S "- ^ c? %3AINIH 3, \\\E -UNIVERS/A DC . I ' OF CiLIF. LIMMtf, LOS AJKIUS THE OF THE WJILTOJYl JIBBEY W. WINTERS, F.R., Hist. Soa, Author of Select Passages in the Life of King Harold ; Ecclesiastical Works of the Middle Ages ; Our Parish Registers ; Queen Eleanor Memorial, Waltham Cross, etc., etc. (Df n7?6, 7,520 ; Taxationes, 1,850 ; Fundatio, 692 ; De Inventione Cruets, 3,776 ; Miracula and Reliquiae, 3,776 ; Waltham Forest, 6,839, 6,853, an d 6,705. Cottonion MSS. Register, Tib. C. ix.; De cruce ibi deducta, Jul. D. vi.; Carta Fund. Claud D. ii ; Waltham (de terris apud) Nero, C. iii.; Roger Waltham, Vesp. B. xxi. Lansd. MSS. 763, Church music, used in the Abbey, in the fifteenth century. (See " Ecclesiastical works of the middle ages," by W. Winters, p. 53). The Carta Antique of Waltham, in the Public Record Office, is of great value. We have, at various times, and at great expense, collected many ancient deeds of interest, in which occur the early names of persons, lands, and domestic buildings in the parish of Waltham. In the collection of Ancient Deeds and Charters preserved in the Record Office, are several relating to lands, buildings, etc., in this town, and from which we have taken extracts for this work. NAMES OF ANCIENT PLACES IN WALTHAM. (i) ffighbridge Street (or West Street). Brihtuff Foht con- veyed to John Foht, his son, one tenement, with -a quantity of arable land in Manneland (Honey Lane) one croft in Siwordston called Herdcroft, two acres in Westsote, with a tenement held in trust by the Abbot of Waltham, rent "// solid" Signed in the presence of Heni de Wermel, Rob. de Hertford, Gal. de Langrich, Manigod Napp, Simce le Guc d , Thme de Halifeld, Abraham fil Thorn, Will, Pulier * Many of these deeds are in the author's possession. INTRODUCTION. Vli. and Alan Clico. (2) John Foot in 1314, conveyed to his son "Dauye," one messuage in the mile of Waltham in " Haye Strate " (High Street) abutting a messuage and gardens on the west, and land of John Fross on the east. 7 Ed. II., 1314. (3) Two "shopis" in West Street, belonging to Johan Poley de Waltham, 13, Richard II., 1390. John de Poley with four others held a religious appointment in St. Sepulchre's Chapel, Waltham, founded A.D. 1346. (4) 1395, John Perkyns, son of John Perkyns of Waltham, conveyed, by deed, two shops in West Street, in the tenure of Richard Hosiere and Thomas Frankside, to Thomas Wolmersty, Bobt. Ferour, Walto Cuffle, and John Gladwyne. John Perkyns sold to the said persons a garden situate in Spaineshaw in Frosshenlane, Waltham, adjoining the premises of Elene Byffayn, John Sabrichford, and a cottage and garden in " Bowyers" 18, Ric. II. (5) John Perkys granted a garden in West Street, called " Bowyers" to Walter Enfield and John Gladwyn, 19, Ric. II. (6) William Stephens conveyed a tenement in West Street on the Marsh Bank with a garden near the " Ftdltngmell Streme" and "Austin fy le Pynfolde" to Walter More, John Balitre, and William Henry of Waltham, 3, Hen. IV., 1402. This garden belonged to John Ive, rector of St. Michael's Wood Street, London 23 Ric. II. In 1477 these premises fell into the possession of Robert Shambrook, John Audley, and Richard Ram of Waltham. (7) Agreement between William Somer, Robert atte Lee (Robert at the Lee) and Robert Curson, respecting the sale of a tenement in West Strert, i Hen. VI., 1422 (Red Seal). This MS. is in the British Museum (Add. MSS., 6012), and was purchased, January 23, 1844, of J. Graham* Leverton School-master. (8) Richard Swarston, February 14, 2 Rich. III., 1485, conveyed to Robto Norton of Waltham one tenement and garden situate in " Hie stret," near the premises of John Pomante on the West, the "Ojficm Pitant de Waltham" on the East, abutting on the north the land of Walteri Harberd, and the land formerly belonging to the Mandevilles on the south. (9) A transfer of property in Hiijh strete belonging to the late John Swarston of Waltham, to Walto Swarston, Robto Suttell, Willo Pagrym, John Drawsword and John Sawnden (3 Hen. VIII) 1512. (10) A narrow slip of parchment of the same date signed " Cressy " being an agreement between Agnes King, of London widow of Richard King, grocer, and Thomas Elsey, Vlli. INTRODUCTION. relative to the sale of land, &c., in Walthaio. (n) Walter Swarston, late of Waltham, sold to John Champney, his half tent. &c. in Hiyli-strele for the sum of 5 135. 4d. (18 Hen. VIII), 1518 (Red Seal). (12) Alice Champney widow of John Champney sold her property in Hygli Strete to Thomas Melowe, Tho. Saunders, Tho. Clendon, and John Breteyne, and which formerly belonged to John Wren of Waltham, " Bryke lyre," 1528 (Red Seal). John Champney of Leyton sold the said property to John Wren for 10. This MS (English) is dated 13 Oct. (19 Hen. VIII) 1528. (13) John Wren (who is called a "tyler" residing at Xazing in 1535) sold his premises in II//fjh Strete to John Dedyngton; these premises were near the house of William Haleworth, (Red Seal). (14) In 1545) John Wren " Bryckleyar " de Nasyny sold his property in Highest real e called Resin rj [Risings] formerly in the possession of Walter Herbert and William Corbyn, Dated, Nazing, 20 Jan., 36 Hen. VIII, (Red Seal). (15) British Museum MS. (Add. Charter 6013). An agreement between Will. Browne of Waltham, and Agness and Robert Porter concerning a tenement in Westrete de Waltham belonging to "the Guild" of the " B. Marise de Waltham." n Jan. (3 Ed. VI.) 1550. (16) John Corbet granted his house and orchard called " Poynls" in Hyestreate to John Derrington for the sum of 20. (17) The " Crosse Keys," House was granted by Thomas Parnell " Baker of Waltham" to Thomas Camp, Jun., of Nazing, Yeoman, Dec. 15, 1609. This building situate in West Street was formerly occupied by William Hare and afterwards by John Biggs. It stood near the tenement belonging to John Goldsborough, gent, then occupied by Wm. Nokes, tailor, and " a yard and cart- way of Sir W. Wade, Knt, held by John Wetherhead, 14 June, 1611. (18) 1638, Richard Dawson, gent, surrendered all his copyhold property in West Streets " nere to the Hitjhebridye,'' with a close called Brick-li ill-close, late in the tenure of Edward Liverland to John Chomeley of Crowhunt co. Surrey. (19) 1638 Edward May surrendered to his daughter Mary Duchat, widow, two houses adjoining the Church Yard, one of which was in the occupation of Henry Wood " Body Maker." (20) This MS. contains Court Leet admittances from 1691 to 1695. The Romeland. (i) Richard Mascoll and Maria his wife, surrendered (to Henry Denny Lord of the Manor) a house and garden in the Romeland occupied by John Reed and INTRODUCTION. IX. Tho. Wilkenson to the use of Thomas Milles, 22 May, 1567. (2) M3S. dated 156.7, 1576, 1593 and 1610 relate to the transfer of the same property belonging to John Hudson. (3) 1614. Elizabeth Collop surrendered a cottage in the Rome/and near the house of W. Ward [Sir W. Wade, Knt.] to Phillippi Fuller and Christiance Bayford. (4) 1615. Richard Payne surrendered a house in the Romeland, in the occupation of Margaret Warner. (5) 1628. " FrankpleJge" respecting Elizabeth Collop, Thomas Brewett, Henrici Hermqman and several tenements in the Rome- land. (6) 16.62. At this period the manor of Waltham was possessed by Margretto Countess Carlisle. Tho. Mezant surrendered his premises in the Romelani \.Q Abraham Hudson. (7) A similar deed occurs under date 1660 in which are the names of William Earl of Bedford, Margaret Countisso Carlisle, Christopher Davenport, Abraham Hudson, Jacobi Stringer, Tho. Mezant, Christopher Wright, Thorns Monk, and Ambrose Sumpner. (8) 1686. Willio Countis Bedford Lord of the Manor. On the death of Thomas Monk three houses in the Romilanl were surrendered to the use of John Bell, yeoman. Sun Street* (or East Street). (i) The earliest document relating to Sun Street, dates back to 1447. Tenements in Est Stret formerly belonged to William Orgon and Alice his wife, were transferred by Walter Lok, of Waltham, to John Gladwyn of London, Draper, and William Treue, of Waltham. (2) 1447, relates to the property of Wm. Orgon, in Est Stret, situated between the house of Thos. Lok, " plomer," and the houses formerly held by John Arke, Walter More and the " cimitu Abbathie de Waltham." (3) 1516. Property in Tiykkeryslane or Cryketteslane in Eatrete in which occurs the names of Richard Lynton, Geo. Jackson (Brewer), John Baker, John Drawswerd, Wm. Orgore, Geo. Salt, Robt. Farethwatte (Brown Seal, " R," within a wreath). (4) 1531. A house sold by Aleyn Keys to William Bereman for ^5. The premises connected with this house were situated betweene the kijngs liii/lt way on the south partie, and the walle of the "nowe Chircheyourd (new Churchyard) of the Abbot of Waltham on * Early in the present century an old thatched house stood on the site of Mr. Richards' house, Sun Street. The straw eaves of this house were very low and in the way of foot passengers. Mr. Jurdan, pig dealer, occupied the house last. X. INTRODUCTION. the north partie. This was the old "White Horse" beerhouse, demolished in 1851. (5) 1531, Bereman's Release to Allyn Keyis, (Latin), (Seven red seals), signed, W. Bereman ( Weaver], W. Magg, T. Bereman, R. Walenger, J. Pecok, J. Collop, A. Keys (Baker), W. Cressy, gent., J. Blunt (Miller], J. Bretyn, Pet/nter [painter], R. Alexander de Weston, in com. Hertford, J. Alexander de villa Hertford (Bocher) [Butcher], and R. Orgon. The situation of the property is described as in East-strete on the south of the Noui Cemeterii Abbatis de Walt ham, new churchyard, (now the old one.} (6) 1555. xxx tb Julie, sale of a house in Eststrete, by John Kayes to John Tanner alias Adamps, for ;i2, "abbutange upon the wall of the late dissolved Monasterie of Waltham holli crosse." This was the "White Horse" property, Sun Street. (7) 1562. A house in Est Strete (late the property of W. Waller) sold by J. Humphrey of Sout/nvell, yeoman, to W. Norman, Lynnen Draper of Waltham, for 1% IDS. (Red Seal). (8) 1563. Sale of Property in Tryckery-lane alias Creketts-lane, Estrete, by J. Waterer to Andrew Warner de Coiffpsald [Coopersale.] (9) 1564. Grant of a house in Estreate, to W. Norman, by W. Pond, W. Iverye, J. King (of Cheshen) and J. Barnard. Signed, W. Pond, J. Dennet clic. de Eppinge, and J. Legge. (10) 1565. Sale of property by Andrew Warner of Epping to Giles Brett of Stortford, situated in Trickrisse Lane, alias Ctekelts Lane, Estrett, near the house of W. Orgore. Signed, J. Vavasor and others, (n) 1569. Sale of the same premises by Giles Brett to Geo. Wilsdon. (12) 1577. Sale of three shops and a piece of land in East Street, the property of Edward Maplesdon and Jasper Nicolls (the latter was host of the Old Cock Inn). These Shops were situated south of the monastery, near the "White Horse" in Sun Street. (13) Same deed refers to Jasper Nicholls and Richard Willinson (Williamson) "Basketmaker." Property situated in "Creeks Lane" or "Cricket Lane" dated October 3oth, 1578. (14) Law suit between Henry Breton and Ellen Towers, widow, of Waltham. Jan. 23rd 1579. Anne Breton by her will dated June 14, 1541, bequeathed certain property in Waltham to W. Towers, late husband of the defendant, and to his heirs after the decease of John Stickney &c. (15) Court of request P. R. Off. 23 Eliz. 1581. To the Queen's moste excellent ma tie . Plaintiff Thomas Hare, defendant William Howe, certain premises in Waltham called " Chewier '* INTRODUCTION. XI. belonging to Rob. and Joan Hare, of Waltham, and after- wards to their son Thomas IJare, of Smythfield nere London, Boocher, and which was formerly possessed by Walter Rand, was unlawfully entered upon by William Howe, " Collier" (a man of greate welthe and well frended and allied in the said county of Essex) who possessed the deeds of the said property. (16) June ist, 1589. Sale of a house called "Reasons'* in Est Strete, belonging to Richard Derryington, carpenter. (17) surrender of property in East Street from 1615 to 1623. (18) 1623, John Beebie of Waltham, Blacksmith, sold his house (then in the occupation of James Cliborne glazier) known as the "White Horse," to Thomas Stocke of Sewardstone, yeoman for g i os. Signed J. Leverton, J. Smyth, and Giles Knight. (19) 1633. Surrender of property in Carbuncles Dunghill Fountain Square and East Street. The Market Place. (i) Feb 13, 1622. Surrendered by Peter Humble a house near the Market Place, and adjoining a tenement belonging to Lord Denny, to Mary Nicolls, widow of Jasper Nicolls of the " Cock Inn," This house is called in the deed " Church Gate House" and appears to be the one owned and occupied by the writer, Peter Humble was the son of Richard Humble, Alderman of London, who married the daughter of John Pierson, of Nazing. (2) 28 Eliz. Surrender of a cottage in the Corn Market neere Catebrigg Dongliill in Scale Streete (School Street). Admission of Samuel Fox, gent, (son of the martyrologist), to a meadow called " Sttffield? 6^., 28 May, 2 James I. (3) 1636. Surrender of a house in the Market- place, occupied by John Bennett, also a tenement near the "Cock Inn" East Street. Certain fines presented at the Court Leet respecting Town Meade, &c. Ancient Deeds relating to Waltham (exact locality not given). (i) 1404. The property in Waltham belonging to Johes Wodrowe and Walto Moor was sold to W. Skynner, J. Finch, mason, J. Reygner, carpenter, W. Syndlesham, bocher, and J. Lowe, bocher, 5 Hen. IV., 1404 (Two red seals). (2) 1448. Johannis Friday of London, and Willi Friday, her son of Waltham ; property released to Georgio Brown, of Waltham, situated near the property of Rici Rysynges; Signed, Willo. Wake, and others. Nov. 15, 26 Hen. VI. (red seal). (3) 1570. Transfer of Land be- * Probably the same property as belonged to Richard Rysynges in 1448. X. INTRODUCTION. longing to William Merick "now beinge buylded upon w tb shoppes or houses in the towne of Waltham," to Katharine Willesdon. (Small black seal). (4) Lawsuit between Laurence Biggins and Margaret his wife, John Powell and Elizabeth his wife, and Alice Lambert, widow, respecting property in Waltham. Signed, "Cesar." Oct. 30, 1619, (white seal, broken). Sir Julius Caesar, born at Tottenham in 1557, died 1636, was Master of the Rolls. (5) Court Leet, June 3rd, 1639. Fine of Five Pounds for any person receiving a stranger into the town. (6) 1697. Elizabeth Bell, widow of John Bell, disposed of all her rights of Waltham Turnpike, -which she held of James, Earle of Kennoule, and his predecessors, to James Travers, of Waltham, Feb. 18, 1697. Sewardstone Street (otherwise Sheepcote Street, Eldford Street and South Street}. (i) 1326. Laurence de Scykeneye conveyed to Simon his son two acres of land in Eldworth-field. One acre near the land of R. Forshim, east of Town mead. Witness Gilbert de Camera, John Fot, Barcho Palfreyman, John Hok, John ate Wode, Barcho Scot, Roger de Kingstone, W. le Marchal, W. Frosshenlane and Simon de Doittone. (Oval Seal). (2) John Foots granted to John Hoks property in Fotys lane Waltham, J 339- (3) J orm Golde and Cadma his wife granted a parcel of land to John Alisauner of Waltham called Eldfordefeld. 1341. (4) John Golde and Catina sold John Alisauner of Waltham one piece of land called Eldefordefeld between Toicn- mede and Eldefordestrate, 1342 (red seal). (5) John Foot granted to Walter Bret citizen of London, 3 acres of land in Eldeworth lane near the land of John Loord and John Froyssch, 1348. (6) John Dysaundri of Enfield granted to John Bret arable land formerly belonging to John Goolde situated in Eldworth. Signed, John Mandeville and others, I 3S 2 - (7) Walter Bret granted to Henry Webbe three pieces of land adjoining the land of the Abbot of Waltham, and that of John Roger and John Stringer, 1365 (seal). .(8) Elina Henesfield, wido\v of Waltham, sold land called Eldworth fcld, 1376. (9) Henry le Webbe released to Roger Herras, William Skynner, John Trylle and John Sewale 7 acres of land in Eldworthweye, near Fledlondys and Tonmed (Ftoodlands and Town mead), 1391. (10) John Baldock and John Stock of Waltham granted to Walter Waltham all their land in Eldworth fcld, 1392. (n) John Hay, son of Godwin Hay, granted to INTRODUCTION. Kill. John Foot his lands in Yanneland (or Manneland] and Edineford in Waltham, 1392. (12) Roger Herras, W. Skynne, J. Trille, J. Sevvale of Waltham, disposed of seven acres of land in Eldwortlifcldi , 1392. (Floodlands belonged to the Abbot of Waltham). (13) Nicho. de Kent granted Richard Warle and John Taylor one tenement in Oldefordestrete in Waltham, 1394. (14) Willim Fallam disposed of his tenements, &c., in Eldeivortli strett with land in Pynesl grove in Vpschire, 1431 (seal broken). (15) Deed relating to land near the tenement of Alice Holts and Town Mead, 1473. (16) Land in Town Mead near Ilfordfeld in Shepcot-lane and Fotes-lees and Mannelond on the north of Honey-lane, 1473. (Small seal.) Sheepcote Street or Seioanlstone Street. (i) John Frosch, mercer of London, granted to Robt. atte How de Waltham his messuage in Scliepecote-stret, near the house of Johis Chege- welle, 1333. (2) William Breggis, Rector of GestmyngtJwrp* granted to John Foot and Emma his wife a tenement in Ham stret (Hammond Street) with land called Manlond in Colbyye, eight acres called Here f eld, one croft called Maystris Croft in Schepecote stret, two crofts called Holecroftes near Honey Lane and PucMdand, 1356. .(3) Walter Bret of London and Christina his wife released to Thomas Poydras a tene- ment in Clouwlregye with 3 acres of arable land adjoining Potter is helle, Childrenedoune, BeJcebrokysdoune, Primliisfeld and Westfdil, in Waltham, 1365. (4) Thomas Poydras granted to John Hood of Upshire in Waltham and Agneti his wife a tene- ment near Clousebregcj which he bought of Walter Bret, 1367. (5) Johes May, Tho. Derby, Radus Palmer, Walter Sherery, Johes Sadeler, Johes Balytre and Walta atte More, confirmed to Roger Herof, Walto Sherey, Bocher and Walto Enfield of Waltham the rental of certain premises in Shepcufe streta formerly belonging to Willi Mannying de Waltham (16 Ric.) 1393, (six seals.) (6) John Hood granted to John Martyn a tenement in Shepcote strete near the garden of W. Foot, 1397. (7) Anderus the son of Henry (Fitz Aucher) of Copped halle granted to Henry de Bougeye and Roesis his wife twelve acres of (arable) land and two acres of wood in Schepcot strete, 1399. (8) John Vyne of Waltham, and Willim Thurston granted * Everard, the son of Sir Ralph de Geist or Geisthorp, co. Norfolk, gave the lordship of the manor of Geisthorp or Gestmyngthorp with the advowson of the church to the Abbots of Waltham, temp Hen. II. xiv. INTRODUCTION. to John Foot and Margery His wife property near HoJecroft, Waltham, 1341. (9) Robt. Smyth, of Waltham, Yeoman, Robt. Bardesey, gent, and Tho. Lyffyn, citizen of London, granted land and a tenement in Waltham, 1483. (10) Court of Eequest, femp Elizabeth, a lawsuit between Margaret Golding, widow, and Margaret Carter respecting three acres of land in Cobmead. (n) Particulars for grants 7 Ed. VI. Property of Lady Joan Denney, widow of Sir Anthony Denny, 1553. (12) Deed between Sir Henry Bosvile of Eynsford, Kent, and Robert Newman relating to the rental of 16 acres of land in Sheepwah-feilds at 14 per annum 1689. (13) Deed relating to John Farmer, the historian of Waltham Abbey. At the time this deed was written, John Farmer resided at Cliesliunt. The deed refers to the sale of copy- hold property to Jeremiah Bentham, of Algate, London, gent. 17201750. School Street or Silver Street. (i) Walter de Cokham, John, son of Ralph, the Cowherd, of Waltham, granted certain messuages formerly called Curtilagio, in Skolestrafe, in Villa de Walrham, Signed, Barcho de Rangrich, Simon de Duncon, John Hook, Thomas Saxpe, Johne Fot, Walto de Frossthenlane. Johne atte Down, Roger de Middleton and others. 15 Ed. iii. 1342. (2) Richard Yong of Waltham granted to Richard Wheler his premises in Clowesbruggestrete between the pro- perty of John Martyn and the abbot of Waltham in Estfeld, 1427. (3) John Sabrichford, and John de Ware respecting property in Frosthenlane, Waltham Abbey. (4) Deed between Nicholas Burman and John Colyn, relating to the sale of a cottage in School Street in the occupation of Andrew Bright (one of the ancestors of the Brights of New England) April 8, 1455. (5) A parchment in which occurs the name of Francisco Jfarvye, the owner of "Frank Harvye's Field," situated at the lower end of Sewardst/me Street, 1625. (6) Surrender of pro- perty at the Court Leet in 1633, 1637 and 1638. (7) Sale of cottages and land in Carbuncle- Dung/till in the occupation of Robt. Sparkes, Elizbeth Clay, and John Aylett, 1712. (8) Respecting the property of Nathaniel Kilhog, and Susannah Smith, 1739. Early in the last century Silver Street was called " Kilhogs Lane." (9) Court Leet. Property called " Goddard's" in School Street, otherwise Silver Street, 1708 to 1831. (10) A list of persons who subscribed towards the purchase of Bells INTRODUCTION. XV. for the Abbey Church 1 6th cent. (See " Our Parish Registers '' p. 136. (n) (Printed) Table of Surplice and Parochial Fees 1824. Notices of property belonging to the Abbey situated in Arlsey co. Beds will be found in " Colledane Typographical ct Genealofjica " Vol. vi. (see "Ecclesiastical works of the Middle Ages," by W. Winters.) For MSS. respecting the River Lea circa 1482, see Lansd. Coll. I. fol. 42. Rights of pasturage in "VValtham Marshes (circa 1574) see Hunter Collection of MSS. 25, 289. Suits in Chancery relating to property in AValtham see "Proceedings in Chancery" temp. Elizabeth (printed). A LIST OF THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE EiRLY RESIDENTS OF WALTHAM ABBEY. (Prom the Parish Registers.) Richard Brown, of High Bridges, [High Bridge] 1564 ; Tawney at Copt hall, 1567; Myles Apryce of Snvatdstone, 1568; John Stoke of Seuiardstone, 1569; Lawrens Greene of Copt hall greane, 1569; Robt. Paydly of Sewardstone, 1569; Robert Carter of Pynest, 1570; Tho. Browne of the hey bregeds [High Bridge], 1571 ; John Preclow of Halowfeld [Holyfield], I 57 I ! John Poore, Sewardstone, 1671 ; Roger Somers of Upcheare [Upshire] 1572 ; Peter Shelly, taller [Tailor] of Waltham, 1573 ; George Wright teberts hell [Lippetts Hill] 1573; Ralf Daniel of Finest, 1578; Mr. Tho. Hall of Claverhambitry, 1580; Tho. Coleman of olyfietd 1590; Thomas Stocke of Reves Gate, 1591 ; Robert Lowen of Ames Green, carpenter, 1591; William Harrison of Walth. Toivn, 1596; Henry Cook of Mott Street, 1599; Ralf Gardener, of Mott Street, 1599; Eliz. Smith of Pynest, 1599; Ann Peacock of Hone v Lane. 1599; Will Green of Dallants, 1599; John Carter of Pynest, 1600 ; Thomas Whitehead of Holyfield, 1600 ; Xristopher Peacock of Cobbivend, 1600 ; Henry Eoult, gent., dwelling at Sewardstone, 1600; Will. Poole of Pynest, 1600; Robert Case of Leopards Hill, 1600; Henry Hadowaye of Mott Street, 1601 ; Nicholas Wesden of Mott Street, 1601 ; Geo. Peacock, dwelling at Copt Hall, 1602 ; Tho. Quick of Pynest, 1603; John White of Harold's Park, 1613; Henry Lowen, fairmead, 1700; Richard Farmer, Finest, 1729; Mrs. Burr, Dallants, 1737; Ben. Stevens, King's Oak, 1746; John Harding, Quintan Hill, 1752. NAMES OF A FEW OF THE GENTRY AND TRADESMEN OF WALTHAM, EXTRACTED FROM AN OLD ACCOUNT BOOK BELONGING TO THE PIGBONE FAMILY or WALTHAM ABBEY, DATE 1703 1760: Madam Bruce, 1723; John Sharp, Govencr, 1726-7; W. Adams, glazier, of Waltham, 1731; Richard Farmer, Piness Green, neare Waltham, 1732 ; Richard Stracy, att Cobben end, 1732; R. Ruttjr, at Dallants farm, 1733; Charles Chesher, att ye Harrow, 1733 > George Beavis Higler, at Sfwardstone 1733 ; Robert Druce, Waltham, Hatter, 1733; Tho. Dew Farmer, Sewardstone, 1733 ; John Evans, Crown at Waltham, 1733 ; Thomas Freeman at ye Boar's XVI. INTRODUCTION. Head, Waltham, 1733; Thomas Judd att Holy field, Farmer, 1733; Mr. Pearce, gentleman, Wnltham, 1733; William Taylor, Blacksmith, 1733; John Cass, Leather Bottle, 1734; John Farmer, attorney, att Waltham, 1734; W. Hill, carpenter, Waltham 1734 ; Ambrase Keys, Daysman at Copt Hall Green, 1734 ; John Lyntall att Sewardstone, ye Blackhorse and Cock, 1734 ; W. Miller at ye Crocked Billet, Forest Side, 1734 ; Mr. 1'igbone, sen., at High Beech 1734 ; W. Pigbone, jun., Farmer, Sewardstone, 1734 ; Henry Thompson, at Fair Mead Bottom, Keeper 1734 (his servant, Mr. Mason, was shot by Dick Turpin) ; John Clark, Sewardstone Bury, Farmer, 1734 ; Mrs. Eliz. Hitchen, widow and Butcher att Waltham, 1734; Charles Jones, Esq., att ye Abbey, T 7345 J onn Beard, Copthall Green, 1734; Ralph Dell, att Longhton, 1734; Thomas Stubberfieldatt Holy field, 1734 ; George Gill at Hayse Hill. Holy field, Farmer, 1734 ; John Aylbury, Tylekiln Farm. 1735 ; Widow Burr att Dallants, 1739 ; John Hunt, Wheelwright at Waltham, 1740 ; Will. Peirce, Blacksmith, 1742; Nowel Thompson, Carpenter, 1747; Miss Harding of Quintan Hill, 1758; Mr. Cowell, Dallants, 1758; Mr. Johnson, Starchman, 1758; Sir William Wake, 1758; John Conyers, Esq., 1758; Mrs. Preston, Cobbin, 1758; W. Sargant at Dallance, 1758; Mrs Walker to a Womans Wool Shroiud, 1758 (for the dead); Mrs. Mainard, Copt Hall Green, 1759; Burrell, puddin gtvoman, 1759; Mrs. Burgh, Harold's Park, 1759; Mrs. Sanders, Cold Hall, 1759; Mr. Pomphrey, to Shroud and Pillow 6s. zod. 1759; Mrs. Grant \oz. of Tea, 6\d., 1759; Mrs. Letchworth to xoz. of Bloom Tea fid., 1759; Mr. Purnell, Cheshunt, 1759; Eichard Fuller, Leopards Hill. ACCOUNT BOOK, 1760. Mr. Cowell at the Crown, 1760; Miss Sukey Auther, Miss Polly Auther, 1760; (these were daughters of John Anther the first Baptist Minister in Waltham Abbey) ; Mrs. Childs at the Oiul, 1760; Mrs. Sanders at ye Compasses, 1760; Mr. Greenwood at ye Oy II Mills, 1760; Mr. Fuller, Piners Green, 1760; Mr Hervey at Skillets, [Hill], 1760; Mrs. Clark Shopkeeper, 1760; Mrs. Eaton, Galley Hill, 1760; Mrs. Sanders at the Horseshoes, 1760; Lady Cesars, 1762; Workhouse, 1762 ; Will. Ford, Holyfield, 1762 ; Francis Harvey, 1769. We possess many interesting MSS. relating to the Manor of Sewardstone, ifec. LIST OF PLACES, BUILDINGS, &c., IN WALTHAM ,'ABBEY, FROM THE ORDNANCE SURVEY OF 1871. Abbey Church, Abbey Farm and Gardens, Ames Green, and Farm. Araben House, Aldergrove Lodge, Aldergrove Wood, Avey Lane, and Farm, Almshouse Plain, Almshouses (Highbridge-street.) Buffey's Farm, Blackbush Plain, Buttonseed Corner, Blind-lane, Beaulieu, Beech-hill-park, Bathing-pond, Boutwell Farm, Breach Barns, Breaches, Broomstick Hall, Burgess Farm, Burry Road, Bury Wood, Barn Hill, Broadgate, Broadgate Springs, Balcony-house. Cuckoo-pits, Claypit-hall, Cemetery, Coneybury Wood, Cold Hall, Church lands (Copt Hall), and Churchyard and Eoad, Cornmill and Stream, Cobbin- brook, Cobbinend Farm, Crook-mile Clapgate-lane, Cashfield House, Coleman's-lane, Carrall's Farm, Clavenhambury-road and Farm, Claypit- hill, Copt-hall, Copthall-green, Copthall School, Chandler's Farm, Crown- hill. INTRODUCTION. XV11. Dalance Farm, Deer-park-wood, Dawshill, Day's Farm. Earl's-path, Edmondsey Mead, Epping or Waltham Forest, Epping-road. Farm Hill, Fir-tree-cottage, Forest-side, Forest Lodge, Fernhall Farm, Fisher's Green and Farm, Fair Mead Bottom. Gillwell-park and Farm, Grubs Hill, Galley-hill-green, Galley-hill-wood, Great Riddens Pond, Golden Row, Green Yard, Great Hoppit. Holyfield Hamlet, Holyfield Hall and Farm, High Beech, Horseshoe Hill, Home Farm, Honey Lane, Honey Lands, Honey Lane Plain, Horse- mill Island, Homefield Wood, Hook's Marsh, Hall Marsh, Haye's Hill, Harold's Park and Farm, Hillwood, Hawksmouth Farm, Highbridge-street, Hume's Farm. Long-street, Long-hills, Ludgate Plain, Ludgate House, Lippit's Hill, Lippitt's Hill Lodge, Lovet's Mead, Lower Island, Little Hoppit, Lodge- Jane, Longfield Shaw, Louse Hall Lane, Luther's Farm, Longcroft-grove, Lodge Farm, Limes. Manor House, Marshall's Farm, Mott Street, Martletts, Maynard's Farm, Mongham's Hill, Manning's Cottage, Magpie Hill, Maple Springs. Newton's Pool, Nazing Cottage, Nursery High Beech, Netherhouse, Nether House Farm, Obelisk Farm, Obelisk Wood, Old Gravel Pit, Oxleys Wood. Poplar Shaw, Pear Tree Farm, Pear Tree Plain, Paynes Island, Pick Hill, Pick Hill Farm, Pattypool, Puck-lane, Potkiln Shaw, Piper's Farm, Pinner's Green, Pepper Alley, Park Farm, Petensary Farm, Paternoster Hill, Prince Field Farm, Powder Mill-lane. Quinton Hill and Farm, Queen Meads. Royal Gunpowder Factory, River Lea Navigation, Rookery Lane, Rookery, Ravens Farm, Rugged-lane, Round Thicket, Rifle Range, Reeves Gate, Romeland. Sewardstone Hamlet, Sewardstone-street and Road, Shatterbushes Wood, Spratt's Hedgerow Wood, Stocking Grove, Sewage, Sewardstone Green, Sewardstone Bury, Sewardstone Mills, Sudbury House, St. Paul's Church (High Beech), Springfield House, Skillit Hill, Southend Farm, Sergeant's Green, Stoney Bridge, Small Lea River, Spencer's Farm, Stubbing-hall Farm, Sun Street, Silver-street, Township of Waltham, Town Mead, The Warren, The Grange, The Cheshnuts, Thompson's Wood, Thompson's- Jane, Thrift Hall. Upshire Hamlet, Upshire Hall. Waltham Holy Cross, Waltham Lane, Waltham Marsh, W T arlies Park, Wood Green Farm, Wood Green Pottery, Woodlands, Wake's Arms Inn, Woodside Farm, West Hill, Woodridden Farm, White Horse Plain, Wall- grove Lodge, Woodyer's Farm. Yardley House. INTRODUCTION. In the compilation of this volume the author has found great difficulty in determining what best to select from the vast quantity of data to hand, which he has culled at various times during the past twenty years from rare MSS. and printed works. The early Deeds, Grants, Court Leet Admittances, Registers and other local documents of interest in the writer's possession are to some extent valuable as materials for history. If these manusciipts, together with the ancient charters, etc., relating to the Abbey Church, Town and Forest of Waltham, now preserved in the British Museum and Public Record Office, could be arranged and published in an entire form with ex- planatory notes, they would not only tend to show what the public and private buildings in the town were like in past ages, but throw considerable light upon the habits and customs of men once famous in the renowned parish of Waltham Holy Cross. Many interesting chapters of local history have appeared at various times in the Weekly Telegraph. This excellent weekly paper w-as originated in Waltham Abbey, by Mr. Joseph Taberham, of Highbridge Street, and edited by the late W. T. YVakefield, Esq., of Farm Hill, in this town, and published May 3oth, 1863, under the annexed title, " Waltham Abbey and Cheshunt Weekly Telegraph, Enfield Lock, Waltham Cross, Woodford, Epping, and Enfield Advertiser.'' In the following January (1864) this paper became the property of Mr. George Wetton Cowing, who greatly enlarged it, and subsequently altered its title to "The Weekly Telegraph for Waltham Abbey, Cheshunt and Districts, and General Advertiser for West Essex, South Herts, and North Middlesex." Edited by Mr. John Charles Yates, Publishing Office, Highbridge Street, Waltham Abbey. W. WINTERS. CHURCHYARD, WALTHAM ABBEY. January, 1888. HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY (OR HOLY CROSS.) "The treasures of antiquity laid up In old historic rolls, I opened. Beaumont. tHE radical change made in the appearance of the town of Waltham Holy Cross* within the past fifty years is really amazing. Various modern improvements (?) have been made, to the sacrifice of nearly every vestige of antiquity. What the houses of the original settlers were like, of upwards of eight centuries since, is difficult to say: they were probably little more than rude huts, without either chimneys or glazed windows, notwithstanding their builders had the finest sites at command, as also the whole forest to cut timber from; and were free to build in what- ever style they chose. In the days of Edward the Confessor there were twenty persons in Waltham occupying houses and paying rent; and in William the Conqueror's time there were thirty-six tenants paying rent. There were also at the same time twelve houses in London belonging to the manor of Waltham Holy Cross, worth twenty shillings. WALTHAM, in the time of Tovi le Prude, or Tofig the Proud (A.D. 1035 1041-2), was a mere wilderness, over- grown with forest trees, and unmarked by any house or Church. Itsderivationis from the Saxon, Weald-ham, i.e. Weald, a wood, and ham a town; hence a village or dwelling near a wood. The extensive Forest with which this district was covered must have been a favourite resort of the Saxon Kings, as it was after the subversion of their independence, of the Saxon Thanes of this country; hence Tovi chose for him- self this spot as the most favourable for hunting, as he possessed also Cheshunt. Enfield, Edmonton, and the Minims' , the barony of which afterwards passed into the possession * The Parish is usually called Waltham Abbey. Its proper name, Waltham Holy Cross, did not originate, as presumed by some, from the Eleanor Cross, a short distance west of the town ; but from the early legend of the Holy Cross. of the Mandeville family. The forest of Waltham, which originally extended nearly over the whole county of Essex, was well known for hunting purposes in Saxon and Norman times. By charter, written in rhyme, Edward the Confessor granted to Ralph Peperking the wardenship of the royal forest. Swein, the brother of the Confessor, and founder of Rayleigh Castle, co. Essex, is mentioned in the charter, with bishop Wolston and Howelin the steward " Ich Edward Koning, Have geven of my Forest the keping, Of the hundred of Chelmer and Dancing, To Randolph Peperking and to his kindling." A similar rhyming charter is mentioned by Weever as having been in the Register Office of Gloucester, and which he had seen in the possession of his friend Aug. Vincent, relating to the conveyance of land by William the Conqueror to Pauline Roydon, and which was similar to one col- lected by Stowe out of an old Chronicle in Richmond Library I, William Kyng, the thurd yere of my reigne, give to the Paulyn Roydon, Hope, and Hopetowne, with all the bounds both up and down, &c. And then follows the mode of sealing the document I bit the whyt wax with my tooth Before Meg, Maud and Margery, And my thurd sonne Horry [Henry I.] William the Conqueror granted the forest privileges which his royal predecessors had instituted to William the Bishop, (probably the Bishop of London) and Godfrey the Portreeve." A great many portions of woodland were given by Harold to his Church at Waltham, as mentioned in his grant of seventeen lordships. Stephen transferred the wardenship of Waltham forest to Ralph de Montfitchet ; and Henry II. confirmed the same to his heirs. In the reign of Richard I. the office of torester was in the Fitz Aucher family, of Copthall. The Magna Charta of King John, signed June 17, 1215, ameliorated a few clauses in the forest laws, which before were very rigid, and which Henry III., in 1218, introduced into a new charter. Edward I. confirmed certain perambulations of the ancient forest and ratified by letters patent, the Great Forest Charta. The old OR HOLY CROSS. 3 abbots of Waltham realized many forest privileges, and which they retained until the dissolution of the Abbey. Edward and Eleanor, celebrated in the history of the Eleanor Cross, frequently visited the Abbey of Waltham and the forest during the protracted wars of Scotland. On the Easter of 1290, the King and Queen spent several days in Waltham, and as the story goes, the King sought to be quiet after a long hunt in the forest of Waltham, but seven of the Queen's ladies unceremoniously invaded the royal chamber of the King, which was close to the Abbey Church, and seizing hold of their majestic master proceeded to "heave him" (an old custom then called "heaving") in his chair till he was glad to pay a fine of fourteen pounds, two pounds for each lady, to enable him to enjoy "his own peace and to be set at liberty again." On another of these Easter days the King spied the Queen's laundress, named Matilda, of Waltham, among the lookers on, in the courtyard, while the hounds were being coupled and the gallant hunters mounted for Easter Hunt. The King, being in a merry mood, wagered that Matilda could not ride with them on a fleet hunter. She accepted the challenge, mounted the fast steed and rode with such success that the King was fain to redeem his good horse for forty shillings. On February 23, 1608, John Wright received 71 8s. 4d. for repairs at the lodge in Waltham Forest. August 6, 1610, "a grant was given to Mr. Graham of money found in Waltham Forest, a good quantity of gold is in the hands of Sir Gaven Harvey, and is to be seized for the King who desires further information about it." February 23, 1611, a warrant issued to pay to Edward Lord Denny 23 43. for the erection of bridges in Waltham Abbey. Also a warrant to pay 40 to Sir Robert Leigh for the repairing of bridges in Waltham Forest, September 26, 1611. Easter Hunt flourished most in the middle ages, when Kings and Lord Mayors shared in the sport and feasted under the " greenwood shade." Stripe writes of the Londoners, " Riding on horseback and hunting with my Lord Mayor's hounds when the common hunt goes out.". In 1827, Tom Hood, the poet; George Cruikshank, the artist; James Wright, sen., and James Wright, jun., of 4 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Waltham, met at the house of Thomas Rounding, Esq., on the forest side, to celebrate the Easter Hunt ; Cruikshank sketched a portrait of old Squire Rounding, the huntsman, to which Hood added some humorous lines. In 1871, a committee was appointed to confer with the Government, as to how the Corporation of London could best secure parts of Epping Forest to the liberty of the public for recreation, &c. And on May 6, 1882, Her Majesty came to High Beech and declared the forest open to the public.* THE HAMLETS OF WALTHAM HOLY CROSS. 'ALTHAM HOLY CROSS, in the Half Hundred of Waltham, in Edmonton Union, and in the diocese of St. Albans,f rural deanery of Chigwell and Archdeaconry of Essex, is bounded on the north by Harlow Hundred ; on the east by the Hundreds of Ongar and Becontree, and is separated on the west from the county of Herts by the old river Lea. The form of the parish is almost triangular, and is about six and a half miles in width from north to south. The parish contains about 1,000 inhabited houses, an area of 11,870 acres of land, ratable value .38,897, and a population (1881) of 5,377, being 180 more than in 1871. Waltham is divided into four wards, viz.: Township, Holyfield, Scwardstone, and UpsJiire. The TOWNSHIP has an area of 741 acres and a population of 2,998. HOLYFIELD is situated between the Lea and Cobbingbrook, and contains an area of 3.146 acres, which extends three * On Saturday, May 6th, 1882, Queen Victoria paid a royal visit to High Beech, and a tree was planted in front of the "Royal Oak" Hotel in honour of the event. t Previous to 1854, the parish church was not under episcopal jurisdiction, and for years the churchwardens were threatened with ecclesiastical proceedings. The churchwardens had to appear at Doctors' Commons. OR HOLY CROSS 5 miles northward of the town, and includes Galley Hill, Monkhams Hill, and a portion of the Gunpowder Mills. Holyfield Hall is a fine domestic building of the i6th century date. The land surrounding it belonged to the Crown at the dissolution of the Abbey.* Thomas Cromwell, Chancellor of the Exchequer, temp. Henry VIII., held lands in Holyfield to the annual value of 20. King Henry VIII. granted Holyfield Hall and lands to Sir Anthony Denny; and in 1571, Queen Elizabeth bestowed them to Richard Hill and William James. In 1664 the Holyfield estate be- longed to William Collard, in whose family it continued until 1747, when it passed to Alexander Hamilton, through the co-heiress of Adey Collard. Members of the Chapman family have occupied the estate for upwards of a century. During the residence of old Mr. Chapman, a burglary was committed at Holyfield Hall. The burglars were caught and tried at Chelmsford on March 10, 1819, two of the prisoners Robert Wolfe and Joseph Litchfield were sentenced to death by Justice Bayley, and hanged at Chelmsford on the 26th of the same month. Henry Wollaston, justice of peace, resided at FISHERS' GREEN, Holyfield, in 1620. Several fisheries, &c., were connected with Holyfield. MONKHAM'S HILL is in the locality of Holyfield. The Hall, on the crown of the hill, called Monkhams or Mong- hams, is beautifully situated. In early days it was no doubt the seat of the monks of Waltham, as the name indicates, Monkhams (the residence of a monk). The first occupier of this Hall, on record,t temp. Henry VIII., was Richard Camp, of " Monghams Hill;"J he was succeeded by John Somner " of Mongames Hill," who was buried August 30, * Much of the property in this hamlet belonged in the middle ages to the Abbey, hence the sacred title of " Holy-field." According to the charter of Richard I., A.D., 1189 1199, the estate belonged to Gilbert de Hallfield or Holyfield, from which place he derived his name. A manor called "Hookes" may have been situated in the hamlet of Holy- field, as "Hooks Marsh" is between the township proper and Holyfield. "Hooks" or "Hokes" is generally spoken of in conjunction, with " Pinnacles." t Add. MSS. 25,289, British Musuem. \ Richard Camp, of Monghams Hill, held his estate under the Abbot of Waltham. 12 Hen. VIII. , 1521. See Hunter MSS. 25,289, fol. 92. 6 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY 1607. The Booth family in later times held this Hall, and it is now possessed by Richard B. Colvin, Esq. SEWARDSTONE. This hamlet is situated 2 miles south of the town, over Quinfin If ill, and on the main road to Chingford and London. It is supposed to have derived its name from its early possessor Siwardus, a person of note in Harold's day. The locality is called in the charter of Hen. II. (A.D. 1177) Siwardstune. Probably a memorial-stone of Siwardus was erected in the neighbourhood at some remote period. Some presume that the manor took its name from a low water mark, Sea-ward-stone (similar to High Beech), when the Thames ran up the Lea Valley. The manor does not appear under that name, either in Edward the Confessor's Charter, or in that of Harold. It was given by the Second Henry with other grants to the Abbots of Waltham. On the list of the revenues of the dioceses of London, in 1266, the returns for De fcywardestune is 13 os. od. The earls of Oxford possessed the manor at a very remote period, Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford held the manor in 1278, in captie.\ Sir Ralph Sadler held the manor with that of Woodridden, temp. Ed. VI., and after- wards alienated it by licence to Sir Anthony Denny, through whom it passed to James Hay, earl of Carlisle, at whose death, in 1660, it became the property of William, earl of Bedford, who sold it about the same time to William Pocock. In 1673 the manor was again sold, and was purchased by James Sotherby, and by whose descendants it is still retained. J C. W. Sotherby, Esq., is the present lord of this manor, whose manor-house is at High Beech. THE MANOR OF SEWARDSTONE from the reign of Henry VI. to that of James I., taken from the Had. MSS. (3361), viz., An abstract of the Rolls of the Right Hon. Edward Lord Denny for harriotts of copyhold lands harriotable within the manor James I. 12 Jac. Isaac Lightfoote admitted to Shotfields. 10 acr. 13 Jac. Agnes Field daughter of Isaac Greene adm. t Harl. MSS. 391, fol. 29. % The author is in possession of an inventory of Pentensary House and other MSS. relating to the forest in this manor. Hariot custom is the holding of property by paying a hariot or fee at the time of death to the lord of the manor. OR HOLY CROSS. 7 to a cottage. 6 Jac. Edward Dixon adm. to a message bar. called Warleys. 9 Jac. Edward Floyd adm. to all that Tenement called Motts and I acre in Mott Streets. I Jac. John Taylor adm. to a garden lying between little Warden and the king's highway called Chawntdore gardens. 3 Jac. Roger Bowyer died seized of lands called Homescroft. Elizabeth. n, Eliz. Raheim Abraham held an acre of land in Shotfield. 15 Eliz., 3 acres of land in Sheffield. 11 Eliz. Agnes Stephens held a tenement called Motts. 12 Eliz. Hen. Johnson surr, a garden, half a rod lying in hedge croft. 5 Eliz. Rich. Ashe dyed seized of a Tenement called Leopards [Lippets Hill], 4 Eliz. William Bowyer surr, a tenement called Parks lyeing sevally in a field called Seward. 3 Eliz. Adam Storke surr, a tenement and 17 ac. land called Repitts or Phillip and 3 Roode in Padn- Pool, abutt. uppon the head of lorge Dole. 42 Eliz. Andrew Lowen adm. Tenante lands and Tenements called mayne- goods. 40 Eliz. Tho. Hale surr. 2 ac. 39 Eliz. Wm. Peirson dyed seized of a tenement called Warley. 33 Eliz. Joane Purvey surr. Holdcroft, East lands, &c. Nicholas Blinco adm. Tenant of lands called Hurlelmtts. 15 Eliz. Adam Storke surr. one acre called Sextone. 21 Eliz. John Cooke surr, a Tenement, 9 acres and a cottage with garden abutt uppon Gillwell. 2 Philip and Mary, Richard Ashe surr, a croft called Longe croft. H. 8. 33 Hen. 8, John Crow held a tenement called Wardleyes one acre, in Sowmtad. 35 et 36 Hen. 8, Robert Sexton lyeing sicke surr, a Tenement called Leopes. [Leo- pards or Lippets.] Hen. 7. 15 Hen. 7, John Abraham surr, 3 tenements, 2 called Pottell. 19 Hen. 7 Rob. Burmeham held a tene- ment called Oldcrost. Ed. 4. 2 Ed. 4, John Biiggs surr, lands called haywards. 14 Ed. 4, Richard Potsman surr", a croft of land 4 ac. called Megrecden. Hen. 6. i Hen. 6, Ann Hooke surr, land called Cameles fields. i Hen. 6, Rich. Rolfe died seized of the third part of the moyty of one yard land* called Gillrolfes. * A yard-land virgata terra, a rod or yard to girt ; in the north, to gyrd. Hence a yard or close. 8 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY 33 Hen. 8, Joseph Stoner held certain lands and tene- ments late coppiehold land by Indenture for terme of yeares to paye atte every death or alienacon 403. for fine and aos. for a herriott. 19 Hen. 7. Presented by the homadge that Margery Scott suffered her houses to decay, having had warning to repayre them, and that she did cutt down ten okes whout lisence and sould hem away contrary to the custome thereof. The contributors to the first payment of the Queen's subsidies in 1587: TOWN OF WALTHAM, Henry Standish xvd, John Tanner xd. UPSHIRE AND HOLYFIELD, William Hodge, vid., Jane Kirbye widowe xiid., William Simons xiid. SEWARDSTONE, Thomas Lake xd.* Sir Edward Denny, Justice of the Peace in 1601. The inhabitants of Sewardstone have a right to cut wood from the forest at a certain time of the year. A Board School was erected in this hamlet in 1874, for 136 children. PENTENSARY estate in the hamlet of Sewardstone, is very old; the house (near the Pound) in connection with it is rapidly decaying. These premises were published many years ago for sale by auction by the late C. Pryor. GILWELL HOUSE, Sewardstone, is a large and picturesque building, formerly the residence of the Chinnery family, also of Gilbert Goss, Esq., and now of William Gibbs, Esq., a poet of high repute and the inventor of the Hay Drying Machine. Gillwell estate is mentioned in Had. MSS. 3361 temp Elizabeth.f The Silk Mills in the valley were once the property of Carr and Dobson, of Cheapside, and in later years were occupied by W. Connell and Co., Dyers and Scourers. These Mills, which were probably built on the foundations of an ancient Fulling Mill, were demolished in 1885. Some antiquarians have asserted that an old church once stood in the hamlet of Sewardstone. I have not found anything to authenticate such a statement. An old iron chapel (served by the curates of Waltham) stood for many years in a field on the left hand side of the road * Lands. MS. 52, fol. 161. ' t Old Gillwell House, in the reign of Hen. VIII., was used as a royal hunting lodge ; and possessed by Sir Anthony Denny. OR HOLY CROSS. 9 opposite the " Luther's " estate, which building, however, has long since disappeared. This hamlet includes High Beech, Lippets Hill, and Sewardstone Green. Sewardstone possesses an area of 3,022 acres. HIGH BEECH, south-east of the town is 759 feet above the level of the sea (some say only 350 feet). In 1837 it was formed into an ecclesiastical parish out of the hamlets of Sewardstone and Upshire, and is situated on the border of Epping Forest. The church of St. Paul's, now a com- plete ruin in disuse, is a plain brick building with bell turret, and cost about 5 7 s - Sid-; Manor of Blackemore (reserved rent) 2 93. 4d.; Manor of Gynge Margaret with the Rectory (reserved rent) ;i 143. lod. ; Manor of Alrychesey (Arlsey) co. Beds. ^35 6s. 8d. ; Manor of Millhoo (reserved rent) ^i is. 2d. ; Manor of Brickendon with Rectory, not answered for, because granted 33 Hen. VIII., to Thomas Knyghton, gent., and Mar- gery his wife and their heirs; Manor of Wormley (reserved rent) ;i 133.; Manor of Cullings ^8 43. 2^d.; Rectory of Horemead * Harl. MSS. 3739; also Eccles. Works of the Middle Ages, by W. Winters, p. 56. t Parvill's Farm still exists and is known by the same name to-day. 32 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Magna ;n; Manor of Newhall -4 133. 4d.; Manor of Am well ;6 ; rectory of Geisthorp ^3 6s. 8d. ; rectory of Skarninge 2 ; Manor of Wrangley, Lincolnshire 45; Manor of Badburgham 20 is. 9^d. ; rectory of Sudicamps ^2; Manor of Caterham, Surrey, 6 i6s. id.; Manor of Windsor ^17 175.; Manor of Haywood not answered for, because granted 32 Hen. VIII. to Sir John Norres; Canelands and Canewood, St. Pancras, co. Midd., ^13; rents in London ^13 55. 4d. At the dissolution of the Abbey, 24th March, 315! Henry VIIL, certains pensions were given to various persons connected with the Abbey (see the list of pensions subsequently given). In 1547, King Edward VI. made a grant of the conventual estates of Waltham, including the right of advowson, the tithes, the patronage of the vicarage and the site of the Abbey, with the Manor, to Sir Anthony Denny, one of the executors of Henry VIIL* for thirty-one years, Sir Anthony dying soon afterwards, the reversion in fee was purchased by his widow Joan, the daughter of Sir Philip Champernon for ^3,000. The church remained a curacy or donative, in the gift of those who held the site of the Abbey, with only the small stipend f % P er annum, until Sir Edward Denny (grandson of Sir Anthony Denny), Earl of Norwich, and Baron of Waltham settled in 1633, ;ioo per annum on the curate f and his successors, payable out of the estates of Claverhambury. J The ouly daughter and heiress of Sir Edward Denny was Honora, married James Hay, Earl of Carlisle; their only son James, Earl of Carlisle, dying without issue, the gift fell to the descendants of the Denny family, who subsequently sold it to the Trustees of Sir W. Jones, and hence to the Wake family. The presentation to the vicarage was afterwards invested in three families or trustees. When the present Vicar, the Rev. F. B. Johnston, M.A., was appointed to the living at Waltham Holy Cross, in 1885, there was some difficulty in obtaining the whereabouts of the trustees. After several meetings of those interested in the matter, new trustees were appointed. The names of these gentlemen are: Sir T. Fowell Buxton, Bart., * Hen. VIIL granted so Sir Anthony Denny with the demesne of Waltham, Sigmor Downs, and a part of Holyfield Hall ; also lands in co. Herts. t John Guibbon was then curate and one of jthe Westminster Assembly of Divines. + This will is given by Farmer, p. 170. \ Ogbourn History of Essex, p. 193. OR HOLY CROSS. 33 R. B. Colvin, Esq., J.P., and Mr. T. Chapman, Jun.* John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, received permission, June 25, 1547, to alienate to Sir Anthony Denny, Harold's Park, and in July of the same year he purchased of Sir Ralph Sadler the manors of Woodridden and Sewardstone with the tithes of both. Sir Anthony Denny died possessed of nearly the whole parish of Waltham. His son Henry, born in 1540, succeeded to the estate, whose eldest son Robert dying without issue, the estate fell to his brother Edward, born 1569, and who was knighted in 1589, and summoned to Parliament as Baron Denny of Waltham 27 Oct., 1604, created Earl of Norwich by Charles I., and died 24 Oct., 1637. He married Mary, third daughter of Thomas, Earl of Exeter. This great benefactor to Waltham, Sir Edward Denny, is said by Stow to have met King James on his progress to London " attended on by a goodly company, in number seven score, sutably apparelled in blew livery coates, and white dublets, hattes, and feathers, and well mounted on horses with red saddles ; Sir Edward, after humble duty done, presented his majesty with a gallant horse, a rich saddle, and furniture correspon- dent, being of great value ; and his highnesse accepted graciously, and caused him to ride on the same before him." James Hay and his wife Honora were succeeded in their estates by their only son James Hay, Earl of Carlisle, who was a great sufferer for the cause of King Charles I. in the Civil Wars. He married Margaret, third daughter of Francis, Earl of Bedford, and died without issue in 1660. His widow enjoyed part of this estate as her jointure ; she married Robert, Earl of Manchester. At her decease the property reverted to the sisters of Charles Goring, Earl of Norwich, in right of their grandmother Anne, one of the daughters of Henry Denny, who sold it to the trustees of Sir Samuel Jones ; he sold it to Samuel, fifth son of Sir William Wake, who took the name of Jones, and was sheriff of the county in 1699 ; and bequeathed it to his nephew Charles, second son of Sir Baldwin Wake, who died without issue in 1 740 ; and was succeeded by Sir Charles Wake Jones, from whom it passed to Sir William Wake, and hence to the present * For particulars relating to previous trustees of the grant of 100 to the ministers of the Abbey Church. See Close Rolls, 8 Geo, III. pt. 14. Mem. -14. Public Record Office. 34 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY representative, Sir Herewald Wake, of Courteen Hall, Northampton, J.P., born 19 July, 1852, married 14 April 1874, Catherine, youngest daughter of Sir Edward St. Aubyn, Bart.* THE ABBEY MANSION. old mansion ca ed the ABBEY HOUSE, built by Sir Edward Denny in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and partly re-built by Charles Wake Jones, was demolished in 1770; and the stables were converted into a dwelling house now occupied by Mr Thomas Chapman. The original mansionf was very large, with a wing on each side of the front. Farmer describes it thus (1735) "It is beautiful to behold, and leads down to a spacious fine garden [now the 'Abbey gardens '] ; a fine canal encompassing the same with plenty of all kinds of fish. There are the most curious evergreen hedges, walks, groves, and for variety of fruit 'tis scarcely to be equalled by any private gentleman's. There are also fine kitchen gardens, vineyards, a bowling-green, nay in short, everything else that is commendable and praiseworthy. The whole garden contains about 12 acres of land, and is walled in with brick. The Abbey House has a sumptuous Hall, in length it contains 16 yards and a half; in height 9 yards one foot. It is exceeding handsome by reason of the wainscotting and extraordinary paintings. At the entrance out of the Romeland you pass over a bridge into a court- yard, which both leads to the Abbey House and to the stabling, and in which are two large rows of tall and stately * The family descended from Hugh Wac, temp. Hen. I. t For a plate of this mansion see Farmer's "History of Waltham Abbey " (1735). P 159- J Specimens of this wainscotting may now be seen in the old house in the Green-yard, Waltham Abbey, occupied by Mr. Thompson. See Visitors Handbook of Waltham Abbey, by W. Winters, p. 27 (Edition 1877). OR HOLY CROSS 35 Sycamore trees.* There are also rich and large lordships belonging thereto, namely, the Town, Upshire, Holyfield, and Nazing, which afford plenty of all manner of game, and are endowed with great privileges and profits accruing from the Forest." The old Abbey House was at one time occupied by W. Pigbone (churchwarden in 1706), and was possessed in 1770 by James Barwick, Esq., J.P. KING JAMES, A.D. 1603 1625. During the reign of James I. nothing particular occurred in connection with the Abbey, beyond the erection of the Almshouses by Frances Green, and the King's visit to the Abbey during the curacy of Joseph Hall, D.D., who preached at times before his Majesty at Theobalds. In the last year of James' reign he visited Town and Abbey Church.f KING CHARLES THE FIRST, A.D. 1625 1649. Several entries occur in the Churchwardens' Accounts of Charles I. coming to Waltham Abbey. Dr. Fuller says, "Anno 1641, King Charles came the last time to Waltham, and went, as he was wont where anything remarkable, to see the church, the Earl of Carlisle attending him. His majesty told him that he divided his cathedral churches, as he did his royal ships, into three ranks, accounting St. Paul's, in London, York, Lincoln, Winchester, &c., of the first form; Chichester, Lichfield, &c., of the second; the Welsh cathedrals of the third, with which Waltham church may be well compared, especially if the roof was taken lower and leaded." The king granted a "toll of cattle" to be made for the repairing of the church and the paving of the town. But the design was "dashed" by archbishop Laud, because the Earl of Carlisle first consulted the king on the subject instead of his grace. * The Poplar Trees that once adorned the edge of the mill stream from the Abbey Gates to Harold's Bridge have, within the last few years, nearly all fallen down owing to the foundation of old massive stone walls just below the surface of the earth running in that direction. Old foundations of ecclesiastical buildings may be seen to exist (in the summer months) in the Abbey Fields, west of Harold's Bridge. t Item. Given to ye ringers at ye King's coining through ye Towne iis. .His Majesty probably visited the Abbey House and Copt Hall. See " Our Parish Registers." 36 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY An estate was left for the repair of the church, from William Lake and Thomas Stock, of this Parish, in trust to Thomas Fox and others, bearing date 5th December, 1637. The Pilgrim P cithers of Nazing and Waitham Abbey. About this period (1637), and earlier, many local worthies were forced for conscience sake to quit the shores of old England for America. Since the publication of "The Pilgrim Fathers of Nazing," &c., in 1882, we have realised great pleasure in collating from parish registers, manuscripts and rare printed works in the British Museum, materials for biography of the Eliots and others who emigrated to the New World during the middle of the seventeenth century, and whose ancestors resided in Waitham Holy Cross, Nazing and other antique towns and villages in England. During the last few years several of the descendants of the Waitham Abbey and Nazing pilgrims have visited the places familiar to their forefathers. The names of some of the Waitham and Nazing friends are well known in the historic Annals of America; such as Curtis, Ruggles, Graves, Heath, Payson, Peacock, Uffett, Gore, Morris, Burr, Bright,* and others, who left England between the years 1630 and 1640. John Eliot was the son of Bennett Eliot, and one of the first of the Nazing pilgrims who quitted the shores of Old England for the more peaceful lands on the other side of the great Atlantic. We have noticed specially the Eliots of Nazing, Waitham Abbey, Cheshunt, Hunsdon and Stortford, being evidently closely related to the Apostle to the Indians, John Eliot. It is, however, difficult to discover where the ancestors f Bennett Eliot resided. It could not have been Nazing, as the name does not occur in the registers of that church earlier than 1602-3, when the first John Eliot was baptized. See extracts from Registers ; also " Memorials of Pilgrim Fathers," 1882, by W. Winters. KING CHARLES THE SECOND, A.D. 1649 1685. George Hall, son of Joseph Hall, born in Waitham Abbey, August 24, 1613, bequeathed by his will, dated August 22nd, 1668, ,100 for the use of the poor of his native parish. Farmer has confused the two names, Joseph and George. Joseph Hall was curate of Waitham many years, and eventually became Bishop of * Vide. The uffolfe |.. 5, pub. Boston, N.E., 1858. OR HOLY CROSS. 37 Exeter and Norwich.* His son George Hall was Bishop of Chester. It is stated that the ^100 were spent in decorating the altar piece of the church by the then churchwardens. (Shame !) Another deed specifies property left to the church in trust from Edward Goulding, Nicholas Hodge, and Henry Williams to Edward Clayton and others, 26 Sept. 1681; and a counterpart of Mr. Acourt's lease, 2oth Dec. 1683. The rent of the above property in 1735 was, viz., a messuage in the occupation of Mary Spencer and Ann Bennett, ;io. Seven acres of land in possession, ^9. Three acress of land called Paternoster Hills (Broomstick Hall); and two acres of land called Hostlage, near Wolmerford-bridge; and other lands called "Church fields," also one acre of meadow, lying a Wolmerford, in the possession of Mary Williams, ^14. Total, ^33 per annum. f According to Farmer (p. 165) many of the gifts to the church were not appropriated by the Churchwardens, agreeably to the wills of the respective donors. If the church had had no more generous donors than what it has had of late years it would have been poor indeed. * The Almshouses at High Beech were built by Bishop Hall. On the chimney of these houses is the following inscription -"A gift of Bishop Hall. William Shotbolt, churchwarden, 1705." These houses are in a most dilapidated condition. The three Almshouses at Copthall Green origi- nally belonged to this parish, but subsequently became private property. They were destroyed a few years ago by fire. t Fields adjoining Broomstick Hall Common. The slip of land east of Waltham Abbey Lock, near the River Lea, was called "Church land." We have an original deed, dated 1467, which states (in Latin) that Richard Carter, of this parish, confirmed by deed to Edward Briggis and Walter Cok of the same place, one croft of Land called Pick-croft, containing 3 acres, situate near Paternoster Hill (a place where the makers of paternosters or rosaries resided), and abutting upon a place called Childwin-dmme and the King's highway leading to Pickhill. Also two acres of Land in one croft called Hostelage (probably an Inn mainly used by the Abbots on their way to Copt-hall), near Wulnerfordbriggs ( Wolmerfordbridge), abutting the King's highway leading to Coppidhall on the north, and a place called Porst- sefeld on the south. Also one acre of wood Land adjoining Wolmerfordbrigge, and abutting upon Mallend on the south, and the King's highway towards Pickhill on the north, and the premises (afterwards called Church fields), formerly held by John Cowper, Vicar of Eppin^, and Andrew Bright, of Waltham, and John Archer of Theydon Gernon, Majorem Warden and Mutorem to be EDMONSEY. J A new high bridge was erected in 1587 by order of Queen Elizabeth at a cost of upwards of 20 (Lansd. MSS. 53 fol. 94) a heavy sum in those days for the better navigation of her Majesty's royal barge as well as for barges in general. As far back as 1314 this street was called " Hayestrate 1r [High street] and "Hie-street " in 1485. 52 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY through Edmondsey and for the accommodation of a cartway and footpath. The other bridges in the town of Waltham, except the one near the Homeland and another on the Sewardstone-road, are repaired by the lord of the manor. The premises called " THE REFINERY " are used for the refining and storage of saltpetre and for the manufacturing of Gun-cotton. The yard and field adjoining the large red brick house opposite the Marsh, formerly occupied by James Barvvick, a local magistrate, were used in the last century for calico printing,* a flourishing trade in the town at that time, and the old storehouses belonging to the Government south of the Refinery were once dwelling houses, occupied by the Jessopp family and Mr Torbut, a miller. In the interior of these buildings vestiges of old domestic architecture still remain, and near them once stood " The Goat " public house, kept by W. Pratt, beadle of the parish. This house has long been demolished as also the old " Leather Bottle " beerhouse and the butcher's shop tenanted forty years ago by Mr. Smith. On the same side of the road stands THE ALMSHOUSES. This row or block of houses was erected in 1818, on the site of those given by Mr. Greene in 1626. Singular to say, the parish possesses no original deed of this gift, nor yet the donor's Christian name. This Mr. Greene was " Purveyor to King James I.," and that is all the parish authorities know of him. From early original documents we have discovered that the founder of the original almshouses in Highbridge-street was Francis Greene, whose will, bearing date December i5th, 1637, shows that he gave to Joan, his wife, a life interest in all his property in the parish, including the barn, orchard, and garden with the four Almshouses in Waltham. f * In 1782 Thomas Littler was hanged at Chelmsford for the paltry theft of a piece of lawn from these calico grounds. Mr. Barwick carried on the calico printing trade in connection with Mrs. Farran with great spirit in 1770. Mr. Hammond afterwards held these premises. t A barn, orchard, and garden attached to the Almshouses were let in 1626 at _^4pfcr annum. This land was again let some years ago at 20 per annum, and which is worth more in the present day. Out of this amount the four (senior) widows under the original grant were to have 5 per annum, paid quarterly, in addition to 2s 6d weekly from the parish ; and the four (junior) widows admitted on the new arrangement of 1818 are to be provided for out of Woollard's gift, which amounted many years ago to 2s 2jd weekly, and 2s 6d weekly from the parish. The widows are also allowed a parlion of Wollnston's bread gift. Thc'e houses require reparation. OR HOLY CROSS. 53 The Court Leet fine was then paid. The documents alluded to, which are a portion of the book of fines of the Lord's Court Baron of this manor, are much worn with age, and are in the author's possession.* The parts referring to the Almsliouses are here published in full for the first time: 13 Car. Mr. ffi. Greene's will, by which he gave to Joane, his wyfe, for her lyfe his Copyholld land in Waltham, viz.: Hyme Holmes pc. Exc. the barne, orch. & gards, and iiij almeshowses in Waltham. And he did give his dwell, ho. [use] & all his mess., lands, tents, and hered, as well free as Copy in Walth. (intr alia} lyinge in Upsheire & Sewardst. in Walth., wch he prchased of Tho. Ellyott & of Edw. Younge, late of Chingford, and all his lands in Nasing, wch he lately prchased of Mr. Jo. Fflud., Exc. that \\-ch was given to his wyfe for her lyfe wch rem. over as in the Will lately bowght of Jo. Standish. And he gave the Orch., gardens, barne & Almeshcuses to them & their heires upon trust and confide & to such uses as in the will is mentioned.t This document is dated December yth, 1638. Mr. Greene in 1630, in the "time of scearcitie and dearth of corne," gave to the poor of Waltham \. i. iiii. for bread. Francis Greene may have twice married, as the register gives the burial of his first wife " Buried, Mrstris Elizabeth Greene, wyfe to Mr. Ffrancis Greene, in the church the 24 day Sept., 1607." His second wife was probably Joane, who survived him. Francis Greene was buried iQth November, 1638 (which date agrees with his will, and Edward Greene, his son, was buried August i2th, 1639. The original ALMSHOUSES, erected for jour persons, were destroyed and rebuilt in 1818, during the curacy of Thomas Pickthall, with room enough for double the number of inmates. + This undertaking was effected by the funds realised from the interest of Robert Mason's gift. These Almshouses were repaired out of the church rates, which rate has long been abolished. * 1 5th December, 1637, intr. Mris. Joane Greene adm. for her lyfe to some Cop. Land in Waltham ; ffines xxxiiii adm. tent, intr. fee far cop. vs. + Mr. Edw. Green, Ch. Goldinge (son of Chr.), Jo. Searle, Andr. Searle, Adm. tents of the Almeshowse. intr. & ffines iiii Cop. vs. % The widows (mostly from. the Township) are chosen and appointed by the Churchwardens. 54 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY. On the front of the Almshouses within a recess appear a dozen lines of poetry, probably written by the good donor himself : " Birth is a pain : life, labour, care, toil, thrall : In old age strength fails ; lastly, death ends all. Whilst strong life lasts, let virtuous deeds be shown ; Fruits of such trees are hardly thereby seen or known. To have reward with lasting joys for ay, When vicious actions fall to ends decay. Of wealth o'erplus, land, money, stock, or store, In life that will relieve aged, needy poor. Good deeds defer not till the funeral rites be past ; In lifetime what's done is made more firm, sure and fast ; So ever after it shall Le known and seen That leaf and fruit shall ever spring fresh and GREENE. 1626." THE COUNTY COURT. County Court, a substantial building erected in 1849, and in which monthly sittings of the court are held. John Thomas Abdy, LL.D. judge ; W. J. Bruty, registrar ; H. J. Jenour, high bailiff. This court stands on the site of the old silk printing factory carried on by the Littler family.* In a line with this court are the Government " BANK HOUSES," occupied by persons engaged in the Royal Powder Mills ; and in front of which Mr. Hales, fifty years ago, carried on his work as " Fellmonger and Wooldealer." These premises are now occu- pied by Mr. J. Carr, miller. A SILK FACTORY, sixty years ago, stood in the centre of Highbridge Street, on the site of Mr. Marshall's house, near " Cox's PASSAGE." SUN STREET was originally called " East Street" and is the main way to Nazing, Epping, Loughton, Woodford, Chingford and London. At the top of the street near the Market Place is " The old corner shop," in front of which are two wood carvings of grotesque characters representatives of Bacchus, the god of wine. In this street once lived and were known to the writer : Messrs. Pain, Want, Sadd and Death. The " Sun Inn" in the centre of this street, flourished in 1633. Lower down is the POLICE STATION, erected. in 1874. A lofty flour mill, erected in 1883-4, stands opposite " B land's Yard" or " Chetwood's Yard" The earliest known document relating to Sun Street is in the author's possession, and dates 25 Hen. VI., 1447. In this MS. * In the house next to the County Court a great number of soldiers (Royal Artillery) from Woolwich, were billited during the Chartist riots in 1848. OR HOLY CROSS. 55 the street is called Eststret. Another of the same date relates to the same parties, t'.e., the Abbot of Waltham, William Orgor and Alice his wife ; John Love, butcher ; Thomas Lok, plumber, and others. In a document dated 1516 is mentioned Trykkeryslane or Cryketteslane Estrete. Later on this lane is called Crekette-\a.nQ and in 1578 Creeks-lane. It may refer to " CROOKMILE," leading to Holyfield and Nazing. At the east end of Sun-street is an old house recently restored adjoii.ing Mr. H. Lee, the brewer's house, which tradition says was once occupied by John Foxe, the martyrologist. In 1871 a Gothic chimney-piece was discovered consisting of Reigate stone, carved with various floral devices and coloured with vermilion, green and gold. Near the spring of the arch on the left shield were characters I.V., and on the surface of the arch above the initial letters F. and F.S. SEWARDSTONE STREET.* This street runs south from the Market-place and ends at " Frank Harvey's field." It is certain that the Government have now (1887) purchased Quinton Hill Farm (to which they anticipate removing the Gun-cotton works from High Bridge Street). Sewardstone Street will be extended to the brook near the present farm ; and a road will be made from Enfield Lock to meet the said street. At the lower end of Sewardstone-street was an ancient Ford, now arched over near the public pump. This street formerly reached to the farm at "DYER'S HILL," on the way to Sewardstone. In the middle ages persons held property in this part of the town named Fross and Foot. In 1326 this street was called Eldwortlistrate, in which was a place called Frosshenlane (Frosslane) also Fotyslane (Foots Lane). Probably " Quaker Lane." Before the street received its present title it was known as Eld ford Street (or Old Ford Street), then Sheepcot Street (1333), and in 1633 South Street, and lastly Sewardstone Street. The houses in Woollard Street were built on Woollards Garden. The right hand through path leading to the TOWN MEAD near the pump by Frank Harvey's Field is of recent date. QUAKER LANE in Sewardstone Street derived its present title from a Quaker's meeting, house on the left, which was pulled down in 1844, and on the site of which stands the * Samuel Howell was master of an Academy held in the large red brick house in Sewardstone Street early in the present century. In i816 he published " Village Rambles and other poems." 56 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Boys' School Room.* George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, came to Waltham Abbey in 1654 and here he held services. He says " I went to Waltham Abbey and had a meeting there ; the people were very rude, gathered about the house and broke the windows.'' It appears that he went out with his Bible in his hand and appeased the people. The BOARD SCHOOLS are in this lane as also the Wesleyan Chapel. Woollard Street and Green- field Street are situated at the end of Sewardstone-street. SILVER STREET, in early documents, is called School Street (or Skolestrate, 1342) and Carbuncle Dunghill, and which leads from the Market Place to FOUNTAIN PLACE, formerly called the " Bumbey," a place of refuse. The " Black ditch," then open, ran on to Town Mead. In 1427 there were several fords in the town which were afterwards bridged over ; there was a street called Clowsebrige Street (or Clowesbruggestrete), a bridge by a close of land. In 1633 Catebriggdownhill was in South Street. Silver Street was at one time called Kilhog's Lane from the property there held by Nathaniel Kilhog. The Bassano family, celebrated for their musical talents, had property in School Street. In 1708 a place called Goddards was situated in the same street. ROMELAND (situate north-west of the Church) is synonymous with " Romescot " or " Peter's Pence," which shows the name to be of early date. This open space has been used for centuries as a cattle and corn market and for the holding of fairs one on May 1 4th and the other on September 24th and 25th. The latter is called the "Statty" (i.e., Statute Fair), which used to last seven days, and was principally for the hiring of servants. In August, 1877, an artesian well was finished by Mr. Green, of Plaistow.f The following is a table of the different strata passed through in sinking this well : -Surface deposit, 5ft. ; river sand, mud, small stones, and fresh water shells, pft. ; rounded flint stones ("Lee Ballast"), 7ft.; London, or blue clay, 32ft; clay sand, full of water, 8ft. ; London clay, i6ft. ; grey iron stone, 3ft. ; chalk, rubble, sand, and flints, xoft. ; various coloured * The premises on the right hand side of the top of Quaker Lane, now occupied by the Church Sunday School, were occupied as Silk Mills many years ago t The East London Water Works Company have sunk a well near Canward. On February i6th, 1886, the ratepayers met and strongly pro- tested against it. The Company, however, carried out their plans, to the great annoyance and injury of the townsfolk. OR HOLY CROSS. 57 sands, 6ft; Thanet sand, grey and green, 41 ft. ; hard chalk, 28ft. gin. ; layer of flints, from which the water supply is derived total depth, i65ft. gin. A granite cross was erected over this well. In the summer of 1533 a private conference was held at the house of Mr. Cressy, in the Romeland near the Abbey, to debate the subject of the divorce of King Henry VI II. from Queen Katherine of Arragon. Cranmer, says Fuller, retired hither (in the time of a plague at Cambridge) to teach his pupils [the young Cressy's]. Thus did Waltham give Rome the first deadly blow in England." Cranmer, who was related to the Cressy family,* had the care of two of Mr. Cressy's sons at Cambridge. Singular to say that a place called Romeland was connected with the Abbot of Waltham's London house. This house was a massive stone building situated in the parish of St. Mary-at-Hill, London, between that church and the said Romeland (an open space at the wharf of Billingsgate). Several ancient charters of the Abbey show that its possession of the property was as early as Henry II. One of the docu- ments mention " the stone house which Walter first Abbot of Waltham built there, f The early churchwardens' accounts of St. Mary-at-Hill speak of "the Abbots Inn" as existing in the year 1500, 1502 and 1503. In 1501 the south aisle of the church of St. Mary-at-Hill is recorded to have been erected on the site of the Abbot's kitchen. In 25 Hen. VIII. the "Abbot's Inn" was demised by the Abbey to Roger Chaloner. THE CORNMILL. This cornmill was given to the Abbots of Waltham, as before stated, by Maud, the wife of King Henry I., A.D. 1108, in exchange for the site of Holy Trinity, Aldgate. This mill was then valued at thirty shillings. The purport of the ancient deed runs thus : " I Henry King of England, to Richard bishop of London, and Hugh de Roch, &c., and to all his lieges throughout all England, greeting. Know ye that I have granted to Queen Maud my wife that she place canons regular in the church of the Holy Trinity in London. Know ye also that this same church is free and discharged from subjection to the church of Waltham and for which surrender Waltham receives the mill. Maud also restored Northland *See Add. MSS. 5524, fol. 184, also Harl. MSS., 1504, fol. 53b. t Walter de Gaunt was Abbot of Waltham from 1177 to I2OI. t De Invcntione S. C. Waltham, Cott. MSS. Tib c. ix. 58 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY (Abbey Fields) which Bp. Walcher had occupied; and estab- lished two fairs in Waltham.* In 1790 Mr. Halfhide rented the cornmill and which is now used by Mr. J. Carr. The premises adjoining the cornmill were for many years known as " the Pin Factory," and early in the present century Mr. Francis, of Gracechurch-street, and father of the late Vicar, Rev. James Francis, was the proprietor. In the year 1792 the Waltham Abbey Pin Makers flourished, and they celebrated the birthday of George III. in a manner peculiar to that day. A writer in the Times gives a description of the occasion, viz.: "Waltham Abbey. On Monday last, a gentleman who employs some hundred hands in the pin manufactory at this town, to show his loyalty, illuminated his house and ordered a holiday to be given to all his hands, with a handsome sum to drink his Majesty's health and confusion to all levellers ; and a cart load of fuel to burn Tom Paine's effigy. In consequence of which the whole town followed the example, and assembled in the Market Place at six o'clock in the evening with a figure dressed in a suit of mourning, a French natural cockade in his hat, and in his hand 'Rights of Man.' They paraded every street in the town, preceded by two men on horseback with drawn swords in their hand, and a third on horseback rode near to the culprit, who at stated places read his ' last dying speech and confession.' When he arrived at the place of execution he was raised upon a gibbet twenty feet high, and, to the general satisfaction of the inhabi- tants, burnt to ashes. The magistrate, clergyman, and all the principal inhabitants attended the execution, and during the process, joined by a band of music, ' God save the King ' was sung." Small shoe nails were then made with the letters " T.P." upon them, to signify that those who wore them intended to stamp Tom Paine under their feet. Of pin making at the above period Charles Dibdin wrote in his humorous style thus : "The ladies, Heaven bless them all ! As sure as I've a nose on, In former times had only thorns And skewers to stick their clothes on. , No damsel then was worth a pin, Whate'er it might have cost her, Till gentle Johnny Tilsby Invented pins in Gloucester." * Adelicia, second wife of Hen. I., restored or dedicated the tithes to the canons of Waltham, and addressed a quaint letter to the parishioners. StttUt. OR HOLY CROSS. 59 THE ABBEY GATES are situated north of the church, and consist of two ancient pointed arches, a larger and a smaller one. On each spring of the larger is a shield, surmounted by an angel bearing the arms of Henry III., or Edward III., which are now nearly obliterated. Many years ago the room over this gateway was in use. This was one of the entrances to the Abbot's house, the south wall of which is still standing. The bricks are remarkably large, some of them measuring fifteen inches by three and a half. The stone-pointed doorway (now bricked up) led to the south tower, which is hollow and has loopholes. There were originally two octagonal stone towers, but the foundation of one has long since been demolished. The bridge leading to the gate is of brick, with three arches. The original bridge was of stone, with one broad span, similar in form, according to the bondstone, to the old " Stoney Bridge." SUBTERRANEOUS PASSAGE. Not far distant from these gates there is a subterraneous passage which tradition states leads to Cheshunt Nunnery. A short time ago workmen were engaged on sewage operations in the Abbey Gardens, a few yards north of Mr. G. King's house. About three feet below the surface of the ground the workmen came upon a very hard stony substance, which appeared to be the massive foundation, probably of a chapel or northern wing of the ancient monastery. Near this foundation was discovered a very small coin, which on examination turned out to be Roman, temp. Constantine. On the reverse is a wolf suckling two twins, Romulus and Remus. The impression of this coin is very similar to the silver coin of Ethilberght II. (A.D. 725 760). It presents the king's head to the left /the inscription is almost obliterated. Attached to this foundation is the wall of the mysterious passage, which it was found necessary to break into once more, the hole being made in the arch sufficiently large to admit of entrance. Messrs. W. J. Bates, Stacy Bates, F. King, and the author, carrying candles, etc., thoroughly investigated these underground passages for the purpose of testing an old tradition that the principal passage led to a subterranean building at some remote distance from the Abbey, which contained images, objects of sculpture, etc., forming also a connection between the Abbey of Waltham and the Nunnery of Cheshunt. The monks of the former house, according to this tradition, are accused of having sought the company of the gentle occupants of the latter house by means 60 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY of this subterranean passage. It is evident, however, that the monks sought no such hidden road by which to pay their visits to the Nunnery ; but no doubt, according to the rumour current in Dr. Fuller's time, there must have been some ground for this scandal, The subjoined story has found a place in the ''Church History." "One Sir Henry Colt, of Nether Hall in Essex, much in favour of King Henry VIII. for ' his merry conceits,' came to Waltham late at night, being informed by spies that the monks were on a visit at Cheshunt Nunnery. In order to intercept them on their return, he pitched a buck stall (which was used to take deer in the forest) in the narrowest place in the marsh, where he knew the monks must pass, and placed some of his confederates to watch it. The monks, as was expected, ran all into the net, where they were secured till the next morning. When Sir Henry Colt brought the King to show him his game, the merry monarch is said to have burst into a loud fit of laughter and to have declared that 'although he had often seen sweeter, he had never seen fatter venison.' " Later historians are not certain that there was a Sir Henry Colt existing at this period. The Colt family were residents of Waltham at an early period, and many of the members lie interred within the precincts of the Abbey. Of course, as was expected, the search for such a building and medium of intercommunication was altogether fruitless. On entering the opening we found a clear running stream from four to six inches deep. The tunnel has perpen dicular sides, measuring in places from two to six feet in width the angles being sharp and narrow. The height is from three to seven feet, consisting chiefly of brick and stone. Turning in a north-eastward direction we passed under the " cress shed," where, at the back, there is a small outlet ; then on to the " bowling green," where is another outlet, sealed. This "green" formerly belonged to the Earl of Carlisle, who had it ornamented with a " leaden fountain," near to which the remains of Harold's Tomb were discovered some time in the early part of the seventeenth century. Turning out of the main course to the right, the passage, which is higher than the other, was dry, and on reaching the extremity found that it was blocked up ; a stone there recorded the names of three previous travellers. ("W. Cohen, G. Cleverly, T. Dunn, April 14, 1865.") A short distance onward to the left is another dry passage, leading apparently westward to the Abbey gates. On quitting this part we found OR HOLY CROSS. 6l the water divided into two courses, running almost in a parallel direction ; this the author explored alone. About the centre of this branch the arch heightened considerably, forming separate compartments, chiefly of brick. Here many portions of the arch, built apparently at different times, are of stone, well squared, and interspersed with large flat red bricks almost square. Passing on a little distance westward we crossed a hollow place. It is very probable that a similar passage, yet undiscovered, runs beneath towards the cornmill stream. Before we arrived at the sluice-gate near Mr. Thomas Chapman's stackyard, we found both the arch and the floor of the passage to be of solid stone for a long distance. The stream appeared to come from the " Mile Ditch " mainly ; but here was another passage bearing more southward, the arch of which was lower than the rest. The water close to the back of the church became gradually deeper, till it emptied itself into the cornmill stream. The stone used in these arches appears to be principally fragments from the Abbey. Contiguous to this passage stood the stately mansion occupied by Sir James Hay and Lord Edward Denny, as well as other domestic and conventual buildings associated with the ancient Abbey Church. The above nobleman had a very large canal in the garden, stored "with great plenty of all kinds of fish," and probably these passages were originally made for the purpose of carrying off all the surplus water. There is no presumptive evidence whatever left to substantiate the tradition respecting the underground route from Waltham to Cheshunt, the channel being so extremely low that a person can only just manage to crawl on " all fours " through it ; and, moreover, as such a passage would have to pass under the bed of several streams, it would be impossible to prevent such an irregularly built arch from speedily filling with water. This channel was previously tested by Mr. James Death, of Cheshunt. The late Mr. E. Littler also explored these passages. These letters appear on the wall of the main passage "J- LV' and "J. Upton, 1859." No relics of any great antiquity have ever yet been discovered in these passages. Many years ago a small but curiously-made lamp was found and also an old metal tankard. Some few years ago, while the workmen were making drains for the sewage across the Market Place they came across the basement of two massive stone and flint walls, running parallel towards the south-east end of the Churchyard. It might be at 62 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY once seen by the materials that it was contemporary with the old monastery ; and according to the cruciform style of the original structure, these walls came in direct conjunction with the eastern transept, and formed a subterranean passage from the Abbey into the centre of the town southward to Sewardstone-street, or what was ancienly called Shepescotestrete. Each of these newly-dis- covered walls (one foot below the surface) measured in depth four feet from the top to the first narrow set off, and twenty-two inches to the second or broader set off, from which to the extreme base they measured exactly six feet. The first of these projections was about six inches thick ; the second about sixteen inches. The walls are about four feet wide at the top, but increase in substance and strength towards the bottom. As the earth was opened they appeared to lie in an angular position. The distance from each angle was precisely eleven feet six inches. The inner surface was quite flat and faced three feet from the bottom with plain red tiles, having a lump on the reverse side of each to help secure it when placed in the mortar against the wall. These tiles were not exactly of the ordinary kind, and measured eight inches by ten, though not one whole one could be seen among them. The earth between these walls to the depth of about ten feet consisted of ashes, tiles, bones, etc.; and although the workmen dug to the depth of thirteen feet six, yet no kind of flooring or pavement could be discovered. At the bottom of this made-up earth, ten feet below the surface, a small vase was dug up and thrown out. This vase when found was perfectly empty, It is of common earthenware of a light brown colour, and was originally glazed outside, the upper part of it being of a greenish hue. Its shape is somewhat globular, with two slight projections at the base of the neck, and a small hole through each by which it was doubtless supported. It measures twelve inches round the centre and two inches in diameter at base. The neck is two inches long, by one and a quarter broad across the mouth ; the height is five inches. Bottles of this kind were used by the ancient shepherds, and especially by the pilgrims who trudged their way " To Wynsore, to Waltam, To Ely, to Caultam, Bare footed and bare legged apace," STONEY, OR HAROLD'S BRIDGE. This bridge is situated a short distance from the Abbey Gateway, in the Abbey Fields OR HOLY CROSS. 63 (Northlands), and spans the Cornmill Stream, which is of con- temporary date with the Church. Its arch is eighteen feet wide and contains now only three ribs. These ribs are broad and chamfered, the joggles being bound together with lead. The parapet and face of the bridge are quite gone, and in a few years the whole of this relic of the past will probably disappear. In the summer season the brown grass shows the ancient roadways from this bridge leading to the Abbey Farm, where once stood the ancient Tithe Barn. There are still remaining a few fragments of stonework in the outhouses north of the Abbey House. THE WHIPPING POST, 1598. This instrument of torture, which stands opposite the Church (west) is not now exhibited in terrorem but in memoriam of the old-fashioned mode of punishment in this town. This post or stocks stand five feet nine inches high, made of oak neatly carved with iron clasps for hands and feet, the seat for the culprit was beside an oak pillar of the old Market House, which was destroyed in 1852. The old pillory, newly erected by the side of the ancient whipping post, is not to be used as originally intended, for the punishment of petty offenders, who were not only subject to have their heads, arms, and legs fixed, while their goods and chattels were burnt before their eyes, but to have their ears cut off and noses slit. Lady offenders, i.e., "scolds," were more tenderly dealt with. They were placed on the high step or stand of the pillory, bound hand and foot, and with a brank (or gag,. parughe) over their jaws. Only part of the pillory now exists, and which for many years w.as preserved in the upper room of the Old Market House. The pillory consists of an upright oak post fourteen feet high, with its fixed lower crossbar measuring five feet six inches, and hollowed out for the heads and hands of two individuals. The platform or stand for the unfortunate offenders is now gone. The Old White Horse Inn, Sun-street, and the row of five houses opposite the Harp Inn in the Market Square were destroyed two in May, 1864, and the other three in 1865. These houses were purchased by the parish with the interest of money received from the sale of the property in Edmonsey to the Government. In the OLD MARKET HOUSE were preserved for many years the fire-hooks attached to long poles which were used to pull 64 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY thatch off the roofs of houses when on fire, also portions of the old tulip tree. THE BAKER'S ENTRY. In 1846 the Baker's Entry was destroyed. This ancient building stood near the Milltail Stream, S.W. of the Church, on the way to PARADISE Row and the GREEN-YARD.* The upper storey of this house projected over a broad public footpath, which was arcaded on the side next to the road and a few feet from the river, with wide open pointed arches of oak arranged in three pairs, standing on a breast-high wall ; the pairs were divided by larger piers with corbels supporting three high projecting gables ; the southernmost gable with its pair of arches, returned at a slight angle from the face line towards the building. Within the house there was a great deal of wood- carving, and when the place was pulled down there was dis- covered under the plaster a small oak-frame window of good work ; and the oaken lintel of a pointed arch doorway with Jin fpomino + CCcmfttu? carved in relief within the spandrels, the letters diminishing in length towards the centre, f The Bakery was built in character with the rest of the house, having carved wood-work around, and on the wall were the following lines painted : " Remember man that thou art made of dust ; And in this life thou hast not long to trust ; Then lead thy life while Health to thee is given, That being dead, thy Soul may go to Heaven." The ancient oven was used until the place was destroyed. Originally the upper rooms rose to the roof; they were afterwards ceiled throughout. When the ceiling was broken through there was found on the walls a portion of a painting representing a naval engagement, also an ancient wheel for drawing up flour from below, which determines the place to have been a Bakery, no doubt belonging to the Abbey. A small tile was also found on which was a seal of Flemish order, of the i4th century. This Bakery was near Bethel Chapel, in Church Street. * The old Workhouse and Garden were situated up the "Backway." This house was first used for the poor of the parish in 1734. It has since been destroyed. t This old lintel appears, at the present day, above the doorway attached to Paradise Chapel Manse. OR HOLY CROSS. 65 PARADISE Row is south of the Bakers' Entry. The principal thing of note there is the Baptist Chapel, erected in 1836, on the site of the original chapel, built in 1729, for John Arthur, its first pastor. South-east of the chapel is FOUNTAIN SQUARE (or PLACE). In December, 1870, a pump was inserted in the centre of this square, where the old fountain so long flowed, and near to which is another chapel called " Ebenezer," and of which the author is the pastor. The chapel was built in 1868 and enlarged in 1879. Contiguous to this Chapel is MEAD LANE, anciently called " BLACK BOY ALLEY," from the sign of the " Black Boy " beerhouse in the lane. This lane leads to the sewage works in Town Mead. In Paradise Row was once a passage* leading to the GREEN YARD, through which was a right of way to Enfield Lock, but which has long since been cut off. At the entrance of this yard was THE OLD CAGE, well-known , in the days of the Charlies and Bow Street Runners. This ancient order of watchmen was insti- tuted about the middle of the thirteenth century, and carried on its functions, growing yearly more feeble and inefficient, until, in 1829. The "Charlies," as they were termed, found themselves superseded by the police, organised by Sir Robert Peel. The only qualifications necessary for the post of those midnight guardians would appear to have been extreme old age and general incapacity. They suffered many things at the hands of the young " bucks " of the town. A watchman found dozing in his box in the intervals of going his round to utter his monotonous cry, was apt to be overturned, box and. all, and left to kick and struggle helplessly until assistance arrived. Or he would be kindly offeied a dram to keep him awake, and this dram being drugged, quickly sank him into deeper sleep than before, in which state " Charley " and his box, being transferred to a truck, were forthwith trundled into another quarter of the town, and he left to awake at leisure. GREEN YARD. In the house of Mr. Thompson, there is a splendid specimen of ancient carved work in that style called " Francis First," executed in the early part of the sixteenth century. There are upwards of one hundred panels * The body of a person having been brought for interment through this passage in flood time, determined it to be a free right of way from the Green Yard to Paradise Row. 66 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY no two of which are alike. They consist of grotesque animals supporting coats of arms, and in the centre heads of busts ine very variety of costume, which are well worthy of notice. In the reign of Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth this style of carved wainscoting was much in vogue in the mansions of the wealthy of our land. Sir Anthony Denny's Mansion, at the Abbey, from which this curious piece of antiquity came, was one of them. Similar ornamental work may be found in a house on the left hand side of the " Ordnance Arms " yard, in High Bridge Street. This house, many years ago, was used for the sale of beer. From certain documents we find an old outhouse called " THE CAGE," to be situated in the " Green Dragon " Gateway, Church Street, Waltham Abbey, approxi- mating the rear of the "Three Tuns Inn," and adjoining the premises of Mr. J. Upton, bootmaker, Market Place. This cage belongs to the Lord of the Manor, and was no doubt used by him in days long past as a petty lock up for tres- passers on his domains. THE ABBEY CHURCH. ANY persons who visit the Abbey Church, are moved with feelings of disappointment, when they first glance at the exterior of the building ; but they entertain a better opinion of its antiquity and architectural grandeur, the closer their examinations are. That the existing Church of Waltham contains fragments of Harold's foundation is a fact beyond doubt. The nave is unquestionably his. The north side of the nave and the " herring-bone " work angularly laid in the outer wall of the south east transept indicate great antiquity. According to Freeman the Church was not originally intended for parochial use ; there bein^ no mention made in the charter respecting any congregation ever being present as in the general services of to- day. Congregational worship was then altogether secondary and subordinate, almost accidental. At the dissolution part of the OR HOLY CROSS. 6/ Church which belonged to the Abbey was pulled down, but the parochial part remained untouched, and the central tower was allowed to remain till 1552. THE ABBEY CHURCH BELLS. There were bells in the original tower long before the Reformation. This tower stood in the centre of what was then a cross-shaped building ; and just above the " Rose " window. At the east end of the exterior of the Church are the remains of the spring of one of the main arches upon which rested the ancient tower. This tower was struck by lightning in the year 1444 and much damaged.* The old tower fell in 1552. Strype says "February gth, 1552, between the hours of seven and eight of the clock in the evening the great steeple of Waltham Abbey, in Essex, fell down to the ground and all the great bells ; and the choir and much of that stately church demolished with it."t The bells from the fallen steeple were placed in the churchyard between two yew trees during the time the present steeple was in course of erection, which was finished in 1556, or as some writers affirm, in 1558, and which stands 86 feet high from the ground to the parapet. The whole cost of the erection of this tower in 1558 was ^169 iys. 8d., and in 1798 the tower was restored at a cost of nearly ^2,000, one- half of which was raised by a general rate of is. in the . An original tablet, about a foot square and bearing date 1558, appears over the western doorway, but the inscription is now obliterated. The tower contains a peal of eight bells, which were cast at Hertford, by John Brian, in 1806, and whose name, with the date of casting, appears in relief on each bell. In 1656 a treble bell was purchased by the voluntary contributions of the " maids and bachelors " of the parish of Waltham, and which amounted to ,13 i2s. 8d. On the 27th February of the same year (1656) a rate was made in order to purchase a "great bell," and by June i4th, 1656, the churchwardens had collected for that purpose ^36 43. In 1735 there were six bells in the tower, and which chimed every four hours at four, eight, and twelve. These chimes were given by the Earl of Carlisle, and cost * Ingulph's Chronicles, p. 402. f E. A. Freeman thinks that the Norman Church was originally designed to have three towers, but that the two western ones were never finished. This he considers to be apparent from the appearance of the present building. 68 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY ios. 6d. In 1735 the great bell rang, from Michaelmas to Lady-day, at four o'clock in the morning to call the apprentices up to their work, and again in the evening at eight: for them to leave work. There are several boards in the belfry containing bell news. The first peal on the present set was rung on Sunday, July 2oth, 1806. The boards are arranged thus : No. I. BOARD. Waltham Abbey, Sunday, July 2oth, 1806, the Society of Cumberland Youths rang in this steeple a complete peal of Treble Bob, 8 in, consisting of 5,056 changes, in 3 hours and 16 minutes, containing 15 courses, with the 6th 12 times wrong and 12 times right, being the first peal on those bells performed by the following persons : Geo. Cross, i st ; Joh. Hints, 2nd ; James Nash, 3rd ; Malachi Channon, 4th ; Tho. Freeth, 5th ; Jas. Stichbury, 6th ; Will. Shipway, yth ; James Marlton, 8th. Composed and called by Mr. G. Cross. John Pain, John Smith, and Rich. Banks, churchwardens. No. II. BOARD. Waltham Abbey Youths, Monday, June i5th, 1819, rang in this steeple Mr. Shipway's 5th part peal of Bob Major, etc. No. III. BOARD. Waltham Abbey Youths, Monday, September ^jth, 1819, rang in this steeple a true and complete peal of Grandsire Triples, etc. No. IV. BOARD. -Tuesday, 23rd day of October, 1860, members of the Cumberland Society rang a true pe:il of Triples on Steadman's principle, etc. No. V. BOARD. On Saturday, October 29th, 1864, eight members of the Ancient Society of College Youths rang in this steeple a complete peal of Kent Treble Bob Major, etc. No. VI. BOARD. January 7th, 1865, eight men of the above society rang upon these bells Mr. John Holt's one-part peal of Grandsire Triples, etc. No. VII. BOARD. Ancient Society of College Youths. On Tuesday, October igth, 1875, was rung in this steeple, Mr Holt's ten part peal of Grandsire Triples, etc. No. VIII. BOARD. Waltham Abbey Society of Change Ringers. November loth, 1877, eight of the above Society rang Mr. Thomas Day's 6th part peal of Grandsire Triples, etc. OR HOLY CROSS. 6(> No. IX. BOARD. August lyth, 1878, eight of the above Society rang Mr. E. Taylor's 6th part peal of Grandsire Triples, e.c. No. X. BOARD. -Walthain Abbey Society of Change Ringers. On Monday, February 3rd, 1879, eight of the above Society rang Brooks's variation of Mr Thurstan's peal of Stedman's Triples in three hours. BENEFACTIONS TO THE PARISH OF WALTHAM HOLY CROSS, A.D. 1830. (From the boards in the porch of the Abbey Church corrected by original documents.) The ecclesiastical benefice of this Church is a perpetual curacy, being a donative in the gift of Trustees under the will of the Earl of Norwich, who gave a Messuage (for the Habitation} ten loads of firewood (for fuelling) and a rent charge of ^100 a year payable out of the Manor or Farm of Claveringbury "for the Perpetual Supportation and Maintenance of such Minister and Preacher as should officiate the cure, celebrate Divine Service, administer the Sacraments, and preach the Word of God sincerely within the Parish Church of Waltham Holy Cross."* PAROCHIAL FEES. The duties or fees payable in respect of the soil and building of this Church and the soil of the Church- yard are payable to the Churchwardens in trust for the parish. CHURCH ESTATES. The estates particularized below are vested in trustees " for repairing and maintaining the Church " and (conformably to ancient usuage) the rents and profits are received by the Churchwardens and applied accordingly, and an account thereof is laid annually before the parishioners in vestry assembled. A.I). 1579. Margary Gidney of London widow, gave 203 a year (payable at Christmas) to poor inhabitants of the parish or of the Hamlet of Sewardstone, and also gave 205 a year (payable at Whitsuntide) for repairing the highways principally decayed in Sewardstone. Charged on premises at Sewardstone, in the occupation of Mr. Jn. Josh. Buttress, the property of R. C. Bazett, Esq. * In 1868 the church rate was abolished, and the offertory after each church service was commenced on the nth October, 1868. The first day's collection realised 7 135 2^d. 70 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY. A.D. 1585. Robert Rampston of Chingford Essex gentleman gave 4os a year payable in November to the poor of this parish. Charged on lands at Uunnmow, the property of Lord Vist- Maynard. A.D. 1587. Robert Browne formerly of this parish, one of the Servants of Queen Elizabeth, gave 305 a year (payable at Lady Day) to the poor people of the town of Waltham to be laid out in bread. Charged on a messuage, etc., now the Cock Inn, in this town, the property of Messrs. Christie and Cathrow. A.D. 1597. -Robert Catrow formerly of this parish gave to the poor 2os. a year for ever to be laid out in bread. Charged on three houses in High Bridge Street, the property of the trustees of Mrs. Soane and Mr. H. Mason. A.D. 1597. Robert Dane gave los a year (payable at Lady Day) to the poor of this parish to be laid out in bread. Charged on a house in Sewardstone Street, belonging to the trustees of the AVesleyan Chapel. A.D. 1616. Henry Wollaston of St Martin Orgars London draper, gave 525. a year (payable at Lady Day) to the poor of this parish, i2d. to be laid out every Sunday in bread. Charged on lands called Fishers, alias Salmons, situate at Holyfield, in the occupation of Mr. Green, the property of the trustees of Fuller's Charity (in London). A.D. 1626. Green purveyor to King James the First gave four alms houses in West Street for the residence of four widows. Also the rents and profits of the barn and orchard at the back of the alms houses towards their maintenance. This barn and orchard are let to Mr, Wm. Clark at 20 pr annum, payable quarterly. A.D. 1691. George Waylett Junr of London fishmonger gave 405. a year for ever (payable at Lady Day) to the poor of this parish to be disposed of half-yearly by the Minister and Churchwardens among the most necessitous and poorest persons as their discretion shall direct. Charged on lands at Yardley, in Hertfordshire, in the occupation of Josh Young, the property of Robert Pryor, Esq., of Baldock. A.D. 1807. Robert Mason formerly of this parish gave ^800 Stock in the then 5 Pr Cent Navy Annuities by means whereof OR HOLY CROSS. 71 the above four alms houses were re-built and four additional rooms for four more widows added thereto. These four widows receive a weekly payment, also from the next bequest of Mr. M. Woollard. A.D. 1708. Robert Grubb formerly of Holyfield, gave 403 a year for ever (payable at Lady Day) to the poor of this parish, to be laid out in bread to be given in the Church. Charged on lands in Holyfield in the occupation of Mr Dyson, the property of Newell Connop, Esq. A.D. 1708. John Edmonson Esqre * formerly of this parish gave to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor the rents etc. of a granary and garden opposite the Cock Inn in this town for the purpose of teaching four poor children to read. This property is now in the occupation of Samuel Kennedy, Widow Oakley, and the Execrs. of Mr. George Fawbert, at rents amounting to ^18 per ann,um. A.D. 1814. John Half hide Esq r late of this parish gave 200 Stock in the then Navy 5 Pr Cent Annuities, the dividends to be applied as follows, viz., one moiety for the benefit of the Sunday School at Waltham Abbey and one moiety to be dis- tributed among the poor widows receiving pensions from this parish on the igth day of January in every year. This Stock stands in the name of the Churchwardens and Vestry Clerk. A.D. 1825. -Miss Jane Dobson late of Mary Street St Pancras Midd x gave 500 Stock in the South Sea Annuities for the benefit of the poor of this parish who actually reside at Waltham Abbey the dividends whereof are directed to be paid and dis* tributed by the Clergyman and Churchwardens on or about the zgth October yearly. This Stock stands in the name of the Rev. Morgan Whalley, perpetual curate of this parish. A.D. 1826. Mowbray Woollard late of this town, gardener, gave the sum of ,1350 and directed the annual interest thereof to be applied as follows, namely 2s 6d weekly to each of the four widows occupying the four upper rooms which were added to Green's Alms Houses and is. apiece weekly to five poor men and five poor women inhabitants of the Workhouse for providing * Arabella Jones, of this parish, gave messuages and lands bearing date March, 1756. This charity is not given on the boards in the Church porch. It is called in the Charity Commissoners' reports " The Charity of Jones and Edmonson." 72 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY themselves with any little comfort not allowed in the Workhouse. This legacy is invested in the New 4 Pr Cent. Annuities in the names of the surviving trustees named in Mr. M. Woollard's will. A.D. 1839. Mary Woollard late of this town, widow of Mowbray Woollard gave ^800 new three-and-a-half Pr Cent. Annuties to four Trustees and directed that the annual interest thereof should be applied as follows viz. : 20 pr annum to be expended in bread and distributed amongst such poor inhabitants of this parish (being settled parishioners) as such trustees shall think deserving. The residue of the said interest (after paying contingencies) to be distributed annually in money clothing or otherwise among such poor and deserving inhabitants of this town (being settled parishioners) as such trustees shall think fit. This Stock is invested in the names of the four Trustees named in the will of the said Mary Woollard. Certain lands lying at Copthall Green called Sherris and other lands at Woolmonsey Bridge with two tenements in Elford Street [Sewardstone Street] all let formerly at ^29 IDS. od. a year now at 30 pounds vested in trustees for the sole repair of the Church. Margery Gidney of London widow 4th May 1579 gave to the poor of this parish 20 shillings a year for ever payable at Christmas and 20 shillings for repairing ye highways in the Hamlet of Sewardstone payable at Whitsuntide both out of a house and land situate in the said hamlet. Robert Rampston of Chinyford gent by his will anno 1585 gave to the poor of this parish 40 shillings a year for ever payable in November out of lands of his lying at Dunmow in this county. Robert Brown formerly of this parish and servant to Queen Elizabeth of happy memory by his will anno 1587 gave to the poor 30 shillings a year for ever payahle out of the Cock Inn in this town. Robert Catroic formerly of this parish by his will 23 April 1597 gave to the poor 20 shillings a year for ever to be laid out in bread payable out of three houses in West Street in this town. Robert Dane gave 10 shillings a year for ever to the poor of this parish to be laid out in bread payable out of a house in Elford Street. Henry Wollaston gent of St Martin Oryars, London draper by his will in November 1616 gave to the poor of this parish 2 1 25. od. a year for ever to be laid out in bread i2d. every Sunday payable out of his lands called Fishers, alias Salmons, OR HOLY CROSS. 73 lying at Holy field Green, purveyor to King James the first gave anno 1626 four almshouses for four widows with an orchard and barn adjoining, situate in West Street [High Bridge Street] let at four pounds a year and payable to the said four widows. Geonje Waijli'tt junr citizen and fishmonger of London by his will the 23rd of May 1691 gave 405. a year for ever to the poor of this parish payable out of several lands and tenements situate near Yardl-cy in Hfiifoi-ihliire which he purchased of John Ad/ana. Rolert Grab of Holi/fidd yeoman by his will in May 1708 gave 40 shillings a year for ever to the poor to be laid out in bread. Thomas Winxpeare, William Goar, jun r 'i William Piglonv, jait''-, Churchwardens, 1744. THE "LEVERTON" BENEFACTIONS, A.D. 1819. Thomas Leverton Esq. of Bedford Square, London, in his lifetime presented the organ to this parish and erected the same at his sole expense. A.D. 1823. The said Thomas Leverton by his will gave ^,'6,000 stock in the three per cent, consolidated annuities upon trust to apply the dividends after the decease of his widow as follows, viz. : ;8o per annum for educating and clothing twenty boys and twenty girls ; ^10 per annum for books and stationery to the schools ; ^30 per annum to the master for teaching read- ing writing and arithmetic ; 20 per annum to the mistress for teaching reading and needlework ; ^"10 per annum (viz. ^5 to each) to two boys or girls for apprentice fees ; ^5 per annum (viz. ^i to each) to five children as a reward for good behaviour in their first servitude ; ^12 per annum (viz. 1 to each) for a cloak and gown for six poor women and for a coat for six poor men ; ^5 per annum to be expended in bread every Christmas Day and given to the poor; ^3 per annum for keeping his monuments in repair; ^5 per annum for contingencies ^180 per annum. A.D. 1824 and 1827. Mrs. Rebecca Leverton widow of Thomas Leverton Esq. in her life time of her own free bounty com- menced the establishment of these schools upon the plan intended by her deceased husband (but with a limited number) and fifteen poor boys and ten poor girls are now educated and clothed at her sole charge at the School House called the " Leverton School." 74 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY A.D. 1824. The executors of Mr. George Fawbert, formerly of this parish under a bequest of the residue of his estate to them to distribute in such charities as they might think proper, " applied a part thereof in the purchase of a messuage etc. at the corner of High Bridge Street opposite to the West entrance of the church which they pulled down and erected on the scite thereof a School House for the children to be educated by means of the Leverton Donations and the same is now called the ' Leverton School ' ! By order of the Vestry, 1830. * The rents, according to the last account of the churchwardens, are as follows, viz.: Mr Joseph Harding for three closes of * THE LEVEKTON CHARITY.- The following is an extract from the will of the late Thomas Leverton, Esq. The will is dated 2lst February, 1823, and in it are the following words : " I do hereby give and bequeath to the Reverend William Whalley, the incumbent of the Parish Church of Walt ham Abbey, Holy Cross, Essex, and to the Reverend Thomas Pickthall, his curate, and to William Sotheby, William Banbury, Edward Burgess and Robert Chalmers, Esquires, Thomas Augustus Jessopp, Joseph Jessopp and Henry Jessopp, Esquires, and also the occupier of my freehold house at Sewardstone for the time being, and their successors, trustees for the time being, to be appointed as hereafter mentioned, the sum of six thousand three per cent, consolidated bank annuities, to be vested for ever upon the trust, to lay out and pay the interest dividends thereof from time to time in the following manner : First, I direct that there shall be twenty boys and twenty girls elected from the poor of the said parish, to be educated and clothed at two pounds per annum each child, which is six shillings each beyond what is expended on the charity children of St. Giles's-in-the-Fields ; that there shall be allowed for books and stationery in the schools the sum of ten pounds per annum ; that the master shall be allowed for teaching reading, writing, and common arithmetic thirty pounds per annum ; that the mistress shall teach reading, plain needle and useful house work, and have twenty pounds per annum ; that there shall be apprentice fees given to two boys or girls in each year of five pounds each ; that there shall be given to five of the children one pound each who shall have behaved well in their first servitude ; these two last sums need not be paid for six or seven years after forming the schools, and may, if the trustees think fit, accumulate, and the interest arising therefrom add something to the cloathing or benefit of the schools. I direct that some able housekeeper of the parish, the curate (in preference) if he chooses, shall undertake the teaching of the boys in his own house, or such other place as the trustees may approve, and that a competent female house- keeper in the parish shall, in her own house or such other place as the trustees may approve, instruct the giris ; ten of the elder of these are to be taught writing in succession. The said master or mistress are not to take any other scholar or scholars. The children are to be dressed in one uniform and colour, say dark green, and are always to appear at church and school neat and clean, or to be expelled, and they are to attend Divine service with their OR HOLY CROSS. 75 meadow land situate at Copthall Green containing na. or. up. pays ^33 2s. ; Mr. Thos- Ricketts for a close of meadow land situate at Paternoster Hill contg 6a. 2r. 24p. pays ^"25 ; Mr. Joseph Luck for a close of meadow land adjoining Brick Hill Comn Field cont 2a. 3r. 20p. pays 10 los. ; Mr. John Martin for a piece of arable land in Brick Hill Com" Field contg 2a. 2r. 32p. pays ^5 53. 23a. ir. yp. Mr. Daniel Paul for a dwelling house situate in Sewardstone Street in this town, ^9 95.; Mr John Watts for a dwelling house situate do. do., ^"8 8s ; the total amount of the present annual rents being ,91 143. By order of Vestry, lohn Pain, lohn Gray, Willm Kent Thomas, Churchwardens. * master and mistress whenever it is performed in the parish church. I also direct that the trustees shall expend every Christmas twelve pounds in a cloak and g nvn, to he given to six poor women, and a coat and underdress, to six poor men, of the same colour as the children of one pound each. I also desire that five pounds may be expended in bread every Christmas Day and given to the poor, and I desire that three pounds per annum may be expended, or reserved, to keep my monument in the church or churchyard in neat and good order, and the surplus of five pounds per annum, which will remain after answering the purposes aforesaid, to be kept by the trustees for contingencies; the master and mistress to be chosen and re-elected by the trustees every year ; and then I will and direct that in the case of the number of trustees shall by death or removal be reduced to six, then those six shall elect other persons to fill the place of those removed, and shall transfer the stock into their names with their own, or into so many of their names as the rules of the bank will admit. I desire that an annual meeting of the trustees shall be held in the vestry-room of the said parish to audit the accounts of whoever may be appointed treasurer, at which meeting I will and direct that so much of my will as relates to the parish of Waltham Abbey shall be read over public kly that the extent of the donations may be knoi.vn" * CHARITY COMMISSIONERS SALE OF LAND AT WALTHAM ABBEY. In the matter of the charity called William Barman's Trust, for the benefit of poor ministers and for other charitable purposes, in direction of the Board of Charity Commissioners for England and Wales : Notice is hereby given, that the following property of the above-mentioned charity, viz., several pieces of arable and pasture land, containing together 43 acres or thereabouts, situated in the tithings of Sewardstone and Upshire, in the parish of Waltham Abbey, now leased to Mr. Peter Mills for a term of 21 years from Michaelmas, 1873, is proposed to be sold by the trustees thereof, with the sanction of the said Board, for the sum of 3,000 sterling, to the said Mr. Mills, he paying the expenses of and incidental to the sale, unless some sufficient objection to the sale, whether having reference to the sufficiency of the price or to any other reasons, shall be made known to the said Commissioners within 21 days from the first publication of this notice. Dated 151)1 day of June, 1874. 7 6 THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY CROSS. SHE legend of the Holy Cross states that several of the little band of husbandmen (sixty-six in number) which formed the nucleus of what now constitutes the populous parish of Waltham Holy Cross had been healed of various bodily diseases by the wonder-working cross, (?) the subject of the war song on the field of Senlac when Harold lost his life.* This cross gave the title of " Holy Cross " to the parish, and not the " Eleanor Cross." Relative to this miraculous crucifix, which, as the legend goes, had been found at Lutegarsbury, a place owned by Tovi, Leland says : " I redde in the boke of the antiquities of Glessenbyri that this town was caullid in the Saxon' tyme Logaresburch,"f now known as Montacute, in Somersetshire. With regard to ascertaining the date of the discovery of the cross there is some little difficulty. The writer of the De Inventione Sanctce Crucis considers it to have taken place before the death of Cnut, in 1041-2. However, there may have been an elapse of time between the discovery and the translation, or between the translation and the decoration of the cross by G/itha. She " presented a splendid golden and jewelled crown, besides the circlet which she wore in common with all noble women, which was fixed round the thigh of the image, while her bracelets and other jewels were fashioned into a subpedaneum, into which was inserted a wondrous stone, which was to emit rays during the night, and thus afford light to travellers." Tovi, her husband, enriched the church with various gifts of gold and silver. The cross was adorned with the figure of our Saviour upon it, which, after it was transferred to Waltham, gave a name to the place. The legend of the cross + was written in the twelfth century, and is preserved among the Waltham MSS. It was first Englished by Lambarde, a trustworthy writer of the sixteenth century, who gives it thus : " It might have sufficed to * Harold did not journey from his Park at Waltham to Hastings, as- tradition states, but from the church here. See Bayoux Tapestry. t Vide Itinerary, vol. ii., p. 52. % William Burges, Esq., architect, published the " Legend of Waltham Abbey " in 1860, and Bishop Stubbs gave a transcript of it, with introduction and notes, in 1861. OR HOLY CROSS. 77 derive the Foundation of Waltham in Essex from Kinge Harold, -as Polyd. (followinge Mat of Westminster) and others have before done. But for as much as not only thabbay, but the towne also toke bothe their Beginninge and Increase by a holy Crosse that was muche renowned theare, the hole Discourse of the findinge whereof I have penned by a Canon of Waltham sone .after the Tyme of the Conquest, I feared I should do Waltham wronge, and defraude the Reader, if I should not begin at the Roate." THE LEGEND. In the Tyme that Kinge Canut reigned in Ingland, theare lyved at a Place called Comonly Lutegaresbyry, in French Mountague,* a simple man by occupation a Carpenterf and by Office Sexton of his parishej to whom on a Night .appeared a Vision of Christe Crucified Commaundinge him that .as sone as Day brake he should goe to the Parishe Priest, and will him, accompanied by his parishioners in solemne Procession, to go up to the Toppe of the Hyll adjoyninge, and to digge, wheare (if they would beforehand make theimselves by Confession, Fastinge, and Praier, worthy of suche a Revelacion) they should finde a Crosse, the very Signe of Christes Passion. This Plaine Man, Supposinge it a fantastical Dreame, toke at first no great Head therof, save that he imparted it with his Wife, who also thoughte it but an Illusion. Wherfore the Image appeared .againe, and so griped him by the Hande that the Dynt of the Nayles remayned in his Hand to be sene the Daye followinge. Beinge thus pricked fonvarde on he goeth to the Priest and discloseth the hole matter : He arrayeth his Parishe, displayeth his Banners, putteth on Copes and Surplas, .and setteth the Carpenter foremost, as his Captaine, they digge awhile || and anone they find a great Marble, ^[ havinge in it of black Flynt**the Image of the Crucifixe so artificially * The top of the peaked hill from which the place in later times derived the name of Montacute. t W. Burges in his account of the legend states that the man was a " smith." % He had committed to his care " the water, fire, and lighting of the church." " Signing litanies." || To the depth of forty cubits. IT It had a great fissure through the middle of it. ** In the south buttress of the tower of Waltham Church will be seen a flint cross inserted temp Philip and Mary. 78 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY wrought, as if God himselfe (sayth myne Author) had framed it. Under the right Anne of this Crucifixe thear was a small Image of the same Forme, a litle Belle * also, and a blacke Booke t conteyninge the Text of the four Evangelists. All this they signified to Tovi le Prude then Lorde of the Soyle, Standard Bearer to the Kinge and his Chief Councelor ; who came to the place in great Hast, and by thadvice of his Gents, J lefte the smalle cross in the Churche theare determyninge to bestow the greater in suche Place as God should appointe. Forthwithe therefore he caused to be yoked 12 red Oxen and so many white Kyne, and layeth the Stone in a Wayne, || myning (if God so wille) to cary it to Canterbyrye ; but the Cattle could not by any Force be compelled to draw thytherwarde. When he saw that, he chaunged his Mynde and bad theim dryve toward his House at Readinge whearin he had great Delighte ; but still the Wayne stode immoveable, notwithstandinge that the Oxen did their best. At the Lengthe he remembred a smalle House that he had begone to buyld at Waltham for his Disporte, and comaunded theim to make thytherward. Which Words he had no soner spoken, but the Wayne of itselfe moved. Now in the way many weare healed of many Infirmities ; amongste the which threscore sixe Parsons ^[ vowed their labour towarde the Conveiance of this Crosse and weare the first Founders of Waltham Towne wheare was nothinge before but only a simple House for this Tovi to repose himself at when he came thyther to hunte, not- withstandinge that he had thereby divers Landes, as Enfield, Edelmetun, Cetrehitnt, Myms, and the hole Baronie that Geffrey of Maundville, the first of that Name had. Now when the Crosse was broughte thyther, Tovi commaunded it to be set up, and whiles one by Chaunce Perced it with a Nayle,** the Blood issued out of the Flinte in great Abundance. VVherat Tovi beinge greatly amazed, fel downe and worshipped it, promiseth before it to manumitte ft his Bondmen, to bestow possession on * Under the left arm a bell was found, not unlike those seen round the necks of cattle. A small bell of this kind was discovered in a small vase in. a Gallo- Roman cemetery not long since. See Cent. Mag. Dec. 1859. f This book may have been the Saxon Gospels. J " Church dignitaries both episcopal and abbatical." Cows. || A waggon. II Persons. ** For the purpose of fastening on the jewelled ornaments given by TovL ft To make free : manumitUre. OR HOLY CROSS. 79 such as should serve it." * The MSS. which contain this legend will be found in the Harleian 3776, and Jul. D. VI. Cottonian Library, British Museum. The Crucifix t eventually became the war-cry of the English; on the field of Senlac ; Harold's war-cry was " Holy Rood." The Holy Rood of Waltham became an object of popular worship and pilgrimage. In a " Booke intituled the fantasie of Idolatrie," occurs about fifty verses of six lines each on idolatrous pilgrimage and Waltham is named as a place of resort for pilgrims who walked " Bare foted and bare legged apace." KING EDWARD THE CONFESSOR'S GIFT TO HAROLD. The original endowment of Waltham appears somewhat insignificant when compared with the Confessor's rich foundation at W T est- minster.: Yet, had this monarch's life been prolonged, he would have doubtless carried out his good intentions respecting Waltham, and have bestowed even greater gifts upon the Abbey than he had already done. Mr Poole in his history of Ecclesiastical Architecture supposes that King Edward the Con- fessor granted his lands at Waltham to Harold on " condition of his building a monastery on the spot." This Mr Freeman justly disputes, and considers " the foundation of the College of Waltham to have been the spontaneous act of the Earl's own piety and munificence." The charter of Edw r ard the Confessor states that the King " found the church of the Vill to have been endowed from old time ; and after the foundation of the monastery, he caused it to be dedicated according to the King and his wife Editha, and his father and mother and all * With reference to the Legend of the Cross one is reminded of the words of Cotgrave on " Superstition," that it is "excess of scruple or ceremony in matters of religion ; idle worship, vain reverence, a superfluous, needless, or ill-governed devotion," See Holland's " Pliny," b. xxvi. c. 4. t " In 1192 the cross was covered with silver, but the ornaments on the figure itself were left untouched, probably in consequence of what had happened a few years before, when, the crucifix being under repair, Robert, the goldsmith of St. Albans, took off the circle round the thigh, and all those present were struck blind for some considerable time !" J Earl Harold's College at Waltham stands in distinct opposition almost in distinct rivalry to King Edward's Abbey at Westminster. Vide " Norman Conquest," vol. ii. p. 442. The restoration of the Saxon line was chiefly owing to Godwine, whose daughter the Confessor married. The chastity of Editha, and the cruelty of her father, gave rise to the proverb, " Sicut spina rosam, genuit Godwinus So HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY relations, and enriched the same with many relics of saints, apostles, martyrs, confessors and virgins, and not only with lands whose names are afterwards recited, but also with gospel books, vestments, and divers kind of ornaments ; and, moreover, he found there an assembly of brethren living according to the canonical rule of the fathers, whose office it was by day and by night to sing to the praise of God and his saints."* In Kemble's " Codex Diplom. ^Evi Saxonici " (Tom. IV. p. 203) will be found a grant of Edward the Confessor respecting land in Waltham in Saxon characters.. The lordship of Waltham stands prominent among Tovi's great possessions, which, in course of time, came into the hands of his son ^thelstan,t but the excellent qualifications of the father, as is frequently the case, were not inherited by the son : " ^Cthelstan degenerated from his father's virtues, and lost a great part of his wealth, including Waltham." But whatever he lost the Crown by some means gained, as we find by Edward's gift to Harold, the great temporal lord of Waltham, and ecclesiastical benefactor. The great convent seal, preserved in the British Museum, contains on the reverse two heads looking at each other, crowned with this circumscription : HOC CARTE FEDUS CUM TOVI FIRMAT HAROLD. This is no doubt a figure of the two great contemporary earls, Editham." " King Edward was absolutely father-in-law-ridden," says Fuller. " This Godwin, like those sands in Kent which bear his name, never spared what he could spoil, but swallowed all which came within his compass to devour. * Among other rich gifts Harold bestowed on his new college of Waltham were seven little caskets or boxes (scrinia) for precious things three of gold and four of silver gilded, enriched with gems and full of relics ; four great thuribles (censers) of gold and silver ; six great candlesticks, and four of silver ; three large vessels or pitchers of Greek workmanship, silver and richly gilded ; four crosses of gold and silver, studded with gems ; another cross of silver, weighing fifty marks ; five suits of the priests, ornamented with gold and precious gems ; five other vestments, ornamented with gold and gems, one extremely rich and weighty ; two copes, covered with gold and gems ; five chalices, two of gold and three of silver ; four altars, with relics, one of gold and three of silver gilded ; a silver horn, and various other articles. The relics were even more valuable and numerous, and, according to the monkish legends, miracles were wrought by them. (See Harl. MSS. 3776.) f He was a son of Tovi by former marriage (Stubbs). In my History of Waltham, with MSS. notes by Sir H. Ellis, it is stated that " Elicha the wife Tovy was likewise a benefactress there." (Winters.) OR HOLY CROSS. 8 1 Tovi and Harold. On the obverse is, HOC .... GILL ECCLESIE . SANCTE . CRVCIS DE WALTHAM. It appears that Tovi was on one occasion sent to attend a fciryeinot at Hertford, held by ISishop yEthelstan and Earl Ranig, the account of which, though not illustrating the life or character of Tovi, gives us one of the most glowing pictures of old English jurisprudence. Tovi or Tofig's,. surname was needed to distinguish him from his two namesakes, Tovi Hwita and Tovi Recla, who signed documents in 1024." Tovi the thane is said to have been inseparably connected with the memory of the old Danish king Hardicanute. A circumstance in conjunction with this monarch is worthy of a niche here. On the seventh day of the Ides of June (Sth), 1042, the marriage of the Danish Thegn Tovi, or Tofig the Proud, with Gytha,f the daughter of Osgod Clapa the outlaw, J took place (probably at Lambeth). Gytha, or Githa, was Tovi's second wife. At this time he was an elderly man, and seems not to have long survived his marriage, so that he very probably erected his little college at Waltham as early as 1042. In 1 06 1 he was sheriff of Somersetshire. Mr. Freeman thinks that the Tofig who signs under Edward, in 1054, and was sheriff of Somersetshire in 1061, must, if Waltham narrative be correct, be a different man. He was a great landowner in several counties in England, as appears from Domesday, and nearly all the charters of King Cnut, from 1018 to 1035, bear his name. THE BURIAL OF HAROLD. place of sepulture of the last of the Saxon Kings Harold, is a subject much controverted in the present day, and there are many who appear to be entirely opposed to the most authentic version of the story. The writer has lived many years on the very verge of where history * Hist. Norman Conquest, vol. i. p. 769. t The De Invent, calls her " Glith, daughter of Osegodi Scalp," but she is called more properly " Githa, daughter of Osgod Clapa." See Florence of Worcester, and De Invent. (Stubbs.) J Outlaw in 1046 and died in 1053. Both Ethelstan the son, and Esegar the grandson of Tovi were at his death useful men in public affairs. 82 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY and tradition point as the burial-place of the last of the Saxon kings, and he has long laboured to confirm, from documentary and other sources, the truth of what he firmly maintains that Harold was buried at Waltham. However, some persons have entirely rejected the authority of Malmesbury, Wendover, Matthew of Westminster, Wace, Higden, and a host of other later authors, for the fabulous story which was current in the twelfth century, i.e., that Harold escaped from the field of Senlac, "pierced with many wounds, and with the loss of his left eye ; and that he ended his days piously and virtuously as anchorite at Chester."* William of Malmesbury, says Mr. Freeman, "does not write in the interest of Waltham or of England. He is a thoroughly independent witness ; so, I may add, are Wace and his brother minstrels.f The most probable solution seems to be that Harold was first, by William's order, buried under a cairn, on the shore of Sussex, and was afterwards more solemnly interred in the minster at Waltham." Osegod and Ailric,! two of the canons of Waltham watched the battle, at Hastings, and searched for the body of Harold, but their efforts were without effect. " The find " was in reserve for Eadgyth Swanneshals (Edith-with-the-swan's-neck), Harold's wife, who readily distinguished the mutilated corpse among the loathsome heaps of the unburied, from certain marks upon it, well known to her. This body, as being that of Harold's, was brought to Waltham, and there entombed at the east end of the choir, with great honour and solemnity, many Norman nobles assisting in the requiem. Although little dependence as a rule can be placed on the unlimited licence which all poets exercise as regard style and colour of character, yet from the more sober and less * Giraldus Cambiensis. (This Mr Freeman calls "a wretched fable.") tin 1160 Wace having gleaned sufficient from the Bayeux Tapestry finished his masterly chronicle of the Norman Conquest. This is an invaluable record regarding the history of the times and the burial of Harold. He appears to have gathered much information respecting the Conquest from old men, who are said to have seen the comet of 1066. " I have seen and conversed with old men in my time, Who beheld the said star ; men in their prime." + Ailric was a childmaister or schoolmaster of the abbey, appointed by Harold. OR HOLY CROSS. 83 sentimental accounts already given on the burial of England's great king, there is really good ground for the belief that his remains were interred within the precincts of the church of Waltham, " which he let himself rear." It is possible that during the several alterations which took place in the Abbey Church from the Norman conquest to the accession of King Henry the Second, the body may have been removed from its original position. The writer in the " De Inventione," specifies that the tomb of Harold was near the high altar, and " at the translation of whose body for the third time, according as the state of the building of the church was such as to admit it, or the devotion of the brethren showing reverence to the body demanded it, I can just remember to have been present myself."* " This Kyng Herolde at Waltham, which he found Of foure score chanons, full fayer was buryed At [the] hye aulter, and as a kyng was crownde, All yf he were intrusor notifyed, And in batayl slayne and victoryed Of gentylnessse and Conquerour had so, All yf he were afore his mortal fo." Historians of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have come to the conclusion on the statement made by Dr. Fuller that Harold "was buried where now (1655) the Earl of Carlisle'st leaden fountain in his garden, then probably the end of the choir, or rather some eastern chapel beyond it ; his tomb of plain but rich grey marble, with what seemeth a cross-floree (but much descanted on with art) upon the same, supported with pillarets, one pedestal whereof I have in my house."! There is still pre- served in the north aisle of the church a coffin-shaped stone of very early date ; on the centre is a cross in relief, nearly the full length and width of slab. This stone measures six feet nine inches in length, thirteen inches wide at the feet, and much wider at the head ; it is not early enough for Harold, although some might suppose it to have been the one described by Fuller. The stone which Fuller says was in "my house," and purporting to to be a portion of Harold's tomb, was lately in the possession of Mr. * " De Inventione Sanctae Crucis," p. 31 (Stubbs). t James Hay, who attended James I. from Scotland on his accession to the throne. J "History of Waltham" (Fuller), p. 259. 84 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY \V. R. Clark, of Waltham Abbey.* Some persons have thought that the fragment of ironstone or Purbeck marble in question is not from Harold's tomb, but simply a part of the Earl's fountain; no doubt it formed an ornamental part of the fountain, but Fuller knew its history too well to suppose that it was carved on purpose for his worthy patron's garden fountain. Mr. Farmer, nearly one hundred years later, says, this fragment "I have now (1735) in my house." It is a " curious face or bust of grey marble which by tradition always was, and is to this day, esteemed to be part of King Harold's tomb. This old townsman (author of "History of Waltham Abbey, etc.), says respecting Harold, " It is without dispute that he was buried in the garden under a leaden fountain, where now there is a bowling-green, which formerly belonged to the Earl of Carlisle.f Both history and tradition determine the sacred burial place as being about one hundred and twenty feet from the east end of the present church, the place of sepulture of ecclesiastics and men of high repute in the Middle Ages. If in a direct line from the great centre aisle of the church it would suggest the proba- bility of the tomb being near the grave of Mr. Jessop or that of Col. S. C. Edenborough, J.P. All that part of the churchyard on which stood the ancient choir of Harold's church, and now called " the new ground," was evidently used as a garden by the Earl of Carlisle and Sir Edward Denny, temp. James I. and Charles I. THE DISCOVERY OF EARLY MONUMENTAL REMAINS IN THE ABBEY. According to the account given by Thomas Smith (an old inhabitant of Waltham, who died i6th June, 1604), a stone coffin of considerable antiquity was discovered near the founda- tions of the Abbey Church late in the sixteenth century. Fuller gives the account as follows : " The ensuing relation written by the pen of Master Thomas Smith, of Sewardstone, in the parish of Waltham Abbey, a discreet person not long since deceased : * It so fell out that I served Sir Edward Denny (towards the latter end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory), who lived in the abbey of Waltham Cross, in the county of Essex, which at that time lay in ruinous heaps ; and then Sir Edward began slowly now and then to make even and re-edify some of * This fragment is now in the Rohing Room of the Abbey (1887). t " History of Waltham " (Farmer, 1735, 8vo). OR HOLY CROSS. 85 that chaos. In doing whereof Tomkins, his gardener, came to discover (among other things) a fair marble stone, the cover of a tomb hewed out in hard stone. This cover with some help he removed from off the tomb, which having done, there appeared to the view of the gardener and Master Baker,* minister of the town (who died long since), and to myself, and Master Henry Knaggf (Sir Edward's bailiff) the anatomy of a man lying in the tomb abovesaid, only the bones remaining, bone to his bone, not one bone dislocated. In observation whereof we wondered to see the bones stiil remaining in such due order, and no dust or other filth besides them to be seen in the tomb.' " Farmer considers this coffin to have been that of Harold's, but Gough has done his best to overturn all that has been written respecting the remains of the great Saxon king being discovered at Waltham. A coffin with a cross rather betone was found, 1787, in the north wall of the choir, with a leaden coffin within it.+ The same writer, speaking of the fragment of stone carving, remarks that " from the particulars of the cross flueri one might refer the coffin to an abbot." In 1786 a coffin of Purbeck marble was discovered in the foundation of the north pillars of the choir. As soon as the lead was opened the corpse, which before was perfectly whole, fell to pieces. The lid of the stone coffin was six inches thick, carved with a cross botone. The distance at which this coffin lay from the present east wall of the church (the north pillar of the centre tower) is about 260 feet, so that allowing the tower to have been thirty feet square, the length of the choir will have measured 230 feet. For a century or more after the dissolution of the monastery this ancient piece of stone, said to be King Harold's tomb, served as an ornament in the abbey gardens belonging to the Denny family. Dr. Thomas Fuller possessed it in 1655, and possibly he may have left it in the parsonage-house when he removed from the town. Dr. Uvedale, master of the grammar school at Enfield (in 1670), saw it at "Waltham Mill" (Corn mill) adjoining the Abbey. John Farmer possessed it in 1735, * Curate of Waltham. Died April 24, 1604. t Buried 2lst April, 1646. 1 vjv,.. b '..'^ " Fvr. :.c.I .Monuments," vol. ii., part i. p. 105. 86 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY it was then fixed in the wall of his house on the " Bank," in Highbridge Street* In 1768 it found its way to the great hall of the old Abbey House. In 1780 Gough tells us that he received it by favour of Sir William Wake, baronet. The frag- ment, however, more than half a century since found its way back to Waltham Abbey, and was in the possession of Mr. W. R. Clark for upwards of forty years. It has the appearance of dark ironstone, extremely hard, and has suffered from very rough usage at some early period. Mr. Gough, the antiquary, had another interesting relic belong- ing to this Abbey, namely, the monumental brass from the tomb of one of the Waltham abbots, but what became of it afterwards is not known. Within the communion rails is the tomb of an abbot of some antiquity. It was adorned with a fine monumental brass, which has long been missing ; probably that possessed by the antiquary Gough is the identical one. Round the verge of this incised slab is an inscription in Lombardic characters, but so worn and disfigured that no one can decipher its meaning. Another stone adjoining it, and partly hid by the rails, bears the following inscription : " Hie Haroldi in Coenobio Carnis Resurrectionem. Expectat Jacobus Raphael Gallus Demum Scotus, demum Anglus, Denique nihil. Anno setat, 70, Obit Mar. 30 Anno 1686." "Here lyeth Mr. Swynefield." The epitaph has been Englished thus " Here in Harold's tomb, James Raphael ; a Frenchman, claimed both by Scotland and England, but now nothing, awaits the resurrection of body. Died March 30, 1686, in the 7oth year of his age."t There are but few representations of Harold besides those on the Bayeux tapestry and his coins. A portrait of the monarch may be seen in an illuminated MS. Prayer Book, written in England about the eleventh century. It is given in Mount- faucon's " Antiquities," and Ogbourn's Hisotry of Essex. Harold is sitting on his throne, holding in his right hand a military banner, and in his left a sceptre surmounted by a dove. On each side of the throne is a stand, on which lies a book open, * Years ago the Houses in Highbridge Street called the " Bank," stood much higher than the road, and a ditch ran along in front of them, t The parish register records the burial of James Raphael, April ist, 1686. OR HOLY CROSS. 87 and near each stand or lectern an angel or saint, with his hand elevated, is bestowing the benediction. Dr. Fuller states that a " picture of King Harold in glass was lately to be seen in the north window of the church, till ten years since some barbarous hand beat it down, under the notion of superstition. However, there is still a place called Harold's Park in our parish (of Waltham) by him so denominated." It appears that in 1642 the churchwardens' account-book suffered much by " the soldiers ;" a note to the effect is written on the margin. Several leaves are torn out. Probably about this time Harold's picture was destroyed.* The manuscript volume containing the life of Harold is preserved in the Harleian collection of manuscripts, British Museum, and of which (as far as it relates to the burial of Harold) Bishop Stubbs says " is a curious but entirely untrust- worthy legend, written apparently to prove that the great King Harold was not buried at Waltham." The volume also contains De Imentione S. C., etc. Mr. Hardy affirms that Bishop Stubbs has gathered all that can be gleaned about the author of the above MS.f THE CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH, A.D. 1060. [HE consecration of the church occurred on May 3rd, 1060, although some have thought it to be two years later ; but Bishop Stubbs has fixed that date beyond doubt, it being the feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross.} The new church had by this time reached such a state of completion as to be fit for divine service. The chief prelate present was Kinsige, Archbishop * Harl. MSS. 3776. This MSS. has recently been published by Walter de Gray Birch, Esq. See Select Passages in the Life of Harold by W. Winters, 1876. t Chron. Gt. Brit", and Ireland, Vol. II., p. 413. + This festival was formerly kept in England on May 3rd, commemorative of the supposed finding of the Cross on that day, by the Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, between A.D. 305 and 326. HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY of York, whose name is handed down to us as that of the consecrator. He had been chaplain to Edward the Confessor, and seems to have been looked on as the principal ecclesiastic in England (as Stigand was generally under a cloud). There were present also most of the bishops and earls of the land, with King Edward and his Queen, the sister of Harold. We are informed that " the day was celebrated with great rejoicings : among the festivities great tubs of [Canary or Spanish] wine and mead were tapped in the lanes and streets, and all might drink who would."* Such indulgences were customary in those days, as we find when William, Bishop of Hereford, dedicated the Chapel of St. Thomas at Waltham, he granted forty days' indulgence to all the true disciples of the Pope in Waltham Abbey (temp. Hen. II.) King Edward the Confessor rested at Waltham until after the octave, when he left for Winchester, to keep Pentecost the following Sunday. The proem of the Royal Charter states that King Harold had granted a certain piece of land, called of old by the in- habitants, Waltham, to one of his earls named Harold, who had constructed, to the praise of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Cross, a Monastery ; granting to it first the land called Northlande,t with which he formed the Church of the ville to have been endowed from old time'; and after the foundation of the monastery he caused it to be dedicated according to the rule of the holy church of God, to the memory of the King and his wife Editha, and his father and mother, and all relations, and enriched the same with many * A similar thing was done in London at the birth of Edward III. t As to Northland, says the Translator of Domesday Survey, it appears originally to have consisted of three hides, divided into twelve portions, one for each Canon. We are told in the Register of the Bishop of Durham's land that half a hide is still in the possession of the Holy Cross. The remaining two and a half hides appear to have been taken from them by Walcher, the previous Bishop, when he took possession of Harold's property in. Waltham, and they are no doubt included in the lands registered as belonging to the present Bishop ; for we find that Maud, first wife of Henry I., restored them to the Canons between 1108 and ni8. (Domesday Surv. Trans. 1864, 410. : page xxxi. : Ci. Marsh.) Simon of Durham states that the firmness of Walcher not only did not permit any damage to occur in regard to the possessions of the Church, but, .further, he augmented them by obtaining from the King that valuable property called .Waltham Sanctse Crucis, " along with its noble church, celebrated for its body of Canons." OR HOLY CROSS. 89 relics of saints, apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, and not only with the lands, whose names are afterwards recited, but also with gospel books, vestments, and divers kinds of ornaments. And, moreover, he formed there an assembly of brethren, living according to the canonical rules of the fathers, whose office it was, by day and by night, to sing the praises of God and his saints. These are the names of the lands belonging to the aforesaid monastery : Passefelda, Walde, Up- in luster, Walkfare, Tippedene, Alwartune, Wodeforda, Lcunbet/iithe, Nesingan, Brikenditne, Melno, Alrichescia, Wnneleia, Nethlesivelle, Htcc/ie, Lukintone, and Westwaltham ; all of which the king grants to the Church of the Holy Cross and the brethren there, with sac and soc and other customs. (For an interpretation of these places, see a subsequent part of this work.) These are the land boundaries to Passefelde : That is, first from the old hatch at Freotherne felde to Presta hlype ; to the brook at Staundune ; to Scealdelbrda, and from Scealdeforda to Coleboge Well, from the Well again to the old hatch, and so again to Freothene field. These are the land boundaries to Welde : First from Dellennorth to the mouth, east to Hafegeaete, east to the Wolf Pit ; from the Pit south to the Purk, from the Purk south to Freobearne's leap, and so to Manne's land and thence again to Dellen. These are the land boundaries to Upingstre : First at Tigelhyrste south to boundary ditch ; from the ditch west to Ingceburne, and from the bourne north to Beccengare ; and from Beccengare north along the road-weald to Stangare ; from Stangare north into Manne's land again to Tigelhyrste. These are the land boundaries to Walhfare : First from the Ash to the Old Leap ; from the Leap to the Old Wood hatch ; from the hatch to the old road ; and from the road to Sandaecere ; and from the acre to Beadewr.n River ; from the river to Winebrook ; from the brook north again to the Ash. These nre the land boundaries to Tippedene : First to Tippaburne ; from the bourne up to the heath ; from the heath to Thetden's boundary opposite J-'.tfa's hatch, and so to the river ; along the river then again to Tippe- burne. These are the land boundaries to yElwartone : First at Werdhsecce ; from Werdhsecce to Eacroft ; from Eacroft to Beolle Pool ; frqm the Pool to Leofsige's meadow ; from Leofsige's meadow to Omermad ; from Omermacl to .Etheric's leap ; from the leap to the Wulf leap ; from Wulf leap to Thesfalde ; from Thesfalde to Stanway hatch; from Stanway hatch to Saters byrig. 90 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY These are the land boundaries to Wudeforde : First to Angric's bourne to Alderman's hatch ; to the King's hatch from the King's hatch again to Angric's bourne. These are the land boundaries to Lambehythe : First at Brixges stane and so on through the grove to the boundary dyke, and so to the Bulke tree ; and from the Bulke tree to Hyse ; and from Hyse to yEIsyge's hatch - r and so east to the road ; and so along the road again to Brixes stan. These are the land boundaries to Nassingan : that is from Cerlen hatch, along the mark to Scelden boundary ; and from Scelden boundary to the brook ; and from the brook to Butterwyelle ; and from Butterwyelle to Thuroldes boundary ; and from Thuroldes boundary again along the mark to Cerlen hatch ; and the meadow thereto belonging lies out by the Lea. A.D. 1062. Fifteenth indiction, seventh epact, first concurrent. Subscribed by Edward the King, Eadgytha the Queen ; Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury ; Ealdred, Archbishop of York ; /Elfwold, the Bishop ; Hereman, the Bishop ; Leofric, the Bishop ; William, the Bishop ; Ailmar, the Bishop ; Leofwin, the Bishop ; Wefwin, the Bishop ; /Elwin, the Bishop ; .Eiric, the Bishop ; Walter, the Bishop ; Gyso, the Bishop ; .Egelnoth, the Abbot ; ^Elwin, the Abbot ; Wlfric, the Abbot; Leofric, the Abbot; Leofstan, the Abbot; ^Elwig, the Abbot ; Hondric, the Abbot ; ^gelsin, the Abbot ; Leofstan, the Abbot ; Eadmund, the Abbot ; Sichtric, the Abbot ; Harold, the Earl ; ^Elfgar, the Earl ; Tostin, the Earl ; Leofwin, the Earl ; Syrth, the Earl; Esgar, the " Procurator " of the Royal Palace ; Rodbert, the King's Kinsman ; Ralph, one of the King's Courtiers ; Bundin, " regis pal atimus ; " Hesbern, the King's Kinsman ; Regenbald, the King's Chancellor ; Peter, the King's Chaplain ; Baldwin, the King's Chaplain ; Brintric, the Prince ; ^llfstan, the Prince ; Wigod, the King's Butler ; Herding, the Queen's Butler ; Adzur, the King's Sewer ; Yfing, the King's Sewer ; Godwin, the Queen's Sewer ; Doddo, the Prince ; .(Elfgar, the Prince ; Brixin, the Prince ; ^Egelnoth, the Prince ; Esbern, the Prince ; Edwig, the Prince ; Eadric, the Prince ; JEgelmund, the Prince; Siward, the Prince ; Alwold, the Prince ; ^Elpling, the Prince; Swidar. Vide Cartw Antiquee Roll, M. No. I. Thus it is evident, as Mr. Freeman says, "that Waltham was a church, in its own age and country, of unparalleled magnificence. It is rather what we should naturally look for under the circumstances. Its founder was the first man in the kingdom, and his private wealth was enormous. Waltham must therefore have made a deep impression on the national mind. Its local worship became the worship of the English people." ARCHITECTURAL CHANGES IN THE ABBEY CHURCH. 'tTp^HE architectural changes in the church since the days of the l^lh last Anglo-Saxon monarch have been many. Mr Freeman observes that " barbarous mutilations, and hardly less barbarous additions, have entirely destroyed its character as seen from without. And even within, both mediaeval alterations of the strangest kind, and the accumulated enormities of more recent days, have gone far to ruin the general effect of the original build- ing. Still a large portion of the original interior remains untouched ; an interior deserving attentive study as one of the noblest specimens of northern Romanesque ;* and invested with a yet higher interest if we may regard it as called into being by the taste and bounty of the last of our native kings." Hence the ancient charter is correct : " Ego Haroldus Comes operando consolido"\ The early author of " Vita Haroldi" mentions in one place of the church being completed prior to the date of consecration (1059-60) ; and in another part, of works going on apparently in the choir as late as 1125 or 1126. The great question of the day is whether any portion of the church is of the pre-Norman period, or whether it does not belong to the time of Henry I. or Stephen. The church of Harold's foundation was undoubtedly of much importance, having a leaded roof, and decorations to the capitals of the columns of gilt brass-work, and no doubt work of considerable importance was going on in the reign of Henry I. or Stephen, which rendered necessary the removal of the body of Harold. Mr. Surges, late architect, thought that the repairs or rebuilding in Henry the First's time, and the removal of the body of Harold, were perfectly consistent with the fact of the present building that is, the ancient nave being of Harold's time.J * The style of architecture called " Romansque " is a debased kind of work in imitation of Roman architecture. It prevailed in Europe from the destruction of the Roman Empire until the Gothic order was introduced. t The church of Waltham is built, as a great church of the year 1060 would be built, in the English variety of the Norman style, which was introduced by Edward the Confessor, and which was still in use in the days of William of Malmesbury." (Gent.'s Magazine, vol. viii. p. 65.) J The Builder, vol. xviii. 71. 92 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY There is every reason to suppose that Harold would build in the very best style of which he had accessible patterns, and that strenuous in all things, he would make an end of what he began. Whatever part was finished was splendidly adorned, in a fashion that reminds one more of Eastern than of Western art, as if Harold might have wandered to Constantinople in his earlier days. Brazen plates of gilt were spread over the walls ; the capitals and bases of the pillars were curiously carved, and the elaborate ornaments of the altar, reliques, vestments, books and furniture of the sanctuary, are described in terms of regret and indignation proportioned to their intrinsic value.* T. Wright, an able antiquary, is inclined to recognise the work of Harold in the present existing building on the ground of a plate in the Cottonian MSS.,f which shows the two rows of columns in the nave, of which the shafts are ornamented in the same style as those still remaining in the Abbey Church of Waltham. The MS. referred to is of Anglo-Saxon date, written (circa 1050) \ probably when the work of the first foundation was in progress. Mr Wright states : " We have then in the MS. under consideration, a series of architectural drawings which are pure Saxon, and of the date of which there can be no doubt. They present a number of characteristics which are sufficient to distinguish a peculiar style, which probably was the general style of Anglo-Saxon buildings. It is certain that the old artists pro- duced nothing on parchment which was not modelled on what really existed before their eyes. It remains for further examina- tion to show how far we ought to refer every example of this style to the same age. The dates of early buildings appear to have been often fixed too arbitrarily. I would merely cite, as an instance, the church of Waltham. This is considered as early Norman, and ascribed to the date of about 1 1 20, because Henry I. and his two wives are recorded as special benefactors to the monastery. In the two most authentic accounts of the early history of Waltham, both written late in the reign of Henry II., the ' Vita Haroldi ' and the tract ' De Inventione Sanctce Cnicis Walthamensis ' (the latter of which brings the history up to the * De Invent. (Stubbs), xv. See Vita Haroldi, MSS. Harl. 3776. f Cott. MSS. Tit D. xvi. fol. 336. (This MSS the author has examined.) t Wyatt on Illuminated MSS. p. n. Mainly in the gift of the Cornmill and Northfields to th-> Canons. OK HOLY CROSS. 93 time at which it was written), we have a particular and curious account of Harold's Church, which was very spacious and massive, and which agrees perfectly with what now remains ; and these same documents give us every reason to believe that no remarkable alterations had been made in the building up to the time at which these histories were written, that is, up to the period of transition. This is very easily accounted for, because the acknowledged character of Harold's building would preserve it from dilapidation, and the jealousy with which it was looked upon by the Normans (as we are informed in the documents) caused it to be treated with neglect. It may be observed also that Harold's Church was most probably built by architects brought over from Normandy, and would therefore have a decidedly Norman character. I will merely add that a copy of ' Prndentius ' in the British Museum, written apparently about the middle of the eleventh century (or very soon after, MS. Cotton. Titus D. XVI.), contains one or two rows of columns, of which the shafts are ornamented in precisely the same style as those which still remain in "Waltham Abbey."* In the original MS. the illustration is coloured pale green, blue and red. A controversy relative to the correct date of the consecration of Harold's Church has been ably fought in the pages of the Gentletnarfs Magazine, through the long period of eight months or more during the progress of the restoration of the Abbey Church (1859-60), and the whole affair seems clearly to have terminated in favour of Mr. E. A. Freeman, Bishop Stubbs, Mr. W. Burges and others, who maintain that much of the present church is of King Harold's work. Lanfranc, a contemporary with Harold, built a church at Canter- bury, consisting of a nave, transepts and an apsidalt chancel similar to Waltham, and which was afterwards taken down and substituted by a long choir. Thus it is presumed that Harold's church ended with an apse directly eastward of the present church, and which was probably taken down early in the 1 2th century, and a long choir with aisles, chapels and * The Arch. Journal, vol. i. page 35. t Apse, is the semi-circular or octagonal part of the east end of the choir of the church which reached far eastward on the New Ground, where the body of Harold was buried. For this part of the original church see Mr. Burges' plan with an imaginary idea in thin lines of the new choir. 94 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY transepts added or enlarged. Mr. Freeman says, speaking of the documentary evidence alone relating to the age of the church, " in a somewhat minute account of the fortunes of the foundation, we find not a word implying, hardly a word allowing the possibility that the church raised by Harold was other than the church which the writers had before their eyes. They detail the wrongs inflicted on the society of the two Norman Kings ; no one can attribute the rebuilding to their times. One author writes under the patronage of the Queen of Henry I. ; she was herself a benefactress to the College, but not a word do we find of her rebuilding, enlarging, or com- pleting the work of Harold. The other writer extols Henry II. almost to a level with Harold himself; he praises his reforms, he mentions his addition of domestic buildings ; but nothing is said as to the fabric of the church. The biographer of Harold, in describing Harold's church does not directly say that it was standing in 1 205 ; but the reason clearly is, that he takes it so certainly for granted that he does not think it necessary to make any direct assertion about it. In the face of all this it would require some very strong architectural evidence indeed to establish the fact of a rebuilding at any date between 1066 and 1205. Such evidence, I confess, I do not find. I see at Waltham an early Norman church, which one would doubtless at first sight place after the Conquest, but which I see no improbability, backed as we are by such strong historical arguments, in placing a few years before. Certainly most of the early Norman buildings which remain are much less ornamented than this of Waltham ; but the ornament at Waltham, though of a very effective kind, is still simple and almost rude ; everywhere, except a few details in the transepts, it is quite of the early Norman school ; there is something totally different from the elaboration of ornament, the almost elegance of detail, which might be expected in a building bearing the date of 1177. Taking architectural evidence alone, it is, I certainly think, a lesser difficulty to attribute it to Harold than to attribute it to Henry II."* Portions of the nave of Durham Cathedral, built by Bishop de Carilepho, area 1093, are similar to the nave of Waltham Church ; also Lindisfarn Church is in assimilation to parts of * Essex Archaeological Trans., Vol. ii., 20. OR HOLY CROSS. 95 Waltham Church, of which former place Scott sang in his Marmion : ' ' In Saxon strength that Abbey frown'd, With massive arches broad and round, That rose alternate row and row, On ponderous columns, short and low, Built ere the art was known." The ruins of Lindisfarn are of great antiquity ; the arches are strictly Saxon, and the pillars which support them are short and strong. One of these pillars, showing the zig-zag grooves, correspond exactly with those of Harold's work in his church at Waltham. Pillars with wreathed and indented mouldings were much, in vogue in Saxon times. These mouldings in Harold's church were, it is thought, ornamented with " fillets of brass ;" and the writer in the De lyventione mentions the pillars and arches being adorned with plates of gilt brass. No traces, however, of brass now remains, nor even the nails by which the plates were supposed to be fastened, which may have been taken out and the holes filled up. The ornaments and mouldings of the arches have some very peculiar attractions about them, which may excite the attention of the curious.* In the uppermost arches the indented moulding forms the extreme edge of the arch, and is turned underneath on the inside or under part of the arch. In the nethermost great arches also there is a return of indented workmanship, and the indentations of the outermost mouldings are much slighter and in less relief than those of the innermost. Some of the early windows in the Abbey Church were originally unglazed, glass at that period being very scarce in this country. These windows have much internal splay, but externally their glazing is set almost flush with the wall face. There appears to have been no provision made originally for fixing panels of glass. A shutter was no doubt designed to close upon the rebate. " None of the Norman windows show any preparation for glass, the splay jamb going right up to the external chamber. In all probability wooden frames were made to fit in tightly, and secured by interior hold-fasts ; of course one edge of these wooden frames would have to be chamfered to fit into the sloping jambs, and upon the inside surface would be fixed the necessary iron-work for the glass, as at Salisbury, * Some portions of the mouldings of the piers were probably worked out with the axe. 96 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Canterbury and other places."* Traces of distemper painting have been found in the church, as well as in the lady chapel, at various times, and especially in 1847. Mr. E. Littler discovered in the chevron moulding of the Norman windows and of the arch of the south entrance traces of colour. He observed also a portion of coloured masonry on the soffit of this arch, on the splay of the south window, and on the inner face or the south wall ; as also some bold writing in old English characters, surrounded by coloured lines.f This appeared after the white- wash and plaster had been stripped off. In Henry the Second's day the church was enlarged and the order re-modelled. Several conventual buildings were erected at this period, and the only one remaining is the vaulted building in Mr. King's garden, north-east of the church, called the "Potato cellar" which has evidently formed the ground floor of some important apartment. The date would be referable either to the end of the reign of Henry II. or to the beginning of that of his son, Richard I.J The simple intersecting of the ribs which support the groining of the vault agree in character with the arched ceiling in the east end of Canterbury Cathedral, built by William of Sens, in IJ 75- No architectural changes appear to have taken place in the Abbey Church during the reigns of Richard I. and John, although the latter king frequently visited Waltham. The very elegant pointed arch at the western front of the church, now forming the entrance from the tower to the interior of the building, appears to date back to the latter part of the reign of the third Henry, or the early part of that of Edward the First. Much, however, of the detail of the sculpture work of this beautiful inner porch has been mutilated by ruthless hands in the erection of the great western tower. On the authority of Matthew Paris, "The church of the canons of Waltham was solemnly dedicated in 1242." This statement has been the subject of considerable discussion, and the validity of it is held as questionable by many archaeologists. Mr. Burges considers that the long Norman choir was con- sequently not destined to last long, and that the dedication * Gents' Mag., Vol. viii., 3rd Series, p. 77. f Archaeological Trans., Essex, Vol. ii., 42. % W. Surges' Tract, p. 5. Will de Ver (or Vere) and Walter de Gaunt were actively engaged in making alterations in the church, 23rd Hen. ii., Madox Hist. Ex. OR HOLY CROSS. 97 mentioned by Paris was simply the result of the erection of some important part of the church, not the nave, for, says the late architect, "We know that it remains nearly in the same state as it was left in the nth or 1 2th century; it must therefore have been the choir which had been reconstructed or so altered that a new consecration had become necessary." The entire building was rendered dangerous by the cutting away of the aisle arch in the reign of Edward I. (not Edward II., as stated by Mr. Burges), which necessitated a strong-framed strutt to be erected and which still remains as a memorial of a perverted taste. These architectural alterations are expressed in a notarial instrument (in Latin) which is preserved in the Public Record Office, under date September 6th, 1286. This instrument relates to certain repairs authorised to be made in the church, with instructions from the dean of the Abbey as to how the parishioners should help in carrying out the work. On Sunday, the 8th September, 1286, the' feast of the Nativity of the Virgin, this document was read publicly in Latin by the dean of the church, and interpreted in English by one of the clergy present. The dean then exhorted the parishioners to set about the work speedily. This exhortation was repeated on the 22nd of September; and on the 2gth of the same month, the dean executed his formal and official answer to the precept of the abbot certifying what he had done, and what he expected the parishioners would do in answer to the request. The abbot at this period was Reginald de Maidenhith, who received the temporalities of the church Jan. 29th, 1273-4, and resigned them A.D. 1288. This notarial instrument fixes the precise date of the great alterations that were made in the building in the thirteenth century, when it was found that in consequence of the bad foundations and other causes, the vaulting of the aisles had pushed out the aisle walls and had become very dangerous. The new architect, therefore, took down the vaulting and threw the aisle and triforium into one height ; he next tried to remodel the great arcade by throwing the nave arch and the triforium arch into one ; however, this was found to be a most dangerous proceed- ing, so it was given up after the westernmost bays had thus been treated. Then a west front was added, and a very beautiful composition it was, so far as can l.e judged by what remains. The tracery of the windows is also very peculiar, and has an 98 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY undulating look. When the present tower was built in the reign of Philip and Mary, the great western window was destroyed and the tower built upon the cill ; so there is no means of judging as to whit it was like. During the restoration in 1859-60, the top of the old western doors came to light; they were of the same date as the rest of the work, and have been reproduced in the new doors. It was impossible to re-use them as they had become warped. It must be confessed that, in 1286, the parishioners of Waltham Abbey managed to secure the services of an excellent architect, although he did great injury to the building in removing much of the older portions of the masonry. It is not improbable that the architect was the same as erected the "Eleanor Cross" and the Lady Chapel. A portion of the ancient oak wood screen still exists in the north aisle, and date;, probably to the i4th century. Another work of the i4th century is a large flowing decorated window in the north aisle. Stone being scarce at this period the architect stripped the whole of the interior and portions of the exterior of all the ashlar he could possibly extract. He also destroyed the filling in of the triforium, and not satisfied with that actually removed the slabs of stone which formed the string at lower part, making good the places with plaster ornament in the Norman style. The bays at the west end had lurched towards the west, probably in consequence of want of care in the foundations, or perhaps from the incomplete state of the western end. The whole edifice would have fallen to the ground long ere this had it not been supported by the western tower. A small three-light window is the only trace of perpendicular work in the building as it remains at present. At the Reformation the east end, as reverting to the crown, and is now held by the lord of the manor, was destroyed, but the nave belonging to the parishioners was preserved intact. Several alterations and repairs were made in the church at the Reformation, as also in the reigns of the Charles', when the second pillar from the east to the south side was refaced. A coin of Charles II. was discovered at the restoration of the church in the foundation near the said pillar. This was the time doubtless when the church became very dilapidated and when a petition was presented by the townsfolk to King Charles II., August yth, 1668, for permission to make a brief for a public collection to help restore the church. This petition was granted, OR HOLY CROSS. 99 and in acknowledgment, the thanks of the parish in vestry were sent to the King, February i5th, 1669. On March 2ist, 1669, ,100 were borrowed and expended "towards procuring the duplicates, printing the briefs, &c." This sum was repaid with interest, January 3rd, 1672, and in the year 1674, 46 45. lod. were laid out in repairs of the Church. In 1679 the " School House" (Lady Chapel) was repaired at a cost of ^64 135. 5-Jd. The before named royal brief only realised ^17 53. od. The remainder was obtained from the funds belonging to the parish and from voluntary contributions. Other repairs were made in the Church, in 1673, when on the 23rd of November of that year, a general rate of 2d. in the was made for payment of the said repairs. And by another order, dated 22nd July, 1680, reciting that the Church was out of repair and would cost about ^100 to defray the expenses. For this purpose it was thought advis- able to borrow the ^100 then recently given by Bishop Hall for the benefit of the poor. A ceiling was then made to the church, according to Farmer, who states that the church " formerly seemed by the manner of building, with a high roof, more like a barn than the House of God.* But (continues the historian) it is now a vast addition and ornament to the church, and a great advantage both to the preacher and the congregation in hearing the Word of God." The greatest possible barbarities were made by way of architectural changes in the last century. In 1778 the "upper hall" of the tower was taken down, and, as a writer in the Gentleman's Magazine says, " a paltry substitute of four stone walls with oblong holes set up by way of a belfry." This writer also vehemently exclaims against the inhabitants of Waltham for allowing the church to be mangled by unskilful builders. This tower was restored, as it now appears, by a rate of is. in the , and completed in 1798, and an inscription to that effect placed over the west doorway. A writer of the period thought that * On June 20, 1663, a letter from Canterbury was written by W. Kingsley to Secty. Bennet respecting the Nonconformists of Waltham Abbey, viz. :. There are daily great conventicles in Waltham Parish. On Whit Tuesday, 300 persons met at Hobday's house in Waltham ; others heard preaching in an orchard, and on leaving, they had with them 50 or 60 good horses, several portmanteaus and some bundles supposed to be arms.(?) The liberty taken by fanatics (?) frighten the country. Vide State Papers, Domestic Charles III. See also Neal, Hist. Puritans and Bess' Hist, of the Quakers. 100 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY the Churchwardens needed not to have placed a memorial stone on the church of the event, the parish would long remember the expense without any stone reminder of it. In 1807 the roof was lowered and a plaster ceiling put underneath it.* This old ceiling remained about forty or fifty years. Some repairs were made in the Abbey in 1818, when Mr. W. Wolesholme, of the New Inn, Sun Street, erected the wooden cross, &c., on the top of the tower. A comparatively modern, ugly, slated porch stood on the south side of the church, and which was destroyed in 1873. Near this porch, and close to the entrance into the Crypt, are the remains of some beautiful diaper work. A few fragments of similar masonry appear in the wall of the inner porch under the belfry, all of which were hidden until late years by plaster and whitewash. The robing room, built by Mr. John Bentley in 1874, for 340, is on the north side of the Church. This room is called a "vestry," but it is invariably found to be too small to hold public meetings in. Most of the old prints of the Abbey Church show a small house at the east end of the church, probably an old Chantry in which were sung, before the Reformation, masses for the dead. This Chantry was dissolved by Statute ist, Edward VI., 1547, and was entirely demolished about sixty years ago. The Church now consists of the nave of the original " Romansque " building, and side aisles, north and south. The aisles are of the height of the two lower stages, corresponding with those in Oxford Cathedral. The three tiers of semi-circular arches, with zigzag mouldings, are supported by massive cylindrical pillars ; two of them are ornamented with zigzag indentings. The two chancel pillars have a deep spiral groove running round them, and must have looked very grand if filled with brass.f The pillar opposite the south doorway, in the south aisle, retains the marks of the chain to which was fastened Cranmer's "Great Bible," also the "Paraphrase of Erasmus," by the seventh injunction of good King Edward the Sixth ; together with Bishop Jewel's " Apology of the Church of England," and John * Several portions of the windows in the north aisle were at this period destroyed ! t On the pillar near the chancel (north aisle) are various initials of persons, names and dates, viz.: E.H. 1651 ; E.H. 1661 ; G.B. 1661; S.D. 1702, &c. OR HOLY CROSS. IOI Foxe's " Book of Martyrs," edited by his son, Samuel Foxe, of Warlies, in this parish.* The nave of the Church is about 120 feet in length, its width from the centre of the pillars is about 30 feet, the entire width is 54 feet, and the height is nearly 60 feet. The church will now seat about 800 persons. For a great number of years the inside where the seats now stand was filled up with high oak pews, and a massive gallery extended along the south aisle of the nave, while two others were fixed at the west end, one of which supported the organ. These galleries had seriously injured the pillars near them. This western gallery was built by Mr. Burrell, of Norwich, especially for the old organ. The floor of the church was reduced in 1859-60 to its original level, and one of the south western pillars, which had at some period or other sunk four inches, and had been cut away for the reception of the pulpit, has been substantially restored. The floor, which for centuries had b^een open to receive the dead, may have probably affected the stability of the pillar in question. The graves, or rather vaults, have been filled up with concrete and paved with stone. The subject of the " Rose " window is taken up by the new ceiling, and though a magnificent work of art, it can hardly be said to be in strict keeping with the sacred nature of the building. The ornamental outlines, which were painted by Messrs. Harland and Fisher, were filled up by Edward Poynter, Esq., with a series of paintings exhibiting the labours of the year and the twelve signs of the Zodiac, after the style of Peterborough Cathedral. The oak seats were con- structed and fitted up by Mr. Burrell, of Norwich. Prior to the gas being introduced into the church the building was lighted up by candles. A large brass chandelier was suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the church, which held thirty- six candles, and which fifty years ago was lit up every Good Friday evening, as also on other very special occasions. The cost of the restoration of the Church in 1859-60 was discharged by voluntary contributions, aided by a donation from the War Department,! and a grant from the Society for Building and * Besides the' books above named there were preserved, in the Abbey, several " Gospels in the Saxon tongue," and other early works in manuscript. t The War Office contribute $o annually to the clergy of Waltham for their labour in connection with the spiritual good of the men employed in the Gunpowder Factory. 102 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Repairing Churches. The chancel belonging to the Lord ot the Manor was restored at his expense.* The entire sum expended in the restoration amounted to about ,5,000. The re-opening services of the Abbey Church took place on the 3rd of May, 1860, being the Sooth anniversary of its foundation. Besides the early communion there were three services, morning, afternoon, and evening. At the first two the musical portions of the service were rendered by members of the St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, Temple, Church and Chapel Royal choir, under the direction of Mr. Cummings, the re-constructed organ being re-used for the first time. The preachers of the day were the Rev. H. Brown, Norrisian Professor of Divinity at Cambridge and Canon of Exeter ; the Rev. Dr. Jelf, principal of King's College and Canon of Oxford ; and the Rev. J. M. Hussey, of Brixton. Collections during the day amounted to about ^90. A few minor alterations and repairs have taken place since the restoration of the Church, such as the filling in of the east end with an illuminated reredos, a new lectern, an enlargement of the organ, and the restoration of the Lady Chapel ; also a screen in the same chapel, and a stained glass window in the tower to the memory of the late Vicar, the Rev. J. Francis, M.A. THE REREDOS. Prominent among the most recent gifts to the Church is the reredos, a costly work of art, but which showy imagery, like the " Rose " window above it, is entirely out of character with the general massiveness of the building, and though beautiful in itself, it adds but little to the stately grandeur of the noble edifice, which . . " For loveliness Needs not the foreign aid of ornament. But is, when unadorned, adorned the most." The reredos contains five subjects (i.) The annunciation of the Virgin ; (ii.) the angels appearing to the shepherds and pro- claiming "Peace on earth; goodwill to men;" (iii.) .the nativity of Christ ; (iv.) the homage of the Wise Men of the East ; and (v.) the flight into Egypt. These figures are beautifully sculptured in bold relief and ornamented with gilt and various * The old communion cloth of the Church was purchased of Mr. Chinnery, a banker, of Gilwell House, Sewardstone, for upwards of 40, He purchased it especially with the view of entertaining the father of the present Duke of Cambridge. OR HOLY CROSS. IOJ colours. Beneath is the following inscription : " In humble faith this Reredos is erected to the loving memory of Samuel Bolton Edenborough, who died October 23rd, 1873, by his wife Margaret."* Below the inscription the wall is faced with highly polished Devonshire marble down to the floor, which is covered with ornamental tiles. The handsome new communion table of carved walnut-wood is also the gift of Mrs. Edenborough. THE PULPIT AND LECTERN. The pulpit is not the least part of the furniture of the Church worthy of consideration " The pulpit therefore (and I name it filled With solemn awe, that bids me well beware With what intent I touch that holy thing), The pulpit." In addition to the reredos, Mrs. Edenborough gave the newly erected marble pulpit, which is very massive in appearance. Its form is hexagonal, and the body is composed of Dove marble. In each division, after the High Church order, is inlaid a St. Andrew's Cross, made alternately of Irish and Roman marble, the latter material having been obtained from an old quarry discovered at Rome. The new pulpit is further adorned witn two brass sconces and a small brass lectern. The LARGE" BRASS LECTERN is the gift, through the late Vicar, of an unknown contributor, as a "thank-offering," and bears the following inscription "A THANK OFFERING FOR THE ABBEY CHURCH, WALTHAM HOLY CROSS, 8 AUGUST, 1872." Its value is estimated at ;ioo. The Church was closed for some weeks during the progress of the work, and was re-opened October ist, 1876. In the Lady Chapel is an ancient pulpit which once stood in the Church, and in which many of the old divines of the past have preached. " THE FRANCIS MEMORIAL." The carved oak screen in south-east end of the Church, between the Lady Chapel and the Church, was raised by public subscription as a Memorial to the late Vicar, the Rev. James Francis, M.A. The committee at first decided to have a window inserted in the west front of the Lady Chapel, but a screen was afterwards decided upon as being most appropriate. This screen is the work of Mr. J. Forsyth, of Finchley-road, Hampstead, and consists of five divisions, the * Mrs Margaret Edenborough is interred near the remains of her husband in the north-east corner of the Churchyard. 104 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY openings of which are joined by double tracery arches, and spandrils, with crockets and other carved enrichments. These arches have for their abutments buttresses with intricate pene- trating work, which are perhaps the most interesting section of the screen. They are distinguished by great subtlety of treatment, parts disappeaiing and re-appearing in the most puzzling manner. The cornice is also richly carved, and is crowned with an equally richly carved cresting. Over the central arch there are the figures of two angels with outspread wings supporting a carved cross. The pedestals on which they stand are also richly carved. These figures bear a resemblance to the arms of Waltham Holy Cross. At the basement of the woodwork the following inscription is engraved in old English letters, and extends from left to right of the screen: "To the glory of God and in memory of James Francis, for thirty-eight years Vicar of this parish. He died March 3rd, 1885." The design of this screen was made by Mr. J. Reeve, architect, of 30, St. James' Street, Bedford Row ; the sculpture work was executed by Mr. Forsyth, as already referred to, and the erection of the screen was superintended by Mr. James Meadows. This ornamjent cost between five and six hundred pounds, and was unveiled before a large audience of persons on Lord's day evening, November 28th, 1886, by Dr. Claughton, Bishop of St. Albans, who preached two sermons in celebration of the event. THE ORGAN. The original organ, the gift of Thomas Leverton, Esq., of Bedford-square, London, in 1819, stood many years in the west gallery. On the front of this organ a small brass plate gave its history in brief " FLIGHT AND ROBSON, ORGAN BUILDERS TO H.R. HIGHNESS PRINCE REGENT. ENLARGED AND RE-CONSTRUCTED BY J. W. WALKER, 1860." This old instrument was removed in 1879, when the present splendid organ was entirely re-constructed by Messrs. Walker and Son, of Francis-street, Tottenham Court-road, and placed at the east end of the north aisle of the church at a cost of 700. This organ contains three manuals and great swell, with a separate pedal organ prepared for three stops ; one stop the open diapason of wood being at present inserted ; also draw stops. The pipes of the other stops only are required. The great organ is prepared for eight stops, seven of which are given. The only stop remaining to complete this portion of the organ OR HOLY CROSS. 105 is the posaune (or reed stop). The swell organ, which is really very fine, contains thirteen stops, and only twelve pipes of the double trumpet are wanted to complete this portion of the instrument. "The choir organ is prepared for six stops, two of which the clarionet and flute are fhserted. The couplers are five in number, and the composition pedals six. Joseph Chalk, Esq., is the organist, which office he has sustained since 1859-60. ANCIENT MUSIC USED IN THE ABBEY CHURCH. One of the most curious and interesting manuscripts that once adorned the library of the ancient Monastery of Waltham is now in the Lansdown Collection, 763, and bears the following title in rubric: " Huirt libnim botrhihtm 3|Tusk;tm (Surbonis, seripslt bcmtwus $olj;innts SSIirlDc, rjuoniram mntpti Htanasterii ;mtt;t (Cntcis ire 3$ta(tlj:mt |J mentor." Annexed to this is the usual anathema which may be met with in most early MSS. belonging to religious houses. It is written by a later hand in black ink, and imports no less than a curse on any who should steal or injure the book : " Quern quidem lib rum, aut hunc tit ulum. qui malitiose abstulerit aut dekverit, anathema sit? Notwithstanding the admonition here given, the book appears to have fallen into rough hands, probably after the dissolution, of the Monastery. The volume is beautifully written on vellum, and contains 131 folios, including an original letter from Dr. John Wall is respecting a Greek MS. found at Buda; also a letter from Humphrey Wanley ; a note from Mr. West to Mr. Raper, 'with reply ; and a letter from Daines Barrington. All on musical subjects. On the first folio of this MS. volume we find the name of the author or transcriber John Wylde, Precentor of Waltham Holy Cross. His name occurs also on folio 51 b., and his initials, J. W., after the words Explicitint Regultz Magistri Johannls Torkesey de 6 Speciebus natarurn, folio 94 b. The contents of the volume appear on the fly sheet, /*. no. ii platts lackyng. Itm ix chargers and ii Slats, x s - Itm iiii Dosem potyngers xvi 8 - Itm iiii Dosem & v sawcers, viii 8 - Item a kettyll of brasse in a furneys. Itm a cestron of leade w th ii cockes. The Bakehouse. Item ii kneding troughes w th a brake and ii molding bords. Itm a panne w* a leade to heat water in. The Brewhouse. Item ii grete ffatters w th leads on them A masshing fatte & xxviii Kymnells xxxiii 3 - iiii d - Itm a grete furneys of Coper and an other lesser furneys likewise of coper, xiii; vi s viii d - The Graner there \Garner\. Item vii quarters of malt a iiii 8 - the quarter, Sum xxviii 8 - Item a horsemyll. Itm an horse for the same myll, v 3 - Itm ii Dragge neats for fysshing. The Smythes fforges' Item ii Andevyles the one the stele woren out and other trashe for a Smyth, xxx 8 - The Graunge\ in the garner there. ffirst by estimacon x quarters off whete at vi s - the quarter, lx s - * The house in the Market Place belonging to the parish is called " The Forge." t Probably the Abbey Farm. 128 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY The Otebarne'\Qa.\. BarnJ. -Item in ots thresshed by estimacon:. .v quarters at ii s - viii d - the quarter, xiii 8 - iiii d Item in the mowe on thresshed by estimacon xv quarters at ii 8 - viii d - the quarter, xl 8 - The hey barne [Hay Barn]. Item by estimacon xxi lodes besydes iiii lodes for iii Browne hey at v xiii 8 - The Plowhouse. Item iii peir of harrowes and a plowe vi 8 - viii d - Item a litle ffurneys off leade iii 8 - iiiid- Item ii peir of yron draughts & vii yoks iii 8 - iiii d - Item the bodies of ii Donge cartes and one lyme cart wt i peire of wheles, x 3 - Item ii carts \vt yron bounde wheles, xxvi 3 - viii d - The Deyhouse* Item a cawdron of brasse bounde w tj l Iron iiii 8 - Item iii brasse potts a kettyll trivett a barre of yron and ii pothangers, vi s - Item a litle cawdron in a furneys iii 8 - iiii d - Item a gredyron and ii spitts xii 3 - The Cattell. ffirst iiii xx viii shepe wt xii Lambes viii Item v ixs. Kyne ii xxs - Bulles ii Bullockes and v xvis - viiid yerelings cxii 3 - viii d - Item vii Oxen vi Itm xiii bores and sowes yonge and old with viii Pigges xxiiii 8 - Itm vi carte horses v Item vi malte horses iiii Item xii Oxon in the stall x xvi d - Sum t. xl xii 8 - viii d - Come. Theise done Remityon unsold vntyll the Channellers pleasure be knowen. Itm in whete in a feld called Cobbefeldt cxl acr at vi 8 - the acr. Itm in the same field in ots c acr at v 8 - the acr. After open measure, made by the Tenants and the Kyngs Officers there was in whete iiii xx - i acr at vi 3 - the acre xxiiii* vi 3 - Itm after measured the oots whiche doth amount to iii acres Ixiii at iiii the acre xii xii 8 - Sum Totall of the goods sold to Mr. DenyJ besydes the Come in the felds c x s. v id. Whereof Receyued by the Receyuer of geffry gates xl - And so re. lx x 3 - vi d - Itm of the corne xxxvi xviii 8 - Sum Due by Mr. Deny besydes that that ys payed before iiii 1 *- xvii viii 8 - vi d - Sum Totall of the ornaments, goods, & chatalls before mentyoned w* the corne in the fld. ccij xvi s - x d - Whereof by Mr. North for iii Copes vestments deacons & Subdeacons xl d - franc Browne for hey cxiii 8 - Mr. Deny cxxxii iii 8 - x d - Receyued by the Receyuorlv * A place for cooking. t Cobbing Mead. J Probably Sir Anthony Denny, the King's Chamberlain. OR HOLY CROSS. 129 Pensyons $ rewards appoynted to the late Abbot of Waltham fy to his Co brethere the xxiiii day of marche A" xxxi H. viii by the Com\)nissione\rs. It. to Robert ffuller Clerk late Abbott there for term of hys life [in land and possessions to the yearly value] thereof as doth appere cc. It. to Thos Warren prior ibm xx pensyon, iii reward ; It. Robert Wodleff, ix pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Ric Rede, vi xiii s - viii d - pensyon, iii reward ; It. Willm lyllye* Chaunter ibm vi viii 3 - iiii d ' pensyon, iii reward ; It. Tho hawkyns, ix pensyon, iii reward j It. to George solye, vi xiii 8 - iiii d - pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Ed. Sanders, Subprior, vi xiii 8 iiii d - pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Robert Pkerf Sexton ibm, vi xiii 8 - iiii d - pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Edward Story, viii pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Hege YongeJ vi xiii 8 - iiii d - pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Humfry Martyn, vi xiii 8 - iiii d - pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Miles Garrard, vi xiii 8 - iiii d - pensyon, iii reward ; It. p John Norreys, vi xiii 8 - iiii d - pensyon, iii re_ward ; It. to John Sanders, v pensyon, iii reward ; It. to John Holmested, v pensyon, iii reward; It. to Robert Hall v pensyon, iii reward ; It. to Edmund ffreke,T[ v pensyon, iii reward. [Signed] Richard Ryche, Wyllyam petre|| Sum cccxxvi Nicholas Gate, John ap Rice, Thomas Myldemaye, ffrances Jobson [auditors]. * A friend of Thomas Tallis, the Organist. t Robert Parker. % Hugh \ oung. Justice of Peace. If Edmund Freke, a scholar of high repute ; made Bishop of Norwich in 1584, and died Bishop of Worcester in 1590. || Sir William Petre was principal Secretary of State for many years. He died in 1571 and was buried at Ingatestone. It was thought at one time to make a Bishopric of Waltham Abbey. The scheme of the intended Bishopric here comprised a Bishop, a president xxiijfi vjs. viijd. ^B for the corps of his promotion ix* and xvjd. by day ] Book 24 Augm. Off. fol. 7. 58. by prebendaryes every of them by the yere xx& [the corps "] and viij 3 - by day,] a reder of divinite xx- iv peti canons to sing. [B to keep the quire] in the quire every of them viijs. i. [B. there are 6, one to be Sexton, a Gospeller vj , a Pisteler c- ] [B. like the peti canons they were to have i.] vj layemen to sing and serve in the quere, every of theei vj xiijs- iiijil. viij Choresters every of them v marks; a Mr.ster of (he children x^- iiij Students of divinite, ij at Oxenford and to\v;e at Cam- brydge, every of them xl*- ; xx Scholars every of them v 13 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Washes and Rewards. Itm. Edward Stacy,* xiii 8 - iiii d - ; xiii 8 - iiii d - John Henghaie, xiii 8 - iiii d - ; xiii 3 iiii d - It Cristofer Cressey.t xiii 8 - iiii d - ; xiii 8 iiii d - Thomas TalysJ, xx 8 - ; xx 8 - John Buck, x 8 - ; x 8 - Itm. Henry Smyth, x 8 - ; x 8 - John Herde, vi 8 - viii d ; vi s - viii d - Willm Corbyn, vi 8 - viii d ; vi 8 - viii d - Rogr Gyttones, x 8 - ; x 8 - Richard Wallenger, viii 8 - iiii d - ; viii s - iiii d - John Corbey, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d - Richard Marten, vi 8 viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d - James Pratte, viii 8 - iiii d - ; viii 8 - iiii d - John Mombrey, viii 8 - iiii d -; viii 8 - iiii d - Anthony Pynnock, x & - ; x 8 - Humfrey Barrett, xiii 8 - iiii d -; xiii 8 - iiii d - John Palmer, vi 8 - viii d -; vi 8 -, viii d - John Childe, vi s - viii d - ; vi s - viii d - John Forman, viii 8 - iiii 4 ; viii 8 - iiii d - Aleyn Heyne, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d John Peycock, v 8 - ; v 8 - Raff Matres, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d - Thomas Blakenam, vi s viii d ; vi s - viii d - Mathew Pek, vi 8 - viii d ; vi 8 - viii 11 - the wyff lauunder, xiii 8 - iiii'- ; xiii 8 - iiii d - Robt Buck, x 8 - ; x 8 - John Grey, v 8 - ; v 8 John Bennet, v 8 - x d - ; v s - x d - Robt Curteyss, v s - x d -; v 8 - x d - Richard Pratte, vi 8 - viii d -; vi 8 - viii d - George Spruce, v s ; v 8 - Willm Robts, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii 4 - John Nevelock, x 8 - ; x 8 - John West, x 8 - ; x 8 Richard Werbeck v 8 - ; v 8 - Lawerence Mune, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d - David Hedley, xiii 8 - iiii d -; xiii 8 - iiii d - Raff Smyth, vi 8 - viii d -; vi 8 - viii d - Lawrance Mody, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d - Willm Morice, v 8 - ; v 8 - Richard Curteys, v s - x d - \ v s - x d - Willm Stacy, v s - ; v 8 - Robt Brooke, v 8 - ; v 8 - John Bosten,|| iii 8 - ; iii 8 - Richard Wyldborne, x s - ; x 8 - Xpofer Godfrey, v s ; v 8 - Isaac Benyngton, x 8 - ; x~- John Barbor, x s - ; x 8 - John Jawdry, v s - ; v 8 - Thomas Bennett, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d - v children in the church, xx 8 - ; xx s - Willm Shelley x 8 - ; x 8 - Willm Parrett, x 8 - ; x 8 - Richard Rawlynes, viii 8 - iiii d - ; viii 8 - iiii d - John Syredd, ix s - iiii" 1 - ; ix 8 - iiii d - xpofer Brymyngton "iii 8 - iii d - ; viii 8 - iiii a x Thomas Muffett, vi 8 - viii d - ; vi 8 - viii d - Richard Herte, v 8 - ; v 8 - John Bedwell, v 8 - ; v 8 - Willm Byrke, v s - ; v 8 - John West- wood, v- 8 ; v s - John Tybbs, iii 8 - ; iii 8 - Hugh Busshe, iii 8 - iiii d -; iii 8 - iiii d - Robt Cley, iiii 8 - viii d -; iiii 8 - viii d - Richard Bossewell, iiii 8 - iiii d -; iiii 8 - iiii d - Willm Soresby, v 8 - iii d - ; v 8 - iii d - The wyff of the Bayly of the Graunge, v 8 - ; v 8 - Elizabeth Plume, * Edward Stacy, gent., see Tablet in South Aisle of the church, t The Cressys resided in the Homeland, and were buried in the church. Thomas Tallis, celebrated Musician and Organist in the Abbey Church. Bobert Curteyss, [Curtis] ancestor of the Pilgrim Fathers of that name. | John Boston, organist. OR HOLY CROSS 131 ii 8 - vi d - ; ii s - vi d - Henry Chideley, v 8 - ; v 8 - The nurse of the howsse takyng no wages in Reward, x s - Sum liii e xvi 8 - ii d - INVENTORY OF MINISTER'S ACCOUNTS OF WALTHAM taken in the 3ist and 32nd of King Henry the Eighth, 1540-1 [Exchequer Office Pub. Rec. Office]* Terri &: possession imp Monaster de Waltham ptm. Maner sive Somum de Waltham cu Membris. Compus Johms hyghine [Heigham] Ballun et Collects & ffirmitrum ibm $ tempus pdcm. Arrerayia. Null qr prumus Compus impius Compits ad usum dui Regis (no arrears) Sum null. Reddies Assis libor et Custum tenen in Waltham. Scd rd. Compm de xxxviii^ vii 8 \^- ob de Redd Assis tam libor qui Customiorum tenents in Waltham pdca pvt *$ diuers septiler Rentalia mde de pticulis ffacts sub hunc compu exam & prat pleums liguet & apparet Soluend ad ffest Aunnciaconis velete Marie virginis et St Michis Archi equaliter ^ annum. Sum xxxviii^" vii 8 - v d - ob. Ffirma. Terrar admuss divers psons ad Volunt Domini in Waltham. De xxiiii^" v ix d - de firmat dins terri ibm dumss dinsis psonis ad volunt dm vt Pr Rentlea Pdia sumliter sup hunc compm examinat & pbat Soluend ad fiesta pdia equaliter "$ ann. Sum xxiiii li. v s - ix d - Ffirma Terra in Waltham dunnfs dndf pson. Indentur ty ternino. De xxx^ xix 8 - defirma divers terr dumff duis psons "$ Indentur V termino Annor vt Pr Rentlia pdia ^ Annm Soluend .ad ffest pdia equal Pann. de vi^ de ffirma dms terr ibm dumff Edwards Stacye f termino Annor ^ Annum Soluend ad terminas pdios de \\, de ffiim de le Sheppecottefelds de Scrutehills ibm dimss dco comput av anno Ann Soluend ad pdca equalit 1* ann. Sum xlii^" xix 8 - Ffirma V * pratonna in Holy f eld et Waltham. De Ixvi 8 - iii d - de ffirma x ma y pratorum ibm dumff dms psons de anno in Anr soluend ad ffesta pdia equaliter $ ann pvt Pr Rentlia pdia .Sum lxvi s - iii d - Reddus Assis liborum qui Custum tenin Hahjfield memb dm de Walthme. De vii^ vi s - od. de Redd Assis tm liborum qui Custum Tenens ibm V ann Soluend ad ffesta pdca Aunciacoins * From land in the four Wardships in the Parish. 132 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY vte marie virguns & sc Michs Archi equaliter *$ ann prt Pr Rentlia pdca sumlit sup hunc Compm. examiatr. Sum vii; vi s - o d - Ffirma Ter in hallifeld. De xiii 8 - iiii d - de ffirma certs terr in tennia ad termuos pdcos equaliter "$ ann. Sum xiii 8 iiii d - Reddus Assis tarn liborum qui Oustumunonr Teneno in Uppeshire hamlett de Waltham. De xv, xvii s - vi d - de Redd Assis tarn liborum qm Custum Tenen ibm ann., Soluend ad pdia ffesta Annunciaconis bte marie virgnus et Sc Michs Archi equaliter ^ ann., Pvt. ^ Rentlia pdca Sum xv xvii 3 - vi d - Ffirma Terra ad voluntatem dm in Vppeshire. De xxi 8 - de ffirma cert terr ibm dumff dms psons ad Voluntatem dm ^ ann., Soluend ad eosdem terminos vt ^ Rentlia Pdca. Sum xxi 8 - Reddus Assis Custum Tenemum Sydwardstoun Hamlett de Waltham. De xxxiiii 3 - i d - ob ov de Red Assis Custum Tenem ibm ^- Ann. Soluend ad ffest pdca equal *$ Ann pvt ^ Rentlia pdca. Sum xxxiiii 3 - i d - Ffirma Terra in Sydwardstoun ad volunt. De xxvii 8 - iiii d - de ffirma cert terr ibm, &c. Domim. De vi. xiii s iiii d - de ffirma cert terr ibm dumss Jacobo Sutton, &c. Redd Mobilin in Sidwardsto. De iiii 3 - ii' 1 - de Redd mobili xxv gallmarum recept de Tenen ibm &c. Firrma Mali ffulloms in Waltham. De xl s - de firma moli ffollonis* ibn dumss ^ Indentur Robert Cresseyt ^ termino Annor Soluend ad ffesta Aunciacoins ble marie virgine sc Michis Archi equal ^ Ann. A LIST OF PIECES OF GOLD PLATE, &c., which accrued to King Henry VIII,, "as well by the surrender as Visitations of Religious Houses and Cathedrals. The original signed by the King's owne hand. By John Williams Maister and Treasurer of the King's Jewells." (Glastonbury Monastery) 1539. Hereafter ensuithe, as well all suche Somes of Money as have ben delyvered unto the King's majestic by the saide John Williams master of our saide soveraigne Lorde juells as also dyverse and sondry percells of plate newe made and bowght by the saide John Williams, sythens the saide first daye of Octobere Anno xxx. That is to say Furst delivered unto his majestic *A I'lilling filill for scoureing cloth, t Of the Homeland. OR HOLY CROSS. 133 the furste day of November. An. supra, by thande of Anthony Deny one of the Gentlemen of the King's privey Chamber, the some of three thowsand fyve hundrethe fifty three pounds sterlinge iii m - v c - liii fi Item, delyvered more unto his majestic the same dale, and yere by the ands of Frauncys Jopson, of suchestuffe as came frome the late dissolved howse of YValu.ame, a pair of gilte Cruetts, weinge one and twentie unces. xxi oz. Item, delyvered more unto his maiestie the same daie, of Waltham stuffe, a Bason and an Ewer, parcell gilte* weinge four score and one unc. uu i oz. Item, delyvered more unto his maiestie the same daie of the same stuffe a Cuppe of Serpentyne, garnished with silver and gilte, weinge with the Serpentyne, seven and thirtie unces. Sum. xxxvii oz. Item delyvered more unto his maiestie the same daie, of the same stuffe, a Sconnse with an handle of silver, weinge fyfteyne unces. Sum. xv oz. f DETTS PAYDE AT THE DISSOLUCION OF THE SAID HOWSE [OF WALTHAM]. Payde to Sir Thomas HawkeynesJ as apperyth by a byll of pcells, Ixxii 8 - ii d - Signed wt th Chauncellor hand. Itm more payed by the Channcellors Commandment Willm Dune, xiii 8 - iiii d - Itm more payed xp ofer Colte for his wages and Rewards, viii 8 - Itm more lykewyse payed to Richard Kyrby by the Chauncellor's Commandement, viii 8 - vi d - The Charges of the Comissioners at the tyme of Dissolution the xxv th Daye of Marche An xxxi. (Hen. VIII.) To the Clerkes for ther paynes, xlv 8 - viii d - Item to the twoo p r cevaunts attendyng. of the Chauncellor at Walthame, vii 8 - vi d - Itm payed to Mr. Gates, svant for Watchynge in the churche,|| v 8 - Itm to Doctor Peter, xl s - Item to Price, xl s - Itm to Solocitor, xl s - Itm to Auditor, iiii Item to Receyor iiii Item to horsekepers for their charges in towne, v 8 - iiii d - Coste for the carrage of the plate. Itm to a Carter for carrying of the Kyng's plate and Juells from Walthame to * Parcel gilt means gilt inside only, or partially gilt. t Dugdale's Monasticon, Vol. I. pp. 63-7. J Thomas Hawkins, one of the Officers of the church, ejected at the dissolution. The Colte family were buried in the church, see tablet in the south aisle. || Guarding the plundered ornaments. 134 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY London, iii s - Itm to ii men for weytynge upon the same place from Walthame to London, vi 8 - viii d - Itm for vi ells of Canvas to stuffe the Coopes and vestments resquyd fr the Kyngee, ii s - Itm for iiii boundells of Ropes to stuffe the Chests w*- plate at vii d - the bundle, ii s - iiii d - Itm for the carage of the plate to the Courte and home agayne to the the Juell howsse xx d - Sum This bill made the xxvii day of Aprill An 32 Hen xxxii wittensseth that I Nycolas Brystowe have receyved of ffracnis Jobson the Kyngs Rec rs of ... with the ... of harteford* the pcells following Itm. ii Coppes of Redde coursse tissue with v woonndes.f Itm. A coppe of couse Redde tissue with vesture deacons & subdeacons sorted with ther Albes. Itm vi coppes of blew tissue with vestments deacon & subdeacon sorted with ther albes. Itm a vestment of olde turkey sylke the oferers of goold garnished} with purle & counterfeit stone. Rec all pcells aforesaid by the Kyngs Commandement and to his graces only use. Menst Aplis An Regeni xxxii d - "$ me Nich Bristowe. THE LATE MONESTRY OF WALTHAM. This Indenture made the xviii th day of Marche in the yere of the Reigne of our souaigne Lorde Kyng henry the viii th Witnesseth that I Sir John Williams Knight master and Treasorer of our said souaigne Lords Juells have Received and hadd the day and yere above said of ffrancis Jobson Gentleman one of the Kings particular Recevors of his Courte of Augumentation and for the Dyssoluying of the late monestery of Waltham in the Countie of Essex. Alle such pcells of plate as cam to the use of our said Souaigne lord by the Dyssoluyng of the said late monestery of Waltham aforesaid. The particulars whereof herafter ensuyth. /// Witnese whereof the pties above said to thise Indentures have setto there names and scales. The day and yere above written. Church Plate Delyuered to the said Sir John Williams these pcells of plate defaced and broken, ffurst a Crosyer wt iii pecs * Hertford, see Inventory of Parish Churches in Hertfordshire by /. E. Cussans. t Wounds of Christ. J Oferers or Orfrays, two bands about eight inches in breadth, reaching OR HOLY CROSS. 135 of a staff of syluer & gylte [xxiiij oz:] Item iiii tables [of Or Lady]* plated wt sylver and gylte eny one of them wt ii folding leves [qr pacell pentjf It. v Gospeller^ wt sylur & gylte. It. one Crosse plated sylur & gylte. It. one Arme plated wt syluer &: gylte. It. a Crosse of Wodde plated wt syluer & gylte and a staffe broken plated wt syluer for the same. It. a myghter [mitre] wt ii labells garnished wt syluer & gylte smalle plees. It. a pyxe of sylur gylte. It. iii Chalices with there patents gylte. It. iii. chalices of sylur white wt there patents. It. a holywater stock wt a sprynkyll white. It. iii Sensors of sylur pcell gylte. It. A Shypp for franckensens pcell gylte. It. A nother shypp for franckensens pcell gylte. It. ii smalle candillstycks of syluer pcell gylte wt small buryalls.|| It ii Cruetts gylte. It. ii smalle Cruetts of Syluer whyte one lacking a cover. It. A paxe of syluer white. It. a smalle Bason for the Altar. It. a SconsIT of syluer white. It. a monstrance of syluer gylte. It. ii Crystall glasses typped w* Syluer.** House/wide Plate. Item a stonding Cuppe wt a cover wt a pounde garnett enamyled in the top of the cover 1* oz. It. a standing Cuppe wt a cover and a Dolphin enamyled in the toppe of the cover. It. a Goblett wt a cover haueing in the toppe of the cover the Image of Saint John. It. one smalle salte wt a Cover hauyng on the same a Roose in the toppe. It a Spyce plate wt oute a cover. It. a nutt of Buryall garnysshed w l syluer gylte. Item a Sarpentyne Cuppe ffassheon w l a cover of a masor garnysshed w 1 sylver. Item a stonding masor wt a cover * The chapel formerly called " Our Lady's," because there was founded in it a Chantry of that name, and under it is a very fair arched charnel house to which belonged a gild." Morant's Essex, vol. i, 45. t " An other foldynge Table [A dyptych for an altar] with ij leves plated with sylver gilt with Reliques An other Table with foldynge leves plated with sylver gilt hayng therein the crucifix. An other Table with ij foldynge leves the myddle pece plated with sylver havynge therin iij Crossys and the leves plated with sylver gilte sett with counterfett stones. % Gospels, probably Saxon. Pax a small plate on which was represe nted our Lord's Passion. It was kissed by the priest and congregation. || Beryls, precious stones. 11 A sconce fastened to the wall. ** For relics. J 3 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY garnyshed wt sylur gylte. It, v masors garnysshed wt syluer gylte. Item one Bason wt an Ewar of syluer enamyled in the myddes of the bason and in the toppe of the cour wt Crosses pcell gilte. It. ii Goblets wt one cover haueyng in the top of the cover a lyon graued. One geven to the Abbott. It. a Salte of syluer wt a cover graven wt flowres. It. [vi. geven to the Abbott.] iii potts of syluer whyte. It. xxv Spones of sylur whyte. Whiche parcells of plate above written and .mencioned so defaced and broken waiyng in maner and fournne folowing, that is to say: In plate Gylte cccclxxix oz. In plate pcell Gylte ccli oz. In Whyte ccccxxxix. oz. By me John Williams. LAND IN ST. PANCRAS BELONGING TO THE ABBEY OF WALTHAM, 27 HEN. VIII. This Indenture made by Robert, Abbott of Waltham holy crosse on the oon ptye and John Palmer of Kentyschtown on the other ptye Wytnessth the said Abbot & convent by their hole assent &c., demysed granted and to ferme, all that their lands & tents medowys, wodes, ifec., in the pyshe of Seynt Pancras-in-the-ffyelds togeder lying on the south syde of Caenwode & Gyllys Haute comonly now callyd Millefeyld or Canewode feylds and also otherwise callyd. Mylle- ffeyld, huntffeyld, <&c., lately in tennor of oon Nicholas Grey. The said John Palmer his assigns, &c., to have and to hold the said premises for the term of forty and oon years, paying yerely the some of fiyve pounds sterlyng at too usual times in the yere, &c. In wytnes whereof eyther of the seid ptes to these psents indenturs enterchaungeably have put the Scales geven in the Chapyter howse of the seid Abbott & Convent the day & yere as aforseid. \Vide Conventual Leases.] THE VESTERY STUFF. iii copes ffurste a pryst deacon and sub-deacon of blewe satten of bridges with albes to the same xxx 8 - ii copes of white satten of bridges xiij 8 - iiii d - a cope of olde white damaske, with a vestment pryst, deacon and sub-deacon to the same, with albes geven to the parrysshe of Walthame xiij 8 - iiii d - Itm. ii copes and vestment deacon and sub-deacon, with albes to the same of redde old Turkey silke xx s - a cope of olde redd satten of bridges, with vestment deacon and sub-deacon lakkinge albes, vj s viij d - iiij copes of old braunched saye [silk] black, with vestment deacon and sub-deacon, with albes xv s - geven to the pysshe of Walthame. Itm. a vestment deacon and sub- OR HOLY CROSS. 137 deacon, with albes of old dovnyxe v 8 - geven to the pore churches ther abouts, a vestment deacon and sub-deacon, with albes of old dornixe v s - a pryst deacon and sub-deacon of whyte colyn [Cologne] bawdekyn with albes v 8 - a vestment deacon and sub- deacon of grene and blewe torne sylke with albes to the same v 8 - a vestment deacon and sub-deacon of olde red damaske, with albes, vs. prieste, deacon and sub-deacon of whyte bustyan, with albes iij 8 - iiij d - a syngle vestment of whit and blewe sylke xx d - an old cope of ymagery, with flowres xiiij 8 - iiij d - a cusshen of crym- sen velvett, with the leteres of C and R, x s - I?es pro Rege. iij copes of redd purple tyssue, with v wondes* a cope of coursef redde tyssue, with vestment deacon and sub-deacon of the same- sorte,J with albes, vj coopes of blewe tissue, with a vestment deacon and sub-deacon of the same sorte, with vj albes lackinge iii. . . . Mr. North iii coopes, vestment, deacon and sub- deacon of redde bawdekyn, with flewers and albes to the same x s - DAT' Louton [Loughton] se Chygewell ii coopes of redde sylke, very olde wherof one with faukouns and another with swannes, with a vestment deacon and sub-deacon, with albis to to the same lxvj s - viij d - an old coope of lether gold iiij d - Brox- jjonrne and Wormley iiij coopes of olde yellow sylke vestment deacon and sub-deacon, with albes to the same iiij,. v coopes, a vestment, deacon and sub-deacon, of white damask with albes 1 s - iij coopes of greene damaske, with albes xxvj 8 - viij d - iiij coopes of redd bawdekyn xl s Nasytig. A tunicle of white bawdekyn, with coper gold.|| Itm. ij coopes of grene sylke, wroughte with byrdes and floures xiij 3 ij coopes of redd counter- feit sylver x s - Wormeley** iij coopes of lether gold, ij greneand * The heart and pierced hands and feet of our Saviour. t "Course," in the 'receipt" a vestment of cowers silk. MS. Inv. Augm. Off 309, 40. J Sortly or agreeably. $ Probably wall hangings made of thin pliant leather, a tapestry, painted l>y hand. || Gold of the colour of burnished copper. ** The Abl ot of Waltham Lord of the Manor of Wormley was annually -wont to send (to the cross erected at Wormley West End) some of his canons, who on the 3rd of May and I4th September, walked in solemn procession with the parishioners singing a Htany. This place retains the name of Holy Cross. This seems to be a kind of processioning to keep the lands that join to the kingdom of Mercia distinct from the lands of the Abbey of St. .Albans which were in that kingdom, and contiguous to Wormley. See . Salmon's Hist. Herts, p. 14, 138 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY one blewe, with vestment deacon and sub-deacon, with albes to the same xx 8 - ij tunicles of greene silke with albes to the same iij 8 v coopes of blewe velvet, wherof one with aungels of gold and crosses and the vj th with aungells in cloudes, with vest- ment deacon and sub-deacon, and albes to the same xiiij^". Broxbourne. iij coopes with vestment deacon and sub-deacon, and albes of white bustain xiij 8 iiij d - a coope vestment deacon and sub-deacon with albes to the same of redd silk wrought with byrdes x 8 GEVEN TO THE CHAPPELL IN WALTHAME. A vestment deacon and sub-deacon of grene and white bawdekyn with albes vjs. viij d - [at S. John's altar] a syngle vestment of olde redd velvett iiij 8 - on other single vestment of white bustain xxj tl - Pro rege, a redd velvet coope, a white coope of sylke a coope of blewe bawdekyn and a vestment sett with perle, given to Mr. Pope By Mr. North. Summa Ornamentorum c xxv^ cum x li superplus Edward North, a Gospeler plated with sylver having upon the same a Crucifixe and Marye and John, gilte (nil), a crosse, plated with sylver gilte with a large long bone in the same, a Gospler, plated with sylver gilte havinge in the myddes the Ymage of Cryste with the iiij Evangelysts nl. an other Gospler plated with sylver gylte havinge the crufixe, Mary and John in the myddes, and ij Teth* a GOSPELER OF THE SAXON TONGUE, having thone syde plated with sylver parcell gilte, with ye ymage of Cryst nl, an other GOSPLER OF THE SAXON TONGE, with the Crusifixe and Mary and John having a naked man holding up his hands of sylver gilte, nl.an Armf with relyques garnysshed with counterfeit stone, plated with sylver gilte, nl. a crosse of wood plated with sylver gylt garnysshed with counterfeit stone, and a staff, broken, plated with sylver for the same, nl. J OUR LADY CHAPPELL. A Table of ymagery of the xij, apostells x 8 a lytell payre of organes xx 8 - * Teth, probably of Mary and John (?). In the Inv. of Sarum is an ampul of chrystal containing a tooth of St. Anne." t " Reserved for the King." J The Rev. M. E. C. Walcott says, "Another receipt is appended for vestments for the king's use, marked with this addition, a vestment of olde Turkey Sylke, the orferes of goold garnesshed with parls and counterfeit stone." These may have been beads or artificial pearls. A pair of organs simply means an organ having more pipes than one. OR HOLY CROSS. 139- IN THE QUYRE. A greate large payre of Organes above, one the northe of the Quyre, a lesser payre beneth. ij smalle candel- styks of tynne xxij d iii smale lamps of brasse. IN THE CHURCH. xlvj Gravestones and Tombes in sundry places of the churche IN MY LADY ROES CHAPPELL.* Geven iii syngle vest- ments, with ij albes, very olde vi s - viij d - The Abbot received a stondynge cuppe with a cover, with a crowne ymperial in the toppe of the cover, twoo Saltes, with one cover of a sort, with a rose graven in the top of the cover, ij Nutts, with one cover garnysshed with sylver gylte. ix Masors, garnysshed with sylver gylte. Parcell gylte, ij basons of sylver, with ij ewers enamelyd in the myddes of the basones in the toppe of the covers with crosses, white ix potts of sylver xxvi spones of sylver, x spones of sylver with knoppis gilte. Nomina [vi.] Juratontm aa vere et indeferenter appreciandum omnia singula mobilia dicti uitper nwnaxterium electorum et jura torn in. Signed Johnes Cocks gent., Robertus Cressy, Johnes West, Rolandus Raunson, Willm Roche, Willm Woodleffe. CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS OF THE ABBEY, A.D., 1540-2. The progress of destruction (according to Dr. T. Fuller) with which the Abbey was visited after the dissolution, was great, Part of the church, with the offices, &c., were demolished for the sake of the materials, the nave only being reserved to the inhabi- tants to serve as a parish church. Dr. Thomas Fuller writes Item, know, then, there were six ordinary obits which the churchwardens did annually discharge, namely, for Thomas Smith, and Joan his wife, on the i6th of January; for Thomas Friend, Joan and Joan his wives, on the i6th February; for Robert Freest, and Joan his wife, on the loth April; for Thomas Towers, and Catherine his wife, the 26th April; for John Breges and Agnes his wife, the 3ist May; for Thomas Turner, and Christian his wite the 2oth Dec. The charge of aa obit was 2S. 2d., and if any be curious to have the peculiars thereof it was thus expended, viz., To the parish priest, 4d; to- Our Lady's priest 3d.; to the charnel priest 3d.; to the clerks 4d. ; to the children (choristers) 3d.; to the sexton 2d. ; to the bell- man 2d. ; for two tapers 2d. ; for oblation 3d. To defray the expenses of these obits, Thomas Smith bequeathed a tenement * See my history of Our Lady Chapel, restored 1875. 140 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY in the corn market, and others gave lands in Upshire, called Paternoster Hills; others ground elsewhere, besides a stock of 1 8 cows which the wardens let out yearly to farm for i8s. ANNO 1542. Imprimis. For watching the sepulchre, a groat. Item, paid to the ringers at the coming of the King's grace, six- pence. "Yet Waltham bells told no tales every time King Henry came hither, having a small house in the Romeland to which he is said oft privately to retire for pleasure." Item, paid unto two men of law for their counsel about the church leases, 6s. 8d. Item, paid the attorney for his fee, 2od. Item, paid for ringing at the prince's coming id. ANNO. 1543. Imprimis Received of the executors of Sir Robert Fuller given by the said Sir Robert to the church, 10. Abbot Fuller bequeathed to the church a chalice, silver and gilt, which they afterwards sold for 7.* ANNO. 1544. Received of Adam Tanner the overplus of the money which was gathered for the purchase of the bells, 2 45. i id. Hem. Received of Richard Tanner, for eight stoles, 33. These very rags of popery sold for 4^d. each. Item. Paid for mending the handbell 2d. This was the "saint's bell," carried by the sexton at the "circumgestation" of the sacrament, the visita- tion of the sick, &c. Item. Paid to Philip Wright,f carpenter, for making a frame in the belfry, i8s. 4d. ANNO. 1546. Item, for clasps to hold up the banners in the body of the church, 8d. Item. Paid to John Boston^ for mending the organs 2od. THE ABBEY FLOUR MILLS. The two flour mills near the Abbey were let by the Abbot of Waltham temp. Henry VIII. to James Blount, miller, for 26 135. 4d. per annum, to be paid quarterly ( Vide Conventional Leases Aug. Off. Essex, No. 209, Pub. Rec. Off.) ||. * Vide Churchwarden's Accounts, Anno 1556. t The author possesses the original list of subscribers towards buying the bells; and in which occurs the name of Philip Wright (See "Our Parish Registers," p. 136.) | John Boston, organist, a pensioner at the dissolution of the Abbey. || This Indent, made xxviii. day of Septembre the twenty yere of the Reign of Kyng henry the viii. bytweene Robert Abbot of Waltham holy crosse on the one pt, and Jamys Blount of Waltham afsd myller, on the other ptye, Wytnesseth that the afsd Abbott and Convent have dymysed lettyn and OR HOLY CROSS 141 This Cedull wytnessyth that hereafter ensuying bene specyfyed certene Implements and necessaryeas beyng w th yn the saide mylle that is to say: a ffyrst a payer of mylstons for the whete myll a Byn and a hoper. a Item. A payer of mylstons for the malte myll a Byn and a hoper. Item, oon drage hoke vv tyngs. a Item, ij Bushel basketts ij tryndells vii tryndells heds viii sett of Coggs vi Trindells savye vii oz - fetherbords iiii Plancks oon fane oon cable vi hopys of yron for the tryndell heds, oon grett hamer, oon Crowe of yron, oon small Crowe of yron, oon hadds, oon shave, ii chesells xii myll bylls, oon Pecke, oon half pecke And oon sherynge hoke. KING EDWARD THE SIXTH, A.D., 1547 1553. Extracts from Certificate of Colleges and Chantries, taken by the Com- betakyn to ferme unto the afsd Jamys Blount, there two Water millis in Waltham afsd, under one Ruffe stondyngeand beynge next unto foresayd Abbey, durying the terme of sex and ten yeers, to have and to hold the afsd two mills w*' 1 all, &c., from the feast of seynt michell the archnngell next comyng unto yeldyng and payinge therefor yerely unto the afsd Abbot & Convent &c.. twenty-sex pounds threttyn shillings and four pens at four term^s in the yer. That the sayd James Blounte his executors at there proper cost shall there cutt and cleanse all the Weds in Ryus whereby the water may have his full course to the afsd mylls. Also the afsd Jamys Blount couenutylhe (covenanteth) unto the afsd Abbott that when the sayd Abbott shall send unto the afsd mylls any manor of corne As whete or malte to be grounde there, that then the sayd Jamys Blount shall not make no delay for the gryndyngy of the same corne, and on that the afsd Jamys Blount shall suffer the afsd Abbott to enter ynto the afsd mylls or ynto any grounde to the sayd mylls. And there to jat at there liberty wth a castynge nett ynto all the waters there bynge And all suche ffyshe as they shall take at any time to have yt to thire owne use Also the afsd Abbott couentith for him and his successors to susteyne and kepe all the Repacons of the afsd two mylls and to fiynde all man of milestons and Cogke tymber to the same mylls with the caryage of the same And so to be contynewed at the proper cost and charge of the afsd Abbott durying the afsd time. And also the afsd Abbott and his successors grauntyth to the afsd Jamys Blount to have 'yerely owt of the forest xii loods of fewell callyd ffyerwood so that the afsd Jamys Blount shall paye the charge for the fpllynge and caryage of the wood durynge this psent terme. And where the afsd Jamys Blount & Thomas Waren of Waltham, bocher by these wryting obli- gatorye and either of them be bounde under the afsd Abbot in the sum of forty pounds slerlynge, &c., in witness. Robert Cressy rented a fulling mill in Waltham of Lady Joan Denny 7 Ed VI per annum xl s - Vide Particulars for Grants, Augmentation Office. 142 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY missioners temp Ed. VI. A.D. 1547-53. Reditt vuns Shoppe sine Stall in le butcherye in tennis Thome fletcher p. Anum. v 3 - Eddford St. Redit vuns Tenti voc in Eldfforde Stret in Tenu Thome blackman p. Anum iiii 8 - iiii d - Honey Lane. -Reddit vuns Croft terr cont p estimac 1 1 Acre terr vacen in honey lane in tenn Johis West p Ann. v s - High Street. Reddit vums Tenti jacent in high strete in teun Radulphi Smith p. Ann. xii d - Reddit vums horrei in pormar iacent in Eldforde Stret in tenn Willm Sponer p Anm. vi s - viii d - Freshing Lane Reddit n pec prati cont p estimac i Acr et iac in freshing lane in tenur Willm Aylewarde p Ann. vi s - viii d - Elford fields. Reddit vuns Croft terr cont *$ estimacon ii Acras et di iac in Elffoi'de ffddes in tenur Anne bright vidue f Ann. v s Avey lane. -Reddit vums Croft terr cont p Estimac 1 1 1 Acr iac in Alvve lane in tenur Johis Pecoke f Ann vi 3 Holyfield. Reddit vums di Acr prati iac in lioly- jfdd meade in tenur Johis Cavill ^ Ann. xviii d - Edmundsey. Reditt 1 1 Acr prati iac in Edmudsaije in tenur. . . . Curteis vidue ^ Ann. vi s - Shermans Mead. Reddit vuins Acr prati iac in Sherman? s-meade in tenur Johis Peacock ^jp- Ann. iii s - iiii d - Guilds sine ffraternitas we to Charnell in Waltham see cnic. Pad\[>ool. Reddit vunis di acre prati iacent in Padypoole in tenur Mich Stocke *$ Ann. xviii d - Town Mead. Reddit vuns di Acr prati iac in Tunne meade in tenura Willim Aylewarde <$ Ann. xx' 1 Rflijdon. Reddit vums di Acr prati iac in Roydon in tenur Ann viii d - Town mead. Reddit vums Acr prati iacen in Tune meaie in tenur William Aylewarde ^ Ann. iii s Fowlletj. Reddit iii Rodap prati iacut in ffowlley in tenur Martyn ^ Ann. xx d Reddit resolut duo Racri put Manerio suo de Waltham See Crucis ^ Ann. iiii s viii d - ob. Cobmead. Ptaclers del to one of the sumptors of the Kyngs howssehold in one coll. Reddit vums Tenti cu di Acr prati iac in Cob meade in tenur Thome Walleys reddend in dep Ann. xx s - Higlibridge Street. Reddit vums Cottag jac in West Strete in tenur Robti Postays redd inde "$ Ann ii s - Cobmead. Reddit di Acr prati iac in Cobmeade in tenur. p Ann. xvi d - Elderstreet. Reddit vums tenti iac in Elderstrete in tenur Willim hill p Ann. v s - Reddit tenti iac i in fforo ibm in tenur Jenkynson Showmaker p Ann. viii 8 - FRATERNITAS. Voc o r ladyes brotherhoode in Waltham. See Crucis Pticlers del to William* Mr. Deny Sumter in one collec- tion. Reddit di Acr prati iac in bunttyngsaij in tenur p Ann xx d - OR HOLY CROSS. 143 Reddit di acr prati iac in Roipnny in tenur William Stephin reddend inde p Ann. xxi d - Reddit vums orti iac in highe stteate cont vuam acr et di p. estura in tenur Alic Turner p. Ann. vi s - viii' 1 - Reddit vums Tenti iac in Ellford Strete in tenur Ale Birde p. Ann v s Reddit vums Shopp in fforo ibm in tenur Thome Dudley p. Ann. iii s - Reddit iiii Acr ter iac in communibus Campis ibm in tenur John Peacocke p Ann. iii s - iiii d Reddit umus Tenti iac Apud Shepcotstreate tenur Rici Mrter p Ann iii 8 - iiii d - Marsh .gate. Reddit vums Tenti iac Apud mshe gate in tenur Johis Hacrells p Ann. xii d Langrege liolyfield. Reddit cert ter iac in Nasing voc langrege in tenur Johis Porteis reddend inde p Ann .\x\vi s viii (1 - Rccps, Reddit resolut duo Regis prt mano suo de Waltham p Ann v s - iiii d - ANNO 1549. Imprimis. Sold the silver plate which was on the desk in the charnel weighing five ounces, for 253. This desk was inlaid with silver. Item. Sold a rod of iron, which the curtain run upon before the rood, pd. Item. Sold so much wax as amounted to 205. " More light and fewer candles." Item. Paid for half of the book called Parup/uise^ 53.* Item. Spent in the visitation at Cliehnaford, amongst the wardens and other honest men, 145. 4d. Nicholas Ridley, then newly Bishop of London. ANNO 1550. Imprimis. Received for a knell of a servant, to the lady Mary her Grace lod.f Item. Lost 405. by reason of the fall of money by proclamation. Item. Received for 271 ounces of plate, sold at several times for the best advantage ^67 145. gd. In this church there appears to have been two chantries and six obits. In the Certificate of Colleges and Chantries, i Ed. VI. Augmentation Office is the following account: Lands and tents put in ffeoffm* by diverse and sundrie p'sons to the maintenance of a prieste callide o r Lady prieste in \Valtham Hoi if CV0AW, the seide pryest to saye dyvine s'vice in the pishe * On the 6th May, 33 Henry VIII., a new impression of the Bible was finished and the king commanded that all curates and parishioners should ;set up in every parish church a Bible of the greater volume, that the people uii^ht read therein before All Hallowtide, under penalty of forfeiting 405. a month after that time. Bishop Bonner immediately issued an exhortation that the people were not to gather multitudes together by reading the Word - aloud. One of these Bibles was then chained to one of the south pillars of ihe church. t Princess Mary, afterwards Queen Mary, frequently visited Copt Hall, jjrobab'y during the time Sir Thomas Heaneage was resident there. 144 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY church of Walth'm aforesaid. The said chantry is now vacant & w th out anye incumbent. The seid town of Walth'm is a great tovvne, having in it to the number of ... housling; people. The yerely valewe of the same doythe amount to the sum of iiii; xiiii 8 - Rent resolute v s - iiii d - The value of the plate, juels, p'cell &c., viz., One chalice of silver gilte, poysant ix oz. at per oz. . . . v vestments, viii clothes, one corparas xxvii 8 - ii gilte candlesticks w'th other implements p'ysed together at ... And so remayneth cleare to the king's ma ties use iiii; xii s - Lands and tents put in ffeoffment by diverse and sundrie p'sons to the maintenance of a priest callide the charnell p'st in Waltham Holy Crosse; the seide priest to say dyvine s'vice in the church of Waltham aforesaide, & to helpe s've the cure their. The saide chantry is now vacant & w th owt enye incumbent, and haythe been this . . . yere and more. The yerely valewe of the same doth amount to the sum of Iviii 8 - Rent resolute iiii 8 - viii d - The valewe of the plate, juells, &c., viz., one chalice of silver p'cell gilte poisant ix oz at per oz. Vestments &: fyve altar clothes, price vi s - iii d And so remay- neth cleare to the King's ma ties use liii 8 - iii d - (See list temp. 2 Ed. VI., Feb. yth.) QUEEN MARY, A.D., 1553-58. Imprimis. For a cross with a foot, copper and gilt, 25 s - Item. For a cross-staff, copper and gilt, 9 s - 4 d - Item. For a pax, copper and gilt, 5 s - Item. For a pair of censers, copper and gilt, 9 s - 8 d - Item. For a stock of brass for the holy water, y s - Item. For a chrismatory of pewter, 3*- 4 d - Item. For a yard of silver sarcenet for a cloth for the sacrement, y s 8 d - Item,. For a pix of pewter, 2 s - Item. For Mary and John, that stand in the rood loft, 26 s - 3 d - Item. For washing eleven aubes and as many head clothes, 6 d - Item. For watching the sepulchre, 8 d - Item. For a proces- sioner and a manual, 2o d Item. For a corporas-cloth, i2 d - Item. To the apparitor for the bishop's [Bonner] book of articles at the visitation, 6 d - ANNO. 1556. Extracts from 32 A Book of Corrodies and Anilities to divers Religious Houses, temp. Philip and Marie. Formerly preserved in the stone Tower U'estniinster, and now deposited in Room c 10, of the Public Record Office. Annuit. Edwardi Stacie >> ann liii s iiii d - Hugoine Yonge V ann vi xiii 3 - iiii d - Georgu Solye t* ann vi xiii s - iiii' 1 - Edwardi Storye "i? ann OR HOLY CROSS. 145 viii Johnes Saunders & ann . . c s - Milions Gerarde ^ ann \i & xiii 8 - iiii d - Johnes Norrys $ ann vi viii 8 - iiii d - Thorns Hawkins $ ann ix Thorns Warren ^ ann xx The above list corresponds with the pensions assigned to the officers of the Abbey on March 24, 1540. Imprimis. For coles to undermine a piece of the steeple which stood after the first fall, 2 s - QUEEN ELIZABETH, A.D. 1558-1603. Imprimis. For the taking down of the rood-loft, 33. 2d. Item. Received for a suite of vestments being of blew velvet, and another suite of damask and an altar cloth, ^4. Item. For three corporasses, whereof two white silk and one blew velvet, 2 135. 4d. Item. For two suits of vestments and an altar cloth, ^3. ANNO, 1562. Item. For a cloth of buckeram for the com- munion table, and the making, 43. Item. For lattices for the church-windows, 153. Item. Paid for a bay nagge, given to Mr. Henry Denny for the Abbey wall, 3 173. Item. To labourers which did undermine the said wall, 453. gd. ANNO, 1563. Imprimis. For an old house in the old market place, ^13 6s. 8d. This tenement let at ps.per annum. "The Parish sold it and another house in West Street. Such bargains made a famine for posterity." Item. For the old timber in the vestiary of St. George's chappel, 153. " In vain," says Fuller, "have I inquired for the situation hereof long since demolished." Item. Received of Mr. Denny, for one cope of cloth of gold, ^3 6s. 8d. Item. For two altar-cloaths of velvet and silk, 2. Item. Received of Mr. Tamworth* twenty loads of timber ready hewed which he gave to the parish. Item. For taking down the stairs in the Abbey, 73. 8d. Item. For taking down the lead from the charnel-house and covering the steeple, i8s. f Item. For the archdeacon's man coming for a record of all the inhabitants of the parish, 4d. * In the "State Papers, foreign," appears under date March 2, 1561 a letter from Marco Antonio Erizzo to John Thornworth. He was justice of the peace in 1532. (See the Author's History of the Royal Gunpowder Works.) t Fragments of old masonry were taken from the Abbey Tower in Sept., 1887, to make way for the new clock the gift of John Parnell, Esq. The ancient stone work consisted of portions of the elegant western arch, the clerestory, and the lost zigzag column. Some of the surface stones had distemper paintings upon them. 146 LADY CHAPEL AND CRYPT.* Chapel is situated south of the Abbey Church, similar to most chapels of the kind dedicated to the Virgin, and is perhaps one of the richest specimens of me- diaeval architecture to be found in this county, although, of course not so rich in its historical associations as the Abbey itself. In 1875 the Lady Chapel was restored at the expense of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, Bart., of Warlies Park, in this Parish. The date of the foundation of this Chapel still remains a mystery; its style, however, resembles the work of the middle of the i4th century. Matthew Paris suggests that it was built when Henry III. "re-dedicated" the church. It may have been erected then, but the church was never "re-dedicated" by the Third Henry. The late Mr. W. Burgess, architect, adopted the year 1316 as the probable date of the foundation of the Lady Chapel; he also considered it to be even older than that. Before the Reformation there were several Chapels existing in connection with the Abbey Church of Waltham. There was the Chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr's (possibly the one now existing in the Abbey Garden) founded, 1188; St. Sepulchre's Chapel, erected in 1347; the Abbot's Chapel, existing in 1547 (now un- known), and St. George's Chapel of which nothing could be found in 1655. THE CRYPT, OR CHARNEL HOUSE. Beneath Our Lady Chapel is a Crypt or Charnel House, "the fairest," says Fuller, "that I ever saw," and which was originally approached (as now) by a small doorway at the west end. The Crypt consists of two bays of quadripartite vaulting. The windows looking south are small and ungla/ed. The crypt at one time was " O'er covered quite with dead men's rattling bones, With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls." To this Crypt was anciently a Guild endowed with houses and lands. In early days the Lady Chapel was used as a Chantry in which priests sang masses for the repose of departed souls. The crypt is still beautiful to one who has an eye for architectural * See History of The Lady Chapel, by W. Winters. OR HOLY CROSS. 147 design. Built of chalk, the roof is still almost perfect. Here once stood an altar, but in the days of Charles II. it was turned into a prison for Quakers, several of whcm had their goods taken away by the Justice of the Peace, and deposited in the Lady Chapel for not attending church. This Crypt now is little better than a coal-hole or cellar. The floor has been raised some ten feet by rubbish. The arches are hidden by hideous brick graves. The well once used by the monks is now utilised by a common pump. Where service was once held a heating stove for the Abbey now stands. All that was once beautiful is now obscured, made dirty, and put to base use. To improve this ancient Crypt it needs nothing but the pulling down of a few brick walls and the removal of some insanitary rubbish to make its proportions evident. Mr. Ayrton once called St. Stephen's crypt a vault. But, says a writer, "Waltham Crypt is a vault for the dead, a cellar for coal, a cupboard for a pump, and a mere furnace-room. Perhaps some Quaker, like him who gave the new Bishop of Newcastle a palace a few years ago, will restore it as a memorial to the Quaker martyrs who, according to local tradition, were tortured therein." In old prints of the Abbey is seen a small building east of the Lady Chapel. This belonged to the Lord of the Manor, and was demolished sixty years ago. The Lady Chapel had very costly furniture, as is seen in my history of it. It had also a "lytell payer of organes" (an organ having more pipes than one). John Boston was organist in 1540, as was also the renowned old musician Thomas Tallis. In 1563 the lead from the roof of the Lady Chapel was appropriated to the covering of the new steeple ! The chapel has been repaired at various times. At the restoration of the chapel in 1874-5, fragments of polychromatic work were discovered on the interior of the east wall, showing heads of angels, mitred abbots, spires of churches, and Hades. It was considered^ by some archaeologists that these distemper paintings represented the "Last Judgment," and that the building was originally called, "The Chapel of the Resurrection" At the south-east corner of the chapel there is a piscina or benatura. The original ceiling was no doubt flat and painted; and the lower part of the east end was occupied by an altar, above which the old Norman lights were seen to advantage when the plaster was removed. 148 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY These windows were used for lighting the south transept of the church before the chapel was erected. On the north wall por- tions of zigzag mouldings are now visible, and an arch opposite the chancel of the church, is filled up by the Francis Memorial Screen. Probably access was formerly gained into the church from the chapel by stairs, as the floor of the chapel was much higher than that of the church. In the corner of the chapel is an ancient pulpit which once belonged to the church. The architecture of the exterior west and south of the chapel exhibits great skill and taste. There are well shaped panellings of beautifully cut flints introduced between irregular courses of stone and large red bricks. The masonry of the south buttresses is excellent indeed, as the neatly cut bosses and foliage show. On the east buttress appears to have been a stoup. It is not certain whether the niches in the buttresses were ever filled with effigies. The south front and windows have been carefully restored and made to appear as they did in the i4th century, as also the west end six-light square-headed window. For many years the Lady Chapel was used as a vestry and a school-room. The parochial schoolmasters were John Matthews, died in 1609-10; Samuel Aire, died 1619; Thomas Wright died in 1656, John Ayres ended his career in 1712. Arthur Herne was schoolmaster early in the present century, and was followed by Mrs. Merrit, Miss Post, Miss Bulbeck, and finally Miss Morgan. A large Board was affixed to the outside of the Lady Chapel some years since, on which was written, "THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS." There appears to have been a Sunday School in the town as early as 1811. The Parish Register records the burial of Mary Noon, a Sunday School girl, aged 8, buried 2gth May, 1811. The Lady Chapel closed as a Schoolroom and Vestry in 1874. DEANS, CANONS AND ABBOTS OF HAROLD'S CHURCH, FROM 1060 TO 1540. JHE Church of Waltham, according to Tovi, or "Tofig the Proud," and Harold's foundation, consisted of a dean and twelve secular canons; Newcourt and Fuller say only OR HOLY CROSS. 149 eleven; but documentary evidence goes to prove that Tovi, standard-bearer to King Canute, chiefly known as the beginner of the foundation of Waltham, first established two priests, and to these Harold added ten others, and appointed a dean over them. It is singular to find that neither Newcourt, Stevens, Brown Willis, or the authors of the "Monasticon," mention any- thing of the dean and canons of Waltham, from the foundation to the year 1144, which reaches over a period of eighty-four years. And nearly all local historians are silent also on this important point. The first canons were called, as before stated, secular. The difference between secular priests, or canons, and a monastery of monks, consisted in the fact that the inmates of the former " were ordinary clergymen, bound by no particular vows, but living together on common estates, serving a common church, and under common local statutes. Those of the latter were bound by vows of obedience, poverty and chastity, but were not necessarily in holy orders. "The multiplication of secular colleges was one of the most likely means of raising up a clergy whose knowledge of mankind, general learning, and thorough sympathy with Englishmen, might improve the character and help to save the souls of the people." (Stiibbit). It is to b2 feared that instead of the clergy of that period improving the moral character of the people they did much to corrupt it by their unholy way of living, which was the principal cause of their bein^ ousted in the reign of the second Henry. When Harold increased the number of canons from two to twelve, he then put them in possession of his estates. Portions of these lands were assigned to the canons, in order to supply them with food and clothing, those of which the rents were applied to the latter purpose being distinguished by the name oi shroud land or scrudland -i.e., land allotted to certain com- munities for the purpose of supplying them with clothing; hence called dot king-land. To the dean were allotted four estates, namely, Walde, 1 Alrichsea, 3 Passefield, 3 and Westwaltham. 4 * To each canon a prebend was granted, from which his stall was named. These were probably Nettleswell, 1 Alwaretona 2 , Wode- * l Southwealde ; 2 Arlsey, in Bedfordshire; 8 Paslow, in High Ongar ; 4 Westwaltham, in Berkshi re. Tovi had property in the last-named place: see Domesday Survey-Book. 1 Netteswell, near Hariow ; 2 In the hundred of Ongar; 3 \Voodfjrl 150 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY forda, 3 Upminster, 4 Luketune, 5 Tippenden, 6 Brichendon, 7 Walcfare, 8 Melnho, 9 Wormeleia, 10 Lambehithe, 11 and Nesing- ham. 13 Each one of the canons had also a portion of North- land. Besides this, each canon had the sum of forty shillings a year from the tithes and offerings of the parish and an allowance of another 403. a year for dress from the shroudlands in Nazing, Walcfare, and Loughton. According to the founder, the canons of Waltham received extremely liberal rations of food out of the above estates, and which were held subject to a "feorm fait am" of a certain number ot weeks each. The dean had to provide for nineteen weeks out of his estates of Pasfield, Walda, and Alrichsea. The prebendary of Nettleswell, seven weeks and two days; Loughton, a week and one day; Upminster, two weeks and two days; Alwartune, four weeks and two days; Woodford, Brickendon and Tippenden, two weeks each. The daily supply of meat and drink to the canons was very liberal; each one had two loaves of very white bread, and one of coarser quality -the three being ample for six persons; six bowls of ale or beer, sufficient for ten men to drink at one time, and six dishes of meat of different kinds each day. In addition to this allowance, oa festivals of the first class they were served with pittances of game or poultry, which were esteemed as delicacies. To each canon on the feast of the first dignity was given three pittances ; if of the second dignity, he was allowed two pittances; and if of the third dignity, one. At the first-class festivals, such as at Christ- mas Day and day of Pentecost, and those of the Holy Cross, each one had wine and meat allowed. The remaining proceeds of the prebends were appropriated to the personal uses of the canons, according to their discretion. A pittance from Michael- mas Day to Ash Wednesday consisted of twelve blackbirds, or two agausece, or two partridges, or one pheasant; during the rest of the year it consisted of one goose or chicken. The main object, it seems, in giving the deans and canons this abundant allowance of provisions was to provide for strangers, and for the poor and needy, the latter receiving each day what was sent away from the Abbey table. It was not unfrequently that the king and his courtiers visited the Abbey of Waltham, and so it was neces- sary for the canons to keep a good larder. The dean's portion 4 Upminster, in hundred of Chapford ; 5 Loughton ; 6 Supposed to he Epping; "In Hertfordshire; 8 Walchfare, co. Essex; 9 Melnho, Beds; 10 Wormley, Herts; "Lambeth; 13 Nazing, Essex. OR HOLY CROSS. 151 being larger than that of the canons, enabled him to deal out more liberally to those persons who depended upon his charity. In early time?, when from the want of means of conveyance the produce of the land was necessarily consumed on the land itself, hospitality of this kind was universally practised. Even in the houses of private gentlemen there was the almoner as servant, whose office it was to collect and distribute to the poor at his master's gate what remained of the provision served at the table; and it was customary for the almoner to lay the first loaf in the alms-dish, as an offering to God.* DEANS OF WALTHAM. The first Dean of Waltham was Wulwfin; he was appointed to this office by Harold, A.D. 1060. For a notice of him see Domesday Survey, under "Berchscire" (Berkshire), vol. i. fol. 58. Paschal was the second dean, accord- ing to the catalogue of the Durham MSS. (Surtees Soc.), i.e., "6 Id. Jan. Paschalls Dacanm et Radulfus Canonicus, S. Crutis de Waltham." Walter was third dean, living circa 1108; he is mentioned in the same obituary record. Ernulfus, fourth dean, circa 1144. Roger Wendover mentions the mission of Ernulph, bishop of Lisieux, in 1164. Possibly this is the same man. He is said to have come over to England to make peace between the King and the Archbishop, but was unable to ensure complete success. Henri/ of Blois, fifth dean in 1144, was nephew of William Rufus, and brother to King Stephen. This year was a notable one in the annals of Waltham. King Stephen banished the Earl of Gloucester, and many others of his enemies. Geoffrey de Mandeville died; Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, reduced Normandy, f The canons' houses or conventual buildings in Waltham were destroy ed, or partly so, by fire, in an attack made upon the town by Geoffrey de Mandeville and Humphrey de Barrington. The sixth dean was Richard, a native of Waltham, probably the same as is mentioned in the Great Roll of the Exchequer as Canon 31 Hen. I. Wido was seventh dean. ' He is called Guido Rufus, and was an opponent of St. Thomas a Becket, who, in 1168, threatened to excommunicate him. Wido held the deanery of Waltham for ten years 1167 to 1177 and resigned when the Augustine Canons were instituted by King Henry II. * See Beattie's Castles and Abbeys ; also De Invent. S. C. (Stubbs t Matt, of Westminster, vol. ii. 15 2 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY CANONS OF WALTHAM. Adelard, or Athelard of Liittich,* was the first canon. Harold appointed him to office when he founded the minster of Waltham. He was a very learned man, and filled the office of chancellor, or lecturer, besides that of canon, and was also "childmaister" of the college. Harold brought him from Liittich, or Liege, to be the head of the educational department of Waltham. His son Peter succeeded him in the office of schoolmaster. Osgod Cnoppe and Ailric Ckildemiister (schoolmaster) were canons of Waltham when Harold paid his last visit to his much-loved minster, before the great battle of Hastings took place, and these two canons followed him to the field of Senlac, and assisted Eadgyth in finding the body of the King after the battle. We are not certain how long they held office in Waltham after the death of their royal master in 1066. Aldwin and Geoffrey were canons of Harold's founda tion circ. 1108 1118. Geoffrey was chaplain to Queen Matilda, temp. Hen. I. Alicred and Richard appear on the list of Canons in 1130. Richard was afterwards Dean of Waltham. Master Peter, son of Athelard, was canon of Waltham from 1130 to 1136. The biographer of Harold was brought up under his tuition in the school of Waltham. In 1136 Brian Bainard was canon: his name occurs in the "Monasticon" under Walden Abbey. Radulphus is also mentioned as canon at the same time (see Durham Obituary). Robert ftliiis Walter was canon circ. 1144, and Adam son of Braningi the presbyter. These were followed by Robertus and Walter, canons; they both appear in the Durham registers: Cal. Aug. Watering Canonicus de Waltham. 6 Cal. Nov. Robertus Canonicus de Waltham. Thomas de Ware was canon and kitchener of Waltham in 1213, Vide Riley's Mem London, p. 105. The privilege of being exempt from all episcopal jurisdiction was granted to the ist Abbot "Wido, or Guido, by Pope Lucius III. who was the first pope elected by cardinals, A.D. 1181 1185. The Abbot of Waltham was afterwards indulged in the use of the pontificals by Pope Celestine III., A.D. 1191. In the November of 1197, the Archbishop of Canterbury visited the Abbey and * Harl. MSS. 3776, fol. 57. OR HOLY CROSS. 153 Convent of Waltham, and expressed his confidence in the abbot's mode of government.* ABBOTS OF WALTHAM FROM A.D. 1177 TO 1540. The Abbey of Waltham being a royal foundation was not subject to episcopal jurisdiction,! but only to the "Sse of Rome and the King." The Superior of the Abbey was one of the twenty-eight mitred Abbots in England, and ranked the twentieth. Four of these mitred Abbots were called "Abbots general, or Abbots sovereign," and sat as lords in Parliament, they were also termed "Abbots exempt,' of whom the Abbot of Waltham was one, the others being those of Bury, St. Albans and Evesham. Waltham Abbey was ruled from its foundation by Harold, A.D., 1060 until 1540, reaching over a period of 480 years, by several deans, canons and abbots, together with many other officers of a minor class. Walter de Gaunt was appointed the first abbot of Waltham in 1177 ; and died in 1201. Ralph, a prebendary of Chichester was made prior or canon of Waltham, temp. Henry II. 1177.+ Abbot Richard succeeded Gaunt in 1201. His rule lasted about thirteen years. Nicholas de Westminster was abbot of Waltham A.D. 1214. Walter, in 1217, occurs as abbot in the Waltham Register (Tib. c. ix.) Richard was abbot from 1219 to 1229, and died 1248. In 1237 A occurs abbot. || He is not mentioned either by Willis, Steven or Newcourt. Simon de Scham (or Soham) abbot in 1248. During his government a serious litigation about the marsh rights occurred between him and the townsmen of Waltham ^[ Simon de Seham died in 1263, and was succeeded in office by Adam de Witz (or Wiz) who governed from August 20, 1263 to 1269.** * Chronicle Ric. I. (Stubbs). t The Abbey remained free from such jurisdiction until 1854. I Collier's Eccles. Hist. II. 333; also Harl. MSS. 391, fol. 121. Vide Bull of Pope Alex, to Prior Ralph of Waltham. Harl MSS. 1520 Cott. MSS Tib. c. ix. fol. 141. || Bp. Kenneth MSS. ^ Harl. MSS. 3776 (Henricus ex Emwelle) ** Harl. MSS. 7520. 154 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Richard de liar ewes (or Heryrts}, ruled in the Abbey from 1269 to 1273. Reginald de Maidenhith received the temporalities Jan. 29, 2 Ed. I. 1273. In his time the church was restored (A.D. 1286). Huf/h occurs abbot in 1288. Robert de Elintone was abbot in 1290. He died in 1301. John de Babburyham received the assent to his election March 3oth, 30 Ed. I., but his temporalities were not restored to him till Feb. 6th, 1303. He died in 1307. In the same year (1307) Richard de Hertford became abbot and died at Canterbury in Nov. 1344. John occurs as abbot, A.D. 1334. He also died at Canterbury probably in 1345. Richard, abbot died in 1345, the same year that he was elected ; and was followed in office by Thomas de Walmersley, who held the temporalities from 1345 to 1371. Nicholas Morris became abbot on Sept. 6th, 1371. He was a man of high repute, and died Nov. 17, 1389. William dc Harlelon appears 10 Rich. II. 1387, "celler die Abbis de Waltham." He was probably the same man as died abbot in 1400. William Harleston, abbot 1397 or 1399. Probably the same person as is mentioned by Dugdale and the Harl. MSS. 7520, under the term William, who died i Hen. IV. William Harleston died of a pestilential fever, circ. 1400, and was buried in the Abbey Church. John Coupe, chaplain at the Abbey in the same year. (1387.)* William Reel was elected abbot Dec. 29, 1390.^ Michael was abbot in 1397, and died early in the same year. Walter, abbot in 1408, governed till 1420. Dugdale affirms that William was abbot, May 26th, 7 Hen. V. This may have been William de Hertford (or ffestfonf) to whom the temporalities * Ancient Deeds and Charters Pub. Kec. Off. K. 42, 46. t W. Neal was rector of Little Ilford in 1364, resigned 1370. OR HOLY CROSS. 155 were restored October 12, 1420. Historians are not decided as to whether this William is the identical one who ruled in 1439 and 1444.* John Eld\ was chaplain at the Abbey, 6 Hen. VI. John Lucas occurs abbot in 1460; he held office till his death in 1475. A brass recording the death of his father and mother is preserved in Lofts Wendon Church, Essex. Thomas Edwards was admitted abbot on the death of John Lucas, August 5, 1475, an d was deposed in 1488 for dilapidations. Gervase Rose received the temporalities May 20, 1488, and governed till 1497 or 1498. The office appears to have been left open for three years. Alan Rede was made abbot, Nov. i2th, 1500, and died 1507. John Sharnbroke received the temporalities June 23, 1507. John Mayln occurs abbot in 1526, but resigned his office some- time in the same year. Robert Fuller, the last abbot to whom the temporalities were restored Sept. 4, 1526. He was afterwards elected prior of St. Bartholomew's, Sm ithfield, and held the priorate in commendam with his Abbey, and which he surrendered to the king, March 2 3 r d, 31 Hen. VIII. This abbot wrote a chartulary of the Abbey J and died late in the same year in which he was ousted. MINISTERS OF THE ABBEY CHURCH FROM 1540 TO 1887.H WERY little is now known as to the precise method of con- ducting divine service in the Abbey Church immediately after the dissolution. When service was held (which was then a rare occurrence) "serving priests" officiated. Dr. * William, abbot, according to the Begister of London and Canterbury, A.D., 1439. t Ancient Deeds and Charters, Pub. Rec. Off. % Had. MSS. 3739. The gross income of the Abbey, 26 Hen. VIII., amounted to 1079 I2s. id. The clear revenue 900 43 3d. DugdaU, H Annals of the clergy of Wallham, by W. Winters, F.R. Hist. So;. 156 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY Fuller observes that "the church at Waltham passed from 1547 to 1558 under "four changes in religion, papist and protestant; papist and protestant." It is difficult to determine who were the ministers of the Abbey Church from the time of the last abbot, in 1540, to the beginning of Elizabeth's reign. No doubt the living was vacant for a long while. In 1542 certain charges were paid to the "parish priest," to "Our Lady priest," to the "charnel priest," to "two clerkes," and to the "choristers" of the Abbey. The first parish priest or curate of the Abbey on record, is given by Newcourt as Robert Rawe. The date of his installation is given under 1561. John Daniel was minister in 1563 (licensed 3oth July, 1580), and died Sept. 18, 1581. Philip White, minister, is mentioned under date August 7, 1577- James Day (or Beys') was curate in 1583 (licensed July 19, of that year.) John Webb, A.B., succeeded to the living 23 Feb. 1584. Thomas Smythe. He is not mentioned by Newcourt, but the register states under date, December 12, 1585, Thomas Smythe, the son of Thomas Smythe, minister of God's worde and preacher was baptised. Edward Baker, A.M., was incumbent of Waltham in 1592. On the 1 3th February of the same year he appears as Vicar of Nazing, which living he resigned for that of Waltham. He was buried April 2ist, 1604. George Tipping, minister, married Mary Glascoke of Waltham, Dec. 14, 1608. It is not known whether he was curate of Waltham or not. Joseph Hall, D.D., was presented to Waltham in 1612. His name occurs in the Register as early as March 12, 1608-9. He was afterwards successively bishop of Exeter and Norwich. His son George was bishop of Chester. Joseph Hall was at W r altham 22 years, and it was here that he wrote most of his great works. The baptism of nearly all his family occurs in the register. Robert Dlinco, curate, probably under Dr. Hall. He died i6th Feb., 1611-12 . Robert Greenough, M.A. was licensed as minister of Waltham (under Dr. Hall) April 15, 1614. OR HOLY CROSS. 157 William Pettie, A.B. was licensed October 16, 1619. William Carter is the next on Newcourt's list, and was married at Waltham to Susan Powell, July 6, 1623. Richard Walmsley was curate of Waltham for many years. His name occurs in the register as early as Sept. 3oth, 1627. He was buried at Waltham, June 3rd, 1654.* John Gibbon (or Guibbon)t incumbent in 1629. His son John Gnibon,B.D., minister of St. Ann's, Blackfriars, was born at Waltham Oct. 18, 1629, and buried in 1663. Nathaniel Hatley, curate of Waltham for nearly forty-six years, 1633-1679. William Price, B.D., first appears in the register as minister of Waltham, March 29th, 1644-5.! Thomas Fuller, D.D. In 1648-9, Dr. Fuller was presented to the living of Waltham by James Hay, Earl of Carlisle, who resided at the Abbey House. He held the living nearly ten years. Thomas Reeve, D.D., was curate here (probably) as early as 1660. The Register mentions him in 1662. Dr. Reeve was an author of some repute in his day. During his curacy Dr. Edward Felling, a great author and who held property in Waltham, buried several of his family in Waltham. (S. T. P. 1660, A. M. 1661.) John Oliver, M.A., " chaplain at ye Abbey," under the patronage of the Earl of Kennoul, who was buried March 28, 1676-7. John Oliver was buried at Waltham, March 2nd, 1670-1. Lionel Goodrick succeeded to the living of Waltham, June 1 7, 1672. He died June, 1693. William Mason was curate in 1677 and which office he held many years. (Of Wadham College, Oxon., B.A., March 2, 1679. Joseph Merrill, A.M., officiated in April, 1668. (Par. Reg). John Duin (or JDewin) officiated in 1690. Joseph Darby was curate, April 1688, minister in Sept. 1693, * On May 30, 1629, was buried Francis Hill, son of Mr. Percival Hill, rector of Si. Catherine, Coleman Street, London. J. ar. Reg, T One of the assembly of Divines at Westminster. { Price was one of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster. He was the author of some tracts and sermons. J Dr. Fuller wrote most of his works at Waltham. David Leech (or Leigh) vicar of Nazing, buried his wife at Waltham, Jan ist, 1657-8. 158 HISTORY OF WALTHAM ABBEY. and officiated until his death in Sept. 1715. (A.B., 1680, A.M., 1684, of Emmanuel Coll., Cam.) Francis Phillips curate in 1715. \Anthon\j\ Lapthorne possessed the living, Feb. 1716, after a severe contest. Morant says the contest was between John Capon, B.LL. (not Cooper) and Mr. Lapthorne, probably Anthony Lapthorne of Pembroke, Coll, Oxen., B.A., Oct. 17, 1699, and M.A. April 13, 1703.* Thomas Broadway followed Lapthorne as curate. His name first occurs August 23rd, i72i.t Of St. John's Coll., Cam. A.B. 1716, A.M. 1730. Robert Swytifen, B.A., curate from 1729 to March, 1732-3. He was much esteemed in the parish and died March, 1732-3. Christopher Sclater, M.A., rector of Chingford, officiated in Oct. 1725; and in Sept. 1733, Mr. Chapman, of Cheshunt, officiated. Robert fowler, B.A., curate of Waltham for upwards of twenty years, from June 24, 1734, to Sept. 28, 1754. He was afterwards rector of Gt. Parndon. Of Trin. Coll., Cam. A.B. 1733.^ John Lindsey succeeded Fowler as curate, which office he sustained for upwards of twenty-five years, 1754 to 1779. During his curacy several ministers officiated, viz., George Far ran, July 24, 1760; F. Salt, June 29, 176!, (probably vicar of Nazing). W. Ramsden, Oct. 1767; Matthew Thomas (curate of Cheshunt) Dec. 6, 1769, August 27, 1770; G. Smyth, Jan. 24, 1771 ; Bartholomew Booth, Dec. 30, 1772 ; T. P. Slater, Feb. 3, 1773; N. Lancaster, LL.D., May n, 1775; Henearje Dirlng, D.D., August 4, 1778. Samuel Vickers succeeded John Lindsey as curate of Waltham, August ist, 1779. Of St. John's, Ox. B.D. 1768. *A note in the Parish Register under date Feb. 1716, is as follows: No Register kept during ye contest between Cooper [CaponJ and Lapthorne. The contest ended and ye Rev. Mr. Lapthorne to possession of ye Church at ye latter end of February, 1716. Buried the Rev. Mr. Ferdinand Naptin, March lo, 1716-7. Tar. Reg. fThe Rev. Mr. Isaac Dalton, of St. Botolph Without, Aldgate, London, buried (in Waltham) Sept. 26, 1722, of Trinity Coll., Cam. A.B. 1677. J Buried Benjamin Waywel, a clergyman, yt had lost his understanding, belonging to St. Catherines, London. April 30, 1736. Par. Reg. OR HOLY CROSS. 159 John Bcutfloiver (or Boulflower) followed Vickers, Oct. 3, 1779. Of St. John's, Cam. S.T.P. 1787. Isaac Colnett, B.A., was curate from March 24, 1786, until his death, which occurred March 2, 1801. Duiing his term of office the following ministers officiated, viz., Thomas Griffin (curate of Cheshunt) between Feb. 3, 1780, and Oct. 25, 1784; fames Sloper (curate of Cheshunt) May 3rd, and June 7th, 1780; John Festing, August 15, 1784; John Sharrar, B.A., from 1785 to 1788, John Procter, June 5, 1786; William Towne, Nov. 5 and 28th, 1788 ; James Montgomery, August 25, 1800, and August i, 1 80 1 ; R. Hughes, Sep. 27, 1801. John Mullins succeeded Colnett as minister of the Abbey, Oct. 25, 1 80 1, and continued until Sept. 2, 1806. William Archibald Armstrong (curate of Cheshunt) officiated occasionally from 1805 to 1811 ; also Richard Smyth, LL.B., July 8, 1804; Reginald Bligh, June 2, 1805; also Stephen Thackwell June i, 1806; Charles Lucas E