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History of High Ongar
St Mary's Church, High Ongar.
©John Winfield
Photograph by kind permission of John Winfield,
contributor to the Geograph Project
History of High Ongar >> White's Directory 1848
White's Directory of Essex 1848
ONGAR (HIGH) is a large village on the Epping and Chelmsford road, about a mile North East of Chipping Ongar, and its parish contains 4181 acres of land, and 1240 inhabitants. It may be considered a suburb of the market town of Ongar, from which it is separated only by the river Roding, from which the parish extends 3 miles eastward, to Chivers Hall, Nine Ashes, King street, and Passelow Common. It also includes Marden Ash, on the south side of the town and many scattered farm-houses. In the reigns of Henry II. and III., it was held by William de Monceux, who is said to have obtained a grant for a fair to be held on the 7th, and 8th of September. It is now in six manors. The Rev. John Bramston Stane, M.A., of FOREST HALL, a handsome seat, about a mile North of tbe vi1lage, is lord of the manors of Newwarks and Wetherspane; the Earl of Mornington is lord of the manor of Passelow; Mr. William Baker is lord of Chevers manor; the Rev. H.J. Earle holds the manor of Ashe Hall, near the village; and that of Astelyns, otherwise Gapps, belongs to the College of Physicians in London, by gift of Dr. Hamey, in 1672. The ancient mansion in this manor was surrounded by a moat, and had a park of 100 acres. In this house the unfortunate Duke of Norfolk was for some time concealed, when charged with high treason, for acceding to the proposal of marrying Mary Queen of Scots. Ongar Park, though distant 4 miles West of the church, beyond Greensted, gives name to a manor in this parish, and is now held by Capel Cure, Esq. Sir John Swinburn, Bart., of Northumberland, and several smaller proprietors have estates in the parish.
The Church (Virgin Mary,) is similar in size and form to that at Chipping Ongar, and has a nave and chancel, with a wooden belfry, containing five bells and crowned by a spire. It is entered by a handsome semicircular arch, under a porch which bears the date 1640. On the lofty arched roof, clouds, stars, and the rising sun, were formerly represented by paintings of a superior description. The altar-piece is elegant, and the nave is neatly fitted up. The rectory valued in K.B. at £39.10s.5d., and in l831 at £1361, is in the patronage and incumbency of the Rev. H.J. Earle, B.A., who has a large residence, and about 90A. of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1848. The almshouses at High Ongar consist of six tenements, which are occupied by nine aged parishioners, and were built by the Rev. William Tabor, D.D., who endowed them in 1610 with a yearly rent-charge of £10, out of Curry farm, in Bradwell. The almspeople are appointed by the minister and vestry. The National School is supported chiefly by subscription.
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