ROCHFORD
Pigot's Essex 1832-3 Trade Directory
With the villages of Ashingdon, Canewdon, Eastwood, Pagelsham, and Great and Little Stambridge and neighbourhoods
ROCHFORD is a parish and market town, in the hundred to which it gives name; 39 miles from London, and five from Rayleigh. It is situated on the small river Broomhill, over which are two bridges. The church, which is about half a mile eastward of the town, is a plain building, with a lofty square tower; here are, also, an independent chapel and a free-school. 'Rochford Hall,' said to have been the residence of Ann Boleyn, is an ancient fabric of large dimensions; it was for many years in a very ruinous condition, and inhabited only by a bailiff, but has since undergone a complete repair. The market-place is in the centre of the town, and the market day is Thursday. The fairs are held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Easter week, for toys, &c.; and on the Wednesday and Thursday after the 29th September, for the supply of tailors and glovers, toys, &c.. The population of the parish, according to the census of 1831, was 1,256; the number of inhabitants having only increased 28 in the preceding 30 years.
ASHINGDON is a small parish and village, in the same hundred as Rochford, three miles from that town. The church is a small plain building, on the top of a hill There are not more than about 100 inhabitants in the parish.
CANEWDON is a pleasant village, distant from Rochford 4 miles; its situation is elevated, and commands a beautiful and broad prospect over the country. The parish is extensive, containing from 4 to 5,000 acres of excellent land; and there are several elegant seats in the parish, well deserving of notice. The church is a substantial building, with a handsome tower, containing five bells. The number of inhabitants, by the last official returns, was 675.
EASTWOOD is a parish adjoining Rochford, and is nearly four miles in length and about one in breadth. The church is an ancient building, with a spire and one bell. The village possesses nothing to arrest the attention, or to call for remark. The number of inhabitants, by the last census, was 531.
PAGLESHAM is situated about five miles from Rochford, and 16 from Maldon; it possesses nothing of consequence, either in a mercantile point of view or in objects of curiosity. The church is an old edifice, with a tower. The population in 1831, was 450.
GREAT STAMBRIDGEis about two miles from Rochford; it is a parish of some extent, and contains some excellent land. It has an ancient church, with a tower and one bell, and contain 405 inhabitants.
LITTLE STAMBRIDGEis the adjoining parish to the former, but much inferior to that in extent. There is a large brewery, and an extensive corn mill, in the parish. The church is an ancient building, with a spire. The number of inhabitants is about 100.
POST OFFICE, ROCHFORD, Thomas White, Post Master. Letters from INGATESTONE arrive (by mail-cart) every morning at 5, and are despatched every even. at 7 (Sunday excepted, when they go at 6.)
COACHES. To LONDON, the Despatch (from Southend), calls at the King's Head, every morning at half-past eight - and Thorogood's coach, calls at the Vernon's Head, every morning at half-past six; both go through Rayleigh, Billericay, Brentwood, Romford and Ilford.
To SOUTHEND, the Despatch (from London), calls at the King's Head, every evening at half-past seven - and Thorogood's coach, calls at the Vernon's Head, every evening at eight.
VAN. To LONDON, Joseph Pease, from the Vernon's Head, every Monday and Thursday morning at eight; goes the same route as the coaches.
Transcribed by CG
he Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales...., by John Marius Wilson. circa 1866
EASTWOOD, a parish in Rochford district, Essex, mainly on Broomhill river, 1½ miles SW of Rochford, and 2½ NNE of Leigh r. station and partly in Wallisea island. Post-town, Rochford under Chelmsford. Acres of the main part, 2,962; of the Wallisea island part, 3,255 of land and 401 of water. Real property of the whole, £6,603. Pop. of the main part, 562; of the W.I part, 11. Houses 126 and 1. The property is subdivided. Eastwood-Bury and Eastwood Lodge are chief residences. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £219. Patron, the Lord Chancellor. The church consists of nave and two aisles, with a tower; and is ancient but good.
PAGLESHAM, a village and a parish in Rochford district, Essex. The village stands 1½ mile W of the E end of Wallasea island, 4 NE by E of Rochford, and 7 NE by N of Southend r. Station; and has a post-office under Chelmsford. The parish contains also the hamlet of East-End, and part of Wallasea island. Acres, 1,828; of which 150 are water. Real property, £2,949; of which £93 are in fisheries. Pop., 474. Houses, 92. the property is divided among a few. The manor was given, in 1066, by Ingulf, to Westminster abbey. Oyster fishing is largely carried on; and there is a coast-guard station. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £560. Patron, the Bishop of Peterborough. The church consists of nave and chancel, with a tower. The rectory house was built in 1862. There are a national school, and charities £27.
Transcribed by Noel Clark
KELLY'S DIRECTORY OF ESSEX 1933
GREAT STAMBRIDGE, or Much Stambridge (A.S. stan, a stone ), receives its adjunct from a bridge over the Broomhill or Roche river: it is a village and parish, 2½ miles north-east from Rochford station on the Southend branch of the London and North Eastern railway, 43 miles from London, 5½ north from Southend and 13 south from Maldon, in the South Eastern division of the county, Rochford hundred, petty sessional division and rural district, Southend county court district, Canewdon and Southend rural deanery, Southend archdeaconry and Chelmsford diocese. In 1888 this parish was united, for ecclesiastical purposes only, to that of Little Stambridge under the Union of Benefices Act, and the union was confirmed by Order in Council dated 19 March, 1889. The church of St. Mary and All Saints, situated near the high road between Great and Little Stambridge, is a building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle, vestry, and a western tower with low wooden spire containing 4 bells, three of which were hung in 1897, to commemorate the 60th year of the reign of Queen Victoria: the walls of the original tower, assumed to be Saxon work, and constructed of Kentish rag, still exist on the north side to a height of about 10 feet: the upper and later portion retains the remains of Norman lights: the church was restored in 1881, and carved oak benches, executed at Bruges, erected, together with a pulpit, reading and prayer desks: there are two memorial windows to the son and daughter of the Rev. G. W. Keightley M.A. rector here 1889-99, and one to Mr. Alfred Mottram Rankin, and a tablet in memory of Mrs. Harold Rankin: the church affords 200 sittings. The registers date from 1559. The living is a rectory, with that of Little Stambridge annexed, joint net yearly value £721, with residence and 2O acres of glebe, in the gift for this presentation of the Governors of the Charterhouse, London, and then the Lord Chancellor; after that the Governors take the 3rd, 4th and 5th turns, but the 6th turn and every 4th turn following will again fall to the Lord Chancellor: the living has been held sincc 1928 by the Rev. Dan. Wrigley, of St. Boniface College, Warminster. There is a clubroom with 4 acres of land attached; the clubroom was enlarged and a village hall crected in 1921 as a war memorial; the ground attached is laid out as a recreation ground for Great and Little Stambridge. A horse trough and pump were presented to the Parish Council, in 1897, by the Rev. G. W. Keightley M.A. to commemorate the 60th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The Governors of the Charterhouse are lords of the manor. A. M. & H. Rankin Ltd. & A. Bentall & Sons are the principal landowners. The soil is heavy loam; subsoil, gravel and clay. The crops are general. The area is 2,446 acres of laud, 17 of inland and 75 of tidal water and 152 of foreshore; the population in 1931 was 355 in the civil and of the ecclesiastical parish in 1921, 511.
There are 60 acres of oyster layings.
Post & Tel. Call Office. Letters from Rochford, Essex, the nearest M. O. & T. office
LITTLE STAMBRIDGE is a village aud parish, 1¼ miles north-east from Rochford station on the Southend branch of the London and North Eastern railway, in the South Eastern division of the county, Rochford petty sessional division, hundred and rural district, Southend county court district, Canewdon and Southend rural deanery, Southend archdeaconry, and Chelmsford diocese. In 1888 the parishes of Great and Little Stambridge were ecclesiastically united under the Union of Benefices Act, and the union was confirmed by Order in Council, March 19, 1889. The church of St. Mary, a small edifice of brick and rubble stone, was removcd under a faculty shortly after the union of the benefice with Great Stambridge as no longer necessary; such portions as were of any use were given for incorporation in the mission chapel of the Church of England at Southend. The register dates from the year 1659. The living is a rectory, annexed to that of Great Stambridge, joint net yearly value £721, with 20 acres glebe and residence, in the gift of the Lord Chancellor and the Governors of the Charterhouse, and held since 1928 by the Rev. Dan Wrigley, of Warminster College who resides at Great Stambridge. James Tabor esq. C.B.E., DL., J.P. is lord of the manor and principal landowvner. The soil is clay and marl; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley, peas, beans and potatoes. The area is 601 acres of land and 5 of inland water; the population in 1931 was 194.
Letters from Rochford the nearest M. O. & T. office