Welcome - Chrishall Village History

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 Sunday 5th August. 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.

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Latest articles:

Two Ears of Barley

by Rosemarie Gant | Jul 14, 2018 | Builden End, Village Folk | 0 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 lots of...

Church Newsletter July 1950

by Rosemarie Gant | Jul 2, 2018 | Holy Trinity Church, At Play | 0 Comments

Some things don't change, thankfully, and it is good to know that we can all still enjoy a good local village fete. I thought you might enjoy Rev. Bagley's report of the success of Chrishall fete in July 1950 from the church magazine of that time. Walter and Bessie...

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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!

https://chrishallessex.co.uk/testimonials/spooky-tales/

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.)

https://chrishallessex.co.uk/testimonials/bonfires-on-jigneys/

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.

https://chrishallessex.co.uk/testimonials/music-in-the-church/

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.

https://chrishallessex.co.uk/testimonials/sorting-the-tythes/

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

https://chrishallessex.co.uk/testimonials/counting-the-acres/

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.

https://chrishallessex.co.uk/testimonials/bronze-age-hoard/

On this day…

A daily extract from the Church Records

On this day

1716: Elizabeth daughter of Will Fordham and Frances his wife Baptised July 22

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