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Toppesfield

White's History, Gazetteer & Directory of Essex ~ 1848

Submitted and Transcribed by Essex Villages

 

TOPPESFIELD, a pleasant retired village on a commanding eminence, 8 miles N. W. by N. of Halstead, has in its parish 1073 inhabitants, many scattered houses, and 3246 acres of land, rising boldly from a tributary stream of the river Colne, and generally having a deep tenacious marly soil, and requiring draining, though the lands here are said to be the highest in Essex.

The principal manors and their lords and owners are Berwick and Scoteneys, Saml. Sampson, Esq.; Camoys, John Jas. Unwins Clark, Esq., of Bristol; and Cust Hall and Husees, John Sperling, Esq.; but J. Hardy and several smaller owners have estates in the parish, partly free and partly copyhold. Some of the latter are subject to fines equal to two years rent. Estates here called Gobins, Hawkes Hall, Bradfield and Olivers had their names from their ancient owners. Some curious Roman remains were found here in 1800, consisting of a skeleton, a broken sword blade, a metal vase and patera, and a coin.

The Church (St. Margaret,) is a plain ancient fabric of flint and rubble stone, except the tower, which fell down, and was rebuilt of brick in 1699, and contains five bells. On the floor and walls are many monumental inscriptions.

The rectory, valued in K.B. at £26, and now at £900, is in the patronage of the Crown, and incumbency of the Rev. C. J. Gooch, who had about 20a. of glebe and a good residence, enlarged about three years ago.

A fair for pleasure and pedlery, is held in the village on the 20th of July.

Here is a National School, and ten of the children are taught entirely free, in consideration of a yearly rent charge of £10 left in 1730, by Robert Edwards, out of Newhouse Farm, in Stambourne, which is also charged, by the same donor, with £3 a year for the poor of Toppesfield; who have also 20s. a year out of Oliver's farm, supposed to have been left by one Durnford.

Two other small rent charges, left to them by Wm. and John Edwards in 1616 and 1730, are lost. In 1712, John and Wm. Edwards granted 11a. 2r. of land, upon trust, to apply the rents towards the repairs of the church and the relief of the poor. It is let for £25 a year.

Allerton Robert, coal carter

Barker George, blacksmith, wheelwright, & agrl. machine maker

Brewer Joseph, par. clerk & schoolmr

Brown John, blacksmith

Burleigh Mrs Hannah

Burleigh John, vict. Green Man

Butcher Robert, cattle dealer &c.

Chatters Henry, baker, &c.

Cooke Marshal, police officer

Dowsett Hezekiah, carpenter

Gooch Rev. Charles John, Rectory

Hardy Robert, hawker

Piper Stephen, poulterer

Tottman Charles, butcher



Farmers ? (+are Owners)

Bridge George Kemp, Thurston's

Briggs Wm., Oliver?s

+Brown Wm., Elms

Burleigh John, Shop Farm

Chapman Charles, Mortimer's

Darby John, Bradfield

Davey Charles, Tyler's

+Dowsett Robert, Grey's

+Eley John, Husees

Eley Thomas, Berwick's Hall

Freeborn George, Cust Hall

Golding Charles, Lewsey's

+Hardy John, Flowers Hall

Howard Wm. Hill Farm

+Piper James, Ongars

Smith Jas. (charcoal mert) Huralls

Tottman Charles, Dog House

Warren Sarah ll Mead Daniel

Wilding Wm. Scotneys



Beerhouses

Perry and Letch

Tottman Charles

Shoemakers

Hardy James

Letch Humphrey

Smee Isaac

Smee John

Webb Thomas

Millers

Butcher Wm.

Eley John

Hardy John

Shopkeepers

Brasher Rt. (and straw plat mfr)

Dowsett Charlotte

Perry Thomas
Tailors

Manning David

Percival Wm.

[Letters from Yeldham] 

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