History of Alphamstone

History of Alphamstone >> White's Directory 1848

White's Directory of Essex 1848

ALPAMSTONE, a small village on an eminence overlooking the vale of the Stour, 5 miles North East by East of Halstead, has in its parish 341 souls, and 1531A. of land. It has a fair, for pleasure and pedlery, on the 1st Thursday in June. Sir R. T. D. Neave, Bart., is lord of the manor, and owner of Clees Hall, a neat mansion occupied by E. Kemp Esq.; but Boxted Hall belongs to Jno. Start, Esq.; and Mrs. E Kemp, the Rev. R. B. Harvey, and several smaller owners, have estates here.

The Church is a small ancient structure, of flint, with a tower, short spire, and three bells. The Rectory, valued in K.B. at £11, and in 1831 at £407, is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and incumbency of the Rev. Hy. Hodges, M.A., who has 28A of glebe, and a neat residence, in the Elizabethan style, built about eight years ago. The tithes were commuted in 1848, for £440 per annum.

For distribution at Christmas, the poor parishioners have the rents of two cottages and 2½A. of land, given by Thos. Clayton, in 1560, and now let for £8.8s. per annum. They have also 20s. yearly out of Twinstead Hall estate, pursuant of the bequest of Isaac Wincoll, who, in 1681, also charged the same estate with the payment of £1 each to the four parishes of Twinstead, Great Henny, Pebmarsh, and Lamarsh, for the poor.