Blackmore Area Local History
Blackmore: Ancient Legacies & Donations
The
following particulars are worthy of notice.
The copie of a
specialltie for another gift given and confirmed for the good of the poore of
Blackmore as followeth:
Know all men by these presents yt whereas
John Symonds late of Blackmore in the countie of Essex yeoman did by his last
will and testament give and bequeath the sum of fortie shillings to the poore
of the said parish yerely to be distributed And charged some of his lands
lieinge in the said parish for the performance thereof
And appointed ye distribucion of the same to be made by the hands and at
the discretion of his executrs during his life and after his decease committed
this care of the Churchwardens of the said parish successively for ever
I, William Symonds heire and executor
unto the said Testator my father unto whom the right and interest of this
charitable distribution doth descend and appertaine, did in regard to my
maniefould other business and ymploiement of my time in some other places as
being not continually resient dwelling nor abodeing in the parish aforesaid, relinquish
the same right for the … pcdte, and do give full power and authoritie unto the
Churchwardens of the Parish of Blackmore fourthwith and for ever hereafter to
receive collect gather and dispose of the same in the manner and forme as my
father by his aforesaid will did order and sett downe hopinge that they in
their … discretion will order it accordingly.
In witness whereof I set my hands and
seales Sept. 9 and 4 Anno Jac et Annon Dmi 1606.
WILLIAM SYMONDS
Sealed signed and delivered
The pcene of us
THOMAS MOULDFORD
WILLM. WITHAM
The copie of a part of John Symonds
will concerning the gift aforesayd … I give to the poore of the Parish of
Blackmore fortie shillings per annm to be paid half yerely 20s at the feast of
S. Michael the Archangell and 20s the 25th March (and) inperpetum
out of one croft called by the name of “Little Harpers” at the discretion of my
executor while he liveth and after his decease att the discretion of the
Churchwardens and Overseers of the said Parish of Blackmore or anie of them and
upon nonpaient to enter upon the said croft distreyne and carry away. [It is
part of the Farm commonly call’d Great House, now down. Mr Paul Humphreyes is
the present owner and Samuel Fitch the present occupier and pays the same].
ANNO DOM 1627. MAIE THE 8th.
Thomas Trotter of
Doddinghurst did give likewise unto the said parish the sum of
ANNO DNI 1620
The Ladie Powell wife of the Rt. Worth.
Sir Stephen Powell gave by her surrender as followeth as maie more fully
appeare by the Court Roles belonging to Fyngreth Hall.
The hiere of Smithes Hall is to paie witin
the Church porch of Blackmore upon All Saints for ever to eight of the poorest
women of Blackmore wh shall be deemed and adjudged by ye Minister and Overseers
of the poore and Churchwardens for the time being or the greatest part of them
the sum of five shillings apeece or otherwise devide and distribute ratably and
apportionably among the said eight poore women the yerely rents, issues and
profits which may honestly and conveniently be made thereof att the time and
place mentioned for the perpetual good of the said eight women.
[Charles Alexand Esqr is the present
owner and occupier and pays ye same.]
The Copie of the
parcel of a will where another legacie is bequeathed.
Thomas Callis doth give the
Churchwardens of the Parish of Blackmore for ever the sum of twentie pounds and
to their successors upon condicion viz., that they the said Churchwardens and
successors shall yerely ymploie and putt forth the said sum of twentie pounds
to some honest person or persons after the rate of eight pounds in the hundred
who shall yerele become bound by obligation with some reasonable penaltie unto
the said Churchwardens to their successors for paimt of the said twentie pounds
and the proffits thereof.
Further the said Churchwardens shall
twice every year for ever cause two sermons to be preached viz one on Advent
Sundaie, the other on the first Sundaie in Lent wh sermons to be made in the
parish Church of Blackmore by some good preacher and to give him for his pains
5/- a sermon for everie of them and ye minister of the same twelvepence and to
the Sexton twelvepence and to nyne aged poorest people twelve pence at everie
such daie as before etc. And further so willed yt if ye gospell should not be
sincerely preached in the realme wh God defend as now it is the then same tenne
shillings a yere given for the making two sermons shall be given to the
aforesaid nyne poore persons for ever. And if it shall happen the aforesaid
Churchwardens or their successors shall fail in the performance of the said
legacie or anie part thereof by the space of one month either in not preaching
the said sermons to be made or not distributed the monie to the preacher,
minister, sexton, or poore people contrarie to the will of the testator the
said twenty pounds shall be lost with the profitts thereof to the said Parish
and my hieres next living shall have the saide twentie poundes for his own use
for ever.
And further the aforesaid Churchwardens
shall give an account to the Chiefe of the parish yerely (and) alsoe to the
next of my kind att their demand.
This Twenty
Pounds of Thomas Callice’s, with ten pounds given by John Trotter, of
Dodinghurst, in Essex, in the year 1603 to be put out at interest for the use
of the poor for ever. And three pounds six shillings and eight pence given in
the year 1627 by Dr. Tabor of High Ongar in Essex to be put out at interest for
the use of the poor for ever – and Twenty-six Pound Thirteen shillings and four
pence added by the parishioners out of the alms given by and collected of Pious
persons to and for the poor of this parish, and five pounds given by Mr. Wise
of Norwich to the poor made the sum of Sixty-five pounds, which sum thus
completed and paid on May 25th, 1715, to John Witham of this parish,
Glover, He as a perpetual security for the said sum Did by his will charge the
moiety of Twenty arces of copyhold land holden of the mannor of Fingrith Hall
in the Parish call’d Lord’s Land with the annuity of Three pounds five
shillings a year to be paid at two half yearly payments, vid: at Michealmas and
Lady Day to the poor of this Parish for ever. William Nicholas of Barners
Rooding in
SEPTIMIS DIE
APRILLIS 1663
Sarah Purchas, widow, paid by the
appointment of Mr Thomas … to the inhabitants of the Parish of Blackmore the
sum of ten pounds wh was given to the use of the poor of the said parish by one
Thomas Trotter.
The Churchwardens have from time
immemorial held of the Mannor of Ffingrith Hall a piece of Free-hold meadow now
commonly called ye Bell Rope piece, tis said, to be given and always apply’d to
buy Bell Ropes, Samuel Outing is the present occupier and pays for it nine
shillings a year Rent to the Churchwardens and Fourpence a year Quit rent to
the Lady of the Mannor of Ffingrith Hall.
In ye days of King Henry ye Seventh in
a rental of Ffingrith Hall mannor, it is said to be late Samans, and bounded on
the north and east by Lands of Thomas Tylors, and on the South by a way leading
from Clatterford Bridge to Fryern Wood, on the west by part of a lane of Thomas
Tylers leading into a meadow of ye same Thomas Tylers called Clatterford Mead
and pays Twopence a year Quit Rent.
It is now bounded on ye North and East
by a Tenement and Lands of … Wright’s (Saml Outing Occupier) called Samans, on
ye south by the Kings Highway leading from Clatterford-wash toward Fryern wood,
and on the west by a mead of the late Dorothy Welletts deceas’d but now Mrs
Hannah Bone (John Martham Occupier) called Tylers mead, otherwise Clatterford
mead, otherwise Parsons mead, and pays Fourpence a year Quit rente.
George Callice of this Parish, did by
his will Dated August ye 19th 1580, Devise a Freehold Tennement with
a gharden and Orchard thereto belonging called “Claydons” situated at the
Village of four Inhabitants of ye Parish, their Heirs and Assigns for ever. In
trust, to pay and Distribute ye rents and profits thereof Quarterly and
Half-yearly, to Six Poor people, at that time Inhabitants of ye Parish, and
that they are Trustees keep the said Tenement in good repair and account yearly
for the rente and profits thereof to all the Parishioners of ye Parish and for
their Labour to have eight pence a year of ye Rents and profits, and that after
the Death of two of them, ye Two Surviving to convey ye sd Tenement to Four new
ones, of the most substantial Inhabitants of the Parish. It pays one shilling
and eight pence a year Quit Rent to the Mannor of Blackmore, and the last Rent
was Two pound Ten shillings a year February ye 3d 1661. It was conveyed to
Thomas Barrett, Thomas Sach, Nathaniel Springham, and Richard Wolvett. It is
now inhabited by poor people that receive Collection, an used by ye
parishioners as one of their parish Houses.
The Parish house,
Yard and Garden situated in ye village between a Tenement of Andrew Burtons on
the west and a Tenement of Daniel Greens on ye east, abutting on the Kings
highway against ye north, and the yard of the said Andrew Burton on the south,
was purchased by the Parishioners about the year 1719 of Nathaniel Allen, and
on his surrender, John Baker and Ashley Barrett, were at a Court then holden
for the Mannor of Blackmore, otherwise Jericho admitted for the parishioners of
the said Parish. It pays three pence a year Quit rent.
William Peacock of this Parish, Taylor,
did by his will charge his Messuage a tenement with an Orchard and one acre of
Land thereto belonging Lying and being in High Ongar in Essex, and holden by
copy of Court Roll of the Mannor of Parslow otherwise Payfield Hall in High
Ongar aforesaid with annuity of one pound a year to be paid yearly on Christmas
Day for ever to this parish and the like annuity to High Ongar, above said and
for nonpayments, to enter and hold and pay with cost. This estate was on April
11th 1724 Purchased by the Parishioners of this Parish of Richd
Peacock on his surrender, George Judd, Junor, and Thomas Barrett, Junor, were
admitted in Trust for the Parish, to hold to them and their Heirs &c and
out of the rents &c First, to pay all charges Incident to ye said estate as
Fines, Steward’s Fees, Repairs &c and then pay the said Annuities to each
Parish, and the overplus if anyto the use of the poor of this parish for ever.
And whereas by the said will ye said estate is also charged with the Annuity of
one pound a year to the Parish of High Ongar, as afoersaid. The Officers of
this Parish after deducting all the charges paid by them as Incident to the
said Estate as Fines, Steward’s fees, Repairs &c Have from January 23rd
1728 consented with the Officers of High Ongar aforesaid under all their hands
to divide fourpence a year Quit Rent and … of High Ongar aforesaid is the
present Occupier and pays two pound ten shillings a year rent.
Thomas Almond of this parish innholder
did by his Will dated October ye 9th 1728 Devise a copy-hold
messuage on Tenement with the Appurtenances and Ten Acres of land more or less
thereto belonging called Spooners otherwise Likins Lying and being in this
Parish and holden of the Mannor of Fingrith Hall in this Parish for ever. It
pays ten shillings and one penny a year Quit Rent Eliz Witham of this Parish is
the present Occupier of the House being the Bull Alehouse in the Village and
one field of the Lands that which lyes by Sabbers Lane, and William Chalk of
this Parish is the present Occupier of the rest of the Land which are two
fields Lying at Thuves Cross, having ye said Cross-way on ye west and Lands of
Charles Alexander Esqr commonly call’d Layfield & Dovehouse field on the
North and East & Lands of the said Charles Alexander Esqr commonly calld
Harris’s Land & Lands in the occupation John Murrell (now Danl Baker) on
the South.
NB – The Poor of the Parish of
Blackmore are not to Receive any Benefit by the aforesaid Devise of Thomas
Almonds until the death of his neice in law Eliz Clark, Her Husband, and her
youngest child surviving them be twenty years of age.
Humphrey Waller of ye Parish of South
Wealde in ye County of Essex, Did by his Will dated the 7th day of
Decbr 1601 give to ye poor of ye Parish of Blackmore in Essex for ever Ten
shillings a year (vid) Five shillings to be paid to the Churchwardens of the
Parish of Blackmore for the use of the poor on S Michael the Archangel, and
Five shillings on the Annunciation of our Lady. For payment of it he tyed a
House and land, Lying and being in the Parish of High Ongar in Essex, and in
the Mannor of Parslow Hall, of which Mr Henry Mullocks is the present owner,
and pays the same.
The
On Feb 5, 1884, the Charity
Commissioners sanctioned a scheme for the administration of the Charities to be
carried out by The Vicar, Wardens, and three local Trustees.
On July 12, 1895, the Bell Rope
Charity and another Ecclesiastical Charity, were, by an order of the Charity
Commissioners separated from other Charities; the Vicar and Churchwardens were
constituted Trustees.