EssexJOURNAL A REVIEW OF LOCAL HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY SpringSpring 20102008 JAMES BETTLEY DISCUSSES ATTITUDES TO NINETEENTH-CENTURY ARCHITECTURE

PLUS PLUME LIBRARY PORTRAITS, COPPED HALL EXCAVATIONS AND CHARLES GRAY ROUND & THE 1847 OXFORD ELECTION ALSO BOOK REVIEWS,

AND NOEL BEER ANSWERS EJ 20 QUESTIONS

Spring 2010 Vol.45 No.1 EssexJOURNAL ISSN-0014-0961 Incorporating Essex Review

he ESSEX JOURNAL is published twice a year under the management of CONTENTS T an Editorial Board consisting of representatives of the Essex Archaeological and Editorial 1 Historical Congress, the Friends of Historic Essex, the Essex Record Office (on behalf of the Exit Ussher, enter Brownrig: the tale of a Essex County Council), and the Honorary Editor. portrait in the Plume Library, Maldon 5 It is recognised that the statutory duties of the by Tony Doe County Council preclude the ERO from sharing in the financial commitments of the consortium. ‘a noble large house’: excavations on the site of a Tudor mansion at Copped Hall 8 by Christina Holloway

Chairman:Adrian Corder-Birch, The 1847 Oxford Election: C.G. Round versus [email protected] W.E. Gladstone 16 Hon. Editor: Neil Wiffen, MA, by Rita Sharp [email protected] Hon.Treasurer: Geraldine Willden, MAAT, Attitudes to Ninteenth-Century Architecture [email protected] in Essex 22 Hon. Secretary: Karen Lawrence, MA, by James Bettley [email protected] Hon. Membership Secretary: Jenepher Hawkins, MA, Book Reviews: 29 [email protected] Geoffrey Ball, Land, Agriculture and Industry in North-West Essex: Spotlights on a Land Remembered, (N. Wiffen) The annual subscription of £10.00 should be Ariel Crittall, My Life smilingly unravelled, sent to:The Hon. Membership Secretary, (A. Corder-Birch) 13 South Primrose Hill, Chelmsford, Ken Hoy, A History of the Friends of Epping Forest Essex, CM1 2RF. 1969–2009, (S. Newens) George & Brenda Jago, Working towards Foulness: the life and work of an Essex family of farmworkers over three centuries, Notes to contributors (M. Leach) Contributions are welcome and should be sent in a Word Christine Carpenter, general editor, format to the Honorary Editor at the email listed above. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (New Series), General correspondence can either be emailed or posted to: Vols XXV & XXVI, 30 Main Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 7EF. The Editor is more than happy to discuss any proposed (C. Starr) articles as he does not guarantee that unsolicited material will be published. Contributors are requested to limit their articles to 2,500/4,000 words, other than by prior EJ 20 Questions? Noel Beer 33 agreement with the Editor. Style notes are available. Disclaimer Items printed in the Essex Journal do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or Editorial Board. Contributors, on behalf of the Essex Journal, have made every effort to trace and acknowledge ownership of all copyrighted material and to secure permissions.The Editor would like to hear of any inadvertent omission in the acknowledgement of copyright Cover illustration: Shenfield village school. (Reproduced by courtesy of the material. Essex Record Office, E/P 14/1.)

EssexJOURNAL 1 EJ Editorial

hat a winter we’ve been through and before the dawn: how nice it is to see the sun. It seems all we may not have Wthe warmer this year after the coldest reached that hour days that have come our way in the last 30 years or yet, for who knows so.As I write, this lovely spell of sunshine is dictated what economic by the weather front that is driving dry, clear conditions gloom is to come, our way and keeping those damp and warm winds but we can be from the south-west at bay. However, this same assured that with weather front which is providing our lovely weather grit and determi- is also pushing the clouds of ash from the Eyjafjallajokull nation (and a nod volcano towards us and causing thousands to be to our predeces- stranded overseas.The sight of all those desperate to sors) we can pull get home, flocking by any means possible to the through in to channel coast looking for a ship to whisk them to ‘broad, sunlit Dover, is incredible. It has touched many of those we uplands’ and let us know who have negotiated the journey and will be hope that they will be bright and orange! remembered for many years to come.Those of us This issue of the Essex Journal is my sixth and I who have viewed these events from the comfort of can’t believe the last few years have gone by so fast. I our own homes and contemplated them from our hope that you are still enjoying the articles that are sunny gardens are fortunate indeed. brought to you and we have a great selection in this As if this wasn’t enough to keep us entertained we issue.You’ll see we also have a new secretary to also have the spectacle of the general election. I have replace the redoubtable Maureen Scollan, who will been thoroughly mesmerised with the developments be a hard act to follow. I have no doubt, though, that of the last few days as polls have changed rapidly Karen Lawrence is up to the task having worked with following the debates by the three party leaders. I her for nearly a decade. must admit that it feels as if we’re on the brink of I studied for the MA in Local and Regional great change, not just of our political leadership, but History with Tony Doe and know how passionate he of the cuts to spending that are to come. For those of is about early-modern history so it is a delight to read us who are privileged to work in the public sector his article on the provenance of three painting in the the economic crisis of the past 18 months or so has fabulous Plume Library. Following on from a news been just a story in the news.With none of the piece in the spring 2009 issue of the Journal, Christina political parties appearing to want to commit their Holloway updates us on the progress of the archaeo- thoughts on what to cut and by how much, there is logical investigation at Copped Hall.What has been uncertainty as to what will face us all after May 6th. achieved here is very impressive and please support It recently dawned on me that it will also be the this and all the other work that goes on around our 70th anniversary of Winston Churchill becoming wonderful county. Prime Minister, just four days after the conclusion of Whilst we follow the political machinations of our our election. It is strange to think of our predecessors current general election it is fascinating to read the basking in the warm spring sunshine whilst Neville account by Rita Sharp of Charles Round’s attempt Chamberlain was still in Number 10 Downing Street, to be elected to Oxford in 1847. I came away from with the Phoney War continuing and no inkling of this feeling quite sad for the man and determined what was to come.What momentous events followed never to enter the political arena! Our last article, on with our armed forces facing the mighty German nineteenth-century architecture, by James Bettley is, war machine as it was unleashed against western as ever from this author, a pleasure to read. One of Europe.This new form of warfare, Blitzkrieg, soon the joys of working at the Essex Record Office is caused tens of thousands of allied soldiers to stream having the opportunity to meet so many wonderful back to the channel ports in the hope of a ship back and fascinating researchers and James is one of them. to Britain. Well, researched and written books on all aspects What was that? Change in government (potentially of Essex history continue to be published and we as I write), significant events on the horizon, people bring you a selection of reviews of them. Rounding streaming back to channel ports! Is it me or are there off the issue we have the EJ 20 Questions answered by significant echoes of events 70 years ago reverberating Noel Beer of Rayleigh. Noel has been a local history around? Whilst we hope we are not facing a world hero of mine for many years and he should be an war, we can look to past events to give us hope for inspiration to us all to research and write more, with our present. I have talked in previous editorials of all the Rayleigh focussed pamphlets he has produced how we can draw courage and hope from the events over the last few years. our predecessors worked through. Events 70 years ago Where we shall be by the time the autumn issue is in June 1940 must have seemed hopeless but with printed I hesitate to think, we just need to keep on, inspired leadership, grit and determination, the keeping on. Enjoy your summer, miracle of Dunkirk was, in turn, followed by our ‘finest hour’. It is said that the darkest hour is just Neil

EssexJOURNAL 2 New Secretary

n our Autumn 2009 issue we bade farewell to Maureen Scollan as Honorary Secretary.We are Inow pleased to introduce our new recruit to the INGATESTONE HALL post, Karen Lawrence. Karen will be familiar to many of you as she worked at the Essex Record Office for 16th century mansion, nine years, latterly as Senior Archive Assistant, before set in 11 acres of grounds, moving over to County Hall to work for Information containing Petre family furniture Services in Information Security and memorabilia Karen was born in Essex and has lived in Billericay for most of her life, recently moving to tea room gift shop Chelmsford. She was educated at Chelmsford County free parking High School for Girls before completing her first degree in history at Lampeter in Wales, specialising 2010 SEASON in World War Two and the home front with a dissertation on propaganda.An MA followed at The House and Gardens are regularly open Royal Holloway, University of London, in Noon - 5 p.m. ‘Modern History: Power, Culture, Society’, giving on some lectures while there to foreign language WEDNESDAYS, SUNDAYS students as well as participating in the History & BANK HOLIDAYS Society. Karen’s specialism was modern British from 4th April to 29th September culture and her dissertation was on evacuees and (NB Not Wednesdays in June) their education which she hopes to work up into a PhD when time allows. ADMISSION Adults £5.00 Pensioners & Students £4.00 Children (5-16) £2.50 Under 5s FREE For pre-booked parties of 20 or more, the above prices are reduced by 50p per head No dogs (except guide dogs) PICNIC AREA in Car Park Meadow

Details of other special events may be found on our website (www.ingatestonehall.com)

GUIDED TOURS for groups, by prior arrangement ONLY, are available at other times at a fixed charge of £80 for up to 20 persons (21-40 persons - £150)

SCHOOL PARTY VISITS are similarly available outside normal opening hours.Visits generally last from 10.00am-2.30pm and cost £4 per head (£100 minimum).

When not studying history Karen enjoys gardening, reading, yoga and drinking real ale (in moderation of course!) Karen is looking forward HALL LANE to using her IT skills to help us to develop a website INGATESTONE presence, something which is vital in this day and ESSEX CM4 9NR age.We are very pleased to welcome Karen aboard Tel/Fax 01277 353010 and hope she has an interesting and enjoyable time Email with us. [email protected]

Adrian Corder-Birch Chairman We are also part of Essex Houses & Gardens www.essexhousesandgardens.co.uk

EssexJOURNAL 3 News from the Essex Record Office

At the time of writing, Spring has school log books and parish records.The collection finally, though tentatively, arrived - the came to the ERO in October 2009. Some items Ayear at the Record Office suffered no were immediately treated for infestations of book such slow start. lice and silverfish by freezing, and those that The first project using funds from the Mildred suffered from the effects of damp were carefully Newton Bequest has been completed.William air dried.The collection is now available for Holman’s manuscript history of Essex (T/P 195) research at Chelmsford, and we have a has been re-catalogued and re-boxed to improve programme to digitise the records. ease of access and long-term preservation. Each Early March saw the ERO celebrate ten years parish history is now stored in a separate acid- in its Wharf Road home and in that time free folder and catalogued individually, aiding 153,780 researchers have used our Searchroom. ease of ordering. Jenny Butler, Principal Archivist, arranged a Our events programme is well underway, with display in the foyer, which included the archi- workshops and talks all receiving an excellent tect’s scale model of the ERO’s building. Jenny response from the public. Former County also gave a talk on the history of the ERO to Archivist,Vic Gray gave the Friends of Historic invited guests. Essex Spring Lecture, taking Daisy, Countess of The Essex Sound and Video Archive’s popular Warwick and her circle as his subject.Vic’s talk CD, How to Speak Essex, has been re-issued due was very well-received by the sell-out audience. to overwhelming demand and is once again This was followed by the equally excellent available from the Record Office and local lecture in memory of Nancy Edwards,‘Building bookshops. Sound Archivist, Martin Astell, is Georgian Essex’, by Dr James Bettley, which promoting the CD with a lecture tour through- took place on the Monday 26th April.The Essex out Essex. History Group continues to meet on the first We have introduced a monthly e-bulletin. Tuesday of the month for a lecture, and speakers This short digest highlights ‘what’s on’ in the represent an eclectic mix, covering the history of coming month and shares snippets of ERO underwear,Alice in Wonderland, and Essex news. It is free to receive, those interested need Railways. It’s free to attend, so why not come only send an e-mail requesting their inclusion to along for the next talk? [email protected]. In February we welcomed a group from Further information about events at the ERO Saffron Walden to view their town’s records can be found on our website, which had recently been deposited at the ERO. www.essex.gov.uk/ero or by calling The fascinating collection, dating from the 01245 244620. thirteenth to the twentieth centuries, covers all aspects of the Borough and includes medieval deeds, records of the pre-Reformation Guild of Deborah Peers,Audience Development Officer Holy Trinity, charters, Quarter Sessions rolls, (Heritage Services)

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EssexJOURNAL 4 Exit Ussher, enter Brownrig: the tale of a portrait in the Plume Library, Maldon1 by Tony Doe homas Plume’s Library consider the painting and how made prebend of Lichfield in is well known for the Plume might have come by it. 1629, archdeacon of Coventry in Tcollection of books and Verifying the identity of the 1631 and prebend of Durham in pamphlets it contains.These were painting was a very straightforward 1641 before becoming bishop of acquired by Plume (1630-1704) process.The Plume Librarian, Mrs Exeter in 1642. But why did a and bequeathed to the people of Erica Wylie, took up the matter copy of his portrait end up in Maldon on his death. Perhaps it is with the National Portrait Gallery Plume’s ownership? The most surprising to learn that along with and they confirmed that the obvious connection appears to his volumes Plume also left thirteen Plume Library portrait is certainly have been Plume’s friendship paintings. One of these had for that of Ralph Brownrig.We are with John Hacket3 (1592-1670). many years been described as left, therefore, with the questions, Hacket was a contemporary of being a likeness of James Ussher why did Plume own this portrait Brownrig’s at Cambridge, having (1581-1656),Archbishop of and is it possible to say from where been educated at Trinity College. Armagh. However, in October it may have come? He held various ecclesiastical 2008, two members of staff from Ralph Brownrig was, like posts, including that of archdeacon the Plume Library, Ian Kidman, Thomas Plume, a product of the of Bedford in 1631 and was made and Tony King, saw a nearly exact mercantile class of coastal East bishop of Lichfield and Coventry likeness of this picture in Pembroke Anglia. He was educated at in 1661. College, Cambridge, stating it to Ipswich grammar school and Both Brownrig and Hacket be of Ralph Brownrig (or Pembroke College, Cambridge. were noted Calvinists4 and both Brownrigg)2 (1592–1659), Bishop He became a fellow of his college were chaplains to Charles I.They of Exeter (Plate 1). He was a and held various livings near to had serious reservations about the scholar and subsequently a fellow Cambridge and was clearly a man influence of William Laud (1573- of this college.This article will of great ability because he was 1645), archbishop of Canterbury, on the belief and practice of the church. In the convocation of 1637 they together criticized the altar-wise position of the holy table, a very important issue of the day and very dear to Laud’s heart.As archdeacons, they were able to speak more freely than Calvinist bishops would have been able to and there was a great sympathy between them in matters of the church and religion. Furthermore, they were both devoted to the monarchy, in principle and in the person of Charles I. Brownrig was consecrated bishop of Exeter in Westminster in 1642. He did not go to Exeter but remained at Cambridge where he was vice-chancellor. In 1645 he was arrested and imprisoned for preaching before the university on the anniversary of the king’s coronation. He was eventually released upon payment of a fine of £5,000 and was deprived of his college and uni- versity posts.The next year he lost his income as bishop when Parliament abolished the post of Plate 1. The Plume Library Portrait of Ralph Brownrig bishop (and other ecclesiastical (This and subsequent illustrations reproduced by EssexJOURNAL 5 courtesy of the Public Catalogue Foundation.) Exit Ussher, enter Brownrig

posts) in favour of Presbyterian Hacket was not the only one to than 71 portraits in Clarendon church government.5 Brownrig have a high opinion of Brownrig’s House plus those of other classes continued to carry out his spiritual preaching.William Martyn, who of people including judges, arch- duties as far as possible, including published Brownrig’s Fourty bishops, bishops and other notables. ordinations, particularly that of Sermons, commented in his As well as Brownrig, Evelyn men- Edward Stillingfleet, who later foreword ‘the World may know tions having seen there the portraits became bishop of Worcester.As that pious, Practical Preaching of Brian Duppa and William Laud he had lost most of his income, and Prelatical Dignity are not (Plate 3), so there are three portraits he stayed at the homes of various inconsistent’.12 mentioned by Evelyn as being friends, (always contributing to his Plume received episcopal ordi- in Clarendon House which are keep) often with Thomas Rich, a nation during or before 1658, when in the Plume Library.All three merchant, who had houses at he was inducted into the living of portraits are illustrated in the Sonning in Berkshire and at Greenwich. I have speculated13 Public Catalogue Foundation Wimbledon.At this time Hacket, that he might have been ordained catalogue for Essex.16 who had been deprived of his by Brian Duppa (1588-1662) Evelyn was very close to the main benefice of St Andrew’s, (Plate 2), bishop of Salisbury, Earl of Clarendon (Edward Hyde, Holborn, was living quietly at his whose portrait is also in the 1609-1674); he visited the building remaining living of Cheam, just Plume Library, as he was living site with him and the Countess in five miles away from Wimbledon. at Richmond, only seven miles 1664 and he visited again the Plume graduated BA from from Cheam at the time.This next year when he praised the Christ’s College, Cambridge in speculation was based on the empty shell. Clarendon had been 1649/50. On January 1st 1650/51 knowledge that Duppa, like the King’s first minister but he he began a new notebook6 and I Brownrig, continued to exercise was dismissed in 1667 after the have surmised elsewhere7 that as, the bishop’s function of ordina- disgrace inflicted on the Navy by towards the end of this notebook, tion during the republic.There is, the Dutch in that year. Popular he writes ‘Finis Nonsuch however, no known connection anger at this humiliation led to September 20 1656’,8 during some between Plume and Duppa, apart civil disturbances, and the mob of those five years he was living from the placing of his portrait in attacked Clarendon House, within a mile of Hacket in Cheam. the Plume Library. However, as smashing all the windows and The notebook contains many we have seen, there are strong destroying the garden.17 The house anecdotes of Hacket and his circle connections between Hacket, was demolished in 1683; it is not plus Plume’s notes on 20 books Plume’s mentor, and Brownrig known when Evelyn saw the which portray a churchmanship which were highlighted when it pictures.18 very similar to that embraced by became known that his portrait is John Evelyn’s home, Sayes also in the Plume Library. It must Court in Deptford, was in the be concluded, however, that, next parish to Greenwich and he ‘Mr Plume whilst there is still no conclusive recorded hearing Plume preach evidence that Brownrig ordained preached very Plume, he is a better candidate for it than Duppa. well...’ I now turn to the question of the provenance of the portrait, Hacket. I have concluded, there- but this is, if anything, even more fore, that for part of these five speculative than the question of years, Plume followed an informal ordination. Mrs Wylie’s attention course of study under Hacket.9 was drawn by the National Hacket was not only Plume’s Portrait Gallery to the previous friend but also his mentor from existence of another copy of the 1650’s onwards. In 1667 he Brownrig’s portrait than the ones stated that he would award the in the Plume Library and next prebend of Lichfield to Pembroke College.14 The diarist Plume ‘if I live so long’.10 Plume John Evelyn (1620-1706) recorded records, in his notebook mentioned having seen Brownrig’s portrait in above, Hacket as having told him Clarendon House when he wrote that Brownrig was a better to Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) on preacher than he:‘Dr H[acket] 12th August 1689.15 Pepys had ackn[owledged] he c[ou]ld nev[er] asked Evelyn’s advice on setting imit[ate] Mr Hawksw[or]th for up a library and, failing to find poesy – my L[or]d St Albans for him at home, Evelyn wrote him a an Engl[ish] style nor B[isho]p long letter, setting out his ideas in Plate 2. The Plume Library Portrait Brownrig for p[re]aching’.11 detail. He recorded seeing no less of Brian Duppa

EssexJOURNAL 6 Exit Ussher, enter Brownrig

identified thanks to a chance visit 5. ‘Protestant Church or denomination to a Cambridge College.What governed by elders all of equal can be suggested as to how they rank’, http://www.askoxford. were acquired is slightly less com/concise_oed/ certain.We do know Thomas presbyterian?view=uk. Plume was noted for buying 6. Plume Library (PL), MS 7. 7. R.A. Doe, The Churchmanship of second-hand books so perhaps he Thomas Plume (1630-1704): was not, therefore, averse to a study of a career in the Restoration acquiring second-hand pictures Church of England, (unpublished (It is known that pictures were MA dissertation, University of sold at auction in this period; Essex, 2005), p.29. John Evelyn, the son of the diarist, 8. PL, MS 7, fol. 82v. was buying pictures in this way at 9. Doe, p.29. this time20). It is therefore just 10. ‘Plume,Thomas (1630-1704)’ possible that with his connection DNB, (Oxford 1921-22), XXII, to John Evelyn senior Plume Supplement, p.1146. might have purchased the three 11. PL, MS 7, fol. 67r. 12. Brownrig, foreword. pictures of Brownrig, Duppa and 13. Doe, p.43. Laud when Clarendon House was Plate 3. The Plume Library Portrait 14. R. MacGibbon,Assistant Curator, of William Laud cleared prior to its demolition in Nation Portrait Gallery 1683. For the moment this seems by email 21/10/08. on more than one occasion. For to be as much as can be said with 15. Diary of John Evelyn...with a life of example, on 16th September certainty unless further research is the author by Henry Wheatley, vol. III, 1666, just after the Great Fire of carried out and new evidence (London, 1879), pp.443-444. London, he wrote,‘I went to uncovered. Until such a time we 16. A. Ellis, S. Roe, J.Abel Smith & Greenewich church where Mr can only wish that the pictures N. Moss, The Public Catalogue Plume preached very well from could tell us their side of the tale! Foundation, Oil Paintings in Public Ownership: Essex, (London, 2006), this text:“seeing therefore all pp. 215-217. Please note that the References these things must be dissolved, portrait of Ralph Brownrig is 1. This article is a revised version of etc.,” taking occasion from ye late incorrectly labelled a piece of research that was first unparalleled conflagration to Dr James Ussher. published on the Thomas Plume’s mind us how we ought to walke 17. G. Darley, John Evelyn: living for Library website: more holyly in all manner of ingenuity, (London, 2006), p.202. http://www.thomasplumes 19 18. Ibid., p.264. conversation.’ library.co.uk/?page_id=287.I am 19. Diary of John Evelyn, vol. II, p.209. Brownrig’s book, Fourty indebted to Dr James Bettley for 20. Darley, p.290. Sermons, and the four books by the title to this piece. Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, 2. M.Wolffe,‘Brownrigg, Ralph which survive to this day in the (1592-1659)’, Oxford Dictionary of Acknowledgements Plume Library, have been examined National Biography, Oxford I would like to acknowledge the for personal notes by Plume, but, University Press, Sept 2004; invaluable assistance of Mrs Erica as is so often the case with him, online edn, Jan 2008, Wylie, Dr Plume's librarian in he made none in these books. http://www.oxforddnb.com/ providing the original information Duppa’s and Brownrig’s portraits view/article/3716, (02/10/2008). on the changed attribution of have been examined for any evi- Both Brownrigg and Brownrig Ralph Brownrig's portrait and can be used as a spelling of his giving me unlimited access in the dence of provenance but none surname but the latter will be has been found.At the time of Plume Library to the books and used in this article as that is used pictures cited. writing, Laud’s portrait has not in his book, R. Brownrig, been fully scrutinized but as Fourty Sermons, (London, 1661). nothing was noted when this 3. B. Quintrell,‘Hacket, John (1592- The Author picture was inspected at the 1670)’, Oxford Dictionary of Since retirement from Essex County National Portrait Gallery, it is National Biography, Oxford Council Social Services department not expected that anything will University Press, September 2004; in 1995,Tony Doe has studied at be found when the back can be online edn Jan 2008, Essex University, gaining the examined. http://www.oxforddnb.com/ Certificate in Local and Regional To conclude, whilst this article view/article/11837, (04/10/2008). History in 1997 and the MA in 4. Followers of ‘the Protestant Local and Regional History in is highly speculative, this is the fate theological system of John Calvin 2006. He has spent many happy of anyone trying to reconstruct (1509-64) and his successors, hours researching in the Plume Plume’s life from the scanty evi- centring on the doctrine of Library, which he assists by member- dence he left behind. However, predestination’, ship of the Friends of Thomas at least the sitter of one of the http://www.askoxford.com/ Plume's Library, of which he is Plume paintings is now correctly concise_oed/calvinism?view=uk. currently chairman.

EssexJOURNAL 7 Literacy‘a nobleIn Colchester: large house’ 1754-18371 Excavations on the site of a Tudor mansion at Copped Hall by Christina Holloway riving west on the M25, The mansion as seen today rock garden.These, along with a between junctions 27 became largely derelict after a number of small trenches, were Dand 26, 2km west of major fire in 1917, and the recorded in detail in 1984 by the Epping, it is possible to catch a gardens increasingly overgrown. Archaeology Unit of Essex brief but impressive glimpse of Threatened by development in County Council.2 As part of its Copped Hall on a hill to the the 1980s, the surrounding park- work in the gardens, the Copped north.The standing mansion dates land was acquired by the Hall Trust wanted to find out if from around 1750 but, hidden Corporation of the City of more survived, and in 2001 asked from view a short distance to the London in 1992.The Copped WEAG to investigate.An initial north-west, the buried remains of Hall Trust, formed by local people geophysical survey was followed its Tudor predecessor have since anxious to save the site, purchased in 2002 by the excavation of 2001 been the subject of investi- the mansion and gardens in 1995, three ‘evaluation’ trenches during gation by the West Essex and the walled garden, one of the the first of what has become the Archaeological Group (WEAG). largest in Essex, in 1999.With the annual excavation week for Evidence has been uncovered of aid of a dedicated team of volun- WEAG members. In 2003, it was an intriguing sequence of build- teers and ceaseless fundraising, supplemented in the late-summer ing and rebuilding, landscaping they are now being restored back by a training excavation, which and the creation of a fine garden to life, with the aim of creating a has also been held each year as ownership of the site passed community, educational and cul- since, and the Copped Hall Trust from Waltham Abbey to the Crown, tural facility. Archaeological Project (CHTAP) and on to a succession of wealthy ‘Old’ Copped Hall (Plate 1) was was born. and titled families.The excavations demolished in the mid-eighteenth The starting point for the and associated research have century; the only remnants visible excavation was provided by a involved both amateur and pro- until recently were a brick and scale plan of the ground floor of fessional archaeologists, and given stone pillar and short section of the old Hall (Plate 2), made many people their first taste of wall, and what is now an ivy- around 1740.3 This enabled us to practical archaeology. covered retaining wall for a sunken identify areas of the gardens

Plate 1. The view of Copped Hall which appeared in M J Farmer’s The history of the ancient Town and once famous Abbey of Waltham, published in 1735. (Reproduced by courtesy of the Essex Record Office, D/DW E27/1.)

EssexJOURNAL 8 Literacy‘a nobleIn Colchester: large house’ 1754-1837

Plate 2: Plan of the ground floor of old Copped Hall, c.1740. The scale along the side is 70 feet (c.21.3 metres); south is at the top. (Reproduced by courtesy of the Essex Record Office, D/DW E26/1.) which are accessible for excavation Ambresbury Banks and Loughton century.7 As yet, the archaeological and where buried remains might Camp lie 1.5km to the south-east evidence for occupation of the site survive: Fig. 1 shows the trenches and 4km to the south respectively, comprises residual pottery sherds excavated to date.What we have and Roman activity is well from the eleventh to thirteenth actually found (and, just as signifi- known in the area.Although we centuries.The exact location of cantly, not found), has provided have yet to find any very early this earliest house has not been clues to the Hall’s development features, a number of residual determined, although there is a over a period of at least 200 years, fragments of pottery from these strong possibility that it stood on and to the reasons for its demise. periods have been recovered the same site as the Tudor building. The archaeology of the subsequent within later deposits. In our largest It seems likely that ‘Copped’ refers garden phases of the site is equally trench, we have also exposed to some architectural feature, intriguing, and glimpses of its what may be a pit, much truncated perhaps an early version of the earlier history are also beginning by the construction of the Hall turreted roof seen in later drawings, to emerge.This is very much and not yet fully excavated, but and would have distinguished it ‘work in progress’.4 containing a few pottery sherds from Shingled Hall which also The site is located in a from the sixth to ninth centuries. belonged to the FitzAuchers, and favourable position on a spur off The name Copped Hall first stood 4km to the north-east.The the northern slopes of the Epping appears in 1258.5 Norah Carlin Abbot of Waltham claimed over- Forest Ridge.To the west is the has researched and transcribed the lordship of the estate, a claim Lea Valley, and to the north the medieval documents recording its supported by an Inquisition Post ground drops down to Cobbin’s early history,6 which indicate that Mortem held after the death of Brook, a tributary of the Lea; the the land on which it stood had Henry FitzAucher II in 1303.8 underlying geology is London been held by the FitzAucher This suggests that Copped Hall Clay.The Iron Age hillforts of family from at least the mid-twelfth was a typical medieval manor,

EssexJOURNAL 9 Essex JOURNAL

10 approximate outline of old modern paths tree cover Copped Hall, c.1740

trenches masonry found

standing 2005 pillar

2002 ‘a noblelarge house’ 2006

2006 2002

fence line 2005 sunken 2007 garden

2004 rose garden 2003 2004 N 2003-9 walled 2007-9 garden 2006-7 See Fig. 2 for enlargement 2004 of this area

Lower Great Lawn 0 50m

The ‘round feature’ See Plate 5. Fig. 1. Copped Hall Trust Archaeological Project: trenches excavated 2002-2009 ‘a noble large house’ with a 60-acre park and a total 180 acres of other land, valued overall at £6.2s.The house itself was worth 2s per annum.9 In 1337 both Copped Hall and Shingled Hall were sold to the Shardelowe family, who in 1350 conveyed them to Waltham Abbey, which thus obtained direct possession of Copped Hall.10 Little is known about Copped Hall under the Abbey’s ownership, although the park was greatly extended, and may have been used for hunting or other recreation.11 It might be expected that the Hall had a moat or pond.These were common features of later- medieval sites in East Anglia, with as many as 800 known in Essex, although only a small proportion Plate 3. Excavating the south range of old Copped Hall. exist today in anything like their (Photograph Copped Hall Trust Archaeological Project.) original form.12 Most are thought favourite courtiers,Thomas remains with the plan of what to date from c.1250–1350.There Heneage, and his wife Anne.At was above ground in the mid- is a reference to a moat here in a this time, the buildings included a eighteenth century (Fig. 2).The document of 1563.13 The 1984 hall, great chamber, kitchen and walls we have found which are work to the south of the old Hall service rooms and a courtyard not shown on the plan represent recorded a dark blue-grey deposit, with a double gate.17 Heneage previous phases of building.All characteristic of being laid down appears to have made various the walls are brick-built: the bricks in water,14 and during building alterations and additions to the themselves can only be generally work in 1996–97, part of a moat- house, possibly before receiving dated to c.1450–1650, so we rely like feature was seen at the eastern Elizabeth as a guest in July 156818 very much on relative dating, from edge of the garden.15 In 2004, a or around the time of her second details such as walls butting up trench excavated c.8m to the south visit in 1578.19 against each other, the colours of the old Hall also revealed a We have no clear record of and fabrics of the bricks or mortar, dark grey layer, overlying natural what Copped Hall looked like and the regularity of coursing. clay; it contained fragments of until a view of it was included in The earliest excavated part of pottery made no later than c.1500. M.J. Farmer’s History of Waltham the house seems to be the cellar Investigations with an auger sug- Abbey, published in 1735 (Plate beneath the late-medieval style gested that it extends at least 18m 1).20 This shows a grand three- hall, with a newel (spiral) stair east from the 2004 trench, and is storey house with three ranges (Plate 4) at its south-west corner around 6m wide; we are planning around a courtyard, the north side (G310), and canted window bay to carry out more work on this closed by a single-storey loggia or (G52) at the west (high) end.The feature in 2010. covered colonnade. Stylistic clues walls survive to a height of 1.2m Henry VIII’s passion for hunting from this, and the eighteenth above the floor level, and are built was presumably the reason why, in century scale plan, have helped us in orange or orange-red bricks 1534, his minister Thomas to interpret the physical evidence with dark yellow mortar; traces of Cromwell persuaded Abbot Fuller and start to establish how the plaster can be seen on the inside to exchange the ‘place or mansion building developed into its final face. Five steps of the newel stair house’ of Copped Hall and the form as shown in the illustration. rise above the floor. It is not shown surrounding park for other prop- Our main area of work to date on the scale plan, but would have erty of Henry’s, on the grounds has been a large trench excavated connected the cellar with the that ‘the King’s highness hath a over the western end of the south great hall above, and probably singular pleasure and affection to range (Plate 3). Here, when most originally continued to the upper repair and resort’ there ‘for the of the house was demolished, floor or floors. Intriguingly, in great consolation and comfort of remains of the lower part of the 2009 we uncovered a wall footing his most Royal person’.16 Copped cellar walls were left in situ, back- (G341) running east-west under Hall remained in royal hands until filled and covered with clay.As its base, so in 2010 will be trying 1564, when it was granted by this clay is removed we have been to establish whether the stair was Queen Elizabeth to one of her able to compare the below-ground inserted in an earlier wall.Around

EssexJOURNAL 11 ‘a noble large house’ N 10m walls excavated walls temporary limits of excavation trench edges trench G134 0 G57 .1740, to date. excavated with cellar walls c G48 G138 G112 G10 G341 G117 G60 G310 G52 Plate 4. G116 Fig. Project: Archaeological 2. Trust Copped Hall The newel stair, The newel G186 (Floor plan reproduced by courtesy Office, by of the Essex Record (Floor plan reproduced E26/1). D/DW G165 Ground floor plan of the south range of old Copped Hall, floor plan of the south range Ground A8

EssexJOURNAL 12 ‘a noble large house’ the middle of the sixteenth century the newel stair was replaced by a larger square stair- tower: the newel stair was probably still used between the cellar and ground floor.The evidence of the scale plan, together with fragmen- tary remains of the wall of the square tower which have been found, suggest that its construction involved simply butting a new wall (G134) up against an old one (G10).The existing south face of the Hall may have been similarly thickened for the new tower, as the cellar wall footing (G341), as exposed during excavation, is only half the width of the wall as planned at ground floor level. Old Copped Hall should be considered against a background of a boom in domestic building Plate 4. Newel stair on the south side of the old Hall. during the sixteenth and early (Photograph Copped Hall Trust Archaeological Project.) seventeenth centuries.This was saw while ambassador to France, east and west wings at Copped encouraged by the political stability and would presumably have Hall could date from the 1570s: which followed the end of the shared his ideas with his neigh- although fragments have been Wars of the Roses, and the afflu- bour Thomas Heneage at Copped found in smaller trenches further ence of those individuals who Hall.23 Among the upper ranks of north, they are so far missing rose to administer the new Tudor society, architecture was, by the from the archaeology of the main state. In addition, the dissolution later sixteenth century, a common trench (Fig. 2).They may have of the monasteries provided a subject for discussion, and consid- been more comprehensively new supply of potential building ered an important part of a robbed-out here, unlike the sites with which the Crown could gentleman’s education.24 remains of intermediate phases reward its loyal servants. The results of this enthusiasm and lesser modifications which Landowners were now deriving were in many cases quickly-built we have also exposed, but which income from rents rather than on inadequate foundations. were already buried below ground directly farming their country Another stair bay (G116), butted at the time of demolition.26 estates, and were therefore able to on to the north side of the hall, is In 1742, the estate passed to build houses on sites selected for shown on the eighteenth century John Conyers. He commissioned convenience or beauty, and with scale plan connecting the hall to the scale plans, two paintings of easy access to the Court.21 A the family apartments on the first the Hall and surrounding park, number of great houses were floor.The base of the excavated and detailed drawings of the exte- established, around a day’s journey wall has bricks which are blue-red rior elevations and a number of from central London, often with a and buff-white mortar; the wall is the internal features, and he may similar history to Copped Hall. fair-faced but the core is very initially have intended to refurbish Elsyng Palace, just over 9km to roughly built.This is thought to the Hall. One of the drawings, the west, is believed to have had be the latest section of masonry however, shows timber shoring medieval origins, and was a in the main trench.25 It seems to supporting the north wall of the courtier’s residence by the early be built on made-ground rather east wing, which would seem to sixteenth century. It was acquired than natural clay, resulting in confirm that there were major by Henry VIII in 1539,and movement and cracking of the structural problems. Conyers became a home for the royal chil- fabric. Beneath the demolition probably decided that repairs dren, but later fell into disrepair backfill inside this bay, the would be too expensive, possibly and was demolished some time remains of an in situ brick floor influenced by the opportunity to after 1656.22 Hill Hall, another were found at the end of the build a new more fashionable Tudor mansion 6km to the east, 2009 season, overlying yet another house. In August 1748, demolition was also preceded by a medieval wall, possibly from an intermediate began,27 with salvaged materials house, rebuilt twice by Sir smaller wing which pre-dated the used in the construction of its Thomas Smith in the 20 years large west wing in its final form. replacement.28 The site was land- before his death in 1577. Smith Paul Drury who excavated at Hill scaped as part of the gardens; the was influenced by buildings he Hall, has suggested that the large clay used to cover the remains of

EssexJOURNAL 13 ‘a noble large house’

the old Hall may be the spoil suggested, and it could have had a drains was laid, running across from the foundation trenches for number of functions over time. It the bases of the flowerbeds. the new Hall. was overlain by garden paths and Our finds, many of which are The archaeology of the walls, with post-holes suggesting on display in the standing mansion, gardens is just as complex as that decorative plant supports or reflect the long history of occupa- of the mansion. Questions of how similar structures. One of the tion on the site, and some give us they were redesigned after the post-holes contained a large unexpected glimpses of the lives Hall’s demolition, and when the quantity of moulded bricks from of past occupants.They include natural slope of the ground was a window mullion, identical to the bowl of a late-nineteenth terraced, have proved difficult to mid-sixteenth century examples century clay tobacco pipe com- answer. So far, no buried soils recorded at Hill Hall. In 2010 we memorating the one hundredth have been identified in our main aim to extend the trench further anniversary of the participation of trench which might give clues to investigate the relationship of the Enniskillen Regiment in the about the Tudor gardens.To the the round structure with the Egyptian campaign of 1798, south of the building footprint, south side of old Copped Hall, perhaps once owned by one of however, beneath what is now and possibly find more evidence the gardeners.A small fragment of known as the Lower Great Lawn, of the moat. glass, dated to the late fifteenth to we have found a succession of Some time after the mid-nine- seventeenth century, came from a pebble paths, landscaping layers, teenth century a system of ceramic vessel known as a matula.These and garden walls.A ground pene- land drains was installed in the were often used for the inspection trating radar survey of this area by gardens; the labourers had to cut of urine as a guide to health and the University of East London in trenches through the buried walls well-being.We have recovered a 2007 revealed the presence of a as well as the clay backfill in order wide range of pottery sherds, large round feature, c.7m outside to lay the drains.Around the end most of which are inevitably asso- the south-east corner of the old of the nineteenth century a rose ciated with the standing mansion, Hall. Excavation uncovered a garden was created in the area of discarded fragments from the circular brick platform, c.6m in our main trench.The flowerbeds eighteenth and nineteenth cen- diameter, very carefully set out, were also cut into the clay, and in turies, but many are contempo- with substantial foundations (Plate some places truncated the under- rary with old Copped Hall.They 5).The surface as we see it now is lying walls.A formal design of remind us of how life at the Hall probably much later (eighteenth intersecting circles was repeated was part of a wider network of century?) than the foundations in four quadrants around a central commerce and industry: our six- (sixteenth century?).The ‘founda- flat concrete mound; a contempo- teenth and seventeenth century tions’ may even have originally rary photograph shows that the pottery includes fragments from been standing walls, buried when mound supported an octagonal France and the Rhineland, as well the gardens were landscaped.We stone plinth with a sundial as the major whiteware pottery don’t know what the structure mounted on a pedestal. During industry around the was; dovecote, banqueting house, the construction of the rose Surrey/Hampshire Border. Local cistern or icehouse have all been garden, a second system of land wares dating to the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries are well- Plate 5. The ‘round feature’ beneath the Lower Great Lawn. represented, including the Mill (Photograph Copped Hall Trust Archaeological Project.) Green industry based around Ingatestone in Essex, and the pot- teries at Harlow producing Metropolitan slipware.We have also found floor tiles dated to the fourteenth to seventeenth cen- turies; a two-colour inlaid floor tile may date to the thirteenth or fourteenth century, and could have been made especially for Copped Hall, or have been reused from Waltham Abbey. The 2010 programme will include the usual dig for WEAG members at the beginning of June. During July, three ‘taster’ weekends will be held for begin- ners to try their hand at archaeol- ogy, and in August there will be two week-long Field Schools for

EssexJOURNAL 14 ‘a noble large house’ those who already have some money); the transaction is discussed Forty Hall, Enfield, September- experience and want to develop fully in ERO,T2380, pp.128–130. November 2006, their skills in excavation and 11. A full account of extensions to (Enfield Archaeological Society recording. For details see the Copped Hall Park under the & M.J. Dearne Archaeological www.weag.org.uk. FitzAuchers and Waltham Abbey Services), pp.1–2. The grounds of Copped Hall are is included in Norah Carlin’s 23. Paul Drury, pers. comm. volume of transcripts, ERO Paul Drury excavated at Hill Hall, strictly private, but regular open T2380, pp. 91–126. the home of Sir Thomas Smith, days and other events are held: 12. Essex is rich in moated sites, with from 1982 to 1985. Hill Hall: www.coppedhalltrust.org.uk: around 800 references on the a singular house devised by a Tudor the archaeological remains will be County’s Historic Environment intellectual by Paul Drury & on display for the open day on Record, http://unlockingessex. Richard Simpson, was published the 29th August. essexcc.gov.uk. by the Society Of Antiquaries Of 13. Towards the end of Mary’s reign, London in June 2009. 24. Airs, pp.2, 15; M. Howard, References Copped Hall and its park were The Early Tudor Country House: 1. ‘a noble large house, at that time leased to one of her councillors, Architecture and Politics, 1490–1550, the noblest in Essex, with a court Sir Thomas Cornwallis, who (London, 1987), p.19. in the middle’, Old Copped Hall being a Catholic fell from favour 25. Pat Ryan, pers. comm. Pat Ryan as described around 70 years after under her successor Elizabeth. has made a special study of Essex its demolition, in J. Nichols, A royal commission sent to bricks and brick buildings, and The Progresses and Public Processions establish whether Cornwallis had published Brick in Essex, from the of Queen Elizabeth, vol. I, ‘wasted’ the property visited Roman Conquest to the (London, 1823), p.253. Copped Hall in January 1563 and Reformation, in 1996 2. D. Andrews, ‘Old Copped Hall: reported to the Council of the 26. Paul Drury, pers. comm. The Site of the Tudor Mansion’, Duchy of Lancaster.The report 27. An account book of a Mr Haward Essex Archaeology and History, 17, shows that although Cornwallis includes an entry for 13th August (1986), pp.96–106. was guilty of ‘waste’ in a technical 1748 ‘Paid George Ghorn for 3. Essex Record Office (ERO), sense, having felled and even sold work at Copt Hall to this day’. D/DW E26/1, plan of Old wood from the park which he The cost was £1 5s 8d, and in Copped Hall ground floor, c.1740. was not entitled to, he had also the margin is the note 'begun to 4. Detailed reports on the excavations used 40 loads of oak to improve take down' (ERO, D/DW A3). up to the end of 2005 have been the house and its furniture. 28. ‘Proposal for New Copped Hall produced by the author in associ- Outside the house, he had con- 1751’ includes the entry ‘The old ation with WEAG.These are structed two separate ‘sinks’ and a bricks that are useful and which available through the WEAG channel with three bridges in the came from the old house and website (www.weag.org.uk), park ‘to convey water over the offices to be worked up amongst where a summary of more recent moat out of the said manor the new ones as far as they will work can also be found house’.TNA, DL 44/82; go’ (ERO, D/DW E31/6). 5. Apportionment of Copped Hall ERO,T2380, pp.213–218. lands to Sybil, widow of Richard 14. Andrews,‘Old Copped Hall’, FitzAucher, May 1258. British p.100. Acknowledgements 15. D.Andrews,‘Epping, Copped Library Harleian MSS No 391, WEAG and the CHTAP would like Hall: Observations and discoveries, f.70 in R. Ransford, ed, The Early to gratefully acknowledge the help 1996-97’, Essex Archaeology and Charters of the Augustinian Canons and support of everyone who has History, 29, (1998), pp.226–228. of Waltham Abbey,Essex, 1062–1230, contributed to the archaeology at 16. Statute 26 Henry VIII c. 24. (Woodbridge, 1989), pp.189–191. Copped Hall. Norah Carlin has 17. J. Newman,‘Copthall, Essex’, 6. ERO,T2380,Transcripts of docu- carried out extensive research into in The Country Seat: Studies in the ments relating to Copped Hall in the documented history of Copped history of the British country house The National Archives (TNA) Hall, and made very useful suggestions presented to Sir John Summerson, and the British Library, 2006, for this article; Paul Drury and Pat eds. H. Colvin & J. Harris, [Norah Carlin]. Ryan have also given the Project (London, 1970), pp.18–19. 7. Ibid. pp.2–17. valuable advice in their respective 8. Calendar of Inquisition Post Mortem, 18. Nichols, p.253. areas of expertise. Particular thanks vol. IV.,(London, 1913), p.112. 19. Z. Dovey, An Elizabethan Progress; are due to the Copped Hall Trust and 9. Copped Hall was not the largest the Queen’s Journey into East Anglia, the Friends of the Copped Hall of the FitzAuchers' houses in the 1578, (Stroud, 1996), p.11. Trust, without whom this work area.Their manor house at High 20. ERO, D/DW E27/1, M.J. Farmer, would not have been possible. Laver was worth £2 p.a. and was The history of the ancient Town and their main residence.TNA, once famous Abbey of Waltham, C133/110/9; ERO,T2380, (London, 1735). The Author pp.85–86. 21. M.Airs, The Buildings of Britain: Christina Holloway is a member of 10. The Shardelowes conveyed Tudor and Jacobean,A Guide and WEAG and has been one of the Copped Hall to the Abbey in Gazetteer, (London, 1982), pp.14–16. excavation directors at Copped Hall what was formally an exchange 22. M.J. Dearne, Excavation of evaluation since 2002.A professional archaeolo- transaction, not a sale (though it pits to inform an application to plant gist, she currently works for Museum also included a large sum of trees on the site of Elsyng Palace, of London Archaeology.

EssexJOURNAL 15 The 1847 Oxford Election: C.G. Round versus W.E. Gladstone by Rita Sharp ‘It chooses a candidate with the stature of a pigmy, and then brings all opponents down to his level’1

1847 parliamentary election existence befitting the status of a pointed out how much of has been described as ‘one wealthy country gentleman.That talent, experience, integrity Tof the most lack lustre of is until a letter arrived from and political weight may be the century’, but this impressionistic Oxford dated May 10th and usefully employed in these judgement disguises the human marked ‘PRIVATE’ - it contained duties, nor how significant drama of many an electoral a startling proposition: is the act by which the contest.2 Glimpses can sometimes University designates the be caught straddling the pages of ‘My dear Round, I address man who is to exercise them’5 contemporary newspapers, but it you in the strictest confidence is in the privacy of diaries and and beg you to regard my And herein lies the astonish- letters that the most compelling communication as that of a ment - Round was a political accounts can sometimes be found. private friend with another. lightweight, who had been Amongst the personal archive left The Vice Chancellor has today handicapped throughout his by Charles Gray Round (Plate 1) announced...the intention of parliamentary career by an are revelations of one such drama. Mr Estcourt to retire from unassuming nature and retiring He not only kept a diary through- the representation of the disposition.These characteristics out his campaign but also many University on the occasion ensured that any talents he may letters and documents. For this of the approaching dissolution have had were obscured by a historian, who stumbled upon of Parliament. Now I myself total inability to participate in them quite by accident, a riveting am deliberately and strongly the rigours of the debating tale began to unfold as the of opinion that you are a chamber. His response to scrawled writing and fading ink proper person to fill the place Ogilvie was one of striking disclosed the ordeal of a man which will thus become vacant’4 candour: buffeted by innuendo, character assassination and public ridicule. It was signed by Charles ‘I am a very humble and His opponent was none other Ogilvie, Regius Professor of obscure individual and utterly than William Ewart Gladstone Pastoral Theology at Oxford deficient in every qualification (Plate 2). Drawing on Round’s University and was an astonishing which ought to distinguish private papers and contemporary proposal on two counts. Firstly, anyone recommended to the journals the following article the political importance of the notice of the University...You traces his electoral odyssey seat conferred by its status as will not do well if you suffer through to its final and the cradle for incumbents of the wisdom of your preference destructive end. the Anglican Church. In this it to be called in question by typified the primacy of religious promoting my name. I say issues in public consciousness this with perfect truth and ‘I am a very and intellectual life. Secondly, sincerity’6 as a corollary of this it demanded humble and a candidate of considerable This act of self laceration was political acumen. The Times was further deepened when The Times obscure in no doubt of the qualities scornfully observed,‘we don’t required of its M.P: remember that he has spoken individual’ in the House, though no doubt ‘to elect a man member for he must have done so on some In 1847 Round had been an Oxford [University] is to occasion’.7 But in spite of all this M.P.for ten years having twice make him as far as politics Ogilvie refused to acknowledge being returned unopposed for the are concerned the channel of the inherent deficiencies of his mainly agricultural seat of North the church’s communication proposed candidate,‘your letter Essex, he was also chairman of with the nation. He it is who of the 11th inst. was not such as Essex Quarter Sessions, and is to colour and direct her to hinder me from mentioning Recorder of Colchester.3 At 50 he policy with regard to the your name as that of a possible was living the serene and settled state... It need hardly be candidate for the representation

EssexJOURNAL 16 The 1847 Oxford Election of the University...Most certainly Parliament.This had shown him the terms in which you express ‘uncontaminated’ by any charge yourself did not lessen my of leniency towards Roman opinion...of so mentioning your Catholicism above all he had kept name’.8 This begs the question clear of Tractarian innovations. He as to why the Regis Professor had also voted against the repeal of Pastoral Theology was so of the Corn Laws, his protectionist insistent? Part of the answer stance fitting well with the lies embedded in the religious sitting member, the impregnable battles initiated by the Oxford Sir Harry Inglis a popular but Movement. reactionary old Tory.13 But perhaps It had all begun in the early it was simply the fact that even part of the century when some ‘if he had achieved no sort of members of the old High Church distinction, Mr Round had at tradition from within the University least given no offence’.14 Little challenged the existing liturgical enough it seems to be selected as and theological consensus of the candidate for such an important Church of England.9 Known seat. But whatever the reason in as the Oxford Movement or the following weeks and despite Tractarians after a series of his grave reservations Round was publications entitled Tracts for persuaded ‘that it was his duty’ to the Times they had unleashed allow his name to go forward. a storm of controversy by stress- Consequently on May 19th 1847 ing the catholic nature of the The Times carried the news that Established Church.10 But the Charles Gray Round had been nuances surrounding the word chosen to represent the University ‘catholic’ exposed them to charges of Oxford in Parliament as the of ‘Romanism’ and slogans of colleague of Sir H. Inglis, Bart., ‘No Popery’ especially from the and that a committee had been Evangelical/Low church faction formed to secure his return.15 who emphasized the essentially The High Church/Tractarian Plate 1. Charles Gray Round Protestant ethos of the Church party had, unlike the Evangelicals of Birch Hall. (With kind permission of Colchester & of England.11 The controversy secured the services of one of Ipswich Museum Service, COLEM 143A.) deepened when attempts to the most promising politicians implement the outward and of his generation,William Ewart I am above all things decided not visible forms of this new thinking Gladstone.16 For the little known to be the instrument or symbol of – intoned services, lighted altar Round, with the scales already a religious war’.19 Unfortunately candles, robed choirs and other tilted against him, they were tilted for him that was just what he enhancements were seen as giving still further by the choice of a became.The tone was set by the substance to claims that it was man already being seen as a future Essex Standard, who extolled the nothing more or less than a Prime Minister.17 However with virtues of the ‘anti-Tractarian’ subversive sub text for Roman no canvassing allowed within Round as the champion of the Catholicism.With the Evangelicals ten miles of the University and Protestant faith while Gladstone’s assuming the mantle of beleaguered candidates forbidden to approach candidature was portrayed as a defenders of the existing order an within that distance Gladstone ‘proposed outrage upon common increasingly bitter conflict for the was unable to deploy his consid- decency’, heart and soul of the established erable personal skills. In fact both church had ensued. It was against candidates remained aloof from ‘The “Battle of the Constitution” this backdrop that Estcourt’s all active electioneering relying is to be fought at the coming resignation not only offered the on committees in Oxford and election.The struggle between beguiling prospect of a safe Tory London to campaign on their the opposed principles of seat but also the provision of an behalf.18 Protestant truth and Popish influential platform from which From the outset it was obvious error will be a severe and it to disseminate Tractarian or religious issues would dictate may be a decisive one.The Evangelical beliefs. the course of events. Gladstone constitutional party of Oxford But the calculations which viewed with concern the domi- leads the van; and they have prompted Ogilvie to place nation of the election not by the solicited one of Oxford’s Charles Round in the forefront cut and thrust of politics but by worthiest sons to be the of Evangelical endeavours remain a power struggle between champion of those Protestant elusive.12 He had probably attracted Evangelical and Tractarian,‘this principles which constitute attention by his voting record in business at Oxford is an anxiety... the glory and guarantee the

EssexJOURNAL 17 The 1847 Oxford Election

integrity of our national [the dissenting minister] Dr. Ogilvie “a dissenting Church.We can no longer he did not go with any place of worship”...The regret the decision of Mr religious object’.24 Oxford committee meet Round to accede to the the charge by denouncing wishes of the Protestants Harassed and assailed on all it as a gross and injurious of Oxford...The Battle of sides Round turned to his Lord calumny admitting however – Protestantism is to be fought and Saviour ‘Support me in all which is not unimportant - at the coming election, the difficulties and trials, if it is thy that it is true. Poor Mr Round terms Whig and Tory are pleasure that I should be troubled it seems has been catechised obsolete...there are no parties let me not be perplexed. If I am and in generalities his answers in the country now, but the distressed suffer me not to fall are perfect. It “excites his friends on the one hand and into despair. Bless all those who warm indignation that any the betrayers on the other of are kind to me...Amen.Amen’.25 one should have suggested our Protestant institutions’20 a doubt”, not only of his reasonable and dutiful With this the war of words submission only, but “of began in earnest.A rumour began his affectionate and reverential circulating that Round ‘was a attachment to the Church frequenter when in London of of England its services and a chapel which...must be consid- formularies”. In fact the ered a dissenting congregation only object of Mr Round’s [and] that he is not in the habit of occasional pilgrimage to even in the country of attending the shrines of Dissent was, his own parish church’.21 This was as it would appear,“to a direct attack on what appeared confirm him in his attachment” to be Round’s strongest asset – to his mother church...just as his unflinching loyalty to the people ...go abroad for a Protestant church.There could while in order to whet hardly be anything more damaging their appetites and return to his credibility. Major Beresford, with greater zest to their a leading member of Round’s native shores’26 committee, tried to steady nerves by denouncing it as a trick of the Plate 2. The Young Gladstone. The Essex Standard in an effort Gladstonian Party.22 Ogilvie wrote (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image: to limit the damage informed its from Oxford in some agitation Gladstone_1830s_WH_Mote_IL. readers that The Times was ‘now ‘have the goodness to furnish me The image is in the public domain.) said to be under the direction with the materials for a positive His scribbled draft reply to of an influential member’ of contradiction of a rumour which Ogilvie is littered with crossings the Tractarians adding that it is operating here to the disadvan- out and half formed sentences. was ‘another choice specimen tage of your cause’.23 And then a And no wonder, for although of their unscrupulous conduct’.27 blow of seismic proportions, the specifically denying absenting This public mauling left Round allegations found their way into himself from his parish church at in a highly sensitive state and a the public prints. The Times after Birch he was forced to admit that fortnight later on meeting his noting ‘the little précis’ of once in 1845 and three times in cousin John Round at the Carlton Round’s career circulated by his 1846 he had indeed attended a Club he ‘thought him cold and friends added: Dissenting chapel in London.This hard as if there was something shocking disclosure was absorbed which he disapproved’.28 This ‘But the really odd thing into a printed explanation by impression would receive about him, if true, is that his committee who sought to confirmation some months he is said to sit under a explain such a lapse by the fact later. Dissenting minister.There that Round had simply been As Round twisted and turned is really such a rumour confirming his attachment to on the pin of damaging publicity, abroad. Can it be that his the Church of England The Times Gladstone had also faced a Oxford supporters are exposed it for what it was: tranche of political criticism cognizant of it?... Surely, laced with taunts and insults, surely they should ascertain ‘On Mr Round’s Oxford one Evangelical describing him the truth of this report and Committee had devolved as a ‘mystified, slippery, uncertain, secure at the very least the difficulty...on answering politico-churchman, a non- that if Mr Round did the great charge of attending Romanist Jesuit’.29 But then some- attend the ministrations what must be virtually called – thing far more sinister erupted. of Mr. Harrington Evans we use the coy expression of The Morning Herald featured an

EssexJOURNAL 18 The 1847 Oxford Election allegation that he had materially by her and another female But this solitary appearance influenced his sister, Helen, to servant upon one other did nothing to silence his critics: convert to Roman Catholicism.30 occasion. Directions have Such a charge with its taint of been given that this should ‘Are the division lists of Popery posed an immediate threat not occur again’36 the House of Commons to Gladstone’s campaign.Action incorrectly printed? Or can was needed - and fast - to stem He neither confirmed nor it be true that though there any possible repercussions. His denied his wife’s role in the affair. have been nine divisions on diary reveals he held meetings This steady barrage against the the bill for the bishopric of with ‘Northcote, the Dean of once seemingly impregnable walls Manchester since the 15th Windsor and T.G’ (his brother). of Round’s Protestantism was of July, that champion of Letters were dispatched without alarming and debilitating, he felt the Church of England, delay to the ‘Morning Herald ‘unhinged, uncertain...listless Charles Gray Round, Esq. about poor H(elen’s) case’.31 In and unable to do anything’.37 who is a candidate for the them he robustly denied the For Gladstone, also, the constant University of Oxford has charge, and demanded the name harassment was beginning to take only voted on three on the of the person who without any its toll,‘I have felt this spring to 19th ? Nor have we heard proof had ‘stated what is wholly be a time of pressure & distraction his voice once raised in untrue’.At the same time he more than ordinary. Of course defence of that important maximised publicity for his not least since Oxford came measure. Let Oxford look defence by sending a copy of into the field’.38 to herself if she chooses this rebuttal to The Times.32 With the fidelity of both such a champion I remain Defamation and smears were now men’s commitment to the Church Sir, ONE WHO LIKES the hallmark of the campaign, of England under continuous PEOPLE TO FIGHT little wonder, then, that concern scrutiny the focus suddenly UNDER THEIR TRUE began to emerge of the ‘bigoted changed to one of a truly political COLOURS’41 spirit this election was warming dimension. It was noticed that into life’.33 Round had been absent from Then just before the polls But there was to be no let a division on the Manchester began another unwelcome up as Round faced yet another Bishopric Bill, a contentious reminder of Round’s nod towards highly damaging allegation this piece of legislation concerning dissent.A letter signed only by time against members of his own the number of Bishops in the the initials W.D opened old household.Two of his servants House of Lords: wounds by citing as a fact that it were accused of attending a dissenting chapel with the added ‘where was that ‘staunch coup de grâce ‘that Mrs Round and uncompromising ‘Nor have we was cognisant of the fact’.34 For churchman’ Mr Charles over a week letters winged to Gray Round in the division heard his voice and fro between Birch Hall and on the Manchester Bishopric Oxford containing charge and Bill.Alas! I can not find once raised in counter charge, but it was a letter his truly Protestant name from James Bliss, a member of in the list’39 defence’ Round’s own Oxford committee which caused ‘unease’.‘Considering Whether it was because of was,‘open and notorious in the your present position as candidate this publicity or merely that his neighbourhood that Mr Round for the representation of the vote was needed, he was ordered constantly, not be it noted ‘four University of Oxford I am to attend Parliament for the next times in the season’ but as a usual sure you will be very glad, if debate on the Bill: practice sends his servants to a possible, [my italics] to give a meeting house in preference to contradiction’.35 It soon becomes ‘Summons from Major the parish church. clear why Round felt ‘unease’ Beresford On Manchester at the receipt of this letter since Bill etc. whereat sorry ‘To a neighbouring he was unable to give such an enough but under all clergyman, Mrs Round, assurance. Instead he was forced circumstances proper to some time since avowed to admit that: go up to London by 2’o’ her intention of sending clock train. Down to House them further than the ‘I have heard of a female by half past 5- The Manchester parish church and she does servant having attended a Bill – amused to be told of so.Whether Mr Round is service there once [a Meeting the question “where is that master of his own household House] and I think I heard staunch churchman” etc. is of no interest to your of the same thing being done Three divisions’40 readers, but certainly the

EssexJOURNAL 19 The 1847 Oxford Election

man who frequents the confirmed by a margin of 173 you are largely indebted for the Baptist chapel and sends votes. expression of his good wishes. his servants to a meeting Ogilvie sent Round his com- He has throughout your parlia- house is not the fit and mittee’s ‘deep regret that the mentary career been anxious you proper person to represent University has not secured his should play a more prominent the University of Oxford’42 valuable aid in Parliament’ and part. In committees you have ‘warm acknowledgements’ for exhibited useful and valuable Against this backdrop of con- the readiness with which he had talents... He and I wished them tinuous public censure of Round allowed his name to be brought exhibited on a larger scale’.At what of Ogilvie the master mind forward’.47 He also sent the first the end of a long letter he ended of his candidature? He had largely of several personal and contrite ‘with assurances of my best maintained his positive stance, letters: regards to you both’.52 There is no throughout all the mayhem, his comment about this letter in his letters mainly energising and ‘I feel at this moment my diary only a terse ‘wrote to John hopeful,‘I returned to this place large share of responsibility Round’.53 It was simply another [Oxford] yesterday to be ready for for having tempted you to cross to bear. the approaching contest. I find a abandon your seat for Essex At the end of August he party of our zealous friends full of and to expose yourself and attended a dinner celebrating Tory energy and spirits by no means your family to the wanton election victories. In a speech he destitute of good and reasonable assault of misrepresentation gave congratulating the successful hopes of ultimate success’. But and calumny’48 candidates he used the opportunity then a slight shadow invades his to deliver a poignant justification optimism,‘to us it belongs to Although Round sent him of his decision to fight for the care that our cause be just and reassuring answers his diary Oxford University seat: righteous.Apparent and immediate reveals the turbulence of his success may be withheld from us emotions. He found it ‘painful’ ‘I trust that you all fully for reasons which I cannot hope to appear in public. His wife too believe that from first to last for the present to understand or had suffered much,‘at breakfast I acted upon principle and even learn’.43 my E[mma] very ill and melan- a sense of duty in all that I choly’.49 He tried to find answers have done and as I am the to all that he had endured finally only sufferer and the only ‘I acted upon assigning the architect of his loser, I may retire into failure to ill considered arrogance, private life rewarded by principle and ‘reconciled to my defeat as a just the assurances that I have rebuke to my excessive vanity’.50 at least endeavoured to act a sense of duty Letters of commiseration and up to my duty’54 support helped to bolster Round’s in all that I battered self image the exception He never stood for parliament being one from his cousin, John again. have done’ Round, confirming an earlier impression of his disapproval.51 It References As the poll began Round was contained a series of uncomfortable 1. Rev. F.D. Maurice,‘Thoughts on optimistic his hopes buoyed by and deeply wounding comments, the Duty of a Protestant in the ‘a few figures in pencil’. showing only partially assuaged by the present Oxford Election,A Letter to a London Clergyman’, a lead ‘which I thought not usual courtesies. John Round 44 The Times, 29/07/1847, p.6. unfavourable!’ However, this conceded that he had indeed 2. R. Stewart, The Politics of Protection, fleeting moment of anticipation faced a ‘very formidable opponent’ (Cambridge, 1971), p.106. and hope was soon replaced by but repeated the already well 3. After gaining an M.A. from ‘letters from Major Beresford and publicised criticisms of Round. Balliol College, Oxford, he had Mr Harrison.The latter better to Chief amongst them being the entered the legal profession prepare me for defeat...Our friend fact that he had never spoken before becoming an M.P.Married H. with newspaper accounts in Parliament, when what was with no children he lived at Birch all very unfavourable’.45 For required ‘by many, not unreason- Hall some 5miles south west of Gladstone however, it was a ably [was] an able and energetic Colchester. time of mounting expectation advocate...prompt in action and 4. Essex Record Office (ERO), D/DRb O6/1, correspondence and excitement,‘The post ready in reply’. His non-atten- (general) addressed to brought me today’s poll....I had dance at the Manchester Bill C.G.Round. Chas.A. Ogilvie, kept myself down with a hard debates was another,‘Your silence 10/05/1847. book (Nitzsch) till it arrived but I gave your opponents great advan- 5. The Times, 24/07/1847, p.4. was much excited by the news’.46 tage’ attributing it to ‘incapacity’. 6. ERO, D/DRb O6/1, Round’s Within days his victory was He noted that ‘to Mr Speaker... draft reply.

EssexJOURNAL 20 The 1847 Oxford Election

7. The Times, 22/05/1847. candidate, Mr Cardwell ‘who 32. The essence of his defence 8. ERO, D/DRb O6/1, thought it wise at a pretty early appeared in letters published in Chas.A. Ogilvie letter, 13/05/1847. hour to withdraw from a triangular The Times, 02/06/1847, p.6. 9. Largely confined to the intellectual fight’. Morley, p.243. Helen’s conversion to Roman elite of the University they had 16. He had been appointed Junior Catholicism had alienated her become increasingly disturbed by Lord of the Treasury,1834, Under from her brother. what they perceived as the pr- Secretary of State for the 33. Morley, p.245. ecipitous decline in the spirituality Colonies,1843 and appointed 34. ERO, D/DRb O6/1. Letters and devotional practises of clergy President of the Board of Trade relating to these incidents included and laity. before resigning from the those from H.O.Cox (06/07), 10. The term ‘Tractarianism’ has Government in 1845.As far as his John H. Dewhurst (07/07), often been used for the early religious views ‘it would seem fair CGR’s brother, Rev James stages of the Oxford Movement to describe him as a Tractarian Round (07/07), Lewis Owen or, indeed, as a synonym for the while bearing in mind his own (10/07), Godfrey Bird (10/07), movement itself. reservations and that the label William Harrison (undated). 11. There were a number of reasons ‘Tractarian’ especially by the 35. ERO, D/DRb O6/1, James Bliss, for the extreme hostility towards 1840s covers quite a wide spectrum Oriel College, 12/07/1847. Roman Catholicism at this time, of opinion’. H.C.G. Matthew, 36. Ibid. Scribbled draft reply on the not least being the conviction Gladstone, 1809-1874, (Oxford, back of Bliss’s letter. that Catholicism and loyalty to 1988), p.72. 37. ERO, D/DR F67, 15/07/1847. the English constitution were 17. Amongst the reasons cited as to 38. Foot & Matthew, 31/05/1847. incompatible. why Round lost the election the 39. The Times, Letters to the Editor, 12. Ogilvie’s adoption of the Essex Standard (ES), 06/08/1847, 17/07/1847.p.7. Evangelical cause shows a road to acknowledged the superior parlia- 40. ERO, D/DR F67, 19/07/1847. Damascus lurch from some 20 mentary skills of his opponent 41. The Times,‘Letters to the Editor’, years before when he was looked stating ‘it is anticipated that Mr 23/07/1847, p.8. upon as a leader of the high- Gladstone will be some day 42. Ibid,‘Letters to the Editor’, church party in Oxford, though Premier’. 27/07/1847, p.5 he gave little active support to the 18. Oxford University was first 43. ERO, D/DRb O6/1, Chas.A. Oxford Movement. Later he saw granted two M.Ps in seventeenth Ogilvie, 23/07/1847. himself as ‘an attached and zealous century.The vote was given to 44. ERO, D/DR F67, 30/07/1847. member of the Church of England’. proctors and all masters of arts of 45. Ibid. 31/07/1847. See G.C. Boase,‘Ogilvie, Charles the university wherever they lived. 46. Foot, 01/08/1847. Atmore (1793–1873)’, rev. H. C. 19. M.R.D. Foot & H.C.G. Matthew 47. ERO, D/DRb O6/1, hand G. Matthew, Oxford Dictionary of The Gladstone Diaries, vol. III, written Committee minutes, National Biography, Oxford (Oxford, 1974), 12/05/1847. 03/08/1847. University Press, 2004, 20. ES, 21/05/1847. 48. Ibid, letter, 03/08/1847. http://www.oxforddnb.com/ 21. ERO, D/DRb O6/1.The letter 49. ERO,D/DR F67, 03/08/1847, view/article/20584. containing this rumour is closeted written across entry. 13. His geniality was such that it with Ogilvie’s request for a denial 50. Ibid.Written vertically across endeared him to the House of and Round’s response. the entry. Commons and had made him 22. ERO, D/DRb O6/1. Major 51. See the Carlton Club incident virtually electorally ‘impregnable’. William Beresford M.P.for quotation from Round’s diary R. Jenkins, Gladstone, (London, Harwich1841,North Essex 1847. 5/06/1847attached to f/note 28. 1995), p.87.The fight, therefore, His guiding principles were 52. ERO, D/DRb O6/1, 13/08/1847. was for the second seat.When the Protestantism and Protectionism. 53. ERO, D/DR F67, 14/08/1847. Conservative Party split in 1846 He presided as chief whip of the 54. ES, 03/09/1847. on the issue of Free Trade, the Protectionist party from early in protectionist wing of the party 1846. N. Gash,‘Beresford,William Acknowledgements rejected the term Conservative Marcus Joseph (1797/8–1883)’, My thanks are due to the staff of and preferred to be known as rev., Oxford Dictionary of National the former Colchester Branch of Biography, Oxford University Press, Protectionists or even revive the the Essex Record Office for their 2004, http://www.oxforddnb.com/ older term of ‘Tory’ as an official unfailing patience with all my name. view/article/37184. numerous inquires with an especial 14. J. Morley, Life of Gladstone, vol.I, 23. ERO, D/DRb O6/1, Ogilvie thank you to Mrs Jane Bedford. (London, 1908), p.243.According 21/05/1847. to Beresford, the Protectionist 24. The Times, 22/05/1847, p.5. party whip, it was difficult finding 25. ERO, D/DR F67, diary of The Author candidates in the first place as Charles Gray Round, 23/05/1847. Rita Sharp studied history at the ‘supiness’ seemed to be the order 26. The Times, 28/05/1847, p.4. University of Essex and has written of the day’.And even after finding 27. ES, 28/05/1847. mainly about nineteenth century them ‘the luke-warmness and 28. ERO, D/DR F67, 05/06/1847. Hertfordshire and Essex.A finalist shiftiness of those I have to deal 29. Jenkins, p.89. in the British Association for Local with is most disheartening’. 30. The Morning Herald, 24/05/1847, History Award (2000) currently Stewart, p.107. quoted in Foot & Matthew, p.623. transcribing the diaries of Charles 15. At this stage there was a third 31. Ibid. 28/05/1847. Gray Round.

EssexJOURNAL 21 Attitudes to Nineteenth-Century Architecture in Essex1 by James Bettley

ssex is not the first county the country in the nineteenth that had been impossible for to which one would century, and this article looks all but a very few architects Edirect the student of at some of the results of that until then. Secondly, it is a corn nineteenth-century architecture. boom, and at what has happened exchange, a building type that The best examples of buildings to those buildings since then. flourished for a relatively short of that century are in the cities Chelmsford’s Corn Exchange period of time.The need for corn that sprang up at that time, which is a good place to start (Plate 1). exchanges arose as a consequence are mostly in the Midlands and It was opened just over 150 years of the Corn Laws and the stimulus North of England. Growth did ago, in June 1857, and there they gave to the wheat trade in of course occur in Essex in the would no doubt have been England. London built a new nineteenth century, and is most great celebrations in 2007 if it corn exchange in 1828, and many evident along or at the end of the had not been demolished in provincial examples followed; they railway lines that spread across the 1969. It is a good place to start were built as private enterprises county from the 1830s onwards: for two reasons. First, it was by consortia of local businessmen, notably at Southend, Clacton, and designed by a local architect, to ensure that business stayed Walton.The other great nineteenth- Fred Chancellor, who first in their own towns rather than century buildings, as of every age achieved prominence in 1854 going elsewhere.The buying and until our own, were the country when he won the design for selling of grain had hitherto taken houses, but for some reason few new school buildings at Felsted; place in the open air – hence the were built in Essex and none but he was a local man who, many towns with streets called on the really grand scale of thanks largely to the spread of Cornhill or Cornmarket – or Shrubland Park or Somerleyton the railway network, was able to in general market buildings; in Hall in Suffolk. However, Essex run an office in London as well Chelmsford, the corn market took was by no means immune from as Chelmsford and be more than place in the entrance hall of the the building boom that gripped just a local architect, something Shire Hall, a dark and awkward space that was inadequate for the purpose. Chancellor’s new Corn Exchange, designed in a style that was presumably meant to evoke the palazzo of a wealthy Florentine merchant or banker, consisted of a main hall, 100 ft by 45 ft, auction and committee rooms, and gallery, and seems to have been an instant success, with markets held there every Friday; it was also later licensed for theatrical performances.2 Six other corn exchanges were built in Essex in the nineteenth century; in addition, Romford adapted an existing bank building in 1845. Chelmsford’s was quite a latecomer.The earliest, and most distinguished from the architectural point of view, was Colchester’s, built in 1820 to designs by David Laing. It was superseded in 1845 by J. R. Brandon’s building next door, costing £2,400.This has had a varied and interesting history. It closed in 1884, became Plate 1. Corn Exchange, Chelmsford. the Albert School of Art and (Reproduced by courtesy of the Essex Record Office, I/Mb 74/1/49.) Science, and was enlarged in

EssexJOURNAL 22 Nineteenth-Century Architecture

1896 by the Colchester Borough one at Rochford designed by and those which respond to social Surveyor, H. R. Goodyear. In Chancellor and built in 1866 at a and cultural needs. Into the first 1925-26 it was reconstructed cost of £1,000; it is now used by category one would place, for internally by Duncan W.Clark the Women’s Institute as a hall. example, railway stations, the need as the Albert Hall and Art Gallery, Halstead’s little Corn Exchange for which simply did not exist but is now the Co-operative was built in 1865, a well-detailed before the nineteenth century: Bank. Figures representing ancient building of polychromatic brick- Essex has some good examples and modern agriculture that once work whose designer seems to at Audley End and Ingatestone. crowned its façade can be found be unknown. In 1902, Kelly’s Audley End, which opened in nestling incongruously amongst Directory tells us, it was used as 1845 and is in fact at Wendens the planting that attempts to a drill hall; by 1933 it was being Ambo, was a joint production soften the impact of the multi- let to the County Council for of Sancton Wood and Francis storey car park on Balkerne Hill. ‘technical instruction’, and it Thompson, both of whom Braintree’s Corn Exchange was now houses the public library. were regular railway architects. built in 1839 at a cost of £3,000 The architect for Manningtree’s Its entrance is sheltered by a Corn Exchange is also unknown. grand porte cochère, a feature Built in 1865 at a cost of £1,600, specially added, no doubt, for there would... by 1902 it was being used for the benefit of those travelling ‘public meetings and entertain- to and from Audley End itself. have been great ments’ and by 1933 as a furniture Ingatestone, built the following saleroom. In 1966-67 it was year, is much more homely, and celebrations converted by Raymond Erith it is not fanciful to think that to a Roman Catholic church, the style adopted is a homage but since 1980 it too has been to nearby Ingatestone Hall.Also in 2007... a public library. in the technological category These buildings demonstrate one might place maltings, and enlarged in 1859-70 (by a number of points: the nine- because although they had existed Beadel Son & Chancellor) and teenth century’s tendency to for centuries they developed 1877 (by Fred Chancellor); it has construct buildings for a specific considerably in the nineteenth been demolished. Saffron Walden’s purpose that was, in this case, century, thanks to innovations was built in 1847-48,‘an elegant quite short-lived; the nineteenth made by people such as Robert pile of an Italian character’ century’s ability to build in a Free at Mistley.Very few are still according to the Illustrated London wide variety of styles: Renaissance in use, but they convert readily News, and designed by Richard at Chelmsford, Classical at to flats, with the bonus that they Tress, a London architect who Manningtree, Gothic at Rochford are invariably located next to rail- also designed the corn exchange and Halstead,‘Italianate’ at Saffron ways or waterways, sometimes at Bishops Stortford. Like so Walden; and the various ways in both. many corn exchanges, it was a which these buildings, once they multi-purpose public building, became redundant, have mostly and housed a savings bank, post been reused, and quite successfully. ...if it had office, and news room.The They have been treated, reason- central part of the building was ably enough, as boxes into which not been originally open to the sky, with new structures can be fitted, all seventeen corn offices, little more the effort of preservation going than cubicles, surrounding it. on the exteriors.When Saffron demolished The central space was roofed over Walden’s corn exchange was after the building was purchased threatened with demolition a in 1969 by the Borough Council in 1882, vigorous campaign was mounted, but trading continued, albeit on with support from Sir Hugh The category of social buildings a much reduced level, until the Casson and the Royal Fine Art is especially characteristic, and has 1960s. Its future then looked Commission, with the result that left a large and diverse heritage uncertain until it was decided to the façade remains an important to be dealt with in the twentieth convert it to a public library and component in the Market Place, and twenty-first centuries. Most arts centre, which opened in which is one of the best assem- of these buildings resulted from 1975; this work was designed blages of nineteenth-entury an urgent need, arising from the by the county architect Ralph buildings in Essex. growth and shift of population, Crowe.Various internal alterations The other characteristic build- to reform institutions that had and refurbishment were ing types of the nineteenth had to be created in the wake completed in 2007. century fall into two obvious of the Reformation and the After Chelmsford, there were categories: those which result dissolution of the religious bodies three built in the 1860s, including from technological advances, that had hitherto provided social

EssexJOURNAL 23 Nineteenth-Century Architecture

services: hospitals, almshouses, Actual purpose-built hospitals in 1808.The latter, which was schools. If one had to choose a can be dealt with much more non-denominational, built what single building type to evoke quickly. For many years the only were known as British Schools, the nineteenth century, it would hospital in Essex was the County the former what were known have to be the workhouse, or Hospital at Colchester, founded as National Schools. National rather the workhouse as defined in 1818, the original building by Schools, being Church of England, by the Poor Law Amendment Act M.G.Thompson with wings added were usually built at the instigation of 1834.Workhouses had existed by Thomas Hopper in 1839. of a new incumbent, with the since Tudor times, and a number Chelmsford did not get a proper same architect often building or of old-style workhouse buildings hospital until 1883: the Essex and restoring the church, and can still be found: in Bocking, Chelmsford Infirmary and building a new rectory or for example, and Witham. Caring Dispensary, designed by Chancellor vicarage. Greenstead for those who were unable to with his former assistant, Charles Green, with church, look after themselves, through Pertwee.Thanks to the patronage vicarage and school old age or infirmity, was the of the Quaker brewing and all designed by responsibility of individual parishes, banking family, the Gibsons, Scott in but operating in this way became Saffron Walden’s hospital was built 1844-45, increasingly impractical. In the in 1864-66, designed by William is just eighteenth century, Suffolk and Beck. It was very successfully one Norfolk led the way with rural converted and extended by incorporations, groups of parishes Darbourne & Partners in 1988-90 that combined together and built as offices for Uttlesford District a single large workhouse to be Council. Later in the nineteenth shared between them.The results century, the idea of cottage were often very splendid to look hospitals was introduced, such at, more like country houses than as the one at Halstead by workhouses.The Poor Law George Sherrin (another Amendment Act more or less of Chancellor’s extended this principle to the former assistants), whole country, with parishes and, at the grouped together in Unions, and seaside, conva- model designs for workhouses lescent homes, a Plate 2. Watercolour by Maude E.F. Howlett Sears of Brentwood Grammar School. were produced by the Poor Law number of which commissioners for local unions to were built at Clacton. follow.3 Even so, there was consid- Most have now been erable variety in what was built, demolished, but one built ranging from the Elizabethan for London’s Middlesex country-house look, as at Great Hospital in 1895-96, to Dunmow or Billericay, to the designs by Keith Young,has grimmest prison look, as at been converted to flats. Tendring.All of these were Schools, on the other hand, designed by the same architect, proliferated, and developed in George Gilbert Scott, then in a number of different directions. partnership with W.B. Moffatt For much of the nineteenth example and not yet famous as a builder century, the provision of education of many and restorer of churches. Given was left to the churches, with such groups in their very poor press, as places to two main bodies competing Essex.The style be avoided at all costs, workhouses for voluntary donations and of the school build- have been surprisingly durable, such government funding as ings generally echoed most of them surviving long there was to build new schools. that of the church, i.e. enough to be taken over by the These were the National Society Gothic. British Schools, on NHS and converted to old for Promoting the Education the other hand, tended (like people’s homes or hospitals. Of of the Poor in the Principles of Nonconformist chapels) to be fifteen built in Essex after 1834, the Established Church (i.e. the much simpler and plainer. Great ten are still substantially intact, Church of England), founded in Leighs possesses both sorts (both two as hospitals (Chelmsford, 1811, and the British and Foreign now houses) and it is obvious Maldon), one a factory (Stanford Schools Society, founded (as which was which. Rivers), and five converted to The Society for Promoting The Education Act of 1870 housing (Billericay, Bocking, the Lancasterian System for introduced for the first time Great Dunmow, Saffron Walden, the Education of the Poor, properly funded state schools and Witham). commemorating Joseph Lancaster) administered by local elected

EssexJOURNAL 24 Nineteenth-Century Architecture

boards.The School Board was a relatively new idea; so a Most of the buildings mentioned for London was particularly modern style of architecture so far, examples of characteristic influential in creating a distinctive was entirely appropriate. Boys’ nineteenth-century building types, architectural style.The 1870s grammar schools, however, were have survived into the twenty- was a time when architects were quite another matter. New build- first century, although many of shaking off the constraints of the ings might be needed, but they them are no longer serving the Gothic Revival, and rediscovering had to reflect the schools’ much purpose for which they were English Domestic architecture; longer history: Colchester and originally built. Given the attitude what was known as the Queen Chelmsford were rebuilt in Tudor towards nineteenth-century Anne style, associated with style, or something approximating buildings that prevailed for much high ceilings and large to it, Colchester in 1852-53 by a of the twentieth century, this is windows – literal as local architect, H.W.Hayward, perhaps surprising. Nineteenth- well as figurative Chelmsford in 1891-92 by H.A. century architecture, and art and enlightenment – Cheers. Neo-Tudor continued design in general, were simply not was seen as to be used for additions to both taken seriously by most people. schools up to the Second World The Essex Record Office booklet War. Such references were Victorian Essex, published in 1964, perhaps even more important includes a photo of the statue for Brentwood (Plate 2) and of Queen Victoria (Plate 3) at Felsted Schools, both grammar Southend taken after it had been schools that were refounded in moved to its present position 1851 as fee-paying schools and from the top of Pier Hill: the soon acquired all the necessary caption states ‘those who know public-school trappings of the resort will remember the boarding houses, chapel, etc, unintentional humour of its in suitably antique style. former siting’, and goes on to There are other say that it ‘has little artistic merit; building types that it is, however, an excellent symbol provide interest- of the dignity, sometimes impressive ing examples, and sometimes ridiculous, of the and one more is Victorian era.’ worth looking at Such were the views that because, like the railway were generally held for the first station, it was a completely half of the twentieth century, new invention: the police when attention was still being station.The county constab- focussed on rehabilitating the ulary was introduced in 1840, Georgians (generally regarded and the first police stations were as dissolute by the Victorians) built at Great Dunmow and and their architecture.That Castle Hedingham in 1842-43. Georgian architecture needed Both were probably designed by championing now seems hard Thomas Hopper, in his capacity to believe, but when the Royal as county surveyor, and the style Commission on Historical is quite nondescript, essentially Monuments embarked upon its particularly domestic.This was intentional: if inventory of Essex buildings just appropriate for the experimentof a public police before the First World War, its school buildings. force proved unsuccessful, the remit was to select buildings Colchester’s board buildings could easily be adapted ‘from the earliest times to the schools, although they for other purposes.4 Some have year 1700’, extended a few have individual quirky been: Brentwood’s, for example, years later only as far as 1714, features, are clearly in this was for many years the town’s the year of the death of Queen tradition, and were built between public library, and is now a Anne.Anything built after that 1893 and 1903 by a firm of local private nursery school. Once was considered ‘modern’, a

(Reproducedarchitects, by courtesy Goodey of the Essex & Record Cressall. Office, I/Mp 52/1/2.)the police force had become word still to be found in many Also in the Queen Anne established, however, Hopper a church guidebook to dismiss tradition is the Girls’ County introduced a more distinctive the work of distinguished nine- High School in Broomfield style: Halstead, 1851, seems to teenth-century architects and Road, Chelmsford, designed by have been the prototype, followed craftsmen. Chancellor & Son in 1906-7. by Thorpe-le-Soken, 1853, and Nikolaus Pevsner was a great This was a new foundation, and a number of others since champion of Victorian architecture, the secondary education of girls demolished.5 and was for many years chairman

EssexJOURNAL 25 Nineteenth-Century Architecture

called William Burges’s ‘fabulously insensitive’ remodelling of the east end of Waltham Abbey is now seen as a thoughtful solution to a difficult problem, pioneering an approach to inserting new work alongside old that became one of the main principles of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. Stapleford Abbotts was a rebuilding of an existing church, what at the time would have been called a ‘thorough’ restoration. Generally, Pevsner either ignored nineteenth-century restorations, or mentioned them only to deplore them.The chancel windows at Castle Hedingham are ‘sadly renewed’, those at Lawford ‘unfortunately renewed’. The unfavourable attitude towards nineteenth century work persists; the Friends of Essex Churches’ Guide to Essex Churches and Chapels, published in 1996, talks of ‘dogmatic and wholesale destruction of the church furnish- ings and décor of the preceding… Plate 3. The statue of Queen Victoria in Southend, centuries’. Even if one regrets the of ‘little artistic merit’. destruction of eighteenth-century (Private collection.) furnishings in the nineteenth, of the Victorian Society; he was the Virgin, also at Loughton. just as much as one regrets the among the first scholars to treat Generally speaking, he liked destruction of medieval furnishings the nineteenth century as a architects and designers whom he at the time of the Reformation, serious subject for academic saw a precursors of Modernism, that is no reason not to recognise research, according it the same people like Voysey, who built a the value of nineteenth-century respect as the Italian Renaissance house called The Homestead at furnishings in the twentieth and or the German Baroque. Even so, Frinton. But he had very little twenty-first centuries, and it is his coverage of Victorian architec- time for what is generally thought regrettable that so much good ture in the Essex volume of his of as Victorian architecture, the Victorian work is still under rather fussy Gothic Revival and threat, and seen as an impediment the wayward attempts to create to be removed rather than a ‘a specially a new style for the nineteenth fixture to be worked round. century. For Pevsner these This is not to say that the revolting brick attempts reached their nadir in situation has not improved the 1860s. Stapleford Abbots enormously in the last fifty years. and stone church he described as ‘hideous’ It would now be unthinkable for (1862). Shenfield village school St Nicholas’s Church, Colchester, (1865) (Plate 4) he considered ‘a to be demolished, as it was in building’ specially revolting brick and stone 1955; although St Erkenwald’s building with a turret, but very in Southend was demolished as Buildings of England, published in typical of minor High Victorian recently as 1995, in spite of 1954, is less than balanced.6 He work’,7 and Brentwood Roman strenuous efforts by the Victorian liked domestic architecture of the Catholic Cathedral (before its Society and others.The fate later nineteenth century, such as enlargement in the 1970s and of one or two other prominent Norman Shaw’s work at Chigwell rebuilding in the 80s) (Plate 5), nineteenth-century buildings and W.E.Nesfield’s at Loughton, he found to be ‘of that assertive hangs in the balance: the Jumbo and he appreciated good crafts- ugliness which is characteristic water tower in Colchester and manship, such as the carving in of much church work of the S.S.Teulon’s church at Birch are T.H.Watson’s Church of St Mary [eighteen] sixties’.What Pevsner local landmarks, and it is hard

EssexJOURNAL 26 lt .Sefedvlaesho.(erdcdb oreyo h se eodOfc,E/P 14/1.) (Reproduced of the Essex Record by Office, courtesy Shenfield village school. Plate 4.

EssexJOURNAL 27 Nineteenth-Century Architecture

Plate 5. St Helen’s Church, Brentwood, now the Roman Catholic Cathedral. (Reproduced by courtesy of the Essex Record Office, I/Mb 52/1/21.)

to imagine the skyline without Southend has been brought 4. I am grateful to Maureen Scollan them, but Birch’s spire will back from the verge of collapse. for this insight. tumble down one day soon if The realisation that it is more 5. The original Halstead police some new use is not found for environmentally sound to refurbish station was still in use in 2009. that building, and schemes for old buildings, rather than demolish Great Dunmow remained in use converting Jumbo to a stunning and rebuild, may turn out to until 2008, and Castle Hedingham closed not long before that. apartment come and go with the be the saviour of our nineteenth- 6. He himself said, in the foreword seasons.The wonderful chantry century architectural heritage, to the 1965 edition,‘I would chapel at Thorndon Park, and rather than any appreciation of include now in a new volume Gaynes Park at Theydon Garnon, its artistic merits. more Victorian churches than I are among a number of nine- did twelve or fifteen years ago’. teenth-century Essex buildings 7. The turret was in fact added in on the English Heritage ‘Buildings 1893. References at Risk’ register.8 Severalls 8. The Historic Chapels Trust 1. This is a shortened version of the announced in December 2008 Hospital, Colchester, is the Chelmsford Museum Annual subject of a campaign by Save that it was taking on Thorndon Lecture given at the Cramphorn Park chapel. Britain’s Heritage. Theatre, Chelmsford, on On the other hand, buildings 22nd February 2008. The Author are being converted and refurbished 2. Its replacement (as a public hall) James Bettley is an architectural that once would undoubtedly is an utterly banal piece of historian. His revised edition of have been demolished.The utterly commercial architecture, built the Pevsner Architectural Guide ruinous Hillside House at Weeley in 1971-72. Chancellor must to Essex was published in 2007 by C.F.Hayward is in the process have turned in his grave when and he is now working on the of being restored as part of a someone decided to name it Suffolk volume. He has lived in after him. Essex since 1991. housing development. Some of 3. See R. Costello,‘“We could the original buildings of Warley manage our parochial concerns Hospital, Brentwood, have much better by ourselves”: some been retained as part of a large responses to proposed Poor Law development called Clements Unions in Essex’, Essex Journal, Park.The Palace Hotel at 44, II (2009), pp.45-51.

EssexJOURNAL 28 Book Reviews

Geoffrey Ball, This is the sort of research that must enthuse others to look Land, Agriculture and Industry in further afield. North-West Essex: Spotlights on a The history of Mitchells Farm Land Remembered, is deftly handled and covers the SWHS Publications, 2009, pp.[xii] & 85. period from medieval farming techniques to the United States ISBN 978-1-873669-02-0, £7.50. Army Airforce whilst the next Enquiries to [email protected]. chapter, on the floor malting industry, reminds us of the impor- his book is a collection of individual articles that tance of beer in the diet. Initially Twere first published in the Saffron Walden Historical most beer was brewed locally but Journal. For those of us who did not read them first time with the expansion of towns, round, this self-contained publication fulfils a very useful especially London, there were function. It is also interesting to read about agrarian opportunities to specialise in this responses in this open field landscape so different from industry on a large scale. Centred my own familiar, enclosed countryside of mid-Essex. on Ware in Hertfordshire, this The author, Geoffrey Ball, has had a lifetime of agricul- region, east Hertfordshire and tural experience which is demonstrated in the obvious north-west Essex, was able to mastery of his subject (his initial experience was picking transport malt to London via the Lee Navigation. potatoes during the war, a task this reviewer’s father also Discussion of barley and malting follow with special undertook during days off from school).There are seven reference to the Saffron Walden area. chapters ranging from an introduction to the subject, A concise chapter, A Canal for Saffron Walden, follows Local Farming in a Bygone Age, to individual studies of on nicely from that on malting.A direct water link to the Home Farm at Audley End, Horham Hall in Ware would allow the maltsters and merchants of Thaxted and Mitchells Farm in Little Walden.These are Saffron Walden a cheaper transport option for moving followed by a discussion of the floor malting industry, a their produce to barges for onward transportation to proposed canal before a concluding chapter on the wool London.As with many such schemes, and later railways, industry of the area. it came to nothing although it is always interesting to The first chapter is a handy and concise introduction consider what might have been. to the main themes of the last five or six hundred years. The final chapter, The Wool Industry of North-west This time frame may seem large but agricultural change Essex, is divided into three parts.An introduction was slow for most of the period and the effort to reminds us of the importance of sheep to not only the survive great, perhaps 80% of farmers were living at local agrarian landscape but to the national economy subsistence levels in the sixteenth century. Change can’t whilst the second takes the story from 1349-1538, with have come much more quickly than the lumbering the third part concluding in 1770.These are all fine, plough teams of oxen, all 40 feet of them in length! discussing sheep breeds, wool processing and the decline Chapter 2, The Victorian Home Farm at Audley End,is of the industry although I didn’t find them as interesting a fine summary of the goings on of one year, 1851.This as the proceeding chapters which had used much more 400 or so acre farm produced the usual cereal crops primary, documentary research. Let that not detract, along with potatoes, mangels, other fodder crops and though, from the work that has obviously gone in to what I call ‘green manures’, clovers and rye.The power this section of the book.To round off there are was supplied by 18 horses and we know their names; References, Bibliography and a very useful Index which is Boxer, Picture, Smiler, Sharper, Brag and so on.Then much fuller than many I have seen in larger publications there were the men and boys who toiled in the fields and is always a good indication of how well researched and looked after the horses and the Jersey cows and and presented a book is. Southdown sheep.The documentary evidence only I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and records what was measurable – £.s.d., acres, bushels: we congratulations to Geoffrey Ball.Throughout one is have to imagine the hard, slogging work that kept this under no illusions to the hardship that faced our enterprise going. ancestors in an age of animal power, rather than Chapter 3, Horham Hall Farm,Thaxted 1807, is a mechanical horse power. Focussing on a region will good example of the use of one documentary source, hopefully stimulate others to undertake research into in this case a valuer’s notebook, to illuminate one farm their own areas of the county.The illustrations are in time. Mary Buttle had died recently and her farm adequate, more so when the price of the book is was subject to an inventory and valuation. Geoffrey Ball considered. However it is a shame that more time and teases some interesting thoughts from the evidence such effort was not spent on producing some better-quality as the lot of a female farmer and the state of cheese- maps to accompany the text.A small quibble with such making in Essex at the time.This was particularly a worthwhile book, the first, we are told, in a series by fascinating and would be worth further study to see the Saffron Walden Historical Society. I look forward to if cheese production was equally important across the future publications from this vibrant group, they have set whole of Essex. In this case there were 238 cheeses the standard! worth £97 18s.1d. and with a possible combined weight of over two tons! Was this typical? Is it special? Neil Wiffen

EssexJOURNAL 29 Book Reviews Ariel Crittall, Ariel was a Governor of Braintree High School later the Tabor High School (following its amalgamation with My Life smilingly unravelled, the Margaret Tabor Secondary School) for over 40 Braintree District Museum Trust Limited, years and became Chairman. John was actively 2009, pp.192, ISBN 978-0-9537936-3-1, involved with Essex University for many years. £12.00. There is an interesting chapter upon John Crittall’s war service as a Major in the Royal Engineers when his book is the he spent some time in Cairo and met, inter alia, Tautobiography Jim Richards (later Sir James Richards, editor of of Ariel Crittall, The Architectural Review) who became godfather to née Mercer, who Charles Crittall. John Crittall later became a Deputy was born in 1914 Lieutenant for Essex and made a CBE. He sadly died in just 2 weeks after 1980 leaving Ariel a widow for 30 years who continued her father was her very active life.This has included travelling, painting killed in the First and her friendship with Orlando Gearing. World War. Her Ariel frequently includes some very personal late husband, John memories, which makes this a very human account. Crittall, was a To quote her she has,‘smilingly unravelled the Gordian Director of the Knot of life’, these words being included in a maxim family company of instilled in her childhood. She later spent a year at an Crittall Windows, Art School in Munich and perhaps one of her most which became the memorable moments was in 1933 at 18 years of age country’s largest when she met Hitler and shook hands with him. In manufacturer of her words ‘It was before one realised what an evil metal windows influence he would be’. and built the She was also acquainted with a number of other village of Silver people of importance including the Mitford family, End.This is not Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Daisy Countess merely a history of of Warwick and John Strachey.The Mitford family, the Crittall family particularly Lady Redesdale and two of her daughters, and companies but Diana and Unity, were introduced by her cousin Derek of a life spanning following which Ariel and Unity became tenuous nearly a century friends.Ariel met, who was later to become Prince, set in the context Bernhard of the Netherlands at a Dance and they later of national history. went out for a drive together. On one occasion she was It combines per- invited to a party at Easton Lodge by Daisy, Countess of sonal memories Warwick.The Crittalls were friends with John and Celia upon world events including politics, with a particular Strachey, who also lived at Shalford, when John was emphasis upon art, music, literature and journeys to Minister of Food in the Wartime Government.These many parts of the World. are just a few of the many interesting friends and Ariel is an accomplished artist in her own right acquaintances made by Ariel during her long life. and her enthusiasm for art is clearly apparent. She has On a personal note Ariel Crittall served with me as recorded many anecdotes of her close association with a Trustee of Braintree District Museum for many years. a number of artists and of particular interest to Essex One evening she told me about her meeting with Hitler are details about her friendship with Eric and Tirzah in 1933.There can be very few English women still Ravilious of Great Bardfield, Castle Hedingham and alive today who actually shook hands with this tyrant. In Shalford respectively, particularly surrounding the loss of 2004 Ariel was contemplating writing her autobiography Eric, a war artist, in 1942. (see Essex Journal, 44, I (2009), and I urged her to do so. I realise that her meeting with p.32.) Hitler was only a small part and a brief moment in her Readers of Essex Journal will undoubtedly be very long and interesting life. I am pleased that I and interested in Ariel’s numerous connections with the others encouraged her to write this amazing and County. Her maternal grandfather was William Tennant informative autobiography of a full life and her of Ugley Hall and she grew up at Orford House, Ugley. association with many well known personalities. It is In 1936 Ariel Mercer married John Crittall at Thaxted one of the most fascinating, readable and particularly Church and they had four children: Harriet, Francis, well illustrated autobiographies of an Essex lady that Charles and Laura who all made contributions to has been published in recent years. their mother’s autobiography.The family lived happily Although in my view the book would have benefited at Pages in Shalford, Grove House in Sible Hedingham from the inclusion of family trees of the Tennant, and finally at Park Hall, Great Bardfield.As already Mercer and Crittall families, to assist the reader, indicated,Ariel was a very talented amateur artist and this small omission does not really detract from this it was at Sible Hedingham that she painted Hovis Mill excellent volume, which I thoroughly commend to you. her first successful picture. John and Ariel took active roles in education, health care, conservation and the arts. Adrian Corder-Birch

EssexJOURNAL 30 Book Reviews

Ken Hoy, Ken Hoy, who helped to form the group and served as one of its principal officers A History of the Friends of Epping for forty years, has now set out the record Forest 1969–2009, of its work and its many positive achievements Friends of Epping Forest, £4.95. in this excellent little book. Available from Peg Bitten, 9 Frederica Road, E4 7AL, The Forest has been continually threat- T: 020 85298594 ened by proposals for road improvements. E: [email protected] The M11, the M25, the A406 (North Circular) would have been the cause of pping Forest is one of the treasures of Essex, though irreparable damage if developed as originally Eit would not exist today but for the great struggle planned. Excessive horse riding, the extension to save it from would-be enclosers in the middle decades of golf courses, the expansion of cattle of the nineteenth century.The culmination of that struggle grazing and continual planning applications was the passage of the 1878 Epping Forest Act, which are among the many problems which have vested the care of the area in the hands of the Corporation worried the local population. of the City of London to keep it ‘unenclosed and unbuilt On all these issues and many others, the Friends have on as an open space for the recreation and enjoyment projected their views to the Corporation. In a considerable of the public’. number of instances they have backed and supported At that time, the Forest was very run down and Corporation policies, but in others they have sought to dilapidated, and it is greatly to the credit of the modify or change them. Corporation that it was so well restored and thereafter Everyone who cares about the Forest should read maintained. However, as time passed, many local people this book. It details the defence and support of part of felt that they were denied any say in the policies our Essex heritage.A consciousness of what we owe to pursued. In 1969, a number of them came together to the endeavours of previous generations may awaken us form the Friends of Epping Forest, to generate their to our present responsibilities if those who come after own input. Ever since, the organisation has reflected, us are to continue to enjoy what we have inherited. mobilised and projected the concerns, ideas and hopes of Forest lovers and local organisations on Forest issues. Stan Newens George & Brenda Jago, the tide to go out before he could be taken along the off- shore Broomway to the mainland to be seen by a surgeon. Working towards Foulness: the life and Agricultural produce had to be transported by wherry, work of an Essex family of farmworkers but taking horses off the island was more complicated. over three centuries, published by the These animals had to be persuaded to swim across to authors, 2009, pp.iii & 199, Wallasea Island (following an experienced ‘lead’ horse) and then carried on the Creaksea horse ferry, a large boat ISBN 978-0-9538593-4-4, £15.00. rowed by two or three men.The experience must have been equally alarming for man and beast.Agriculture, he authors traced the history of eight generations horse breeding and manning Tof the Webb family, from whom one of them is the wherries were the principal descended. Once they had established the basic family occupations in the nineteenth tree, they faced a problem all too familiar to genealogists and early twentieth centuries whose ancestors came from humble origins and who – and this book provides a useful apart from their main life events – left little or no trace record (some gleaned from on archive records.They have tackled this problem in an elderly residents interviewed impressive and commendable fashion, not only by making by the Jagos) of forgotten the maximum possible use of a wide range of available skills, such as how to lay out archives, but also by looking into the general historical a field before ploughing by background of Essex agricultural life for each of the horse. eight generations of Webbs. The book is very well The book is very well referenced and will be most illustrated.Though the quality helpful to anyone else struggling to overcome the of some of the photographs paucity of information about their ancestors. For the is poor (a fact acknowledged more general historian, it provides a useful insight into by the authors) they enhance how the life and work of an agricultural labourer evolved the text and provide a very over three centuries, and a reminder of the sheer relent- atmospheric accompaniment. less physical labour that was required to keep the nation The authors are to be highly commended for the consid- fed before the advent of mechanisation.The sections on erable amount of research that they have undertaken, for Foulness are particularly interesting, and it is easy to presenting it in such a lively and readable form, and for forget the remoteness of this island until the construction their generosity in donating the profits from sales to the of the Havengore Bridge by the War Office in 1922. Foulness Heritage Centre. One example will suffice; in 1908 Fred Webb lost his forearm in a chaff cutter, and had to wait many hours for Michael Leach

EssexJOURNAL 31 Book Reviews Christine Carpenter, general editor, to the mid fifteenth centuries. In parallel with details of estates there is much genealogical information Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem contained in the IPMs which will be of interest to (New Series), family historians who wish to progress from parish Volume XXV 1437-1442, Claire Noble ed., registers to medieval records.Take a look at the entry pp.802, IBSN 978-1-84383-481-6, for John Teye, esquire, of Marks Tey (died 10 November 1440) as an example of the data available in the IPMs. and Entry 447 in volume XXV (pp394-398) is very Volume XXVI 1442-1447, M L Holford ed., specific.Taken at Colchester on 9th May 1441 it pp.614, IBSN 978-1-84383-479-3, describes the lands and estates that John Teye held; including the manors of Marks Tey, Birch Holt, Mose Boydell & Brewer, 2009, £175.00 per volume. Hall and Ardleigh Hall.The entry for latter is especially detailed listing, for example, 200 acres of land (each acre ointly sponsored by the University of Cambridge worth 2d. yearly); 8 acres meadow ( worth 16d. an acre); Jand The National Archives, these latest two volumes 50 acres coppice-wood (5 acres of which may be cut in the New Series are the enlightened continuation of seasonably each year, each acre of the 5 acres then a publication programme which began in 1904.The worth 6s. 8d. yearly) and so on.The possibilities for published calendars of Inquisitions Post Mortem (for the research are endless. whole of England), so far cover the period 1236-1447 From this reviewer’s point of view, the proof of and will possibly run to 1660 (the year that feudal age inquest relating to John, son of Thomas Torell, tenures were abolished).Funded by the Arts and is of particular interest. Not only does it shed light Humanities Research Council, and under the general on medieval baptismal practices, but it also provides editorship of Professor Christine Carpenter, volumes useful genealogical information about the Torell and XXV and XXVI are remarkable for the quantity of Tyrell families as well as incidental information about information they contain and for their ease of use. Heron Hall and All Saints Church in East Horndon They are a triumph of accuracy, concision and clarity; where the heir to the Torell estates was baptised on the individual editors are to be congratulated on their the day of his birth, 15th October 1423 (entry 351 immaculate scholarship. Like the Victoria County History in volume 26, pp.203-204). for Essex, the 26 volumes of inquisitions post mortem It is the illuminating and personal minutiae of such have, in the course of a century of publication, provided entries that probably bring us as close to our medieval a rich source of information for local and family ancestors as we can ever get.We discover that the jurors historians. swore that John Torrell was aged 21 and more on the day of the inquisition because they attended or knew ‘William Colyn, aged 60, was in of his baptism. John Elkyn, aged 50, was in the church the church at the time of the during the baptism and provided water from a silver basin and ewer for John Tirell, godfather, to wash baptism, and brought water from his hands. Meanwhile John Clement, aged 60, was a spring in a small bucket, for the commanded to carry cloths of linen and silk to Heron to wrap the child in whilst John Elyot, 63, gave the lady godfathers to wash their hands Katherine, the mother, six pheasants to congratulate her before leaving the church’ on the day of the baptism. Such is the richness of detail IPM, 26, p.204. awaiting discovery in these two volumes. The indexes to these volumes are invaluable; there Inquisitions post mortems (IPMs) are the records of are separate indexes of jurors, personal names, places inquiries conducted by escheators, in whose counties and subjects. Dates have been converted to present-day the estates of deceased tenants-in-chief who held land form and place-names modernized.The publication directly from the Crown were located. Following the of the IPMs as expensive printed calendars raises an tenant’s death, the land reverted to the Crown whilst interesting question: are they really necessary when the claims of the heir or heirs were investigated.The the information they contain could simply be accessed escheator’s inquest took the form of a locally convened digitally? The answer will be apparent to anyone who panel of jurors who determined the date of death, uses these volumes, whether on a frequent or occasional details of the heir(s), and a description or survey of the basis and fortunately for us that wonderful resource land held from the Crown by the deceased. If the heir for historians, the Essex Record Office, has purchased was a minor at the date of death, a proof of age inquest them for all to access for free in the Searchroom at was held at a later date in order that the heir could Wharf Road. prove that he or she had reached the age of majority and could thus take possession of the estate. Christopher Starr For everyone interested in Essex local history these volumes will undoubtedly prove worth consulting. For Your Book Reviewers are: example, descriptions of manorial estates are sometimes Dr Michael Leach, a retired GP with a lifelong interest in given in considerable detail, occasionally as full surveys regional and local history is Honorary Secretary of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History. and valuations. In the case of the Markesale family of Markshall and the Boxsted family of Boxted, the descent Dr Christopher Starr, is Project Officer for the Manorial Documents Register for Essex and Honorary Editor of Essex of their estates can be followed from the late twelfth Archaeology and History. He is the author of Medieval Mercenary, published by the ERO. EssexJOURNAL 32 Adrian Corder-Birch, Stan Newens and Neil Wiffen are members of the Essex Journal Editorial Board EJ 20 Questions? Noel Beer

Noel Beer, was born in Barnstaple, Devon, in 1933. After three years National Service in the army, and having undertaken a first degree at Manchester, he moved to the midlands before arriving in Essex in 1963, moving to Rayleigh in 1972. Noel worked in further and higher education at Danbury Park, 1970-83, after which he became a self-employed management consultant. He gained a PGCE at London, an MA Beer.) of J. courtesy (Photograph at Leeds and the Certificate in Local History at Essex University. Upon retirement in 1999 he wrote the first in series of pamphlets on various aspects of Rayleigh history. He has always enjoyed sport and played county rugby for both Devon and Staffordshire. He married in 1961 and has two daughters.

1. What is your favourite historical period? 11. Which four people from the past would you Late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, but invite to dinner? A Holy Trinity, Rayleigh, Tudor England is growing on me. churchwarden from each of 1550, 1650, 1750 and 1850 and just let them chat and compare their roles 2. Tell us what Essex means to you? and their lives in the town. It is a welcoming county, which is full of energy and enterprise. South east Essex is blessed with sunshine. 12. What is your favourite food? I’m vegetarian, so anything with fresh salad and fresh fruit. 3. What historical mystery would you most like to know? A very parochial one.What was the 13. The history book I am currently reading location of the Rayleigh vineyard mentioned in is... Eamon Duffy, Fires of Faith: Catholic England Domesday? under Mary Tudor and Anna Whitelock, Mary Tudor: England’s First Queen. 4. My favourite history book is... Anything by Sir Arthur Bryant. Perhaps not vet analytical, but 14. What is your favourite quote from history? deceptively powerful. Most of Winston Churchill’s Second World War utterances, which were inspirational at the time, 5. What is your favourite place in Essex? The especially his recognition of ‘The Few’. cliff tops at Westcliff.With a mixture of cloud and sunshine the estuary views change by the minute. 15. Favourite historical film? Henry V.The Olivier version. 6. How do you relax? I paint in watercolours, indoors and at a leisurely pace. I also relax by theatre- 16. What is your favourite building in Essex? going, reading poetry and visiting art galleries. Southend pier. It is not very picturesque these days, but it has a fascinating history.The views from the pier head (in all directions) are amazing on a clear watching timber being morning. unloaded from sailing ships 17. What past event would you like to have seen? The Armada victory, looking over Drake’s 7. What are you researching at the moment? shoulder on the deck of the Revenge. Rayleigh in Tudor times. 18. How would you like to be remembered? 8. My earliest memory is... With my grandfather, As a caring husband and father. watching timber being unloaded from sailing ships at Barnstaple quayside. 19. Who inspires you to read or write or research history? Curiosity is the inspiration to 9.What is your favourite song/piece of music read.These days the inspiration to write comes from and why? My taste is eclectic, ranging from classical to those lovely, local people who want to know when Gilbert and Sullivan to trad jazz. If pushed to name my next pamphlet will be available. one piece it has to be Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory. 20. Most memorable historical date? 6th June 10. If you could travel back in time which 1944 - D-Day. event would you change? Too many to mention. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

EssexJOURNAL 67 Help to support the Essex Record Office

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