HATFIELD BROAD-OAK AND NEIGHBOURHOOD
Pigot's Essex 1832-3 Trade Directory
HATFIELD BROAD-OAK is a village and parish, in the hundred of Harlow; 29 miles from London, 16 from Hertford, and five from Sawbridgeworth; situated about midway between Harlow and Dunmow. It derives its secondary name from a very large spreading oak in the parish; and its ancient appellation, Hatfield Regis, from its having been a royal chase in the days of King Harold. In times past this was a market town; but that advantage, and its consequence in the scale of towns, have passed away together.
The church is a handsome building, of some antiquity, but the exact date of its erection does not appear; that it was built prior to the 11th century is, however, ascertained, by certain mementos of departed greatness within its walls. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the master and fellows of Trinity Hall, Cambridge; the Rev. John Carr is the incumbent, and his curate the Rev. Robert Hopper. Here are, besides, three meeting-houses for dissenters, a national school and several almshouses. To the east of the church stood a priory, founded in the reign of Henry III, for Black monks, by Robert de Vere, third Earl of Oxford, his effigy lies in the chancel of the church: the coat of mail is admirably executed: the legs are crossed, denoting that he had been engaged in some of the early crusades. No remains of the priory are now to be seen, its site having been converted into a garden. In the vicinity of this village commences the rich district of the ROOTHINGS or Rodings, comprehending eight adjoining parishes. The general appearance of the country is flat; but there are still some pleasing variations in the scenery, especially on the north side of the parish, where is a fine forest of about eight miles in circumference, embosomed in which is a beautiful little lake. Hatfield has a large lamb-fair on the 5th August. This parish is divided into four townships, respectively named Brumsend Quarter, Heath Quarter, Town Quarter and Wood-row Quarter: these collectively contained, according to the census taken in 1831, 1,825 inhabitants; being an increase in the population, in thirty years, of 389 persons.
POST OFFICE, Cock Inn, HATFIELD. - Letters from LONDON arrive (via SAWBRIDGEWORTH, by foot-post,) every morning at eleven, and are despatched every afternoon at three.
COACHES. To LONDON, a coach, from the Cock, every Monday morning at five, & every other morning (Sun. excepted) at eight.
CARRIERS To LONDON, Geo. Meade, every Monday and Friday, and James Hammond, every Monday and Thursday afternoon.
Transcribed by CG
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales...., by John Marius Wilson. circa 1866
HATFIELD-BROAD-OAK, or Hatfield-Regis, a village, a parish, and a sub-district in Dunmow district, Essex. The village stands on an eminence, at Pincey-brook 4½ miles ENE of Sawbridgeworth r. station, and ½ SE of Bishop-Stortford; is an ancient place; was formerly a market-town; and has now a post-office of the name of Hatfield-Broad-Oak, under Harlow, and a fair on 5 Aug. The parish is divided into the four quarters of Town, Brunsend, Heath, and Woodrow. Acres, 8,810. Real property,£10,941. Pop., 1,960. Houses, 405. The property is sub-divided. The manor belonged anciently to the crown; was given, after the Conquest, to the De Gernons; passed to the Bruces, the Bohuns, the Staffords, the Riches, and the Barringtons; and belongs now to the family of Lowndes. The seat occupied by the Bruces, and that occupied by the Barringtons, are now farm-houses; and the former is moated and belongs to the Earl of Roden. Barrington Hall was begun about 1740, but was not completed until 1864; and is now the seat of G.A. Lowndes, Esq. Down Hall, the seat of Sir John Sylwin, and Gladwyns, are good mansions. A Benedictine Priory was founded in the parish, in 1135, by Aubrey de Vere; and given, at the dissolution, to T. Noke. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £180. Patron, Trinity College, Cambridge. The church is later English, and good; has a lofty tower; and contains a fine effigies of Robert de Vere, third Earl of Oxford. The p. curacies of Hatfield-Forest and Hatfield-Heath are separate benefices. There are an Independent chapel, a national school, and charities £177.
HATFIELD-FOREST, or Bush-End, a chapelry in Hatfield-Broad-Oak parish, Essex; 2 ½ miles NNW of Hatfield-Broad-Oak, and 3 E by S of Bishop-Stortford r. station. It was constituted in 1860; and its post-town is Hatfield-Broad-Oak, under Harlow. Pop., 410. Houses, 79. The property is sub-divided; but the forest which gives its name to the chapelry, comprises about 1,000 acres, and was recently enclosed, belongs to John A. Houblon, Esq. Remains of a very old and large oak, whence the parish is supposed to have got the name of Hatfield-Broad-Oak, is in the forest. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £75. Patron, the Vicar of Hatfield-Broad-Oak. The church was built in 1860; is in the early English style; and consists of nave and chancel, with a tower.
HATFIELD-HEATH, a chapelry in Hatfield-Broad-Oak parish, Essex; 1¾ mile SW of Hatfield-Broad-Oak, and 2½ E of Sawbridgeworth r. station. It was constituted in 1860; and its post-town is Hatfield-Broad-Oak, under Harlow. Pop., 622. Houses, 124. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £75. Patron, the Vicar of Hatfield-Broad-Oak. The church was built in 1860; is in the early English style; and consists of a nave and chancel, with tower and spire. There is an Independent chapel.
Transcribed by Noel Clark