Thomas Bishops

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About Bishop's Stortford Parish and it's familes:

Francis Dane, born in Bishop's Stortford in 1615, fought against persecution of purported witches during the Salem Witch Trials and was pastor of North Parish in Andover, Massachusetts

George Jacobs (1609-1692) executed during the Salem Witch Trials.[16]

Ealdgyth of Stortford, a Dark Ages saint[17][18] known from the chronicle by Hugh Candidus[19] and the hagiography of the Secgan Manuscript

As the head of the Bishop of London's barony''' it was important enough to send members to Parliament in the 14th century. Two members were summoned from it to the Parliaments held in 1311.

The Bishop of London and Westminster was Nicholas Ridley (1500-1555) who was a Catholic Martyr burned at the stake for his teachings and support of Lady Jane Grey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Ridley_(martyr)

Fairs were held at Stortford three times a year, on the feasts of St. Michael, Ascension and Corpus Christi. Part of the fairs were held inside the churchyard until the end of the 16th century. (fn. 22) A schoolhouse stood near the churchyard in the 15th century, where a chantry school was probably carried on. (fn. 23) The grammar school founded by Margaret Dane in 1579 was a building abutting on the High Street on the north and on Church Lane on the west. The library adjoined the schoolhouse; this was collected chiefly by Dr. Thomas Leigh, vicar of Stortford. Destroyed either at the Reformation or during the Commonwealth were four crosses which stood in roads leading from the town of Stortford. Collin's Cross probably stood on the site still called by that name at the point where the road from Takeley joins the road leading from Hockerill to Stanstead. It was probably named from the family of Colin who were living here from the 13th century onward.

A lease of the manor for twenty-one years from 1614 was made by Richard Bishop of London to Queen Elizabeth, who assigned it to Sir Edward Denny in 1596. (fn. 77) The manor, together with the site, park, two watermills called Town Mills, and the fairs and markets, was sold in 1647 by the trustees for the sale of Bishops' lands to Richard Turner, a citizen and merchant tailor of London. (fn. 78) It reverted to the Bishop of London after the Restoration, and remained with the see until transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1868. More about the castle history:

Stortford Castle was the head of the barony of the Bishop of London.

1549 the castle was in ruins, only a few pieces of the walls remaining. (fn. 103) The prison survived and is mentioned by Norden, writing in 1598, as 'a dungeon deep and strong.' (fn. 104) The Jesuit lay brother Thomas Pound was imprisoned there by Bishop Aylmer in 1580 to prevent his infecting others by his conversation, (fn. 105) and in a letter to Sir Christopher Hatton gives a dismal description of it. (fn. 106) It was probably used until the time of the Commonwealth, after which prisoners were sent to the county gaol. (fn. 107) Chauncy says that the buildings were sold about 1649, and soon afterwards pulled down. An inn called Cherry Tree Inn was built on the site near the old gatehouse of the castle. This has been incorporated in the present Castle Cottage, formerly the residence of Mr. Edward Taylor. (fn. 108) The ground on which the castle stands was lately the joint property of several members of the Taylor family. (fn. 109) In 1907 it was acquired with the castle by the urban district council for public gardens.

The manor of PICOTS, PIGGOTTS, PEKOTES PICKETTS or Picketts, lying in the south-west of the parish, was evidently formed by subinfeudation from the manor of Stortford, of which it was held by a castleward rent. (fn. 118) A rental of Stortford of the late 13th century mentions 'tenementum Pycot' under the heading of North Street, but does not give any additional information. (fn. 119) In 1351 John de Mounteney of Stanford Rivers, co. Essex, released all his right in 'the land called Picottes' to James de Thame, citizen of London. (fn. 120) The latter possibly left two heiresses, for in 1377 Thomas Mounjoye and Alice his wife conveyed the manor to John Gemptyng and Agnes Grey and the heirs of Agnes, the quitclaim being from the heirs of Alice. (fn. 121) Court rolls of the manor for 1396, 1417 and 1421 are extant, but the name of the lord is not given. (fn. 122) In 1427 a court was held for John Gaall and Agnes his wife, who were possibly the heirs of John and Agnes Gemptyng. In 1458 the court of John Leventhorp, (fn. 123) Robert Canfeld, Ralph Grey and their co-feoffees was held, and in 1470 the court of Henry Barlee (of Albury) and others.

In 1533 the manor was in the possession of Richard Apryce, (fn. 124) and a few months after it passed to his brother and heir Thomas. (fn. 125) In 1556 Roger Apryce conveyed it to John Ellyott, citizen and mercer of London. (fn. 126) He evidently left two daughters, for in Hilary 1573–4 Thomas Saunders and his wife Jane levied a fine of a moiety of the manor, (fn. 127) and in 1577 Robert Hall, jun., and his wife Anne together with Saunders and his wife conveyed the whole to Robert Hall, sen., and others. (fn. 128) This may have been for a settlement on Thomas Saunders and Jane, for in the next year they conveyed to Thomas Crabbe, (fn. 129) who held his first court in 1581. (fn. 130) In 1604 Thomas Crabbe was holding with Grace his wife, and in that year conveyed the manor to Francis Cutt of Debden, co. Essex, and John Cutt his brother (sons of Richard Cutt of Debden). (fn. 131) After the death of Francis within a year, John Cutt (called of London) sold the manor with the meadow called Pigotts Hatch, the two fields called the Leyes, &c., to Robert Salmon of Broxted, co. Essex, (fn. 132) who held his first court in 1606. (fn. 133) He granted the manor in 1622 to his son Robert, (fn. 134) who held his first court in 1649. (fn. 135) Later he joined in a sale with Nicholas Westwood of Farnham, co. Essex, and Sarah his wife, John Cleere the elder of Bengeo and Mary his wife, and John Cleere the younger and Sarah his wife to Edward Hawkins of Stortford. After the death of the latter it descended to his three daughters: Mary, who married Robert Dawgs, of Loughton, co. Essex; Elizabeth, who married John Barrington, second son of Sir John Barrington, bart., and Susan, who married William Layer of Shepreth, co. Cambridge. In 1700 Mary Dawgs, then a widow, Susan Layer and her husband, and John Barrington, son of Elizabeth, and Anne, her daughter, wife of John Flacke of Linton, co. Cambridge, joined in a sale to John Lowe of St. Margaret's, Westminster. (fn. 136)

WICKHAM HALL (Weekham Hall, Wykeham Hall, xvi and xvii cent.), an estate on the north-west of the parish, apparently represents the 'Wickeham' of Domesday, where were several small holdings. (fn. 140) After 1086 it first appears about the end of the 15th century. In January 1491–2 Sir William Say conveyed his 'plot called Wykeham hall' and lands called Bryans, Bledeways and Thornes in Stortford and Farnham to Henry Freshwater for twelve years. (fn. 141) The property descended to Elizabeth daughter and co-heir of Sir William Say, who married William Blount, fourth Lord Mountjoy, and to her daughter and heir Gertrude, wife of Henry Courtenay Marquess of Exeter. (fn. 142) She was attainted in 1539, and in 1544 the farm of Wickham Hall with lands called Tolgrove, Lyvery Coppice, Whites Coppice, and Mawkins, were granted to Sir Henry Parker, Lord Morley. (fn. 143) He is said to have alienated to John Elliott, and Elliott to have sold to William Goodwyn. (fn. 144)

¶In 1560 Goodwyn with Margaret his wife conveyed the farm to John Goodday. (fn. 145) In 1564 John Goodday sold it to John Gibbe, (fn. 146) who died seised in 1597, having left his property in Stortford to his grandson George, son of his son William. (fn. 147) It descended to a William Gibbe, son apparently of Edmund, the eldest son of John Gibbe, (fn. 148) who died seised of it in January 1624–5, (fn. 149) his brother James being his heir. It was sold by James Gibbe in 1633 to Arthur Capell of Little Hadham, created Lord Capell in 1641, who also bought the manor of Wickham (from which the farm seems to have been separated, perhaps on the death of Sir William Say) from Edward Atkins. He turned the house known as Wickham Hall into a keeper's lodge. The estate descended with Little Hadham to George Devereux de Vere Capell, seventh Earl of Essex, who in 1900 sold it to Mr. Frank Stacey, the present owner. (fn. 150) The house is timber framed and plastered, of two stories with attics built on an L-shaped plan. It probably dates from the early 17th century.

The lands of the church or RECTORY MANOR were held with the advowson by the precentor of St. Paul's. In 1651 the manor was sold by the trustees for the sale of church lands to William Alsop, a haberdasher of London, together with the manorhouse, fields called Brickhill Croft, Great and Little Kingsbridge, and Swinstead, a water-mill called Parson's Mill on the lower side of Great Kingsbridge, and woods called Chanters Woods and Pixsoe Wood. (fn. 151) Leases of the manor were made by the precentors in the 18th century. With their other lands it passed in 1867 to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who about 1900 sold it to Sir Walter Gilbey, bart., who has a minute book of the courts from 1656–1806. No courts are held now and the copyholders have been nearly all enfranchised. (fn. 152) The site of the manor was held on lease by the Denny family in the 18th century. It passed from them to the Sandfords, to the Bromes, to the Debarys, and is now owned and occupied by the Misses Lee, nieces of the late Rev. Thomas Debary. (fn. 153) The manorhouse stands about three-quarters of a mile north-east of the church.

Churches:

St. Michael's built early part of the 15th century. On the chancel floor are some brass inscriptions: one to Thomas Edgcombe, 1614; another on the same slab to an infant of the Edgcombe family; a third to Charles Denny, 1635, for twelve years senior fellow of King's College, Cambridge. The registers of baptisms, marriages and burials begin in 1561. wo endowments of great tithes have been made by the precentors to the vicarage, viz. the tithes from the farm called Stortford Park, which at the beginning of the 18th century was held on a lease for lives of the Bishop of London by Dr. William Stanley, precentor of St. Paul's, and a moiety of the great tithes of a piece of land called by Salmon 'the Earl of Essex Park,' which were given by Dr. Dibbing, precentor when Salmon wrote in 1728. (fn. 159) The great tithes of the rectory were leased out with the rectory manor. (fn. 160)

The chantry of Baldwin Victor (fn. 161) was founded in 1485 by his widow Marjory Victor. The chantry priest celebrated mass at the altar of St. John the Baptist. (fn. 162) The chantry was dissolved under Edward VI, when its property was valued at £8. (fn. 163) In 1583 the chantry priest's house and two messuages and land in Stortford, which had belonged to it, were in the possession of Oliver Godfrey and Elizabeth his wife, who conveyed them in that year to Thomas Bowyer. (fn. 164) He died seised of them in 1607, leaving a daughter and heir Helen Bowyer, then aged two. (fn. 165) The lands included some of the meadows between the river and the road to Manewden, (fn. 166) a piece of land in 'Mochehalfacres' called Shortland alias Chantry Land alias Walter Blanks and Twyford Mill (given by Richard Wild). (fn. 167)

On the chancel floor are some brass inscriptions: one to Thomas Edgcombe, 1614; another on the same slab to an infant of the Edgcombe family; a third to Charles Denny, 1635, for twelve years senior fellow of King's College, Cambridge.

In the chancel are mural monuments to Mrs. Cordelia Denny, 1698, with arms, and to the children of Edward Maplesden, 1684–6.

Charities The Poor's Estate which comprises the charities mentioned below is regulated by a scheme of the Court of Chancery 17 January 1851: namely, the charities of:— 1. Richard Pilston, founded by deed 1572, consisting of five almshouses at New Town, acquired by exchange under the Inclosure Act 1821 for two tenements originally given, an acre of land at Thorley let at £1 a year, and a rent-charge of 15s., portion of a rent-charge of £3 3s. issuing out of 'The Reindeer,' comprised in a decree made by a commissioner for charitable uses 3 June 1692, and secured by deed 3 April 1766 (enrolled).

2. Robert Adison alias Lustybludd's Charity, founded by will 1554, the bequest to be laid out in land.

3. Margaret Dane, founded by will of 1579, a legacy of £20 to be laid out in land.

4. Henry Harvey, LL.D., Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, founded by will of 1584, which consisted of a rent-charge of £6 to be divided between the poor of the parishes of Stortford and Littlebury, Essex.

5. John Dane, founded by deed of 1630, formerly part of workhouse.

6. Rowland Elliott, founded by will, date unknown, included in the inquisition of charitable uses above referred to and consisting of a rent-charge of £2 out of the manor of Walkers in Farnham, Essex.

7. William Ellis, founded by will of 1616, consisting of a rent-charge of 20s. out of premises in South Street.

8. Thomas Hoy, included in inquisition above referred to and consisting of a rent-charge of 6s. 8d. out of a messuage in Windhill.

9. John Gace and Richard Kirby, founded by wills recited in deed 11 April 1634, and now represented by a portion of the stock mentioned below arising from the sale of land in Common Down, awarded on the inclosure in 1820 in respect of original gifts.

From: British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/herts/vol3/pp292-306