Chrishall Village History

The life and times of a North Essex Village
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Welcome to this website about the community of Chrishall in Essex.

Chrishall is a small village on a hilltop in the very north west of Essex, close to the borders of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, in the East of England.   This website is particularly aimed at the local community and the genealogist who perhaps has never visited Chrishall and wishes to visualise the kind of community whence his or her ancestor came.

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The Archive will opening next on Monday 27th August then Sunday 2nd September.  Do call in and see us.  We open on the first Sunday of the month until October plus bank holidays.  Click to see all the planned dates on our Visit the Archive page.

Read all about our current project: Through the Keyhole

We hope to see you soon!

Latest articles:

Two Ears of Barley

Two Ears of Barley

by | Jul 14, 2018 | Builden End, Village Folk | 2 Comments

I was recently loaned a lovely little book called Two Ears of Barley, written by Jack Wilkerson and published in 1969 and all about the history of Barley in Cambridgeshire.  Barley is only about three miles from Chrishall as the crow flies and there are...

read more

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charles and mary ann flack high street

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crawley end chrishall

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chrishall cricket team 1910

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Counting the Acres

The number of Acres in the Parish of Chreshall taken from the Surveyors Papers and Accounts 1778
Arable inclosed 616
Meadow ground 167
Common-Field Arable 985
Pasture or Feeding ground 270
Total 2039

2017-05-27T16:23:27+00:00
The number of Acres in the Parish of Chreshall taken from the Surveyors Papers and Accounts 1778 Arable inclosed 616 Meadow ground 167 Common-Field Arable 985 Pasture or Feeding ground 270 Total 2039

Music in the Church

Before the Church had an organ, singing was accompanied by William Cranwell on clarinet, and two of his brothers, John on the bass viol and Clear on the viola or violin.
2017-05-15T16:36:24+00:00
Before the Church had an organ, singing was accompanied by William Cranwell on clarinet, and two of his brothers, John on the bass viol and Clear on the viola or violin.

Bonfires on Jigneys

We used to have huge bonfires on Jigneys for Bonfire Night.  Mr Crocker would provide tyres to burn! (1930's/40s. ER.)
2017-04-11T07:01:48+00:00
We used to have huge bonfires on Jigneys for Bonfire Night.  Mr Crocker would provide tyres to burn! (1930's/40s. ER.)

Bronze Age Hoard

Items from a Bronze Age Hoard that was found between Chrishall and Elmdon in the 18th century can be seen on the British Museum's website here.

 
2017-05-27T14:10:16+00:00
Items from a Bronze Age Hoard that was found between Chrishall and Elmdon in the 18th century can be seen on the British Museum's website here.  

Spooky Tales

m r james the story of a disapperance and an appearance

Spooky tales? It seems that Chrishall was the place that MR James based his ghost story "The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance", according to several sources including this one. A copy can be purchased from Amazon if you are feeling brave!
2017-05-10T08:48:44+00:00
Spooky tales? It seems that Chrishall was the place that MR James based his ghost story "The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance", according to several sources including this one. A copy can be purchased from Amazon if you are feeling brave!

Sorting the tythes

Memorandum Jary 5th 1721


I obtained an Order from the Justices of the Peace at ye Petty Sessions held this day at Newport that the occupior of the Mill in Chrishall shall pay yearly for Tythe eight shillings to the Vicar the Mill having payed Tythe before .... whether this be sufficient but 'twas all that could be Recovered by Me


Tho: Melvill. Vicar.

2017-05-27T16:21:47+00:00
Memorandum Jary 5th 1721 I obtained an Order from the Justices of the Peace at ye Petty Sessions held this day at Newport that the occupior of the Mill in Chrishall shall pay yearly for Tythe eight shillings to the Vicar the Mill having payed Tythe before .... whether this be sufficient but 'twas all that could be Recovered by Me Tho: Melvill. Vicar.

On this day…

A daily extract from the Church Records

On this day
  • 1680 Mary Wilson daughter of Robert, and Martha his wife baptized Sept 24th

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