History of Bobbingworth

Bobbingworth with St. Germain's Church
©John Winfield
Photograph by kind permission of John Winfield,
contributor to the Geograph Project

History of Bobbingworth >> White's Directory 1848

White's Directory of Essex 1848

BOBBINGWORTH, a pleasant retired village, surrounding a green, 5 miles North East by East of Epping, and 2 miles North by West of Chipping Ongar, has in its parish 357 inhabitants, and 1628 acres of fertile land, rising in bold undulations on the west side of the Cripsey brook, which flows southward to the Roding. It is vulgarly called Bonvinger, and in Domesday Survey, Bubbingeorda. It is in two manors, called Bobbingworth Hall and Blake Hall, the former of which has belonged to the Spigurnell, Hackney, Asheles, Vere, and other families, and was purchased by the Houblons, but now belongs, with the other manor, to Capel Cure, Esq, of Blake Hall, a neat mansion, with tasteful pleasure. An estate named Bobbingford, otherwise Monks, extends into this and adjacent parishes. Blake Hall was anciently held of the Honour of Clare, by the Hastings, and afterwards of the Honour of Marescall, by the Londres and other families. In 1516, it was held by Sir William Capel, as parcel of the Queen's Honour of Clare, and it afterwards passed to the Glasscock, Bourne, Haddock, and Fitche families. The parish is mostly freehold, and the copyhold fines are at the will of the lord.

The CHURCH (St. Germain,) is a low plain structure, consisting of a brick nave and chancel, with a heavy embattled tower, chiefly or wood, and containing five bells. The east window is a good specimen of the decorated style. Within the communion rails are several inscriptions in brass, in memory of various members of the Bourne family, who flourished here in the 16th and 17th centuries. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £13.6s.8d., and in 1831 at £395, is in the patronage of C. Core, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. W.M. Oliver, M.A., who has 32A. of glebe, and a handsome residence, built in 1840, at the cost of about £2000. To provide clothing for the aged poor of the parish, Robert Bourne, in 1663, left a cottage and 4A. of land, now let for £10.lOs. per annum. The Bell Acre forms part of the g1ebe, and in consideration of it the rector finds bell ropes, and hassocks for the church.