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History of Stapleford Tawney

St. Mary's Church, Stapleford Tawney
©John Winfield
Photograph by kind permission of John Winfield,
contributor to the Geograph Project

History of Stapleford Tawney >> White's Directory 1848

White's Directory of Essex 1848

STAPLEFORD TAWNEY is a parish of scattered houses on the northern acclivities of the vale of the Roding, from 3½ to 5 miles South East of Epping, and 5 miles South South West of Chipping Ongar. It contains 355 inhabitants and 1552 acres of land, rising boldly from Passingford Bridge, on the Roding, near which is Suttons, the handsome and pleasant seat of Sir C.C. Smith, Bart., the lord of the manor of Suttons. Stapleford Tawney Hall, which is now a farm house, was anciently a seat of the Tawney, or Tany family, and afterwards passed to the Drokensford, Mandeville, Spice, Alleyn, and Thompson families. It gives name to the principal manor, which was sold in 1716 to an ancestor of its present owner, Sir E.B. Smijth, Bart., of Hill Hall, a large and beautiful seat in the adjoining parish of Theydon Mount. Several smaller owners have estates in the parish, which belonged to Godric before the Conquest, and to Suene at the Norman Survey.

The Church (Virgin Mary,) is a small ancient structure, consisting of a nave, a chancel with a south aisle, and a wooden belfry, crowned by a short spire. The rectory, with that of Thoydon Mount annexed to it, is valued in K.B. at £15.8s.8d., and in 1831 at £738. The joint benefices are in the gift of Sir E.B. Smijth, Bart., and incumbency of the Rev. Henry Soames, M.A., who has here a large and handsome white brick residence, and 116A. of glebe. The tithes of the two parishes were commuted in 1837 for £700 per annum. The poor of Stapleford Tawney have 4A. of land left by an unknown donor, and now let for £6.10s.; and also a yearly rent charge of £5, left by Thomas Luther, in 1718, out of a farm of 18A., now belonging to Mr. Jones. The School-house is occupied by the schoolmaster rent free, and was built by Jane Luther, who, in 1745, left the following yearly rent charge out of an estate at Little Warley, viz., 5s. to the parish clerk for weeding the gravel walk leading to the church; and £2.17s.6d. each to this parish and that of Kelvedon Hatch, for distribution in bread among the poor.

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