Colne Engaine

Visited 27 July 2023 on a shopping trip to Halstead visting Earls Colne and Colne Engaine on the return.
Colne Engaine is not in the same hundred as Belchamp Walter but is close to Pebmarsh and Halstead which are in Hinkford.

The entry on Wikipedia is surprisily complete in that it contains historical and other background information on the village. It mentions the Engaine family but does not have any more information on them in the 13th and 14th century. Thomas Wright has more of a background on the years from Domesday to the 19th century and describes the position of the Engaine family.

The Wikipedia page says:

" Colne Engaine is a village and a civil parish in Essex, England, situated just north of the River Colne and of the larger village of Earls Colne, approximately ten miles northwest of Colchester. The village takes its name from the river, around which it is likely that the earliest settlements were made, and the Engaine family, who were the principal family of the village between 1279 and 1367. "

" Variations in spelling may be Colne Gagn and Colne Geyne, as seen in 1418.[2]

Previously the village had been known as Little Colne, and is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Parva Colun with 38 inhabitants, returning '[a] Man-at-arms from Walter the Deacon; Walter from Robert Malet. 2 mills, 3 beehives. 13 goats'.[3][4] It is one of four villages named after the river (the others being Earls Colne, Wakes Colne, and White Colne). The parish contains the hamlet of Countess Cross.[5] Evidence of Roman settlements have been found by the Church, and also at Knight's Farm, to the west of the village.[6] The Sheriff's manor of Colne Engaine was purchased by John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford in 1508, in order to augment his adjacent Earls Colne manor.[7] "

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Thomas Wright:

" This parish, sometimes called Gains Colne, and in Domesday book, Little Colne, Colne extends from Earl's Colne to the western extremity of the hundred. Its distinguishing appellation is derived from the Engaine family, its ancient lords. It is ten miles in circumference; five miles from Coggeshall, and three from Halstead.

Godwin held this parish in the time of Edward the Confessor; and at the time of the general survey it belonged to Robert Malet, * whose under-tenant was named Walter. On the banishment of Earl Robert, for joining the party of Robert Curthose against Henry the First , the earl's office of great chamberlain of England was given to Alberic de Vere , and this estate was conveyed to Hubert de Monchensy , of Edwardston, in Suffolk; + and one of his successors , named John, son of Robert , sold lands here to Vitalis Engaine , in 1218; and , in 1279, Walter de Colcester, who is said to have married Joan de Monchensy, conveyed the manor of Colne Engaine, with appurtenances, to John de Engaine. This family was of Shenley , in Buckinghamshire, and Redings, in Huntingdonshire.

Richard de Engaine, lord of Blatherwick , in Northamptonshire , died in 1208 , leaving , by Sarah , his wife , daughter of Alberic de Vere , earl of Oxford , his son and heir Vitalis , who held this manor at the time of his death , in 1244. He had by his wife Roese , one of the three sisters co - heiresses of the honour of Montgomery in Wales , four sons , of whom Sir John de Engaine, the youngest , being the last sur- viving heir , inherited the whole estate . He , dying in 1301 , left , by Joan his wife , daughter of Gray , Esq . two sons and several daughters . He held this estate under Robert Fitz - Roger de Clavering , and was succeeded by John , his eldest son ; who , dying without children , settled the estate on John , the son of his brother Nicholas , who dying without surviving offspring in 1322 , the estate , according to the provisions of the settlement , passed to Sir John de Engaine , the son of Nicholas . He died , in 1358 , at his seat of Dyllyngton , in Huntingdonshire ; Sir Thomas , his eldest son , succeeding to the estate , married Catharine , daughter of Hugh Courtney , earl of Devonshire , and died in 1367 , without issue ; so that afterwards , on the death of his widow, his three sisters became his co - heiresses . From these the estate was con- veyed to various families ; to the Cheneys , the Clarkes, and to Matthew Dale, Esq . of whom it was purchased by Lady Mary Ramsey, § who gave it to the mayor, com- "

monalty , and citizens of London , governors of the hospitals of Christchurch, Bride- well, and St. Thomas . The manor-house stood near the church , but has been pulled down . The courts are kept at the Brook-house , a quarter of a mile from the church. There are four manors besides that of Colne Engaine. Brook House. Bromtons or Bruntons. Overhall. London family. Goldingtons. Shreves . Bromtons or Bruntons , had its manor-house in a low situation, by the brook that passes from Petmarsh to Earl's Colne. It anciently belonged to the Brompton family ; after which it came to a family surnamed De Bures . In the year 1581 , it was the property of John Potter ; and his son , of the same name , seems to have been suc- ceeded in this possession , in 1720 , by John London , Esq . member of parliament for the borough of Wilton ; and , from the Register , it appears that a numerous family of this name resided in the parish , between the years 1629 and 1647 . Overhall is above a mile north - east from the church : it is very ancient , and an entire lordship , not holding of any of the neighbouring manors of the Colnes , but of the manor of Witnesham with Cockfelde , in Suffolk , paying a pepper - corn yearly , if demanded . The old Audley family ( not those of Walden , ) were formerly lords of this manor. About the reigns of King Henry the Fourth and Fifth , Richard Thur- cote was the owner: it afterwards passed through several families to that of London . Roger London was in possession of it at the time of his death , in 1571. Samuel , his son and successor , was the father of Samuel , who , in 1635 , was obliged to pay a fine of ten pounds , to be excused from the honour of knighthood . He died about the year 1647 , having also an estate at Braintree and Bocking . Samuel London , Esq . succeeded him , and his sons were Samuel , Richard , and John ; he had also three daughters . Samuel dying before his father , Richard , his second son , was his successor ; John London , Esq . was the proprietor in 1720. Goldingtons is a manorial estate , formerly belonging to the ancient family of that name . William de Goldington died here in 1318; after which it passed through successive proprietors , to the family of Little . In 1615 , it belonged to John Little , who, in 1659 , was succeeded by his son of the same name . It afterwards successively passed to Thomas Little , Esq . and to John Littlebridge , Esq . The manor - house stood where the court was called, near an ancient oak . Shreves has the manor-house by the side of the road leading to White Colne , and a mile and a half from the church . It anciently formed part of the possessions of the prior and convent of St. Botolph, in Colchester, and is supposed to be what was con- firmed to them in the charter of King Richard the First , under the name of Colum ; CHAP . they leased it out for a reserved rent, first to a person named Nicholas , son of William Fitz - Reyner , and afterwards to the Tewe family ; Roger Tewe died in 1483. It appears to have been in the possession of John de Vere , Earl of Oxford , in 1506 : his grandson Edward , in 1584 , sold it to Richard Bourchier , on whose death , in 1586 , it passed to his son and heir, John . Humphrey Maudit was the proprietor of this estate in 1631; from whom it was conveyed to Daniel Caldwell, Esq . after whose death , in 1634 , it was sold to Thomas Rookwood, Esq . of Coldham Hall , in Suffolk ; it after- wards became the property of Sir Thomas R. Gage , of Hengrave, in Suffolk, who, in 1762 , sold it to Mr. Michael Hills, of Colchester; and his son left it, by will, to Philip Hills , Esq . who greatly improved the house , and cased it with white brick . This house has been enlarged by the present possessor, Robert Hills, Esq . and orna- mented with a handsome Grecian portico in front , above which there is a balustraded parapet . It is pleasantly situated on the highest part of an extensive lawn, surrounded by plantations and woods, and inclosed in a park. Not far from the house, an elegant Colne column of Portland stone , rising to a considerable height , forms an interesting Park . object ; it is of the Ionic order , and was erected by J. Soane , Esq . architect . It bears the following inscription: " Michael Roberto Hills, Arm . Philippus Hills, observantæ ergo . P. 1791. " The demesne lands of this seat include about one hundred and ten acres , and occupy nearly the central part of the manor . The church is pleasantly situated in the highest part of the village ; there is a hand- Church . some brick tower at the west end , which appears to have been erected in the reign of Henry the Seventh . On the east side it has the figure of a mullet , one of the badges of the Vere family , and a cornice on the top , with pyramidal ornaments at the corners , and a spire . The parsonage , which was about half a mile from the church , has been pulled down , Parson- and a handsome new house erected . age . The sexton of this church had a house , with an orchard , and an acre of meadow Charities . ground in Milbrook , given , as has been supposed , by Lady Ramsey ; but the house has been burnt down . There are two almshouses on Prior's Green , one of which is for two dwellers , with a field belonging to it ; the other for one family only . There is also on Bunting's Green , an almshouse for two dwellers ; and , on the same green , the poor of the Society of Friends have a house and a field, given by W. Bunting, of Halstead. In 1821, this parish contained five hundred and forty-seven , and in 1831 , six hundred and eighteen inhabitants.

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Colne Engaine

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