COGGESHALL & NEIGHBOURHOOD>
Pigot's Essex 1832-3 Trade Directory>
COGGESHALL> (or GREAT COGGESHALL) is a market town and parish, in the hundred of Lexden; about 47 miles N.E. of London by the road through Braintree, and 44 through Witham, 18 from Chelmsford, and 13 from Nayland in Suffolk. It stands partly upon the low ground on the north side of the river Blackwater, and partly upon the slope of an agreeable hill, which rises upon the same side. It is indebted for its existence, according to Morant, to an abbey founded here; other antiquaries ascribe its origin to the Romans, and contend that this place is the >Canonium> of Antonius, - in support of which assertion is cited the fact of several coins, and other Roman antiquities, found in the neighbourhood; the evidence of these reliques, though inadequate to satify the learned disputants as to the exact original designation of this place, is nevertheless sufficient to prove it to have been a Roman villa. Ths manor was, in the reign of Edward the Confessor, the property of Cole, a Saxon; and it subsequently passed to King Stephen, who founded an abbey here for Cistercian monks. Not far from its ruins are the remains of a bridge of three arches, erected by the same monarch. Ths town was formerly noted for its woollen and clothing trade, and particularly for a superior kind of baise, distinguished by the name of 'Coggeshall white;' this trade is now nearly extinct; but the manufacturing of silk has been carried on of late years to a very considerable extent, and employs at present a great number of hands. - There are some good Inns here, amongst which may be particularized the 'White Hart' and 'Chapel' Inns, two exceedingly well conducted houses. Peter Du Cane, Esq., of Braxted Lodge, is lord of the manor, and holds a court baron annually on Whit-Monday.>>
The places of worship are, the parish church, dedicated to St. Peter; and a chapel each for independents, baptists, Wesleyan methodists and quakers. The living of Great Coggeshall is a vicarage, in the gift of the lord of the manor; the Rev. E.W. Matthew is the present incumbent. The poor of this parish are benefited by several munificent bequests, derived from estates, some of which are in Suffolk, and produce upwards of £360. a year; besides others of minor importance. A philosophical society was established here about four years since, by several highly talented individuals; it continues to be well supported; the lecture meetings are monthly. Many beautiful seats ornament this neighbourhood, and the country is highly cultivated; but the views, from its flatness, and the absence of wood, are not of the first order of beauty. The market, a large one for corn, is held on Thursday; and there is an annual fair on Whit-Tuesday, for cattle and toys. The parish of Great Coggeshall contained, by the census for 1831, 3,227 inhabitants; having increased its population 758 since the year 1801.>
POST OFFICE>, COGGESHALL, Samuel Sprague, >Post Master>. - Letters arrive every morning in summer at eight, and in winter at half-past eight; and are desptached every morning in summer at eight, and in winter at half-past seven.>>
COACHES.>>
To LONDON, the >Coggeshall Fly>, from the Chapel Inn, every Monday morning at six, and every other morning (Sunday excepted) at seven; goes through Chelmsford, Brentwood, Romford, &c.>>
To BRAINTREE, the >Express> (from Colchester), calls at the White Hart, every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday evening at six.>>
To COLCHESTER, the >Express> (from Braintree), calls at the White Hart Inn, every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday morning at ten.>>
CARRIERS.>>
To LONDON, Mary Ruffell's >Waggon>, from her house, every Mon. & Fri.>>
To BRAINTREE, Wakefield's >Cart>, calls at the Bird in Hand, every Wed. & Sat.>>
To COLCHESTER, Redgrift's >Waggon>, from the Bird in Hand, every Mon. Wed. and Sat. and Wakefield's Cart, every Wednesday and Saturday.>>
Transcribed by CG>
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales...., by John Marius Wilson. circa 1866>
COGGESHALL, a town and a sub-district in the district of Witham, Essex. The town is chiefly in Great Coggeshall parish, partly in Little Coggeshall; and stands on the Roman road from Colchester, and on the river Blackwater, 2 and ½ miles N by W of Kelvedon r. station, and 6 E by S of Braintree. Its site is partly low ground, partly the acclivity of a pleasant hill. A Roman station, either Ad Ansam or Canonium, is supposed by some antiquaries to have been here; and remains of a Roman villa have been found. A Cistertian abbey was founded in the vicinity, within Little Coggeshall parish, and a three-arched bridge built over an adjacent artificial cut of of the Blackwater, by King Stephen; and a small part of the abbey still exists. The town has a post-office under Kelvedon, two banking-offices, two chief inns, a parish church, five dissenting chapels, a free school, and six alms-houses. The church is perpendicular English, with a tower; and was repaired in 1847, and thoroughly renovated in 1854; and a plan for further improvement on it, at the cost of about £2,000, was executed in 1864. A weekly market is held on Thursday; and a fair on Whit-Tuesday. There are two silk factories, and a patent isinglass and gelatine factory. Pop., 3166. Houses, 714.
COGGESHALL (GREAT), a parish in Witham district, Essex; containing the chief part of the town of Coggeshall. Acres, 2,770. Real property, £11921. Pop., 3,679. Houses, 825. The property is much subdivided. The manor belonged, in the time of Edward the Confessor, to Colo, the Saxon; was held, at Domesday, by Eustace, Earl of Boulogne; passed by marriage to Stephen, Earl of Blois, afterwards King Stephen; was given by him to Coggeshall abbey; went, at the dissolution, to Sir Thomas Seymour; and afterwards was divided, and passed through various hands. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £280. Patron, C. Du Cane, Esq.
COGGESHALL (LITTLE), a parish in Witham district, Essex; containing a small part of the town of Coggeshall. Acres, 830. Real property, £3,597. Pop.,429. Houses, 85. The living is incorporated with Great Coggeshall. There were once two churches, the one monastic and long ago demolished, the other parochial and now partially restored.
Transcribed by Noel Clark>