Set slightly apart from the village and looking across from its hill to the church there has been a house on this site since 1066. Previously the house was called Flanders but today known as Chiswick Hall the current house dates from the 1600s.
We are lucky enough to have in the collection a wonderful farm record book for Chiswick Hall the early part of the twentieth century.
According to our slideshow of facts written by Irene Cranwell, Chiswick Hall manor is where Eustace of Bologne lived in 1086, probably in an older property called Flanders that stood at the back of the current house. In the 13th Century Chiswick Hall’s rent to the Crown was “3 arrows yearly at the price of 6 pence”. A few years later their rent had changed to “a pair of gilt spurs”.
Click here for the Domesday entry for Chrishall and more details of Eustace.
The current house is listed and this listing suggests the house was built by Sir John James in a park of 300 acres, later converted to a farmhouse and the park put down to woodland according to White’s Directory of Essex from 1848.
In 1841 John and Marther Day and their family were running the farm and in 1851 it was James and Maria Willis. In 1881 Chiswick Hall was occupied by Charles and Sarah Smith and their family. Charles was running the farm of 350 acres and employing 7 men and 1 boy. However by 1911 there is no mention of a “farmer” on the census but Chiswick Hall is listed as occupied by two families, Andrew and Agnes Hovell, Andrew being a horsekeeper; and Walter Joyce, gamekeeper with his wife Thirza and their family. British History Online described the house condition as poor in 1916. However happily it looks like the farm was thriving from the Farm Record Book of 1945.
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Hi. I was fortunate to grow up in chiswick hall and lived there for 17 years from 1973 to 1989.
My family took over the farm I believe in 1943 ish and was farmed till we left. As a young man I knew it was a special place but didn’t perhaps appreciate it as much as I would today and would be interested in the history of the place I called home. Reading the article above I understand there is a history book of the house which I never knew existed till now and would be interested in looking at it if possible. Kind regards
Mr Jeremy De Beer.
Hello – how nice to hear from you – thank you for getting in touch. Yes we do have a Farm Record Book from Chiswick Hall which you are most welcome to view. If you would like to email me, at rosemarie@chrishallessex.co.uk, we can arrange a time to meet up. Or the next open dates for the Archive will be on the website from Easter next year.
Best wishes.