Ancestors lost in the crowd?
New to family history research?
Perhaps these articles on our website may help:
Census 1841 - 1911

Birth, Death and Marriage Registration

The London Gazette

Newspaper archives

Trade Directories

History of Chrishall

The Red Cow Inn, Chrishall
©Robert Edwards
Photograph by kind permission of Robert Edwards,
contributor to the Geograph Project

History of Chrishall >> White's Directory 1848

White's Directory of Essex 1848

CHRISHALL is a village and parish among the hills bordering upon Hertforshire and Cambridgeshire, 7 miles West of Saffron Walden. It contains 521 souls, and 2694 acres of land. In some old records, it is variously called Carshall, Christeshale, etc. Lord Dacre is lord cf the manor of Chrishall-bury, and owner of the Grange estate. Another manor, Cheswick Hall, or Flanders, belongs to J.H. Wilkes, Esq., and here is a small manor belonging to the Rectory. The Lucy, Rivers, Crawley, Penruddock, and other ancient families, were formerly owners here. Sir John James, who was knighted in 1655, built the Hall, in a park of 300 acres, afterwards converted into a wood, and the mansion into a farmhouse. An estate, called Crawley-bury, was a seat of the Crawleys, and afterwards passed to the Bendish, Brown, Boyle, and other families.

The Church (Holy Trinity,) is a fine antique structure, consisting of a nave and aisles, a chancel, and a stone tower, crowned by a handsome spire, and containing four bells. It was appropriated, at an early period, to Westminster Abbey, and contains some ancient brasses, One of which is in memory of Sir John de la Pole, who died in the 14th century. An elegant monument in the chancel is in memory of Sir John James, knight, who died in 1676. In 1558, the rectory was given to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, to whom it still belongs. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £19, and in 1831 at £200, is in the patronage of the Bishop of London, and incumbency of the Rev. Godfrey Everth, M.A., who has a good residence, and 1A.35P. of glebe. The rectorial tithes were commuted at the enclosure in 1819 for an allotment of 470A.2R.32P. The vicarial tithes have been commuted for £214 per annum. In 1562, Lettice Martin left an estate here in trust for the benefit of the poor of 33 parishes. At the enclosure, the land bequeathed by her was exchanged for 79A.1R.19P., now let for £55.10s. per annum, of which £5.4s., as the portion belonging to Chrishall, is distributed at Christmas among the aged poor. With the other 32 parishes, we have stated their respective shares, which vary in amount agreeable to the donor's will. In 1836, the acting trustee, Mr. Wilkes, had in hand a balance of £200. The poor of Chrishall have a yearly rent-charge of 20s., left by Thomas Elkin in 1615, and now paid out of 2A.8P. of land belonging Wilkes, Esq.

Back to History of Chrishall

Are your ancestors from this location? Why not tell us their story. When were they here? Who were they? What they did they do? Where did they go? Have you an interesting story to tell about them?

Go to the home page of the parish, village or town, and follow the 'My Ancestors' link halfway down the page.