High Country History Group

This curious church, which ranks amongst the oldest and most interesting in the kingdom, having been thoroughly reinstated and restored, and the damage repaired which time and decay had made by eating for centuries at its foundation, was re-opened for Divine worship on the 22nd ult., under circumstances which showed the deep interest which is now felt in the preservation of those hallowed and olden edifices of the land. Respecting the origin of this church tradition carries us far back into dim antiquity, and here and there scraps in the more sober and trustworthy records of history seem to confirm the legend which belongs to its first erection. The peculiar construction of the church has often attracted notice, and its interest amongst antiquaries is derived from the belief apparently well founded, that it was at first a temporary shrine or resting place for the body of St Edmund, the patron saint of the capital of Suffolk, when the corpse was being conveyed along the then highway from London. This carries it back to a time even beyond the Conquest; and it is not the thick-ribbed walls,

“The swelling pillars and the expansive roof,”

which so often excite our admiration amongst the relics of the past, but it is the unprecedented and primitive character of its architecture, the walls of the nave being built of rough split trees, which gives to the building its venerable value. Edmund it will be remembered died in 946, slain by a free-booter in his own hall during a festival at Gloucester, and being canonised, his remains were regarded as a sacred treasure, and during some of the wild incursions of the Danes half a century after, were carried for security to London. In the year 1010 or 1011, they were conveyed from the metropolis to Bury St Edmunds, no doubt with some pomp and ceremony, and the Register of the Abbey tells us that on the way “he was sheltered near Aungre, where a wooden chapel remains as a memorial unto this day” – Greenstead being near Ongar, which at the period was on the line or route from London to Suffolk, there cannot be the slightest doubt this is the identical structure. The spot is about 20 miles from London, a good day’s journey in those times, when the road often lay through waste and wilderness; and the probability is that as no convenient resting place for the body during the night’s halt could be found in the neighbourhood, large trees, the readiest material at hand were cut down, split up the centre, and their huge bodies used as walls of a temporary structure. We can easily conceive that amidst the superstitions of those times such a building would afterwards be regarded as sacred – that it would be gradually added to, and at length grow into a parish church; and thus it has stood to the present age, surviving the storms and the strife of 838 years, and forming the nave of the sacred little edifice, a brick chancel, and a wooden belfry having been added at a comparatively modern date. The side walls of this nave, as we have said, are formed of the trunks of large oak trees, split down the middle, rather roughly hewn, and placed upright with the edges close together, the flat side inwards, and the bark side exposed to the weather. Before the late restoration these split trunks were let into a wooden sill, resting upon the ground at the bottom, and fastened to a plank at top with wooden pins. These half trunks are 36 in number, and it is evident that before the erection of the chancel and belfry the ends were of the same character, there being a place formerly used as a door on one side. The interior is thus 29 feet I inches long, 14 feet wide and until the late alterations, on 5 feet 6 inches to the roof.

This stood “St Edmunds Shrine,” until a short time since, when although a writer about 15 years ago had asserted that the oaks were so hard and sound that “having been beaten by the storms of nearly a thousand winters, they promise to endure a thousand more,” It was found that some considerable care and caution was necessary in order to secure for them that extraordinary preservation, which they will probably now attain. The wooden sill, resting only upon the earth had rotted, and the ends of the tree trunks dropping through had begun to be touched at the bottom by decay, so that had it not been from the more solid character of other parts of the church, the building would have been in some danger. Happily the matter fell into the hands of a gentleman who had the good taste to undertake, and the liberality to carry through the work of restoration – the Rev. P. Ray, the rector; otherwise we might have had this interesting and olden relic remorselessly swept away, and some trim walls of burnt brick and mortar reared up instead, which those who feel not,

“The charm so softly cast
Around the dim and shadowy past
With all the treasures, half divine,
The ruin’s tower and hallow’d shrine,”

Would have nicknamed “improvement,” and have prided themselves in no small degree upon their handiwork. Fortunately, as we have said better feeling here prevailed; and the experienced advice of Mr. Wyatt, the architect, being called in, under his directions the whole of the nave was taken down, the ancient trees being carefully marked and arranged so that in the rebuilding each came exactly in its former position. A few inches of the decayed part of the bottom were cut away and a brick foundation and sill provided for their reception, every precaution being taken to protect them from the further bite of the “corroding tooth of time.” No alteration has been made in the size of the building, but by raising the foundations about six inches, and by sinking the floor of the church a foot, the wall up to the roof has been very conveniently heightened. The roof itself is of a similar character to the old except that trusses have been introduced and between the compartments of these have been affixed elaborate carvings in oak of the wolf and the human head connected with the legend of St Edmund, and after the old stone carvings dug up in the Abbey grounds at Bury. These and also a carved eagle for the reading desk, copied from an antique specimen, have been very finely executed by Mr. Barlow, builder of Ongar, by whom the whole work was carried out in a manner that reflects much credit on his taste and zeal in the task of restoration. The tree trunks have been cleared in interior of the plaster which formerly encrusted them, and are cleaned and varnished, so as to correspond with the colour of the fittings; and the base of the bell-tower has been cut through, and sittings are provided there for the school children, so that the little church will now contain altogether about one hundred and ten.

On the exterior a neat porch of oak, a fine piece of architecture has been added in place of the former small one, and has an excellent effect. The whole cost of the work is about £400, a small portion of which is paid by the rate, but by far the greater part is borne by the Rev. P. Ray, the rector, whose name in connection with this work will be mentioned with respect by all who have the spiritual welfare of the parish at heart, and by all future antiquarians and pilgrims to the spot, who will not fail also to notice the peculiar neatness of the churchyard, which when we visited it, and such we were assured was its usual state, was as smooth and well-trimmed as the best kept lawns.

The re-opening on Thursday was attended by a large congregation, so large indeed that the little edifice could not contain them, and many persons, including several clergymen were unable to obtain admission. Amongst those present were many of the gentry of the neighbourhood, and the clergy included the Revds F. Palmer, G.F. Deedes, - Jarvis, I. Pettigrew, W.M. Oliver, H. Palmer, E. Fane, H. Earle, H. Soames, E. Fisher, G. F. Rawlings and many others. The sermon on the occasion was preached by the Right Re. Lord Bishop of Madras, from 1st Timothy, chapter 3, and part of the 15th verse – “That thou mayest know how though oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, the pillar ground of the truth,” from which appropriate text the right rev. prelate eloquently dwelt upon the interesting circumstances under which they were assembled in the renovated house of prayer. Several professional singers from the metropolis added much to the effective character of the sacred services of the day; ad altogether the proceedings were a source of deep satisfaction to the friends of religion, and to those who take an interest in the restoration of the cherished architectural relics of the land.

Greensted Hall,
Ongar, Essex
March 1913

Dear Sir (or Madam)

We venture to ask for your support as a neighbour on the occasion of the 900th anniversary of the foundation of Greensted Church. A brief history of the Church, which is probably well known to you, is set out overleaf. It is the desire of the Parishioners to commemorate worthily this historic event in the Church life of Essex. An open air service will be held on the afternoon of St Alban’s Day, June 17th, when the Bishop of the Diocese has promised to attend and preach the sermon. Your presence is cordially invited. It is further proposed to do something towards the decorative enrichment of the interior of the Church, and in particular to place a dossal and hangings at the east end, to restore the stained glass and to erect a tablet commemorating the event. It is estimated that the cost of these and other improvements will be at least £100. The parishioners who number only 92 have guaranteed £40, but inasmuch as large numbers constantly visit the Church from all parts of the County, we venture to appeal to you for a subscription. Any sums may be sent to the Treasurer of the Commemoration fund. Howel J. J. Price, Esq, Greensted, Hall, Ongar, Essex, or paid direct to Messrs, Barclays Bank, at Ongar, and will b gratefully acknowledged.

Yours faithfully,
G. B. Atkinson, Rector
Howel J. J. Price
G. N. Hoare, Churchwardens

The above is taken from a printed four-page document outlining an appeal for funds for the Church. The first page carries a photo’ image of Greensted Church and refers to the 900th Anniversary Celebration. The second page, copied above, carries an open letter requesting subscriptions, and headed 900th Anniversary Commemoration. (I am sure that most readers will know that a ‘dossal’ is an ornamental cloth, usually embroidered, hung at the back of the altar or at the sides of the chancel.) The final page, again repeated below, lists the named subscribers.

The following sums have been guaranteed

£ s. d.
Howel J. J. Price, Esq, and Mrs. Price 10 0 0
Rev. A. G. B. Atkinson 5 0 0
G. N. Hoare, Esq, and Mrs Hoare 5 0 0
E. Heron-Maxwell, Esq, and Mrs. Maxwell 5 0 0
H. G. Garrett, Esq 5 0 0
The Misses Price 5 0 0
The Rev R. D. Budworth and Mrs. Heales 5 0 0

Why the timing of the anniversary? 1913? How precise! On page three of the appeal, an article, written by the Rector. The Rev Atkinson justifies the date of the anniversary. The article is entitled The Last Wooden Church and is reprinted from the Daily News of January 8th, 1913. The justification is well known, as follows:

“The Martyred King – . . . The accredited tradition connects the foundation of the church with the history of St Edmund, the martyred King of East Anglia, who was murdered by the Danes in 870 A.D., in the 29th year of his age. The life and death of this King formed the theme for the songs of many Early English chroniclers. When the Saints body was brought from London to Edmundsbury in 1013, a temporary resting-place was afforded the remains at Greensted where the monks hastily erected a wooden chapel to give them shelter. The ancient road from London into Suffolk lay through Abridge, Stapleford, Greensted, and Dunmow, and this would be the route by which the body of the King was translated.

There is much, however, to suggest that the fabric is of still older date . . . . ”

As it stands there are inconsistencies in the story. The association of Greensted Church with St Edmund was proposed centuries after the murder of Edmund and even considerably later than the ‘foundation’ of Greensted Church in 1013.

Further, it is now known, from the recent application of techniques using dendrochronology applied to the Church timbers, that the origin of the existing Church must be revised. By their nature the dendro’ techniques tend to provide a date range rather than a precise date, and there will generally be a spread of possible ‘foundation’ dates. The current date is likely to be around the middle of the eleventh century. This again is some years later than the ‘foundation’ date assumed by Reverend Atkinson. The conclusion is that the Anglo-Saxon Church of Greensted could well be Norman!

A further inconsistency arises from the dedication of the Church. With an assumed strong association of the Church from King Edmund, it might be expected that the Church would be dedicated to St Edmund. However, the dedication is to St Andrew.

A possible solution to the problem is to assume that there was a church on the site that pre-dated the existing church. That church was dedicated to St Andrew. A new church, possibly replacing a similar wooden structure, was built at a date consistent with the dating analysis. Indeed, limited archaeological investigation of the Church has discovered post-holes indicating the presence of an earlier building on the site. The dimensions of these post-holes would suggest a smaller building than the present Church.

However, well done the Reverend Atkinson for spotting the opportunity to raise funds to enhance the fabric of the Church!

The following comments were recorded in the Register of Burials, by the Rector.

1840 – Jun 17: Edward, Edward, 44 of Bovinger with awful suddenness falling down while sharpening his scythe.

1842 – Jan 15: Mann, Joseph 63 with awful suddenness falling down dead in a field while walking with a parishioner.

1846 – Jan 25: Gibson, William 56 of Greensted Hall with awful suddenness. Went to bed in usual health, a corpse the next morning.

1846 – May 17: Lowing, John 44 of Stanford Rivers kill’d suddenly by the handle of the plough being forc’d ag’t his side through the horses turning round suddenly.

1851 – May 11: Piggott, John 52 killed suddenly by falling from the top of a wagon load of straw.

There are two estates in Essex known as Gaynes Park, the Gaynes in Upminster, the seat of Henry Joslin, Esqre., and the Gaynes at Theydon Gernon.

Gaynes Park, the seat of William Swaine Chisenhale Marsh, Esqur., J.P., is situated in that most beautiful part of the county bordering on Epping Forest, and adjacent to several residences we have described in this volume, Hill Hall, “Sir William Bowyer-Smijth,” being in the adjoining parish of Theydon Mount, and Copped Hall, “E.J. Wythes, Equre.,” in that of Epping.

For centuries there has existed a mansion within the confines of Gaynes Park, which in remote ages was part of the great Forest of Essex, In the reign of Henry III, Robert Gernon obtained a license from the King to enclose his wood at Teydon, or Theyden, for a park, and although we find the estate chiefly alluded to in works, we have consulted as “Park Hall,” we think the name by which it is now known is the ancient form, and as one authority we quote an ancient deed, dated over 572 years ago, viz., “Grant by Walter de Colworthe, of Eppinghathe, to John Wacebake of Northwelde, of a piece of land in ‘le Frythe’ of Theydon Gernoun, abutting on Northwelde Park, and Geynes Park, etc., Eppinghathe, Monday before St Thomas the Apostle, 17 Edward II.”
The present house of Gaynes stands about a quarter of a mile higher up the park, and altogether in a much better position to that on which the old house stood, which Morant tells us was down in his day. It is a handsome building of stone in the Tudor style, and from its bold position commands extensive prospects of lovely woodland scenery, the plantations and growths of late years being in delightful contrast to the old forest trees that are to be seen here and there dotted about over the estate. In Domesday Book Theydon is called Taindena, and was held by Eudo Dapifer, and at the time of King Edward the Confessor was owned by Ulmar. Adam de Welles and his successors held the undivided manor of Theydene Gernon of Thomas Gernon, by service of 7s. per annum, and other lands and tenements. Adam died 1345. Leo de Welles, of this noble family, was killed fighting for the Lancastrian cause at the great battle of Towton, near Tadcaster, in Yorkshire, 1461. He was possessed of the manor of Park Hall, alias Gaynes Park, Hemmales, and Madles, in this parish, as parcels of Park Hall. Being found on the battlefield, a traitor in arms, his estates were confiscated, and King Edward bestowed them on his own daughter, Cecily, who was the wife of John, Lord Welles, son of the above Leo. She died without issue 1506.

The next owner of Gaynes was Sir William Fitz William, a City magnate. On his demise in the year 1534, he was succeeded by his son William, whose son, Sir William Fitz William, was four times Lord Deputy of Ireland, viz., in 1599-60-72-87, and three times one of the Lord Justices of that kingdom. When he died we have been unable to ascertain, but from this family Gaynes had passed early in the next century, for in 1617, Sir Richard Wingfield, Knt., held the manor, and in 1636 – Harrison, from whom it passed to the Earls of Anglesea, who sold the estate to William Coxhead Marsh, High Sheriff of Essex, 1847, from whom it has descended to his grandson, the present owner.

As a member of the Library Committee of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History I have taken on a task, with others, of sorting the contents of an office at, what could be described as, the headquarters of the organisation which was formed as long ago as 1852 and formerly called the Essex Archaeological Society.

The organisation has an interesting history of its own. In years gone by its members were elected. These ladies and gentlemen were amateurs and professionals with a particular interest in archaeology and the county’s history. Little has changed regarding the membership but now anyone can join.

The passing of time means that over the many years the Society has not only published thousands of pages of historic interest through its own ‘Transactions’ but accumulated many publications left by former members, probably upon their demise. The office contains a treasure trove of material which has quietly languished there, some in need of viewing by a wider audience, some which needs to be retained and another larger proportion which needs to be sold or disposed. All have gathered dust!

One ‘discovery’ was a scrapbook compiled by an unknown Victorian member of the Society. It contains some reports of Society Meetings (today called ‘Excursions’), text on some church refurbishments and rebuilds, and, principally, cuttings from books (Suckling, Buckler) and the compiler’s own sketches of Essex churches.

The Essex churches are of particular interest. In my local area there are sketches of High Ongar (Fig 1) and Bobbingworth (Fig 2) churches before “Victorianisation”. I was aware that Bobbingworth once had a timber bell tower but the sketch confirms that it had, like High Ongar, at least a timber belfry. These structures were considerable out of vogue in mid Victorian Essex. Alfred Suckling (1845) refers to Blackmore’s magnificent three-tier bell tower as being an “inelegant spire”.

St Germain, Bobbingworth was rebuilt in 1841. St Mary’s High Ongar was largely rebuilt in 1858 but still possesses the fine Norman doorway below the Victorian tower.

In the High Country area, the antiquarian made sketches of three churches: Greensted (Fig 3), Stanford Rivers (Fig 4) and Stapleford Tawney (Fig 5). These are all easily recognisable.

The passing of about 150 years has discoloured the drawings: the paste used to stick the pictures into the scrapbook having aged. However, this is the first time I have seen drawings of two local churches prior to restoration and, given the quality and proportionality of the other sketches I have reason to believe that these are faithful reproductions – and that these might be the only surviving representations.

STANFORD RIVERS is supposed to have derived its name from a stony ford through the river Roding; the addition, "Rivers," being derived from the family of that name who resided here in 1213; it is a widely scattered parish, on the London road, 3 miles southwest from Ongar station on a branch of the London and North Eastern railway, 7 south-east from Epping, 7 from Brentwood and 19 from London, in the Chelmsford division of the county, Ongar hundred, petty sessional division and rural district, Brentwood county court district, and in Ongar rural deanery, archdeaconry of Southend and Chelmsford diocese.

The church of St. Margaret is a plain building of stone, chiefly in the Norman style, consisting of chancel, nave, and a western tower of wood, with spire, and containing 2 bells: in the south wall of the nave is a brass, with kneeling figures of a lady and six children and an inscription to " Anne Napper, late the wife of William Napper, gent, and daughter of William Shelton esq. ob. 1584:" in the chancel is another brass, to " Catherine Mvlcaster, wife of Charles Mvcaster" to whom she was married 50 years, ob. 1609: there is also a brass with effigy to Thomas Greville, infant, ob. 1492, another to Robert Barrow esq. ob. 1503; and figures of a man in armour and his wife, c. 1540: the Petres were formerly large proprietors here, and there are many flat stones in the chancel inscribed to members of this family: several members of the Stuart family, Earls and Marquises of Bute, were buried here, but with the exception of two they have been removed to Roath in Glamorganshire. the church has 300 sittings. The register dates from the year 1538. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £947, with 5a acres of glebe and residence, in the gift
of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and held since 1902 by the Rev. John Ishmael Thomas B.A. of St. David's College, Lampeter. The Congregational chapel, erected in 1819, was destroyed by fire in 1927. A charity of £400 left by Mary Rayner in 1871 is invested in India 3 per Cents, and the interest is annually distributed in clothing to the poor of the parish. The principal landowners are Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith bart, who is lord of the manor, and James R. Furze esq. J.P.

The soil is clay or heavy loam; subsoil, clay, gravel or sand. The chief crops are wheat, barley, beans &c. The area is 4,405 acres of land and 9 of water; the population in 1931 was 758.

LITTLEBURY is 1 mile east from the church. TOOT HILL is 2 miles north-west.

Post & Tel. Call Office. Letters through Ongar, nearest M. O. & T. office

Post & Tel. Call Office, Toot Hill. Letters through Ongar, nearest M. O. & T. office

Police Station

STANFORD RIVERS

Private Residents

(For T N's see general list of Private Residents at end of book.)

Furze James Richard J.P. Stanford Rivers hall
Harrison Christopher W. Murrell's farm
Heasman R. W. Church lane
Howgate George A. Chapel house
Laurie William, Summerhill
Muggleston John Frederick,Cesslands
Rowe Lewis Oxley, Holly Tree
Thomas Rev. John Ishmael B.A. (rector), Rectory

Commercial
Marked thus ° farm 150 acres or over.
Aylmer Archbld. Wm. White Bear 'hotel. T N Ongar 1Y4
Browning1 Neville, farmer, Lawns farm. T N Ongar 1Y5
Camp A. E. (Mrs.), shopkpr
Camp Robert James, blacksmith
Crocker Saml. chimney sweeper
Downham Jsph. shopkpr
Foster Bros, farmers, Cold hall (letters through North Weald,Epping)
Freeman D. farmer, Murrells farm. T N Ongar 104X3
°Furze James Richard, farmer, Stanford Rivers hall. T N Ongar 1X6
Green Jas. farmer, Traceys farm
Grigg Warrington E. shopkpr
Hinman Wm. fanner, Bridge farm
Hollingsworth Herbert S. shopkeeper, Post office
Johnstone William L. land steward to Sir Drammond Cunliffe Smith
bart. Wayletts. TN Ongar 1X3
Muggleston Jn. Fredk.frmr.Cesslands
°Padfield Albt.farmer,Littlebury hall
°Pearl Wm. farmer, Berwick farm
Piggott Bros. & Go. Ltd. electrcl. engnrs. T N Ongar 91
Rowe William Frederick, carpenter
Shepherd Jn. Geo. beer retlr. T N Ongar 1X5
Stanford Rivers Egg Grading Station
(Harrison & Grigg)
Tucker Jas. smallholder
Waltham Richard, farmer, Mitchell's farm (letters through Stapleford
Tawney, Romford)
Woodrow William, head keeper to Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith bart

TOOT HILL

Private Residents

(For T F s see general list of Private Residents at end of book.)

Dearden Mrs. (letters thro' Epping)
Harding Jn. E. The Cottage
Vess Gordon Phillips, Weald's farm
Licence Arthur B. C. Covars Mead
White Frank Percy King, Fairview

Commercial

Marked thus ° farm 150 acres or over.
Amis Saml. Green Man P.H. T N Ongar 80X1
Grant S. A. farmer, Steers farm. T N Ongar 80X3
°Green Wm. farmer, Blake's farm
°Kerr James & Son, farmers, Ongar Park hall
Licence Thos. Wltr. poultry farmer
Millbank Edwd. farmer, Clark's frm
°Millbank Hy. Wm. farmer, Coleman's, Weald's & Burrows farms.
T N Ongar 80Y1
Millbank F. J., A. L. & L. P. (Misses), farmers, Widow's farm
Pledge George Thomas, farmer, Stewart's farm
Sawkins Harold G. grocer, & post office. T N North Weald 14
Welch Susan (Mrs,), beer retlr
White Arth. Jas. farmer, Does farm.

The Show will be held early in September. Due notice of the day will be given

Committee

Rev. Robert Rolleston Mr Peter Smith, Sen.
Mr David Christie Mr Peter Smith, Jun.
Mr C. A. Christie Mr William Millbank
Mr Daniel Surridge Mr Charles Millbank
Mr Nathan Wilson Mr James Palmer
Mr James King Mr J. F.Mugglestone

For Class E – Mrs Rolleston, Miss R. Christy, Miss Freeman and Mrs W. Millbank

Hon Treas & Sec. Mr Richard Waltham

Athletic Sports will be held on the Ground under the supervision of a Sub- Committee

RULES AND REGULATIONS

The affairs of the STANFORD RIVERS COTTAGE GARDEN SHOW SOCIETY shall be conducted by a Committee, Honorary Treasurer, and a Secretary, who shall be elected at a general meeting held in the month of February annually by the subscribers.

The Society shall consist of Persons Subscribing One Shilling per annum and upwards.
All Cottagers and Labourers RESIDING IN THE PARISH whose gardens are cultivated by themselves and their families shall be entitled to exhibit for prizes. Members free; non-members on payment of an entrance fee of 6d. A subscription of One Shilling allows a whole family to exhibit.

A list of prizes shall be printed in the Month of March. The Show to be held in the early part of September.

No person in class A, shall be entitles to receive a first prize two years in succession.

No person will be allowed to exhibit more than one lot of articles for one number of prizes, and no person will be allowed to exhibit for a prize any plant or other garden produce that has not been in his possession at least TWO MONTHS previous to the day of the show, unless raised from seed within a shorter period. Needlework and all other industrial work must be the production of the Exhibitors.

Articles will be received on the morning of the Show from 8 till 11 o’clock. No ARTICLE CAN BE RECEIVED AFTER THAT TIME; and no person is allowed to be present when Judges are making their awards, except the Committee.

Competent Judges (whose decisions shall be final) will be appointed by the Committee. No third prize will be given in any Class unless there are five or more entries. The Judges shall be empowered to withhold all or any of the prizes in any Class should the exhibits be of sufficient merit. Should any two exhibits be equal, the prizes may be divided at the discretion of the Judges.

Exhibitors must give notice AT LEAST THREE DAYS BEFORE THE SHOW to the Secretary , with FULL NAME AND ADDRESS, of the NUMBER AND KIND of articles they intend to show. All root crops must be washed with the exception of potatoes.

No article must be removed without AN ORDER SIGNED BY THE SECRETARY before the final close of the Show.

The Exhibition will open at Two o’clock. Subscribers shall receive two tickets of admission. Every Exhibitor will receive a free pass, which is not transferable and which must be shown at the gate.

Admission before Four o’clock, 6d.; after 3d.; School Children, 1d.; Inmates of the Union free after Four o’clock.

The Prize List will be divided into five classes.

CLASS A & B. Open Cottagers only.

CLASS C. Open to Cottagers only who shall not be allowed to exhibit in Class A & B, whose names shall be entered into the Minute Book at the General or a Committee Meeting, and shall receive notice before June 1st from the Secretary.

CLASS D. Children under 15 years of age.

CLASS E. Needlework and washing.

Members of the congregation at St Peter & St Paul Church in Stondon Massey are looking forward to a ‘William Byrd Festival’. A series of events will be held over two weekends in May in aid of church funds, and to bring to public attention the great Elizabethan composer who lived in Stondon for the last 30 years of his life. Money raised will go towards the creation of a new Garden of Remembrance in the churchyard (which will cost over £5000).

Leading the list of artists will be Richard Turbet, an internationally recognised expert on the life and work of William Byrd, and the Stondon Singers, a local Choir who since their formation in 1968 have specialised in the music of the renaissance composer and his contemporaries. Richard has chosen as his theme ‘William Byrd: His Essex Years’. The event will be given twice on Saturday 7 May: a matinee at 4.00pm and evening performance at 7.30pm.

Then on Saturday 14 May at 7.30pm, the Writtle Singers conducted by Christine Gwynn will give a concert entitled ‘William Byrd: Loyal Heart or Traitor?’ which explores in words and music Byrd’s connection with Queen Elizabeth I and his dangerous life as a Catholic at a time when that faith was outlawed in Britain.

Tickets for both events, priced £12.50 (children under 16, £6), are available from the William Byrd Festival, c/o The Church Office, The Vicarage, Church Street, Blackmore, Ingatestone, Essex. CM4 0RN. (Cheques payable to “Stondon Massey PCC”. Please enclose SAE). The office is usually open from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.

On the two Sundays, church services will also be on a Byrd theme. On 8 May at 9.00am Stondon Church will have a Book of Common Prayer Morning Service featuring live and recorded music by Byrd, with singing supported by the church music group, Jubilate. Richard Turbet will give the address. Then on 15 May, again at 9.00am (repeated at 11.00am at the Priory Church of St Laurence Blackmore), there will be a Service of the Top 10 Favourite Hymns, as voted by the people of our two parishes and beyond. Why? Because Byrd said that “Since singing is such a good thing, I wish every man would learne to sing”.

Now preserved in the Essex Record Office for all to see, the Archdeacon of Essex and of Colchester records dating back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I were stored in a quite different way a century ago. Revd. Reeve, the rector of Stondon Massey and a keen local historian, made a visit on 8th May 1911 to Mr Gepp, the Registrar at Chelmsford.

He wrote,

“Matters had improved since my last visit [11 years ago]. The books had been brought downstairs from the loft, and had been lodged in shelves. This, however, without any regard at all to order or classification. I was treated by Mr Gepp & his Clerks with the kindest consideration and given free access to the library, with a candle in wire lantern to assist me in the dark corner to which it was relegated, and a duster with which to move away so much dust as should be necessary and to keep my fingers free for movement.” Reeve noted the work of Mr Hollingsworth-Browne who was in the process of transcribing the records: “but only some 15 have yet been examined, and I suppose there must be over 150 volumes”.

Many of you will recall the article in the October 2010 edition of the Journal, the article by Martin Cearns concerning his relative who was killed in the Great War and the emotional journey Martin together with several members of the History group made to the site where he was killed in Belgium.

Martin has now published the story of Fred Cearns which was written by his brother Percy.

The book costs £10 and the proceeds are going to the Help the Heroes charity. Copies can be obtained from Martin Cearns. The story is well worth the read and the money raised is going to a worthy cause.

Copies will be on sale at the AGM in March.

Thursday, 24 March 2011

Annual General Meeting and "School Days"

Thursday, 21 April 2011

"Brickmaking and Brick Buildings in the High Country"

By Anne Padfield

How were pre-industrial bricks made? Where were the local brickfields in the High Country? Examples of local brick buildings of various dates will be discussed. How the bricks have changed over time will be shown.

All the meeting are in Toot Hill Village Hall commencing at 8.00pm.
Coffee and Biscuits

Members £1 – Non Members £2.
Visitors are always welcome.

There is an old Hotel/Pub in Marble Arch, London, which used to have a gallows adjacent to it. Prisoners were taken to the gallows (after a fair trial of course) to be hanged. The horse-drawn dray, carting the prisoner, was accompanied by an armed guard that would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like one last drink. If he said yes, it was referred to as one for the road. If he declined, that prisoner was on the wagon.

Urine was used to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot and then it was taken once a day to be sold to the tannery. If you had to do this to survive you were piss poor but worse were the really poor folk, who couldn't even afford to buy a pot; they didn't have a pot to piss in and were the lowest of the low.

Most people got married in June, because they took their yearly bath in May; they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour; hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all came the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it: hence the saying, don't throw the baby out with the bath water!

Houses had thatched roofs, thick straw piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to keep warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs etc.) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof; hence the saying it's raining cats and dogs.

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom, where bugs and other droppings could soil your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection, and canopy beds came into existence.

Usually, the floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying dirt poor arose. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance way, and it became known as a thresh-hold.

In those old days, cooking was carried out in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight. This would be repeated the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while; hence the rhyme peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old.

Sometimes pork could be obtained, which made households feel quite special. When visitors came over they would hang up their bacon, in order to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could bring home the bacon. A little would be cut off to share with guests and all would sit around talking and chewing the fat.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and eventual death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so tomatoes were considered poisonous. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would discover a body and take it for dead and prepare for a burial. Laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days, the family would gather around and eat and drink, and wait and see if the body would wake up; hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people, so they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and it was realised they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, thread it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus someone could be saved by the bell or he was considered a dead ringer.