of course there would have been other inhabitants stretching back deep into pre-history. It was indeed a most enjoyable walk, with vistas opening up through gaps in hedges that I for one had never seen before. And I had a strange sense of deja vu; as though I and the others in the group had indeed been alive throughout the past, and were merely revisiting it. A bit of poetic fancy perhaps, but as Shakespeare said in Hamlet “there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in your philosophy” [Ken Feakes].

Richard Montague, rector from 1613 to 1628, was presented to the living by James 1 and was prominent in the religious turmoil which ultimately led to the Civil War. In 1624, in his own words, “about some 20 months since, some of the Romish limitors had come within my pale and had been tampering with some woman in Stanford Rivers. Understanding thereof, I had blanched them and settled the party.” He attempted to establish a dialogue, but the “party” refused to meet him, sending instead a pamphlet entitled “A Gag for the Newe Gospel.”

His response was to refute Catholic doctrines in a book with the lengthy title “A Gagg for the new Gospell: no, a new Gagg for an old Goose, or an Answer to the late Abridgement of Controversies”. However, this enraged the established church by questioning the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, and, by failing to denounce Roman Catholicism in the usual pungent language of the time, he laid himself open to the charge of popery. James 1, who had been presented with a copy of the book by Montague, said, “if this be popery, then I am a Papist”. Agitated puritans complained to Parliament, but the Archbishop of Canterbury gave only mild rebuke “be of no scandal, or offence; go home, review your book”.

Montague’s response from Stanford Rivers was to write a second book, more succinctly entitled “Appello Caesarem”. Published in 1625, its dedication to the new King Charles 1 angered Parliament, who considered that the appeal to Caesar “put a Jealousie between the king and his well affected Subjects”. Montague was ordered to appear before the House and was duly condemned for insulting King and Parliament, and for sowing the seeds of religious dissension. He was thrown into prison whereupon Charles 1 made him a Royal Chaplain. This appointment exempted him from Parliamentary authority, and he was released, albeit on the hefty bail of £2000.

However, the fat was now in the fire. By appealing to Caesar, Montague was implicitly supporting authoritarian kingship, ultimately one of the causes of the Civil War. He had been clearly rewarded for his views by the King. His suggestion that Catholics were not necessarily beyond redemption was extremely alarming to many who feared a covert return to Rome, an apprehension increased by the fact that the new King’s wife was Catholic. Montague was summoned to appear before Parliament again, failed to attend and was held to be in contempt. Presumably his bail was forfeited.

Far from being intimidated, he published a third book with the distinctly Catholic title of “A Treatise of the Invocation of Saints “. This led, in April 1626, to a further inquiry by Parliament, with charges framed in the vigorous language of the time “divers passages, full of bitterness, railing and injurious speeches, disgraceful and contemptible to many worthy divines... impious and profane in scoffing at preaching, lectures, Bible and all show of religion....” The King intervened again, telling Parliament that matters of religion were no business of theirs, and referred the matter to Convocation. When this met, it was packed with clerics sharing his views who, not surprisingly, endorsed his opinions. Montague was dismissed with the advice “go to his Majesty’s gracious favour”. Calvinism was in retreat, and the stage set for the fatal clash between King and Parliament on matters of religious belief and authority.

In 1628, Montague was appointed bishop of Chichester and his connections with Stanford Rivers ceased. However, his courageously stated views appear to have been very influential at the time, and were central to the rift which opened up between the King and Parliament.

Forthcoming Events for Your Diary
A Visit to Copped Hall

2.30pm, Sunday, 1st October
(Meet at the gates of Copped Hall at 2.30pm; the gates are off the Upshire road.)

A guided tour of Copped Hall will be provided by a volunteer from the Friends of the Copped Hall Trust. The history and architectural story of the house and site will be explained. The tour will include the recently acquired walled garden. Light refreshments will be served in the restored Raquets Court.

A charge of £3, as a donation to the Trust, will be made for both members and non-members. Gates to the Hall will be opened, and closed, at 2.30pm sharp!

We hope that the Membership of the Group will support this visit as we have undertaken to ensure that we can provide 20 visitors. Please indicate if you wish to visit by phoning Rob or Anne Brooks on 01277 364305, asap.

“Look Back in Ongar”

a talk by Edwyn Gilmour
8.00pm, Thursday, 26th October
Toot Hill Village Hall

Edwyn Gilmour has enjoyed a long and close association with Ongar. This illustrated talk will present a nostalgic look at Ongar.

A charge will be made for members of £1 and non-members £2.

Please also note that:

The Toot Hill Show will be held from 2.00pm, Saturday, 5th August, Home Field, Toot Hill opposite the Green Man. The High Country History Group will mount a small presentation at the Show. This is one of the best village shows in the area and well worth a visit.

We intend to introduce one talk each year on “technical” aspects of local history. These aspects might include conservation, archiving, publishing or museum management, for example. With this in mind, a talk is planned for the evening of Thursday, 30th November. The talk will be given by Corrie Newall of Heritage and Conservation, Essex County Council. More details are to follow.

Does anybody have any information on the Rainbird family who lived in Stanford Rivers in the 19th century? Thomas Rainbird, unmarried and aged 60, of Stanford Rivers is mentioned in the Census of 1851. David, a miller, and Emma Rainbird, of Kelvedon Hatch are mentioned in the Census of 1871. Emma and two of their children, Anne and Emily, were born in Stanford Rivers in 1835/6, 1864 and 1865/6, respectively. The 1881 Census shows Emma’s mother living with this family. Can anyone add to this?

Established in 1834 as a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act of that year, the Ongar Union comprised some 26 parishes under the control of a Board of Guardians. The workhouse was established at Stanford Rivers and was to remain in use until 1930 when the inmates were transferred to the workhouse at Epping. The building still stands, Piggotts Factory, the legacy of a sad chapter of social welfare in C19th Britain.

The Essex Record Office at Chelmsford has the minute books from 1834 until 1930 which give detailed descriptions of life within the workhouse. Here is just a sample of the entries to be found in the records:

Entry for 4 May 1847
“We have today visited the workhouse and personally examined all the weak minded and idiotic paupers now in it. They were in a tranquil and comfortable state and appeared to be kindly treated.....”

1882
Outbreak of smallpox reported at the workhouse. Nurse Bowman is suffering from the disease. [In April 1883 Bowman is awarded £5 to pay towards her medical expenses when she caught smallpox.] In July 1882 she resigns (I’m not surprised).

1883
September - 4 cases of typhoid reported. Inspector describes the sleeping apartment of the schoolmistress as ‘injurious to health’

1905
“The coffins had no name plates, were made of unplaned wood and unlined, nor did contractors always use a hearse as specified; the contract was altered in 1897 and an additional clause added “and otherwise carried out in a decent manner”. However a clerical Guardian in 1905 said of a funeral that ‘there was no one to take the coffin out of the hearse - or box on wheels I should call it - but the Clerk of the church, the driver and some fellow they scraped up of from the road. I do not see that because it is the body of a poor old pauper who had been in the Union-House for years, a decent burial should not be given him.”

1910
A Guardian saw a hearse standing outside a public house in which the contractor was taking refreshment, for which he was called to account!

The District of Ongar Council of Churches has produced a Millennium Guide to the churches in and around Ongar. The booklet has 24 pages packed with information and colour photographs, including all the churches in our interest area. In it you will learn about Father Byles from Ongar who went down with The Titanic; the connection with Jane Taylor who wrote “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and discover where the Rev Webb Ellis the founder of Rugby Football was Rector. In all some 24 churches are featured. Priced at £3.50 it is a fascinating booklet.

The author has been writing about agriculture in the county for more than 50 years and this book demonstrates how farming has diversified over the last century.
Available through Abberton Books, Colchester, CO5 7NA.