The history of the village of Belchamp Walter that originally was posted on the village hall website was actually not too bad. The author is unknown but is likely to be someone from the village. This is a shame as it would interesting to talk to them to see where they got the information. But, like so many other things in the village, making such requests is greeted with the feeling that you are trying to undermine the person that you are asking.
The text on this page was taken from the history of the village as it appeared on the Village Hall Website. I do have a copy of the original of this text although it is no longer on the village hall website. I cannot remember whether the page is still there in the Wordpress account and just not published. I could have "cleaned" it up as I did with my own photographs and other pages that I was working on experimentally.
The 1278 date is interesting as it is implied that this was the time that Botetourt have into ownership of the manor. While this maybe true but I doubt that he ever stepped foot in the village or even that he was buried in the chantry chapel.
I have upated my page on the School House as the VHC seem to have found the original text in relation to the schools. There is still no indication of who the original author of the text is although I suspect it was Richard Marshall.
Performing additional research, as I do, I am not so sure that the New School building was owned by the Raymond family of Belchamp Hall. The original trust deed and conveyancing seems to have transferred the building and land to the Minister and Church Wardens. The minister at the time was Oliver Raymond of Middleton and Bulmer. There is a prenuptual agreement that is stored in the Essex Archive between the Rev. Samuel Raymond and his son Oliver dated 1817 on his marriage to Anne Andrews of Middleton. This had a provision for Annes death in 1862 which could affected the ownership of the new school building in 1871.
I had a NOINDEX Meta tag on this file and was not in the Google index. I removed it and requested re-indexing. I see that I was not sure if I had removed it from the Wordpress site - It was likely that I did, but that would explain how it may have been "found". Things could be simpler than I first thought.
Belchamp Walter History
The account of the villages history was originaly posted on the Village Hall website
but the author is unknown.
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Then and afterwards it was worth 14 pounds; now 18. Of this manor, Enisant holds of A[ubrey] half a hide and
30 acres, William Peche (peccatum) half a hide; Suad’30 acres; and these holdings are worth 4 pounds
in the above valuation (in endem pretio).
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The reference to William Peche seems inconsistant as Philipot
reports him in Kent at the time of the survey. OpenDomesday.org has a entry on
William Peche that needs checking.
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As noted above Belchamp Walter had 11 acres of vineyards, at this time this was the second largest vineyard in England, its location is not known but the logical place would be on the south facing slopes north of the church..
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The following could be an interpretation of Thomas Wright:
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Of its early history we know the following; At the time of the Doomsday, it is noted that the estate was owned by
Aubrey de Veres who won a reputation of courage and leadership in the field of battle. The Belchamp Walter manor passed from Aubrey de Veres to his daughter, Roese, who for a second husband chose Peganus de Beauchamp, Baron of Bedford, member of a family which possessed extensive estates. Their grandson Simon de Beauchamp steward to the household of King Stephen, was a fighting man of not, but on the death of his liege Simon took arms against Henry 2nd, because of which he suffered amongst other punishments the demolition of his castle at Bedford.
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In 1278 the various de Beauchamp properties were divided between several heiresses of the line, and, afterwards the
Belchamp Walter estate came into possession of Sir John de Botetourt of Mendlesham in Suffolk, whose wife was one of those heiresses, and it was this Sir John who is probably buried in the canopied chapel in the church.
Various changes in ownership occurred after this but towards the end of the 15th century the manor
was acquired by Sir Roger Wentworth, whose family seat was at Coldham Hall or Codham Hall as it was after called
– in Wethersfield, Belchamp Walter Manor remained in the possession of this influential family for a good number of years, the last member Wentworths to hold the estate being Sir John who was created baronet when James 1st was King.
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In 1611 the manor was purchased by John Raymond, whose ancestors came from a village so called in Kent, but whose name was well known in Essex and Suffolk. The successor to John Raymond was his son Oliver, who represented Essex in Parliament after Cromwell had seized the reins of power. And as a domestic interlude the lady Oliver Raymond chose for his wife – she was the daughter of Sir William Harris of Margaretting – created something of a record in that she presented her husband with no less than twenty one children.
And so to day almost 400 years the Raymond family still occupy the current Belchamp Hall.
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In addition to Belchamp Hall the village in the early part of the last millennium supported two other manors, St Mary Hall is La Marie Halle 13th AD, the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, sometime called Merry Hall.
and Eyston Hall. is Eston 1199, Eston Belcham 1231, Eston(e) Halle 1321, Easton-Hall 1768.
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To this day like Belchamp Hall these are still in existence and occupied all being rebuilt during the intervening period.
In addition to the above there are recorded the following farms;
Seven Farms (local) is Seven Formes 1777, this is where the brook crosses the road from Belchamp Walter to Borley through a brick culverts. Formerly there was a washway which in flood-time had to be crossed by pedestrians over seven plank stools or forms.
Clark’s Farm, Largess Farm, Larretts Farm and Puttock End are probably to be associated with the families of
Richard le Clerk (1265), Andrew Large (1319), Richard Lariot (1503 deed) and Peter Puttok (1255)
Crows Farm and Fishers Farm are Crows and Fishers (1777) and Hopkins Farm is Hopkins (1768), and Waits Farm is Wights.
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George Washington Brownlow
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The main industry during this period was devoted to agriculture, although in the 19th century the village developed a
strong cottage industry devoted to Straw Platting. It was during this time that the artist
George Washington Brownlow
lived in the village at “Lodge Villa” a cottage next to the then new village school which opened in 1762, four years before Brownlow died.
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Pubs
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The village at one time had at least two public houses, the Eight Bells which was first licensed in 1786 the publican
being an Edward Digby this reverted to a private dwelling in 1991. There was also an alehouse on Chapel Hill
named the Prince of Wales, on the 21st December 1907 the Halstead times reported that it had relinquished its license.
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The old school which preceded the new school was opened in the eighteen thirties, but by 1870 it was to small for
the then growing population, its exact location in the village is in some doubt but is strongly felt to be the
house on Bells Road which bears the name of The Old Schoolhouse.
According to the records, the Old School Building was only 28’ long x 15’ broad x 12’ high, or 5040 cubic feet. In the
old wording – this gave “Breathing Space for 63 scholars at 80 cubic feet each. The new school was 70’ x 55’x 18’ high.
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The architect of the new school was a Woolmer Robert Firmin who lived in the village at “Fishers Farm” Three tenders
were submitted for the building of the new school two were around £595 and the accepted tender was from
Clement Theobald of Melford for £550. A Conveyance Deed dated 25th September 1871 was enrolled in
H.M. High Court of Chancery on the 5th October 1871.
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Thus the site was conveyed by the Rev’d John Mayne St Clere Raymond to “The Minister and Church Wardens”
and was signed sealed and delivered by the Rev’d Raymond, Oliver Raymond, Robert Firmin and Charles Adams,
in the presence of George M. Andrews solicitor of Sudbury.
Work started on the school before the end of the year, the foundation stone being laid by Mrs. St. Clere Raymond,
the mallet and trowel which were presented to her have been preserved by the Raymond family.
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The accounts of building show that the overall cost was £735 7s 3p which was raised by donations of £256, sale of
old school £30, grants from various source s £268 and the balance of approx. £181 being paid by the Rev’d Raymond.
The school was opened on the 22nd August 1872, under a Head Mistress and 106 children, the population of the village
at that time being , 708 persons, of whom 170 families were members of the Church of England School..
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After threats of closure extending over 10 years it was finally closed in 1963 at which time there were less than
10 children in attendance. The land and property then reverted back to the “Raymond Family” who put the same in Trust
to the village for use as a Village Hall.
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Background to this page
Having seen some of my history pages being found by those making an Internet search I have decided to add
a bit more context on how the pages came about.
Who Owned the New School House when it was built?
Re-reading Samuel Philip Raymond's (Philip) speech presented at the Hall's Centenial celebrations it appears that the church was made the owner of the building and land in 1871.
The text above that describes the history of the School House/Village Hall appears to be taken fron Philip's speech. Those that were involved with its commission and building are included in that speech. The finances are also from that speech. While the speech is not a legal document it clearly states that the Trust Deed Conveys the New School to the Minster and Church Wardens.
As the school was built as a Church of England School this make sense. In addition the minister at the time was not a Raymond of Belchamp Hall. He was Oliver Raymond of Middleton and the Trust Deed clearly states that Rev. John Mayne St. Clere Raymond conveyed the Hall to Oliver Raymond and his Church Wardens. As there have been many ministers of Belchamp Walter church since 1859 when Oliver held the role it is not clear who actually owned the Village Hall. If it remained the property of the church it could be argued that John Mayne St. Clere was the owner on behalf of the Church of England for the period that the New School was in operation. The Reverend Trevor Howard was the minster when the school closed in 1965.