The Baronage of England or An Hiftorical Account of the Lives and moft Memorable Actions of Our English Nobility In the Saxons time, to the Norman Conqueft; And from thence, of thofe who had their rife before the end of King Henry the Third's Reign. Deduced from Publick Records, Ancient Hiftorians, and other Authorities, By William Dugdale Norroy King of Arms. Nam genus & proavos, & quae non fecimus ipfi, Vix ca nofira voco. Ovid.
Tome the Firft. London: Printed by Tho. Newcomb, for Abel Roper, John Martin, and Henry Herringman, at the Sun in Fleetfreet, the Bell in S. Pauls Churchyard, and at the Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange. 1675
The firft mention I find of this Name, is in 18 H.2. [1172] under the Title of the Scutage of thofe Barons, who did neither attend the King in Perfon into Ireland, upon his Expedition at that time thither, nor fent him either Soldiers or Money for that Service: Where it appears, That there was iv l. then paid into the Exchequer, for thofe Knights Fees which did belong to William de Heriz. For this neglect, I prefume, it was, that the Lands of this William were (about this time) feifed into the King's hands: for in 20 H.2. [1174] he gave C Mrks Fine, to be repoffefs'd of them again.
This William had his Refidence at Wyverton (now vulgarly called Wozton) in Com. Nott. and took to Wife Maude the Daughter of Raphe Lord Baffet of Drayton, in Staffordfhire; with whom he in Frank marriage, certain Lands in Wyndefclibe, of Six Marks per annum value: but died in 26 H.2. [1180] or before, leaving Robert de Heriez his Brother and Heir, who then paid C l. for Livery of his Inheritance: Aeliva, another Wife, furving him, who gave C Marks to the King, that fhe might not be compelled to marry any other than whom fhe her felf pleafed.
To this Robert fucceeded Ivo his son and Heir; who in King Richard the Firft's time, obtain'd a fpecial Charter from John Earl of Moreton (the King's Brother) to himfelf and his Heirs for free liberty of Hunting in all his Lands and Woods in Winefeld, in Com. Derb. with divers other ample Privileges: And in 1 Joh. [1199] gave ten marks of Silver to the King, for confirmation thereof.
In 16 Joh. [1215] this Ivo gave a Fine to the King of CCC l. for certain Lands of Raffe Baffet. And about the later end of King John's Reign, when thofe high Contests were betwixt that King, and divers of the great Barons, he adhered to them; for which caufe his Lands were feifed. But upon the coming of King Henry the Third to the Crown, [1216] thofe Stirs being quieted, he return'd to his due Allegiance, and had reftitution of them again.
To this Ivo (called alfo John) the King gave refpite until the Feaft of Pentecoft, in that year for receiving the Honour of Knighthood; and ftrict Command to the Sheriff of Notinghamfhire, that he fhould not moleft or trouble him for not receiving it at Eafter: But all that I have farther feen of him, is, That he held Winefeld , Lybhmes and Dicroft, for two Knights Fees; and died before 30 H.3. [1246] leaving Sarra his Wife furviving; who afterwards was married to Jollan de Nevill, a Perfon of great Note in thofe days, being a Justice Itinerant in that time.
To which John de Heriez fucceeded Henry, and to Henry, another John, as Brother and Heir. Which laft mention'd John died before 27 E.1. [1585] leaving John his Son and Heir, who then doing his Homage, had Livery of his Inheritance.
Dates thus [....] are mine Noël
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The Harris family Papers by Krentzman gives the family seat as Weston Hanges, Kent. There was a Manor House at Westenhanger, near Hythe. He continues Londric De Beaugency of Orleans, France was ancestor to the powerful Barons of Beaugency and had two sons John and Hericeus, who lived around 996 to 1031 A.D. Hericeus had a son Ancelin de Beaumont who went to England and held a Barony in Nottingham about 1086. Ancelin's son Ivo Fitz Herice or de Heris was Viscount of Nottingham before 1130 and his sons were Ralph Hauseline, Robert Fitz Herice (executed by Henry II), Josseline, William (who held three fiets in Nottingham and four in Lincoln), and Humphry. The French name Herice seems to have been changed to Harris, by their sons who became increasingly more English. They arrived in Essex early in the 16th Century, and spread themselves all over the Dengie Hundred. Their influence was felt in all the villages, especially at Mundon, The Friary, Maldon and at Woodham Mortimer. In Burnham they held property interpreted as Troyforde and in Southminster, Rattleborough (Ratsborough) 23 acres with 102 acres of pasture called Sheepcote and Lodgelades and 128 acres of meadow called Highfield. Morant lists Westwick Hall, Eastwick, Stokes, Luthymes, Shopland Hall, Cristell Hall, Cage, Iltney, Newhall, Woodham Mortimer, in this area and in all some eighteen entries.
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(This simple type written booklet appears to be a guide authorship and publication date are unknown)
(Also pages appear to be missing)
Southminster Parish Church stands at the cross roads in the centre of the village. The church of St. Leonard has been at the centre of the village in more ways than one for a very long time, so it is fitting that this guide should say something of the story of the village and its church.
Southminster is one of the oldest and most important settlements of the area until 1830 it was the largest settlement in the Dengie Hundred outside Maldon. The village stands on a band of gravel and earths running from Burnham to Bradwell via Asheldham, Dengie and Tillingham. On these relative soils several early settlements have been discovered. Earthworks found in Pandal's Wood, on the road past the new industrial estate, date from the Iron Age.
The Romans came to Southminster. Several pieces of pottery were found during the construction of the railway in the late 19th Century, and in 1893 two Roman urns were found at Caidge Farm. One of them contained human bones.
In mid Saxon times, in about 710 A.D., the Manor of Southminster, not yet known by that name, was given by the King of the East Saxons to the Bishop of London. Some 200 years later, Bishop Theodre?? referred to an 'estate at Denesigne'. The first mention of the name comes in a 'ship list' of 9?? . 'Sudmynster' was called on to provide five men to man a warship. This was the greatest quota of an estate, so Southminster must have been a fairly large community.
The foundation of the actual parish and its church is shrouded in the mystery of the Dark Age theory that Cedd, first Bishop of the East Saxons, held his Episcopal Court here in 640, does not seem based on fact. The most accurate biographer of St. Cedd was the Venerable Bede; according to him it was not until 653 that Cedd was invited to become a missionary to the pagan East Saxons. Perhaps there was a connection with Cedd, but we cannot be sure. What is sure is that the name 'South minster' implies possibly a Monastery church, in the South. (This clear from the Saxon spelling). A minster meant oldest, or 'mother' church of an area, so the church of St. Leonard seems to be standing on or near that of an earlier, Saxon, foundation. This would have served the Bishop's estate in the South of the peninsula, while the minster at Bradwell originally St. Peter's Chapel (?) served the St. Paul's to the north. So Southminster has been a centre of Christianity for about a thousand years.
Southminster was in the part of the country which felt the impact of the Danish invasion. In the time during the reign of King Canute (1016 1035) the Manor was confiscated from the Bishop and it was a Royal estate. However, according to the Domesday Book, 'Bishop William recovered William's time'.
Perhaps in recognition of the importance of Southminster, Abbot Vyntoner extended the church in about 1450. It was the last major work to be done for about 300 years. Indeed, by 1634 the Bishop's consistory court had to deal with the dilapidated state of the chancel, 'it being unleaded that it raineth in and rottes the rafters'.
In 1537 a chapel was built in the yard at Southminster Hall (not the present Hall) in honour, according to the plate on its wall, of the Virgin Mary. By 1790 it was reported to be still standing, minus its dedication plate, and converted into a barn.
In 1540, Henry VIII dissolved the abbey of St. Osyth and passed the rectory, that is, the right to tithes and the advowson to his Chancellor, Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell then bestowed them on Sir Richard Riche and in 1598 they were bought by Thomas Sutton, of whom more later.
The Bishop still owned the Manor, and in 1550 Bishop Nicholas Ridley gave it to King Edward V1, from whom it passed to Thomas d'Arcy. In 1585 his grandson, also Thomas d'Arcy, sold the manor 'and a moiety of the church' to Thomas Sutton. As we have seen, Sutton was soon to have the other half of the church as well. He was an immensely rich man who, in his closing years, decided to ensure his immortality by starting a charity. He owned the Charterhouse, a former Carthusian monastery in the City of London which had been converted into a private house. This he decided in 1611 he would turn into a hospital a sort of old folks home for seamen, civil servants and others with a small school attached. Just before he died, Sutton settled the estates of Southminster and Cold Norton on the Hospital Governors.
Meanwhile, the 'Manor of Cage' had been owned by the Fitzwalter family, who had come over with the Conqueror and had much land in Essex. In the 15th century it passed to the d'Arcys. Roger d'Arcy in 1558 [? 1538] sold the manor to the High Sherriff of Essex, William Harris. Harris chose to live and to be known as 'Harris of Southminster'. He was buried in the Church of St. Leonard. One of his descendants sold the manor to Sir John Leman, Lord Mayor of London.
During the five hundred or so years after Domesday it is unlikely that the lives of the ordinary people changed a great deal. There were two main influences on their lives: agriculture, and the marshland bordering the sea. As was mentioned earlier, the most important feature of early agriculture in Southminster was sheep farming. Essex was the main wool producing county until towards the end of the 16th century, and for a further hundred years Essex cheese was used to provide ships which sailed from Harwich. This was made in the 'wicks' from sheeps' milk. The Dengie Hundred provided excellent grazing for sheep. In 1594 John Norden claimed that 'it may be sayd that of these parishes, that they flow with these commodities (butter and cheese) as Canaan dyd with milk and honey'. It was certainly important to Southminster, and as late as 1790 a field off Burnham Road was still known as the 'Tenter Field', a tenter being a wooden frame used for stretching wool.
As the wool trade moved northwards to Yorkshire so the marshes began to produce cereals, and both grain and straw were shipped to London by barge or by hoy.
The sea and marshes were a constant influence, not only as providers of pasture and transport, but also as a threat. The remains of Roman salt workings about 1½ miles from the village show where the sea once was. Until about 1200 the marshes were unreclaimed saltings which then began to be enclosed piecemeal.
As the land dried out so it shrank so that the level of the land dropped. William Camden in 'Britannia' summed up the danger: 'Along this shore much a doe have the inhabitants to defend their grounds with forced banks or walls against the violence of the ocean, ready to inrush upon them'. This, the ocean did from time to time.
In 1355 for example, gangs of forced labour had to repair breeches in the sea wall. In 1570 the historian Holinshed noted that 'from a towne called Rainam unto the towne named Maldon all alonst by the waterside were the marshes overflowen, wherein were a great number of cattell drowned'.
The area, too, was generally unhealthy, Camden found it, 'exhaling unwholesome and noxious vapours'. John Norden complained that it induced a 'cruell quartern fever' and that 'strangers .... are suddenly stryken with fevers and shaking agues'. (Norden had been 'stryken'). The death rate was terribly high. There were more burials than baptisms until the mid eighteenth century, and the population was maintained only by regular immigration from the rest of the county. There are few 'country seats of the gentry' in the area, and it seems possible that generally, those who made good moved to a healthier place and farmed from a distance. By the mid eighteenth century even the clergy were largely non resident in the marshland parishes and they gave as their reason the unhealthy conditions.
The main reason seems to have been the lack of effective drainage and good drinking water. John Norden in 1594 remarked the lack of well water. Many died from 'fever' possibly typhus or smallpox and plague, right into the 18th century, and even in the mid nineteenth century periodic epidemics swept the area. Infant mortality was high; one in three babies born in the 18th century died before their first birthday, four in ten children died before their tenth birthday; nearly one death in forty was a woman in childbirth. It is not surprising that there were many eligible widows and widowers in the area, and 50% of all marriages – double the national average were remarriages. Mr. Humphrey Keys of Burnham, who died in 1646, had six wives; number six had had two previous husbands. High Sherriff William Harris of Southminster had three wives.
Some of the villagers were involved in crimes varying from petty poaching to witchcraft. In 1564, 'Edmund Gybbyns, labourer, being a layman and not having lands or rents of 40 shillings per annum used nets called heyes for taking and killing conies, whereof he is indicted'. In 1580, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Ralph Spacey, of Southminster, 'to be apprehended for conjuring'. Later, in the Quarter Sessions records, and entry shows how 'Mary Moore, of Southminster hath been ...... most cruelly beaten ....... Richard Warner of Asheldam ...... did beat her and threatened to kill her (and) thereupon discharged a pistol which killed her bitch'. Warner seems to have been an amateur highwayman.
From time to time, war impinged on the life of the village. Men were pressed into service in the forces. In 1624, for example, James I decided to send aid to his son in law, the Elector of the Palatinate in Western Germany, who had lost his throne in the religious struggle of the Thirty Years War. 'Henry Pament (Sawyer) who late dwelt with John Pye of Southminster' and 'Thomas Farfielde (Glover) who worked with Henry Fayerchilde of Sowthminster' were called up. We do not know their fate, but the expedition was a disaster and the commander, Mansfield, was killed.
A few years later the English Civil war began. Possibly men from the village fought for Parliament. In 1644, at least, the 'land of Mr. Bennett's called Shipcote' was declared to be Royalist property and subject to confiscation. In the same year the Puritans made a survey of the area to discover unlicensed alehouses. This was nothing new in 1554 one Robert Horsenayle had been charged with keeping one. The 1644 survey found two in Southminster, and also noted that 'Thomas Freeman keeps a licensed house but needless and ill situated. These are supernumerous and may very well be spared'.
After the Restoration of Charles II, Britain went to war with the Dutch. In 1667 a look out on 'Southminster Steeplt' spotted a Dutch squadron making for Harwich and provoked feverish preparation for a raid which never, in fact, materialised.
Up to the end off the 16th century, Southminster seems to have been fortunate in the quality of its clergy. A survey in 1580 of 'ignorant and unpreaching ministers' does not include the Vicar of Southminster.
The interior of the church has relatively few memorials, other than those already described, and some furniture. It does, however, contain three which, though usually unseen, are interesting. These are Tudor and Stuart memorial brasses, now hidden by chancel carpet.
The oldest is part of a much larger memorial to William Harris, High Sherriff of Essex, who died in 1556. The original tomb held a brass showing a man in armour kneeling with his three wives and thirteen children. This brass and the tomb have gone. What remains is the arms of the Harris family and a verse in Latin.
The earth covers his clay
The Devil holds his sins
The world has his possessions
His soul the Highest wins [*]
The second brass, also incomplete is anonymous. The original showed a man and his two wives. One of the wives and a group of children are missing. The arms of the City of London show him to be 'something in the City' and another shield, present in 1710 but now missing, showed him to have been a member of the Haberdashers' Company. He may have died in about 1560, but the rest is mystery.
The third brass shows John King, a Southminster man who married Ann Henone, a daughter of a yeoman farmer from Great Burstead, near Billericay. He died
'in the yere of our Lord God 1634
and in the yere of his age twenty five'
He left a son and daughter. He is shown dressed as a cavalier, with long hair, top boots and a cloak.
The church has one other memento of the Tudors and Stuarts. This is the chalice, in regular use still. It is of silver, sparsely decorated, but a fine piece of craftsmanship. It was made in 1565. Other plate includes a number of silver dishes given by Dr. Scott at various times between 1808 and 1840, and by his successor, Mr. Berkeley.
The church has been criticised for its lack of architectural style by some authorities much better qualified than the writer of this (?paper). It is, I feel, plain but dignified. Time has, alas brought danger as well as dignity to the church. An alert visitor will no doubt spot the signs of damp, insect attack and decay which now threaten this ancient building. It is a sad, but necessary note on which to end.
[*] Terra Terram Tegat Let earth cover earth
Denim peccata resumat Let the Devil take back the sins
Mundus res hateat Let the world have the property
Spiritus alta petat Let the Spirit seek its abode
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(Name of book unknown, article written by C.E. Jefferies)
This is or was probably the most considerable place in the district that dates from the Tudor period. Morant who wrote about 1786, does not have a lot to say about it: there was one manor in Creeksea, of which the manor house was (and still is) near the church, and that three quarters of a mile to the south east of it was Creeksea Place. It had then continued longest in the Harris family, who had a large brick house standing in a pleasant park that contained plenty of timber.
The Harris family descended from a John Harris of Prittlewell who, in his will dated 1508, wished to be buried in the church there. He seems to have been a grandfather to the first William Harris who held the Manor of Creeksea and who died according to Morant about 1555. His will was dated 12th September 1556, and proved on 14th November, so he lived a year longer than Morant says.
In his will he described himself as having lived in Rochford. He had three furnished houses – in Southminster, Rochford and Prittlewell which he disposed of in his will. Had he owned Creeksea Place it would have been mentioned in the will. The indication therefore, is that Creeksea Place was not yet built.
The first William Harris seems to have had three wives and thirteen children. By the first he had William his son and heir, and Vincent later of Maldon. Of the second he had Arthur, usually said to have been of Woodham Mortimer and Creeksea but who did not buy the former manor till 1592. William does not appear to have acquired the manor of Creeksea Hall, but did own twenty three acres of arable and twenty acres of wood called Crixeth Hide, a messuage called the "the new house" and three acres of other land in Creeksea.
He owned as well the "Great House" in Prittlewell, a tenement in Rochford called "Stebyns" and no other estates elsewhere. The "new house" could possibly have been Creeksea Place, and if that were so William could have built it between 1556 and 1559. He died in 1559 and was buried in All Saints Church at Maldon where he had a gravestone.
Another possible builder of Creeksea Place was Arthur Harris, between 1560 and 1570. The only conclusive evidence appears to be the date 1569 formerly (and possibly still) on a lead waterhead by the side of the western block of chimneys in the north wing.
The house was certainly there in 1594 when John Norden wrote of it as Creeksea Place and spoke of the park around it.
From their wills it is known that the descendants of Arthur Harris lived there.
In Southminster Church there was in 1903 an achievement of arms belonging to William Harris, who died in 1556 the one who was High Sheriff of Essex. It once had a brass as well with effigies of his three wives and thirteen children. It is thought he died during his year of office as Sheriff as recorded by Machyn: "The XXVI day of September was bered in Essex at Southminster one Master William Har(rys) Sheriff of Essex and Herts, notabulle ryche both in lands and ferms". This makes it certain enough for all that William Harris was of Southminster and not from Creeksea as is sometimes supposed.
William Harris, elder son of William of Southminster, died in 1559 as stated above, while Vincent, the second son, settled in Maldon where he tells us in his will he built his house. Arthur, the third son, certainly lived at Creeksea and survived till 1597. He was succeeded by William who died in 1616. That William's son, Arthur died in 1631, leaving a son named Cranmer Harris. When Cranmer died he left two daughters as heirs. The estate came into the Mildmay family when Charles Mildmay married Cranmer's daughter Martha. Cranmer died in 1652.
The house was once much larger than at present, and consisted of three sides of a square, but the east and west wings were demolished in 1741 1742. The bricks so obtained were sold, taken by water to London and reused. The walled garden and Tudor gateway were allowed to remain. About 1900, a successful Burnham man who did well in business restored one wing. It is sometimes stated that Anne Boleyn, second queen of Henry VIII, once stayed or lived at Creeksea Place. Since she was executed in 1536 and the house was erected in 1569 she could not possibly have done so. But, since the Harris family were neighbours of Rochford Hall, which belonged to the Boleyns, it is not improbable that the families were acquainted and that Anne could have visited Creeksea, but to the Hall and not to the Place ... and also Southminster.
The story of a passage was either from Creeksea Place or Hall to Rochford Hall, passing under the Crouch at a place where it is half a mile wide, may be dismissed as fictional. There were then no means of driving such a tunnel, nor ventilating it, keeping it drained or maintaining it in a passable state. The entrance to the passage sometimes given as evidence for its existence would be the entrance to an ice house. Such ice houses were deep below ground, fifty feet or more, and ice was stored there in winter to last well into summer, before the days of refrigerators. It kept perfectly well in that way.
Much more could be written about this house, but enough has been said to cover the main points of interest.
(author unknown)
Adjoins on the South to the River Crouch, and is supposed to have been named from the two Saxon words, Crecch, against: and sae, the sea; it lying near the Creek of the sea, at the mouth of the said river; for which reason Norden styles it Chrouchesee.
It is otherwise written in records, Cric????, Cricksey, Crixsey, Crixheth, Crixseth, Chricksea, Crickesley, Crykesey, Croxsey, Crekeshuth, and Kryxhithe.
The owner of this place, in Edward the Confessor's reign, was Aluuard. It was held by Moduin at the time of the survey [P].
Here is only one MANER. Cricksea hall is near the east end of the church; and Cricksea place about three quarters of a mile south east of the same.
After Moduin, we have no account of the possessors of this estate till 1320; when John de Brianzon, held of John de Chanceuz, 20 acres of the land called Crickseth, which had been William le Smyth's, by the service of 4s. a year; and of Wm. Senaunt, 15 acres (l).
In 1375, the Lord Walter Fitz Walter held the maner of Crixeth, of the King, as of the honor of Reyleigh, by knight's service. And he held the same, at the time of his decease, in 1386; as did his son, Walter Fitz Walter who died in 1407 or 1408 (m).
Next, in 1498, Thomasine Hopton held the maner of Crixhethall, of Thomas Darcye, Esq. (n), as of his maner of Canindon; and Robert Darcye, at the time of his decease, the 24th of April 1516, held the maner of Crykesey, with the advowson of the church, of the King, by the service of half a knight's fee (o).
It continued longest in the Harris family, who had a large brick house here, in a pleasant park, well stored with timber. They were descended from William Harris, of Prittlewell in this county. He married Anne, daughter of ... Jernegan; and had Arthur Harrys, of Prittlewell; who, by Joanna his wife, daughter of Thomas Percy, second son of Henry Earl of Northumberland, had William Harrys, of South minster, that held the maner of Crixsetts hall, of the Lord Riche, as of the honor of Rayleigh, by the service of one knight's fee, and suit at the Court of the said honor, from month to month; besides many other estates (p) [Q]. He died the 21st of September 1555, having had three wives: 1. Joanna, daughter and coheir of John Smyth, of Norton. 2. Joanna, daughter of .... Cooke, of Bocking. 3. Anne Rutter. By the first, he had William, his son and heir; and Vincent, of Maldon. By the second, he had Arthur Harrys, of Woodham Mortimer and Cricksea. William, the eldest son, is not recorded to have enjoyed this maner, but only 23 acres of arable and pasture, and 20 of wood, called Cryseth Hide; and messuage called The New Marsh (?), and three acres of land in Crixseth, and the great house in Pritwell; a tenament in Rochford, stiled Stebbyns; and other estates in Harkly, South Fambridge, Leigh, especially in Southminster; 23 acres, parcel of the maner of Raffleborough; 102 acres of pasture, named Sheepcote and Lodgeladys; and 128 acres of meadow and pasture, called Highfield (q). The other son, Arthur Herrys, Esq. of Woodham Mortimer and Cricksea, above mentioned, held the maner of Cricksey, alias Cricksetts, with appurtenances, and the advowson of this church (r) See above, p. 312. He married Dorothy, daughter of Sir William Waldegrave, of Smallbridge; and dying the 18th of June 1597, was succeeded by his son, Sir William Harrys, or Herris, who held the maner of Crixsey, alias Crixseth, with all its rights, members, and appurtenances, and divers messuages, lands, &c. in this parish, and Althorn and Burnham, and the advowson of this church, of the Lord Hunsdon, as of his honor of Raleigh. Departing this life the 14th of November 1616, he left, by Alice his wife, a daughter of Thomas Smyth, of Westhanger in Kent, John, his son and heir, and four daughters. John had three sons: Arthur of Cricksey; William, of Lincoln's inn; Thomas; and Alice, wife of Sir Henry Mildmay, of Graces. Sir Arthur Harrys, the eldest son, married two wives: 1. Anne, sole daughter and heir of Robert Cranmer, of Charsted in Kent. 2. Anne, sole daughter of Sir Nicholas Salter, of Enfield in Middlesex, widow of Sir Henry Bowyer, of Denham, Knight. By the second, he had Salter Harrys, father of Edward, of Southminster; and by the first, he had Cranmer and John. He departed this life the 9th of January 1632, and was succeeded by his son Sir Cranmer Harrys, Knight, aged 22 years (s). He married Martha, daughter of Daniel Holford, of West Thurrock, Esquire, and had by her, two daughters, Anne and Mary [R].
It was afterwards purchased by Thomas Western, of Rivenhall, Esq. and is now in his descendants. [See in the other vol. p. 147].
The CHURCH, dedicated to All Saints, is of one pace with the chancel, both tiled. There is no steeple, nor any bell unless one ....
This rectory hath been all along appendent to the maner; and, as such, in the gift of the families of Fitz Walter, Darcy, Harrys, Bowyer, and Western.
This parish is rated to the land tax at 239l.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(l) Inquis. 14 Edward II (m) Inquis. 49 Edward III, & 10 Richard II (n) Inquis. 8 Henry IV
(o) Inquis. 14 Henry VII & 6 Henry VIII (p) Inquis. 3 & 4 Ph. & Mar. nu. 38
(q) Inquis. 1 Elizabeth, April 14 (r) Inquis 39 Elizabeth
(s) Inquis. 15 Jaco. February 15, & 8 Caro. October 4
[P] [Q] namely the Manors of Westwickhall and Eastwick in Burnham, of Stokes and Luthyrnes, in this Parish and Althorn, of Shopland Hall, of Cristell Hall, of Cage, in Southminster; of Beckney in South Fambridge; of Leith and Triggs in Leigh; Iltney in Mundon; Newhall in Woodham Mortimer. Meadows and marshes in several places, particularly Great Borewood and Highwood, New Marsh; Temple Gore and Small Port Gore; Ferrylands and the Passage Inquis 3 and 4 ph and Mar Nu 38
[R] Arms of Harrys (Herris, Harris, Herries) Gold on a bend engrailed, Azure three cinquefoils argent
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From A book written by Ronald Fairman published 198 title unknown
Creeksea Place ...... In its original form it was of three wings, only the North wing remains in its early form, the architecture of which is Elizabethan. The East wing was of great length, the West slightly narrower than the East, and both united by a high strong Southern wall. This with a centre entrance formed the Inner Court. The house lodges and outbuildings were in red brick of varying size with matching tiles on the roof. English oak was used for the woodwork and the chimneys in groups of three were on the exterior walls of each wing standing from the wall outwards for four to five feet. The octagonal Tudor design was used for the terminal portion of the chimneys. The windows were mullioned with diamond panes of glass, set in lead, each principal room contained "ten lights". The whole courtyard remains with the archway and is considered the most interesting in the county. Creeksea Place retained its original architecture until 1739 then in 1741 2 the East and West wings, several outbuildings and the walls of the old pleasure garden were dismantled and the materials sold. Donald Rooke said it went to Cricksea Road, London, but I have never been able to find such a place. This left the North wing, a range of buildings and the dairy, with the courtyard on the East. It was to remain so until William Rome purchased it from the Mildmays in 1901, although he had lived there from an earlier date. Wm. Rome then set about a restoration and rebuilt the East wing and remained there until his death in 1907. ...........
The residence was then of two large wings approached by two carriage drives. One through finely wrought iron gates through an avenue of trees, crossing the ornamental lakes to the ancient courtyard. The other, the original, is past the lodge house to an old massive arched doorway and the Tudor wing. Most of the entertaining rooms are in the "Modern Elizabethan" wing.
In all: Entrance Hall Eight principal bed and dressing rooms
Central Hall Two secondary bedrooms
Dining Room Three servants bedrooms
Drawing Room Lavatory, Bath Room, Three W.C.s
Morning Room Domestic Offices
Billiard Room Butlers House
Staircase Hall
The kindness of the Bartoreli family has allowed me frequent visits and I am always intrigued by the Bath Room and its shower with large turncocks to adjust the hot water. It was heated throughout by hot water pipes and fire places, even the passages had coiled pipes and a large recessed fireplace. In its original form the heating would have been entirely from the fireplaces and a days work for a boy to keep them going. Typically "yule" logs could be used in the enormous fire places of the principal rooms. ........... The domestic offices "quite shut off from the reception rooms" comprised "Light and Lofty" kitchen, 20 feet square with a large double oven range, Butlers pantry with a sink, cupboards and fireplace, stone flagged scullery with sinks and fireplace, cooks larder, wine cellars, wash house with copper and sinks and the dairy. Adjoining was the butler or bailiff's house with sitting room, kitchen, scullery, pantry, larder, three bedrooms and a W.C. One usually avoids the reference to upstairs and downstairs servants and the "tweeny" and who did what, before the closet was self disposal. Totty pots are as old as the need.
.........Half way up the ancient spiral staircase stood in its rack the sword of Creeksea, liveried servants were not in Elizabethan times allowed to wear swords and it stood there for the protection of the servants quarters and one man on the narrow stairway could have held many at bay.
From The History of an Essex Village CRICKSEA in the Hundred of Dengie by Donald A. Rooke 1935
THE LEGEND OF THE SWORD
For nearly three hundred years ......... a sword had rested on the platform at the head of the oak spiral staircase leading to the attics. It was a court sword of the early 17th century; its hilt and pommel being covered with richly chased silver in various designs, the Tudor rose being the most prominent. Each generation carried on the legend that "this sword has always been at Cricksea Place". One man alone could have held those attic stairs against allcomers; the womenkind and children secure in the rooms behind.
(This sword was in the possession of the descendants of the Baker family, in 1877, but by their gift has passed into the writer's keeping.)
The sword was placed in a velvet lined case, which had been made by Mr. C. Burrows, after a service of dedication by the Revd. V.C. Castle on the 9th May, 1976. The case is affixed to the south wall by the font. A while afterwards photographs of the Herries tomb in the chancel (now covered by the red carpet) were hung by the side of the sword case.
The inscription underneath the sword reads as follows:
"This rapier belonged to Sir William Herries, Knight of Creeksea Place and the tradition is that it remained in the house until 1877 when the Galloway Family left."
Miss C.M. Galloway gave it to the Revd. D.A. Rooke in 1933 and he left it to the Rector and Churchwardens of All Saints Church when he died in 1974. The Rapier was made in England in the early 17th Century and the hilt has embossed motifs in silver. The blade is not the original, but when it was replaced is unknown.
Sir William Herries died in 1616 and with his wife is buried somewhere in this church.