West Bergholt
Encyclopedia
West Bergholt, formerly known as Bergholt Sackville, is a large rural
village
and civil parish in Essex
, England
, lying on the border with Suffolk
, near to the ancient town of Colchester
. With a history going back to medieval times the village is now part of the Colchester Borough Council seat of West Bergholt and Eight Ash Green, and has its own concert band. In 2008 the village was winner of the Class 2 category, and 3rd placed overall, in the RCCE Best Kept Village in Essex competition.
. It was recently enlarged now having three times the old floor space.
Around the village lie numerous farms and large areas of woodland, including Hilhouse Wood, always known locally as Bluebell Wood, which was purchased by The Woodland Trust, with the help of the local people. Many walks exist through the wood, and a migrant population of various breeds of deer
can sometimes be seen.
The Normans
reached the village in 1067 after their conquest of 1066. The village had already been named Bergholta by the Anglo-Saxons
, meaning 'wood on a hill' (the woodland in reference here is believed to be the modern Hill-House Wood on the outskirts on the village). The village also already had a Church, which was a wooden single celled building on the site of the current 'Old Church'.
Prior to the Normans the village was split between two landowners. Leofwin Croz, Lord of the Manor, and Alfays Goding. They were replaced by Roger de Poitou and Richard Fitzgilbert, both of whom had helped William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings
. The new landlords robbed the lands and then imposed harsh laws upon the village people. However, Roger de Poitou rebelled against the King Henry I
in 1102 and was banished to Normandy
and his lands removed. Fitzgilbert was allowed to maintain his land as he was part of the House of Clare, who were aligned with King Henry.
in 1106. He was a religious man who became the first official rector of St. Mary's Church and donated a 240 acre (0.9712464 km²) estate in the village to St John's Abbey of Colchester. This estate was run by the Almery Priest, who gave the profits from the running of the Almery Farm to the poor of the village. However, over the years there has been a confusion in the name of this farm and it has now become commonly known as Armoury Farm. After the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII
the estate was sold to Richard Duke
in 1544, who was one of the civil servants responsible for administrating land seized by the King. However, the estate was finally brought back into the Sackville family by John Sackville in 1544.
Bergholt has not always managed to maintain good relations with the Crown. During the Reign of King John
, Jordon Sackville got on the wrong side of the King and had all of his land removed, including the Bergholt Manor, even through his father and previous Lord of the Manor, Geoffrey Sackville, was knighted by John. However, fortune landed on Jordon's side, as when King Henry III
came to the thrown in 1216 Jordon was granted all of his land back. Although then his grandson, also called Jordon, assisted in the Barons Revolt against King Henry III, claiming that he was not fit to rule the country in his 60's and was taken prisoner. However, as the King was a friend of his grandfather, he was pardoned after a year.
In 1347 King Edward III
gave Andrew Sackville free warden in Bergholt, allowing him to kill game in his manor.
At the end of the 15th the price of ale had become too high in the village and the Bergholt Sackville Manorial Court charged four brewers for charging too much for their beer, as it was an offence to charge above the fixed rate. The village ale tasters were also fined, as it was their responsibility to keep an eye on such matters.
By the 16th century the village was involved in the booming cloth trade and many of the villagers were employed in removing the natural oils from the cloth and the women would be engaged in spinning wool. However, this prosperity was almost removed from the village by the 1557 Act of Parliament, which made it forbidden for the making or selling of any woollen cloth except in a market town. Thus, the local town of Colchester
was unaffected, but Bergholt was not included as part of the town. Consequently Bergholt allied with Bocking
and Dedham and petitioned Parliament for a change in the law. They were successful in passing the Act for the Continuance of the Making of Woollen Clothe in Dyvers Townes in the Countie of Essex. This allowed the three village, called towns in the act, to carry on their businesses providing they had been trading for seven or more years.
In 1565, Thomas Love, founder of Love's Charity, died and left a sum of money to acquire land and rent it to the poor of the village, as he had received such a warm welcome when visiting the village during his lifetime.
had to step in twice to sort out problems with the village vicars. The first troublesome vicar was Reverend Edmund Tarrell, who was noted for spending too much time in the public houses and not enough time in the Church. The Queen has to intervene after it was reported that the vicar had failed to turn up to evensong
and failing to give a woman her last rites as he was in a Colchester pub and could not be found. He most serious offence, which he managed to escape, was not reading out King Henry VIII
's latest religious doctrine, which carried the penalty of death. Later in 1581 the it was reported to the Queen that the village's vicar, Reverend Richard Kyrby, refused to conduct the service in English after the introduction of her new Prayer Book, which he claimed should remain in Latin
. Sixteen years later the Queen stepped in and had him removed.
In 1650, Reverend Gregory Holland was called before the Committee for Scandalous Ministers for preaching Royalist
sermons during the Civil War
, along with drunkenness and swearing in Church. The result of this hearing was that he was allowed to continue in his post as vicar at Bergholt, but that the parishioners elect him a curate
, who would pay him the majority of his stipend
.
It was not only the vicars that were in trouble, but in 1556 a member of the parish, Agres George, was out of favour with Queen Mary
, for refusing to attend church until the service was no longer conducted in the Roman Catholic tradition. She was then tried before the Bishop of London
, Reverend Edmund Bonner
, along with 12 others. During her time at Newgate Prison
she wrote a letter attacking the Pope for being the Anti-Christ and that she was baptised in Christ's Church not Rome. She was burned at Stratford before 20,000 people.
Later on, in order to remind all the villagers who was king, King James I
had his royal coat of arms painted in the Church. This coat of arms can still be seen to this day if one stands in the gallery and looks towards the altar
. The motto on the arms reads "Exurgat Deus Dissipenter Ininice", this is the opening line of Psalm 68 (Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered). Opposite James' arms is a set of Hanoverian
arms acquired in 1816.
on the orders of King Henry VIII
.
Thomas Abell who was brought up at Cooks Hall in the village, was chaplain to Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon
, whom the King wanted to divorce in order to marry Anne Boleyn
. Henry claimed that when he married Catherine, he had broken God’s law and the marriage was invalid. On a secret mission to Spain, the Queen’s chaplain sought to destroy the King’s case for divorce and back in England, he argued against the King both in print and from the pulpit - with the inevitable result. After seven years in the Tower of London
he was sentenced to "be drawn on a hurdle to the place of execution, there to be hanged, cut down alive, your members to be cut off and cast in the fire, your bowels burnt before your eyes, your head smitten off, your body to be quartered at the King's will, and God have mercy on your soul." There is still to be seen on the wall of his prison in the Tower of London a rebus consisting of the symbol of a bell with an A upon it and the name Thomas above, which he carved during his confinement. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII
as one of a group of fifty-four English Martyrs on 29 December 1886.
in the village.
The Daniell's had lived in Colchester since 1509 and were freemen of the town. The first member of the family to start brewing was Thomas Daniel during the 18th century, who produced beer for the workers on his farm. The beer was such a favourite with the men that he started selling it around the village and local area and in 1859 expanded the operation to two new breweries run by his two sons. The firm went from strength to strength and became a public company
in 1886, with a value of £30,000. The biggest event for the firm was to have Osmond Orpen marry into the family, who was known as the greatest brewer in England and became the Daniell's head brewer before moving on to be assigned as managing director.
This had a great impact on the village. Not only did it create more jobs and help expand the village but Osmond also ran the parish council and was overseer of the poor. After his death he, along with Lorkin Daniell, gave the land and money for the building of the village hall (Orpen Memorial Hall) and surrounding land (Lorkin Daniell Playing Field).
The Brewery suffered losses in 1958 and was forced to sell to Trumans Brewery. Trumans used the Brewery as a bottling plant and later as transport depot until it was converted into flats.
. The two largest impacts on the village were enclosure
and the introduction of machines into the farming process.
Enclosure happened in Bergholt in 1865, during which The Heath was divided into new areas. The old track ways and footpaths were closed and several new roads were laid out. 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of land was given to the poor for allotments and a further 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) for recreation (commonly known in the village as the Poor's Field). This land was held in trust by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor. The maximum amount of land a single man was allowed to cultivate, without disturbance to his daily work, was ten rod measurements, which is still in use today.
A third area was set aside for a new Church and graveyard, as the Church of the time was new situated too far away from the center of the modern village, was the claimed to be the cause of the low attendance. The remaining area of the land was left as The Heathlands, where villagers were able to graze their goats.
The land hand-out was carried out under the provisions of the "Acts of Enclosure, Exchange and Improvement of Land". There were intended to produce the most economical use of the Heath, although largely disregarded the rights of commoners. The plan was produced by Charles Horror and approved by the Enclosure Commissioners. The plan also contained land set aside for three village ponds ("public wells"); one for Lexden Road, Chapel Road and outside the White Hart, although the latter has been filled in since the 1950s.
The agricultural revolution was not all good news for Bergholt. Many farm labourers had been left unemployed after the dip in the agricultural trade following the war with France in 1815. Thus, the introduction of machines only made matter worse. The result was groups of vagabonds
emerging in the countryside threatening social order, who were described at the time as "masterless men." In 1842 the village witnessed the earliest signs of violence from the protesters, which led the village to become the epicentre of protest in North Essex. Their main form of protest was fire raising.
One of the first fires occurred in 1843 at Hightrees Farm, which killed a horse, a calf and several poultry as well as burning away 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) worth of hay and damaging the farmhouse. It is claimed that the firm could be seen from Colchester, were a large crowd gathered on North Hill. This was the first of many fires. The Police had trouble tracking down the perpetrators as many in the village were sympathetic towards them. However, in 1843 Robert Woodward was found guilty of fire raising after an under-cover policeman in the White Hart and his lover came forward with evidence. He was sentenced to transportation for life to Australia
.
The village by the 19th century already had a fee-paying school, but nothing for the poor. The vicar at the time, Reverend William Sims had already applied to the Church of England
for funding for the building of a school for the poor but by 1833 had only raised £55 of the £300 needed and appealed again, although now the village had grown in numbers and more money was needed to be raised for a larger school than originally planned. However, William Sims died before he could see the fruits of his labour. Fortunately the next vicar (and his son), Frederick Sims, was able to raise £400 by public subscription. The school was built on the Heath and two cottages were made alongside it. One for the schoolmaster and his wife and the other to be let out with the profits going towards the upkeep of the school. The school was initially built to accommodate 200 pupils and the opening ceremony was held at the parish church during the Sunday Eucharist
.
As well as two active churches, St. Mary's Anglican Church and West Bergholt Methodist Church, the village has a third church, not used for regular services, which is also called St. Mary's. A number of legends exist about the church and its history. Locally called "St Marys' Old Church"
it used to be in the centre of the village, but as time passed the village grew away from it. While no longer in regular use, it remains consecrated and it is maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust
. Like many churches it has evolved over the years. Parts date from the 11th century and the astute observer will find reused Roman bricks in its fabric, and ancient graffiti from pilgrims who have visited over the years. It is positioned at the end of what is little more than a farm track in the East Anglian countryside, and on the Essex Way
long distance footpath. It stands in a small graveyard which features a headstone with a death's head design.
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, lying on the border with Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, near to the ancient town of Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
. With a history going back to medieval times the village is now part of the Colchester Borough Council seat of West Bergholt and Eight Ash Green, and has its own concert band. In 2008 the village was winner of the Class 2 category, and 3rd placed overall, in the RCCE Best Kept Village in Essex competition.
Village
The village is centred at the intersection of two roads: Colchester Road and Lexden Road, but in fact extends out a great distance in all directions. It is served by a local shop which has changed ownership a number of times in recent years, beginning as a locally run enterprise, called Elmer's, and now run by the East of England Co-operative SocietyEast of England Co-operative Society
The East of England Co-operative Society Limited is the third largest consumer co-operative in the United Kingdom. It is a registered Industrial and Provident Society, a member of the Co-operative Union Ltd., the Co-operative Retail Trading Group, the Co-operative Travel Trading Group and a...
. It was recently enlarged now having three times the old floor space.
Around the village lie numerous farms and large areas of woodland, including Hilhouse Wood, always known locally as Bluebell Wood, which was purchased by The Woodland Trust, with the help of the local people. Many walks exist through the wood, and a migrant population of various breeds of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
can sometimes be seen.
The Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
reached the village in 1067 after their conquest of 1066. The village had already been named Bergholta by the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
, meaning 'wood on a hill' (the woodland in reference here is believed to be the modern Hill-House Wood on the outskirts on the village). The village also already had a Church, which was a wooden single celled building on the site of the current 'Old Church'.
Prior to the Normans the village was split between two landowners. Leofwin Croz, Lord of the Manor, and Alfays Goding. They were replaced by Roger de Poitou and Richard Fitzgilbert, both of whom had helped William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
. The new landlords robbed the lands and then imposed harsh laws upon the village people. However, Roger de Poitou rebelled against the King Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
in 1102 and was banished to Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and his lands removed. Fitzgilbert was allowed to maintain his land as he was part of the House of Clare, who were aligned with King Henry.
Bergholt Sackville
The village changed its name to Bergholt Sackville in 1119 after Robert Sackville, son of Herband de Sackville, became Lord of the Manor. The Sackville family came to England during the time of the Norman Conquest and Robert was a member of the Royal Court and close friend of King Henry fighting for him at the Battle of TinchebrayBattle of Tinchebray
The Battle of Tinchebray was fought 28 September 1106, in the town of Tinchebray , Normandy, between an invading force led by Henry I of England, and his older brother Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy...
in 1106. He was a religious man who became the first official rector of St. Mary's Church and donated a 240 acre (0.9712464 km²) estate in the village to St John's Abbey of Colchester. This estate was run by the Almery Priest, who gave the profits from the running of the Almery Farm to the poor of the village. However, over the years there has been a confusion in the name of this farm and it has now become commonly known as Armoury Farm. After the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
the estate was sold to Richard Duke
Richard Duke
Richard Duke was an English clergyman and poet, associated with the Tory writers of the Restoration era.-Life:He was born in London, son of Richard Duke, and was admitted to Westminster School in 1670. He was elected to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1675, and proceeded B.A. in 1678, M.A. in 1682...
in 1544, who was one of the civil servants responsible for administrating land seized by the King. However, the estate was finally brought back into the Sackville family by John Sackville in 1544.
Bergholt has not always managed to maintain good relations with the Crown. During the Reign of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, Jordon Sackville got on the wrong side of the King and had all of his land removed, including the Bergholt Manor, even through his father and previous Lord of the Manor, Geoffrey Sackville, was knighted by John. However, fortune landed on Jordon's side, as when King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
came to the thrown in 1216 Jordon was granted all of his land back. Although then his grandson, also called Jordon, assisted in the Barons Revolt against King Henry III, claiming that he was not fit to rule the country in his 60's and was taken prisoner. However, as the King was a friend of his grandfather, he was pardoned after a year.
In 1347 King Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
gave Andrew Sackville free warden in Bergholt, allowing him to kill game in his manor.
At the end of the 15th the price of ale had become too high in the village and the Bergholt Sackville Manorial Court charged four brewers for charging too much for their beer, as it was an offence to charge above the fixed rate. The village ale tasters were also fined, as it was their responsibility to keep an eye on such matters.
By the 16th century the village was involved in the booming cloth trade and many of the villagers were employed in removing the natural oils from the cloth and the women would be engaged in spinning wool. However, this prosperity was almost removed from the village by the 1557 Act of Parliament, which made it forbidden for the making or selling of any woollen cloth except in a market town. Thus, the local town of Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
was unaffected, but Bergholt was not included as part of the town. Consequently Bergholt allied with Bocking
Bocking
Bocking can refer to:*Bocking, a village near Braintree, Essex*Bocking 14, a cultivated strain of the plant Comfrey*Powerbocking, the use of powered stilts patented by Alexander Böck...
and Dedham and petitioned Parliament for a change in the law. They were successful in passing the Act for the Continuance of the Making of Woollen Clothe in Dyvers Townes in the Countie of Essex. This allowed the three village, called towns in the act, to carry on their businesses providing they had been trading for seven or more years.
In 1565, Thomas Love, founder of Love's Charity, died and left a sum of money to acquire land and rent it to the poor of the village, as he had received such a warm welcome when visiting the village during his lifetime.
Trouble at the church
Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
had to step in twice to sort out problems with the village vicars. The first troublesome vicar was Reverend Edmund Tarrell, who was noted for spending too much time in the public houses and not enough time in the Church. The Queen has to intervene after it was reported that the vicar had failed to turn up to evensong
Evensong
The term evensong can refer to the following:* Evening Prayer , the Anglican liturgy of Evening Prayer, especially so called when it is sung...
and failing to give a woman her last rites as he was in a Colchester pub and could not be found. He most serious offence, which he managed to escape, was not reading out King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's latest religious doctrine, which carried the penalty of death. Later in 1581 the it was reported to the Queen that the village's vicar, Reverend Richard Kyrby, refused to conduct the service in English after the introduction of her new Prayer Book, which he claimed should remain in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. Sixteen years later the Queen stepped in and had him removed.
In 1650, Reverend Gregory Holland was called before the Committee for Scandalous Ministers for preaching Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
sermons during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, along with drunkenness and swearing in Church. The result of this hearing was that he was allowed to continue in his post as vicar at Bergholt, but that the parishioners elect him a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
, who would pay him the majority of his stipend
Stipend
A stipend is a form of salary, such as for an internship or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from a wage or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work performed, instead it represents a payment that enables somebody to be exempt partly or wholly from waged or salaried...
.
It was not only the vicars that were in trouble, but in 1556 a member of the parish, Agres George, was out of favour with Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
, for refusing to attend church until the service was no longer conducted in the Roman Catholic tradition. She was then tried before the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
, Reverend Edmund Bonner
Edmund Bonner
Edmund Bonner , Bishop of London, was an English bishop. Initially an instrumental figure in the schism of Henry VIII from Rome, he was antagonized by the Protestant reforms introduced by Somerset and reconciled himself to Roman Catholicism...
, along with 12 others. During her time at Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison was a prison in London, at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey just inside the City of London. It was originally located at the site of a gate in the Roman London Wall. The gate/prison was rebuilt in the 12th century, and demolished in 1777...
she wrote a letter attacking the Pope for being the Anti-Christ and that she was baptised in Christ's Church not Rome. She was burned at Stratford before 20,000 people.
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
had his royal coat of arms painted in the Church. This coat of arms can still be seen to this day if one stands in the gallery and looks towards the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
. The motto on the arms reads "Exurgat Deus Dissipenter Ininice", this is the opening line of Psalm 68 (Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered). Opposite James' arms is a set of Hanoverian
Hanoverian
The adjective Hanoverian is used to describe:* British monarchs or supporters of the House of Hanover, the dynasty which ruled the United Kingdom from 1714 to 1901.* things relating to the Electorate of Hanover, Kingdom of Hanover, or Province of Hanover...
arms acquired in 1816.
The King's Wrath
In 1540, the son of John Abell, Lord of the Manor of Cooks Hall, West Bergholt, was executed at SmithfieldSmithfield
Smithfield is the name of several places:In Australia:* Smithfield, New South Wales* Smithfield, Queensland, near Cairns* Smithfield, South Australia, a northern suburb of Adelaide**Smithfield railway station, Adelaide...
on the orders of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.
Thomas Abell who was brought up at Cooks Hall in the village, was chaplain to Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
, whom the King wanted to divorce in order to marry Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
. Henry claimed that when he married Catherine, he had broken God’s law and the marriage was invalid. On a secret mission to Spain, the Queen’s chaplain sought to destroy the King’s case for divorce and back in England, he argued against the King both in print and from the pulpit - with the inevitable result. After seven years in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
he was sentenced to "be drawn on a hurdle to the place of execution, there to be hanged, cut down alive, your members to be cut off and cast in the fire, your bowels burnt before your eyes, your head smitten off, your body to be quartered at the King's will, and God have mercy on your soul." There is still to be seen on the wall of his prison in the Tower of London a rebus consisting of the symbol of a bell with an A upon it and the name Thomas above, which he carved during his confinement. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
as one of a group of fifty-four English Martyrs on 29 December 1886.
Development of modern Bergholt
1725 is the first year that records of the village's largest pub appear - The White Hart, which is still in use today. This was a popular meeting place for farmers taking sheep and cattle to market, which caused the creation of the cluster of building known as The Crescent next to the pub. The Crescent contained four buildings; Anerly, Bascete, The Wheelwright's and Blacksmith's shop, which original parts of can still be seen, although are all residential houses now. The Anerley was formerly known as The Crown and Sceptre Brewery and the Bascete used to contain a chapel at the rear of the building. This year was also very important for a second reason, the Daniell family moved into Armoury Farm, who one hundred years later built the breweryBrewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
in the village.
The brewery
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
in 1886, with a value of £30,000. The biggest event for the firm was to have Osmond Orpen marry into the family, who was known as the greatest brewer in England and became the Daniell's head brewer before moving on to be assigned as managing director.
This had a great impact on the village. Not only did it create more jobs and help expand the village but Osmond also ran the parish council and was overseer of the poor. After his death he, along with Lorkin Daniell, gave the land and money for the building of the village hall (Orpen Memorial Hall) and surrounding land (Lorkin Daniell Playing Field).
The Brewery suffered losses in 1958 and was forced to sell to Trumans Brewery. Trumans used the Brewery as a bottling plant and later as transport depot until it was converted into flats.
Enclosure and fire raising
Moving back to the 1840s and the village was being dramatically changed by the agricultural revolutionAgricultural revolution
Agricultural Revolution or Agrarian Revolution may refer to:*The Neolithic Revolution , the initial transition from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture in prehistory...
. The two largest impacts on the village were enclosure
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
and the introduction of machines into the farming process.
A third area was set aside for a new Church and graveyard, as the Church of the time was new situated too far away from the center of the modern village, was the claimed to be the cause of the low attendance. The remaining area of the land was left as The Heathlands, where villagers were able to graze their goats.
The land hand-out was carried out under the provisions of the "Acts of Enclosure, Exchange and Improvement of Land". There were intended to produce the most economical use of the Heath, although largely disregarded the rights of commoners. The plan was produced by Charles Horror and approved by the Enclosure Commissioners. The plan also contained land set aside for three village ponds ("public wells"); one for Lexden Road, Chapel Road and outside the White Hart, although the latter has been filled in since the 1950s.
The agricultural revolution was not all good news for Bergholt. Many farm labourers had been left unemployed after the dip in the agricultural trade following the war with France in 1815. Thus, the introduction of machines only made matter worse. The result was groups of vagabonds
Vagabond (person)
A vagabond is a drifter and an itinerant wanderer who roams wherever they please, following the whim of the moment. Vagabonds may lack residence, a job, and even citizenship....
emerging in the countryside threatening social order, who were described at the time as "masterless men." In 1842 the village witnessed the earliest signs of violence from the protesters, which led the village to become the epicentre of protest in North Essex. Their main form of protest was fire raising.
One of the first fires occurred in 1843 at Hightrees Farm, which killed a horse, a calf and several poultry as well as burning away 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) worth of hay and damaging the farmhouse. It is claimed that the firm could be seen from Colchester, were a large crowd gathered on North Hill. This was the first of many fires. The Police had trouble tracking down the perpetrators as many in the village were sympathetic towards them. However, in 1843 Robert Woodward was found guilty of fire raising after an under-cover policeman in the White Hart and his lover came forward with evidence. He was sentenced to transportation for life to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The school
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
for funding for the building of a school for the poor but by 1833 had only raised £55 of the £300 needed and appealed again, although now the village had grown in numbers and more money was needed to be raised for a larger school than originally planned. However, William Sims died before he could see the fruits of his labour. Fortunately the next vicar (and his son), Frederick Sims, was able to raise £400 by public subscription. The school was built on the Heath and two cottages were made alongside it. One for the schoolmaster and his wife and the other to be let out with the profits going towards the upkeep of the school. The school was initially built to accommodate 200 pupils and the opening ceremony was held at the parish church during the Sunday Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
.
The buildings
Old St Mary's Church, West Bergholt
Old St Mary's Church, West Bergholt, is a redundant Anglican church in the village of West Bergholt, Essex, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
it used to be in the centre of the village, but as time passed the village grew away from it. While no longer in regular use, it remains consecrated and it is maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. Like many churches it has evolved over the years. Parts date from the 11th century and the astute observer will find reused Roman bricks in its fabric, and ancient graffiti from pilgrims who have visited over the years. It is positioned at the end of what is little more than a farm track in the East Anglian countryside, and on the Essex Way
Essex Way
The Essex Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath 81 miles long, along footpaths and roads in Essex, England.The trail starts in Epping in the south-west, crosses Dedham Vale and Constable country to finish at the port of Harwich on the Stour estuary....
long distance footpath. It stands in a small graveyard which features a headstone with a death's head design.
Village life
The village is home to three pubs, the White Hart, The Treble Tile (briefly known as The Red Herring) and the Queens Head.Village clubs and societies
- West Bergholt Cricket Club who play their home fixtures at Manor Road Cricket Ground
- West Bergholt Football Club
- Local History Society
- Scout and Guide groups
- West Bergholt Concert Band
- West Bergholt Woman's Institute