ONGAR HUNDRED 



ABBESS RODING 



there were repairs to windows and roofs, the nave was 

 repaved and new seats and new stained glass were 

 installed. The total cost of the restoration was about 

 j^2,ooo.*^ The north vestry was probably added later 

 in the 19th century. 



The carved oak reredos, which has traceried panels 

 and other enrichments, is the work of the late Miss 

 Capel-Cure and was added in 1 938.^3 



There are three bells. Two are probably of the 

 1 5th century, one being by John Walgrave. The third 

 is by John Hodson, 1665. 



The church plate includes a plated paten, cup, and 

 flagon of the 19th century and a silver paten of 1869. 

 The plated paten was probably bought after an arch- 

 deacon's visitation of about 18 16 when the church was 

 ordered to sell a pewter paten and flagon and provide 

 a paten for bread and offerings.*'* 



On the north wall of the nave is a fine carved and 

 painted wall tablet of alabaster and black marble. It 

 is in memory of Sir Gamaliel Capell (161 3) and has 

 figures of himself and his wife kneeling at a prayer 

 desk. Below, also kneeling, are six sons and three 

 daughters. The monument was formerly in the 

 chancel.*5 On the opposite wall of the nave is a tablet 

 in similar materials but of very unusual design. It 

 commemorates Mildred (Capell) wife of Sir William 

 Lucklyn (1633) and shows a lady looking out from a 

 curtained recess, the curtains being held back by 

 cherubs. Behind her, angels are descending to place a 

 crown on her head. Above is a segmental pediment 

 and an achievement of arms. Also on the south wall of 

 the nave are two mounted brass tablets having an 

 achievement of arms and a rhymed inscription to 

 Edward Humberstone of Cockerells (1622). There 

 are marble tablets to Thomas Dyer (1852) and L. 

 Capel Cure (191 2), both rectors of the parish, and 

 there is also a memorial tablet to those who were killed 

 in the First World War. 



The Congregational church at Abbess Roding, once 

 an important nonconformist 

 NONCONFORMITY centre for this part of Essex, 

 originated about 1698 through 

 the labours of the Revd. Samuel Pomfret, minister of 

 the Presbyterian church in Gravel Lane, Hounds- 

 ditch.** He is said to have visited Rookwood Hall for 

 the benefit of his health and to have obtained from his 

 hosts the use of a former malt house at the hall. This 

 was used for worship until a church was built. Accord- 

 ing to local tradition this first meeting-place was part 

 of a barn which still exists at Rookwood Hall (see 

 above). This is probably correct. Pomfret's friends 

 at the hall were probably the Capels, who were 

 certainly living there in 1698 and perhaps for a few 

 years after. Until the end of the 1 8th century the 

 church continued to be known as that of Rookwood 

 Hall.*' It was at first Presbyterian, but became Con- 

 gregational during the ministry of John Cook (1743- 

 78). The first minister ordained to the church was 

 Daniel Wilcox (1703-6). His successor, Lauchlan 

 Ross, ministered with success from 1706 to 1740. In 



1 7 16 the congregation was estimated at 500, of whom 

 59 were county voters and 19 were 'gentlemen'.** If 

 these figures are correct this was one of the strongest 

 nonconformist churches in Essex. Ross also had 

 licensed preaching rooms in many neighbouring 

 villages. In 1729—30 a new church was built on land 

 given by Joseph Springham of Cockerells Farm (now 

 Fairlands). Within 6 or 7 years XI630 was raised to- 

 wards the cost of the church. George Ross, who 

 became minister in 1741, was said by a writer of about 

 1820 to have been imbued with the 'spirit of the very 

 Pope himself, and his quarrels with the congregation 

 terminated in 1743, when he was dismissed from his 

 office. His successor John Cook was not very well 

 educated but served faithfully. In 1745 Joseph 

 Springham gave two freehold cottages to be used as 

 the minister's house.*' This intention, however, never 

 seems to have been carried out. Although the cottages 

 were beside the church the minister continued to live 

 in the 'gentleman's end' of Cockerells Farm until 1786 

 when a house at Fyfield was bought as a manse during 

 the pastorate of Thomas Eisdell (1784—9). 



With these economic advantages the church was able 

 to retain ministers throughout the 1 8th and 19th 

 centuries, with only short vacancies, and some of them 

 remained for many years. Eisdell's ministry came to 

 an end as the result of a dispute with some of his con- 

 gregation. His successor Joseph Corbishley, minister 

 from 1790 to 1 83 1, was an active evangelical.'" In 

 1829 he reported that the congregation numbered 

 500." In 1881 it was estimated at only 250; there 

 were 75 church members, 75 pupils in the Sunday 

 school, and 10 teachers." The decline in numbers 

 probably resulted from the foundation of other Con- 

 gregational churches in the neighbourhood. In 1848 

 it was stated that the two cottages beside the church 

 had been 'converted into a respectable public house 

 for the accommodation of the congregation, most of 

 whom come from a considerable distance'.'^ By 1881 

 there were new Congregational churches at Norton 

 Mandeville, Moreton, and Thrushes Bush (in High 

 Laver) (qq.v.) . At Abbess Roding the contraction of the 

 catchment area of the church was perhaps reflected by 

 the sale (1852) of the Fyfield manse after the building 

 of a new one in Abbess Roding.''* The income from 

 endowments was £18 in 1881, and that from other 

 sources was about ^^92. The minister received a salary 

 of ^80.75 



In 1 884 J. E. Rattee became minister. He organized ' 

 services at White Roding, Leaden Roding, and other 

 neighbouring villages and persuaded the Essex Con- 

 gregational Union to make a grant of ^^35 towards this 

 work in 1885, when 24 new church members were 

 reported.'* By 1886 an iron church had been opened 

 at Leaden Roding, and there was a mission room at 

 White Roding, both under Rattee's supervision. He 

 was also holding services at Aythorpe Roding and 

 Margaret Roding." A chapel was built at White 

 Roding in 1888 at a cost of ;^262.'8 In 1890 the old 

 church at Abbess Roding was dilapidated and services 



'2 E.R.O., D/P 145/5; '"Wet in church 

 tower. 



«5 Inf. from the Revd. R. T. K. Griffin, 

 present rector. 



>•* Ch. Plate Essex, 146. Cf. E.A.T. N.s. 

 xviii, 207. 



<" T. Wright, Hist. Essex, ii, 344. 



*' Abbess Roding Congr. Church Bk. 

 (now in Congr. Church, White Roding). 

 Unless otherwise stated the following 



acct. is based on this book, which opens 

 with a history of the church, started in 

 1820 and continued up to c. 1880. 



" Monthly Mag. 1 797, p. 204. 



68 Davids, Evang, Nonconf. in Essex, 

 450-2. 



M Char. Com. files. 



'<> Evang. Mag. 1797, 385; Davids, 

 ibid. 



'■ E.R.O., C/CR 3/2. 



" Essex Congr. Union Rep, 1 88 1. 



'3 fTAite's Dir. Essex (1848). For this 

 public house, called 'The Anchor', see 

 below. 



'4 Char. Com. files. 



'5 Essex Congr. Union Rep. I 88 I. 



" Ibid. 1885; Congr. Tear Bk. 1884, 

 1885. 



" Essex Congr. Union Rep. 1886. 



'8 Ibid. i8q8. 



195 



