Hornchurch 1848 Whites Directory
History of Hornchurch
Hornchurch is a large village, consisting
chiefly of two streets, pleasantly situated 2 ½ miles ESE of Romford, and more
than four miles north of the Thames, but its parish extends southward to that
noble river, though it decreases from two to about one mile in breadth; bounded
on the east and west by the small rivers Rom and Ingrebourne. The parish
increased its population from 1331, in 1801, to 2,399 souls in 1841, and
comprises about 6,600 acres of land. It was assessed to the property tax in
1843, at the annual value of £17,749 and includes many scattered houses,
extending southward to Hornchurch Marsh, on the north bank of the
Thames.
It anciently comprised the whole
Liberty
of Havering-atte-Bower (see page 371) and Romford, and Havering, are still
considered ts parochial chapelries. It has two extensive Foundries and
Agricultural Implement etd Manufactories, David Mackintosh Esq, is lord
paramount of the whole Liberty, but a great part of the soil in this parish,
belongs to New College, Oxford, Lord Salisbury, the executirs of the late Dr
Kerison, Mrs Massu, the Rev G Clayton, T mashiter, R H Newman, R Reynolds, and J
Tyler Esqrs, and several small freeholders. The manors of Hornchurch Hall and
Suttons, with the church and the tithes of the whole liberty were given by Henry
II, to the Great Hospital of St Bernard de Monte Jovis, in Savoy, which had a
cell or subordinate hospital here, for a master and poor brethren, called the
fraternity of the “Horned Monastery”; but it was dissolve with the other alien
houses, and its possessions were purchased by William of Wykeham, for the
endowment of New College, Oxford, to which the said manors and tithes still
belong, but they are held on lease by John, P E, and Walter Bearblock Esqrs, of
Hornchrch hall, a neat mansion, with tasteful grounds, The Lodge, another
pleasant seat, is the residence of Thos Mashiter Esq; and Bretons, a large brick
mansion, with a fine avenue of tree, 2 miles south of the village, is occupied
by John Francis Esq, who occupies the old house, - but the modern house, an
elegant mansion, with a small park, is occupied by G G Hill Esq. The main street
of Hornchurch was formerly called Pell Street, from the number of “Peltmongers”
or skinners, who dressed leather here for breeches makers of Romford, an ancient
custom of wrestling for a boars head, arising out of a charter granted to this
Liberty by Henry II, occurs here every Christmas day. The boar’s head is given
by the lessees of the rectory, and there are often as many as twenty
competitiors for it. The Church (St Andrew), is a lofty and spacious fabric,
with a tower, containing six bells, and crowned by a tall spire, rising to a
height of 170 feet. In the chancel and transepts are many mural tablets; and
against the east wall is carved a bullock’s head with golded horns, said to have
been the crest of the “Horned Monastery” just noticed. The beautiful east window
was restored in 1826. The benefice is a dinative Vicarage, valued at £740, and
now enjoyed by the Rev D G Stacy BCL. It is in the patronage of the Warden and
Fellows of New College,
Oxford,
- the appropriators of the rectory. The parish has several charities for the
poor as noticed below.
The Church land comprises 8 acres, left by Wm Talbot, in 1563, and now let for
£20, and 2 acres given by Wm Gogney, in 1627, and now let for £4 4s per annum.
The Free School, for 16 poor boys, is endowed with a yearly rent charge of £10,
left by Alice Aylett, out of land now forming part of Langtons Park; and with
the dividends of £200 three per cent Consols, purchased with £160 10s, derived
from a legacy of £200, left by Wm Jacob, in 1813. In 1587, Henry Appleton gave
three tenements for the residence of three poor families; and they were rebuilt
in 1838. In 1597, John Pennant left four tenements, as an almshouse for the
poor, but in 1721, a Workhouse was built upon their site, at the cost 0f £300.
Since the establishment of Unions, under the New Poor Law, part of the Workhouse
has been divided into five tenements, occupied rent free, and the rest is let
for about £15 per annum. Two cottages, called Painter’s Almshouses, derived from
the gift of Anthony Ram, in 1699, being in dilapidated state, were let, in 1824,
for 31 years, at the annual rent of £10,
to two lessees, each of whom covenanted to expend £200 in rebuilding the houses.
In 1678, Sibell Skeale left £20 as a fund for repairing her tomb, and the
surplus forr the poor. This sum, with £75 benefaction money, was laid out in the
purchase of two cottages and 2 acres called the West Field, now let for about
£16. A house and garden, bequeathed to the poor by Wm Oakley, in 1693, are now
let for about £9 a yar. In 1657, Wm Armstead left two yearly rent charges, viz:
-£5 for the poor, and £1 for two sermons on Michaelmas and Lady days . They are
paid out of a farm of 30 acres in hay Street, which the testator also charged
with £4 a yar, for the poor of Romford and Dagenham. In 1811, Thos page left
£105 new 3 ½ per cent Stock in trust, that the yearly dividends should be
distributes among the poor widows of Hornchurch, except what might be required
for repairing his tomb. As noticed with Romford, the poor of this parish
participate in Reede’s. Hide’s and Webster’s Charities. They have also the
following yearly doles, viz :- 20s out of Ford Lodge, left in 1788, by David
Rickett; £3 13s 6d from £105 three and a half per cents, given in 1811, by
Hannah Richardson; £3 from £100 three per cent Reduced Annuities, left in 1797,
by John Richardson; 30s as the rent of 1 acres 32 p of allotments, awarded at
the enclosure in 1812; 6s 9d from £18 in the Savings Bank, left in 1821, by John
Bourne; and £3 from £100 three per cent Consols, left in 1811, by Wm Higgs, who
also left £100 to be lent free of interest, in four sums, to four poor deserving
tradesmen or little farmers, for three years. Part of this loan fund has been
lost. A yearly rent charge of 21s left to the poor by Burchett Whennett, in
1780, out of Albyns Farm, has not been paid since 1828. About 1 ½ acres marsh
land, left to the poor by Samuel Ballard, in 1691, was inundated about the year
1700, by the Dagenham breach, which swallowed up many acres of the marshes. In
1807, John Massu Esq, of langtons, left £1,000 East India Stock for the use of
hi wife during her life, and afterwards to be vested, in trust, with the vicar
and churchwardens to pay the yearly dividends, in equal shares, to ten poor men
of Hornchurch, who have never received parochial relief, His widow is still
living. Jane Oxley, died here in 1841, aged 101 years
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