Catholic Parishes of Essex
Brentwood and South Weald
Brentwood, its twin parish of South Weald, together with the commercial area of Brook Street, grew to become a center of Catholicism and Breweries. “During the 18th and 19th centuries a number of new houses were built for the gentry, who were probably attracted by the pleasant scenery, easy access to London, and the proximity of Weald Hall and its park. The new residents included several Roman Catholics.” 1
During the 18th century Wealdside aka Gilstead Hall “was for many years the home of the Wrights, Catholic bankers” 2 Gilstead Hall was built in 1726. Following the Emancipation Act of 1829, Catholics built a cathedral in Brentwood. In 1863, Wealside became a boarding school for boys. 3
Members of the Wright family resided in Brook Street and South Weald before 1600. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Wright family remained faithful to Catholicism. In 1589 John Wright of Brook Street was convicted of recusancy and fifty years later another John Wright of South Weald was also convicted of the same. In the 1706 returns, Joan Wright, her two sons, and a kinsman, plus the George Pongrett’s family and fourteen others were singled out as Catholics. Another branch of the Wright family resided in Kelvedon Hatch. In 1742, a Catholic priest served the Wright families of Wealdside, Kevedon Hall, plus served the Mamby family of Bawds Hall. In 1788 there was still at Catholic priest serving at Wealdside 4
Bawds Manor included parts of South Weald, Shenfield, and Doddinghurst. The Bawds Family held the manor in the 13th century. The manor was detached from the Manor of Corringham, which dates to The Domesday Book. The Manby family, who were Catholics, took possession of Bawds Hall soon after 1660 and held it into the 19th century. In 1706 Sir Thomas Manby and his household of fourteen were reported to be Papists. In 1767 the Papists in South Weald numbered 61, the highest of any parish during that year. In 1773, Bawds Hall had its own chaplain. In 1799 Bawds Hall was registered for Catholic worship. William Manby who latter took on the surname of Colegrave, sold the Manor of Bawds in 1819 to Emanuel Dias Santos, a Catholic priest. Santos demolished Bawds Hall. 5
Weald Hall, January 1818 (Engraving by W. Wellis, Excursions Through Essex. Cromwell, Thomas Davidson Whitefriars, Thomas Kitson, 1819). Weald Hall was demolished in 1950 due to fire and use during WWII.
The Catholic Cathedral of St Mary and St Helen, Brentwood, Essex.
Brentwood, Essex in early 1900s (Brentwood & Around Through Time. Cole, Kate, Amberley Publishing, 2016)
Pilgrim Hall
“The name Pilgrims Hatch, recorded from 1483, may refer to medieval pilgrims passing that way on route to Canterbury.” 6
“In 1814 Emanuel Dias Santos, a rich Portuguese priest, bought Pilgrims Hall, Pilgrims Hatch, and began to say mass there. In 1818 he built a chapel in the house, which he maintained, for congregations of about 250, until he died in 1834.” 7
The Leschers of Boyle Court in Little Warley, which is near Pilgrim Hatch, were prominent Catholics during the 19th century. Boyles Court was built in 1776.
Pilgrim Hall was built around 1801. It later was converted into a boarding school and in 1968 became a Christian training centre. 8
Colchester and Essex Ports
From 1560 until 1580 was a period of intense persecution of Catholics in Colchester. Richard Cousins owned the White Hart Inn, was imprisoned for giving loggings tor Catholic agents. Roche Green, whose son Richard was an ordained priest, was imprisoned on account of his son. Others were imprisoned. An outspoken advocate of Catholicism in Colchester was Catherine Audley (abt 1550-1611), the daughter of Sir Richard Southwell. She held mass in her home in defiance of authorities and encouraged her household and acquaintances to join her. The Audley family were active recusants into the 18th century. 9
Essex ports were used to receive Papists arriving from the Continent and to help them flea from the grasp of English law. To control the movement of Catholics, Commissioners were appointed to watch ports and issue passports.
The suppression of Catholicism in Colchester was effective, reducing the number of Catholics to 17 in 1625 and 4 or 5 in 1766. The number of Catholics in Colchester grew at the end of the 18th century with the arrival of exiles from the Continent and soldiers from Ireland.
Crondon Park
Historical records described Crondon Park as a fortified Manor. From 1571 and into the 18th century, Cranham Hall promoted Catholicism. Cranham Hall is another name for Crondon Park which is in the parish of Stock (and not in the parish of Cranham). During the 18th century, a Catholic congregation celebrated mass at Crondon Park. Morant described that by 1768 Crondon Park had been divided into farms. In 1832, the house and chapel were demolished. Records of baptisms and marraiges performed in the chapel survive. Crondon Park is remembered for its two fish ponds.
Sir Edward Petre (1631-1699) held Crondon Park during his lifetime. Father Edward Petre entered the Society of Jesus in 1671. Later he was confessor to James II. He comes from a junior branch of the Petre family of Ingatestone. His mother was Elizabeth Gage. A ballad in the Bodleian Libraries calls Father Petre “a Protestant muse, yet a lover of Kings.”
Navestock
Sir Edward Waldegrave of Navestock was imprisoned in the Tower of London for recusancy 1551, where he died at 45 years old (monument effigy in the Borely parish church, Essex). John Coxe, Sir Edward’s chaplain, divulged during interrogation that Sir Edward Waldegrave, Sir Thomas Wharton, and Lady Carew were Papists.
The Waldegrave family, and others in their household, remained Catholic until Lord James Waldegrave took up his seat in the House of Lords, soon after he converted to Protestantism in 1719. His conversion caused a stir among Jacobites. 11
Marie, Sir Edward’s daughter, married Sir John Petre, son of Sir William Petre and Anne Brown, his second wife.
Kelvedon Hall
The Elder John Wright (1448-1551) purchased the Manor Kelvedon in 1538. The Elder supported King Henry VIII in his fight with the Pope. The surviving Kelvedon Hall was built in 1743 for John Wright (yet another John Wright).
In 1854 J.F. Wright of Kelvedon Hall asserted that his family had a Catholic priest in residence during much of the 17th century, although no document survives supporting his claim. During the 18th century, however, documents prove recusancy in the Wright family and Catholic verify that priests visited Kelvedon Hall. Kelvedon Hall had a private chapel. 12
Stondon Massey and Kelvedon Hatch
Drawing by Gerard Vandergucht
(British Musem’s holdings)
Stondon Massey recusants 1580-1630 included Lord William Shelley, the musician William Byrd, and his friend John Wright, son of John Wright of Kelvedon Hatch.
William Byrd (1540-1623) is considered one of England’s most important early composers. He composed music for the Anglican and the Catholic churches. His father was Richard Byrd of Ingatestone. His education is unclear, but he may have been a pupil in the Chapel Royal. In 1572 he was appointed Gentleman of the Chapel Royal. In 1575 Byrd and Tallis, who may have been Byrd’s teacher, were granted a monopoly for printing sheet music.
About 1570, Byrd focused his faith in Catholicism. Circumstantial evidence suggests that his father’s family was Protestant, making his steps into Catholicism less of a breach and more like an evolution. He moved to Stondon Massey in 1594 to enjoy the patronage of Lord Petre. He composed worship music for the Catholics of Essex.
BARKING
Prior to 1600 several families were charged as Papists in the parish of Barking, including the Burr and the Stitch families as well as Austin Belston, the master who converted William Forest, a Thatcher. In the second half of the 17th century, the religious energy of the parish was transferred to Puritanism, for which Barking was a stronghold. 13
CHILDERDITCH
The Petre family purchased Childerditch (and Tillingham) in 1766. Almost one hundred years earlier in 1676 there were six papists in the parish (ERO E/Z2). Between 1764 Cand 1791, a few families from Childerditch attended mass at Thorndon Park. 14
GREAT BROMELY HALL
Between about 1720 and 1760 a Catholic priest resided at Great Bromley Hall, apparently supported by Mannock family of Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk. 15