GENUKI: Braintree, Essex

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Braintree and BOCKING, though distinct parishes, form one continuoous town, extending for a mile on the road between Chelmsford and Halstead , and the rivers Blackwater and Podsbrook, and having a united population in 1861 of 8,186.
[Kelly's Directory of Essex, 1862]
Braintree is a considerable market town and parish in the hundard of Hinckford, 41 miles N. by E. from London and 12 miles N. from Chelmsford-situated on a rising ground, and connected on the north with the village of Bocking, one of the most pleasent and populons in Essex. The town itself is irregularly built, most of the streets are narrow,and the general aspect indicative of an early orgin: indeed the antiquity of this place is unquestionable, the site of a Roman camp being apparent close to the town. [Pigot's Directory of Essex, 1839]

“BRAINTREE, a market-town and parish in the hundred of HINCKFORD, county of Essex, 11 miles (N. by E.) from Chelmsford, and 40 (N. E.) from London, containing 2983 inhabitants.............. [More] [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England (1831) - copyright Mel Lockie 2016]

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Census

Census returns are available from the usual sources for 1841-1911, which includes most copies held at the ERO, Wharf Rd, Chelmsford. More information on other ways to view these census returns on the Essex

Churches

**Anglican**
St. Michael's, Braintree, Church of England

**Baptist**
Baptist Church, Braintree, Baptist Church

**Congregational / Independent**
Congregational Church, Braintree, Congregational

**Methodist**
Primitive Methodist Church, Braintree, Methodist
Wesleyan Methodist Church, Braintree, Methodist

**Roman Catholic**
Our Lady Queen of Peace, Braintree, Roman Catholic

Church History

A full list of Essex churches

Description & Travel

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Gazetteers

“BRAINTREE, a market-town and parish in the hundred of HINCKFORD, county of Essex, 11 miles (N. by E.) from Chelmsford, and 40 (N. E.) from London, containing 2983 inhabitants.

This place is described in Domesday-book under "Raines," including also the village of "Raine," to which it was at that time a hamlet, and from which it was separated in the reign of Henry II. Owing to its situation as a great thoroughfare on the road leading from London into the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk, it is supposed to have derived considerable benefit from the numerous pilgrims who passed through it, on their way to the shrines of St. Edmund, at Bury, and Our Lady of Walsingham: the population having consequently increased, it was made a market-town in the reign of John.

The bishops of London formerly, had a palace here, but there are no remains of it. In the early part of the reign of Elizabeth, the Flemings, fleeing from the persecution of the Duke of Alva, settled at Braintree, and introduced the manufacture of woollen cloth.

The town, pleasantly situated on an eminence, consists of several streets irregularly formed and inconveniently narrow; the houses are in general ancient, and many of them are built of wood. The woollen trade has given place to the manufacture of silk, which is carried on extensively. The market is on Wednesday: the fairs are on May 7th and October 2nd, each for three days.

The government was formerly vested in twenty-four of the principal parishioners, who in 1584 were styled "governors of the town, and town magistrates;" but this body has been dissolved, and the county magistrates now hold a petty session here for the division every Wednesday.

The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Middlesex, and diocese of London, rated in the king's books at £12. 13. 4., endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £200 royal bounty, and in the patronage of Mr. and Mrs. Olmins. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a spacious structure, erected on the summit of a mount, apparently the site of an ancient camp; it is principally in the later style of English architecture, with a tower in the early English style, surmounted by a shingled spire of later date: it was enlarged in the reign of Henry VIII., the expense having been defrayed out of the proceeds of three plays performed in the church, of which some curious particulars are recorded in the parish register.

There are places of worship for Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents, and Methodists.

A school was founded in 1702, by James Coker, Esq., a native of the town, who endowed it with a farm at Stoke, near Nayland, producing £10 per annum, for the instruction of ten boys. John Ray, a writer on natural history, was educated in this school.

In the reign of Charles I., Henry Smith, Esq., alderman of London, who is said, from the habit of going about like a beggar accompanied by his dog, to have obtained the appellation of "Dog Smith," bequeathed £2800 for the relief of the poor of Braintree, and the adjoining parishes of Henham and Toxling. In conformity to his direction, that sum was invested in the purchase of an estate at Tolleshunt D'Arcy, in this county, producing a rental of £350 per annum.

About half a mile from the town are the ruins of a very ancient church, formerly the parish church; consisting of the east wall of the chancel, in which are three very narrow lancet-shaped windows; and in the town and neighbourhood Roman coins and sepulchral urns have been frequently discovered.”

From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England (1831) - copyright Mel Lockie 2016

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"BRAINTREE, a parish and market town in the hundred of Hinckford, in the county of Essex, 11 miles to the N. of Chelmsford, and about 44 miles to the N.E. of London by the Great Eastern railway, with which it is connected by a branch line of 6 miles from Witham Junction. It is situated on the banks of the river Pant or Blackwater, and is a town of great antiquity. It is mentioned in the Norman survey under the name of Raines, and was at an early time one of the possessions of the see of London. An episcopal palace is said to have existed here, but there are no remains of it. One of the principal roads leading from the metropolis into East Anglia passed through this place, and many pilgrims to the shrines of St. Edmund at Bury, and of Our Lady of Walsingham, were lodged and entertained here on their way. The privilege of a market was granted to the town in the reign of King John. Flemish artizans, driven from their own country by the cruel persecution of Protestants by the Duke of Alva, settled here in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and introduced the woollen manufacture, which was for a long time carried on to a considerable extent, but has now entirely disappeared, The town stands on rising ground, and consists of several narrow irregular streets. Many of the houses are very old and built of timber. The principal business is the silk manufacture, which has superseded the woollen trade, and gives employment to 1,000 hands. There are several flour-mills and a brush manufactory. A few persons are engaged in making straw-plait. Braintree was formerly governed by the town magistrates and a body of 24 parishioners, who bore the title of governors of the town.

It is now within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates, who hold petty sessions here weekly for South Hinchford division. It is the head of a Poor-law Union comprising 14 parishes, the seat of a County Court, which is held monthly, and a polling place for the north division of the county.

The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Rochester, of the value of £300, in the patronage of Ralph Lindsay, Esq. The church is dedicated to St. Michael. It stands on an elevated spot, and is a large structure of flint in the perpendicular style of architecture, with a tower surmounted by a shingle spire. The tower is in the early English style, and the spire of more "recent erection. In the reign of Henry VIII. three performances of "mysteries," or religious plays, took place in this church, the profits of which were applied to the enlargement of the building. The church contains a monument to Dr. Collins, physician to the Czar, Peter the Great. There are chapels in the town belonging to the Baptists, Independents, Wesleyans, and the Society of Friends. There are two free schools; one of which was founded and endowed by James Coker in 1702, and has an income of £18 a year. John Ray, the naturalist, received his education at this school. But the principal charity is that founded in the reign of Charles I. by Henry Smith (usually known as "Dog Smith,") for the benefit of the poor of this and thirteen neighbouring parishes, the produce of which is now about £325 per annum. A mechanics' institute was established in the town some years since. Ruins of a very ancient church still exist in the parish, and Roman relics have frequently been discovered. Braintree has suffered severely from the plague on several occasions, and especially in 1665 and the following year, when more than 1,000 persons fell victims to it. Wednesday is the market day. Fairs are held on the 7th May for toys and fancy goods, and on the 2nd October for cattle, hops, &c., each lasting three days. Though Braintree and Booking are two distinct parishes, they form one continuous town, extending a mile on the road between Chelmsford and Clare, and the rivers Blackwater and Podsbrook."

"RAYNE HATCH FARM, a hamlet in the parish of Braintree, hundred of Hinckford, county Essex, 1 mile W. of Braintree."

"RIPPLE, a ward in the parish of Barking, hundred of Beacontree, county Essex, 4 miles S.W. of Romford, and 10 E. by N. of London."

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Historical Geography

Braintree was a member of the Hinckford Hundred

Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference TL755230 (Lat/Lon: 51.877948, 0.548216), Braintree which are provided by:

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English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

Braintree was a member of the Braintree Poor Law Union

Societies

Essex Society for Family History