History of Stanford-le-Hope
Stanford-le-Hope, Corringham Road c1960
Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection.
History of Stanford-le-Hope >> White's Directory 1848
White's Directory of Essex 1848
STANFORD-LE-HOPE is a small village and small rivulet, about 1½ mile north of that portion of the Thames, called The Hope; 2 miles South East of Horndon-on-the-Hill; and 12 miles East South East of Romford. A bridge crosses the rivulet on the site of the ancient stone ford, which gave name to the village. The parish contains 336 inhabitants, and 2418 acres of land, extending southward to the Thames, and bounded on the west by Mucking, and on the east by Corringham; but extending northward to Horndon and Lainden hills. In the Confessor's reign, it was held by 18 freemen, and at the Domesday Survey by odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and Saene of Essex. J. Scratton, Esq., is now lord of the manors, called Hassingbrook and Abbott's Hall, the former of which has its name from the rivulet which divides the parish from Mucking; and was successively held by the Montchensy, Vere, Valence, Wettenhall, and Featherston families. One of the latter built Hassingbrook Hall, in the reign of James I. Abbot's Hall was given by William de Semeles to Waltham Abbey, and after the dissolution, it passed to the Farr, Curson, Aleyn, and other families. An estate, called Calbourne or Canvers, was formerly held by the Newenton, Henifey, and Hallingworth families. Part of the parish belongs to several smaller proprietors, and the soil is fertile and well cultivated.
The Church (St. Margaret,) is an ancient structure standing on rising ground, and consisting of a nave with aisles, a chancel, and a tower. The interior has many monumental inscriptions, and had anciently a chantry, endowed with lands which were granted at the dissolution to William Golding. The rectory, valued, in K.B. at £12.19s.9½d., and in 1831 at £608, is in the patronage and incumbency of the Rev.J.C. Knott, B.A., who has 26A.1R.1P. of glebe, and a good residence in the Elizabethan style. The Free School, held in part of the church, was founded by Elizabeth Davison, who in 1789 left her residuary property to four of her relations for their lives, and after the- death of the survivor, she directed the said property to be vested in trust with the rector, churchwardens, and overseers of Stanford-le-Hope, for the support of a free school for poor children.. The survivor of the legatees for life died in 1826, when £950 three per cent. Annuities, and £300 South Sea Annuities, were transferred to the school trustees. The annual dividends, £37.10s., are paid to the schoolmistress for teaching all the poor boys and girls of the parish who apply for instruction.