Part 17 (2/2)
247
14
Barking[A] m.t. & pa
Ilford 2
7
8036
36
Barking pa
Ipswich 10
70
1884
+--+--------------------+-----------------------+-----+-------+
[A] BARKING, in the hundred of Beacontree. The name is derived, according to some writers, from the Saxon words Beorce--a birch tree, and Ing--a meadow; but the most natural presumption is, that it takes its name from Berging, signifying a fortification in a meadow, and which seems to be borne out, as there is an encampment still to be traced, of the most extensive dimensions, being more than forty-eight acres in the area; near to which is a spring of fine water, which no doubt supplied the inmates. In 870, Barking was burnt by the Danes, and the abbey destroyed, and the nuns either murdered or dispersed. Soon after the conquest, King William retired to this place, while the Tower of London was being erected, not deeming it safe to continue in that city; and here he was visited during the preparation for his coronation, by Earl Edwin, of Mercia; Morcar, Earl of Northumberland; and many others of the n.o.bility, who swore fealty to him, on the restoration of their estates.
It is situated on the river Roding, which branches off in two different streams, and unites with the Thames about two miles distant. Barking Creek is navigable for s.h.i.+ps of 80 tons burden, and the coal and timber, together with the fis.h.i.+ng trade, is carried on to a considerable extent.
About a hundred fis.h.i.+ng smacks sail from this town. Near the creek is a large flour mill, formerly belonging to the abbey; and in the vicinity of the town are extensive potatoe grounds for the supply of the London market. Barking is rather a dull town, from the want of a main thoroughfare; it has the appearance of antiquity stamped upon it, particularly the market-house, which is an extensive and ancient building of timber and plaster, of the age of Elizabeth. Here is a town-hall and work-house. A free quay for landing goods, subject to a table of regulations, and a s.p.a.cious new road from the Commercial-road, through Eastham and Wallend to Barking. The church is dedicated to St.
Margaret, and is a s.p.a.cious ancient structure, with a lofty embattled tower at the west end, having a beacon turret at one corner. A free-school, which now occupies part of the work-house, was founded by Sir James Campbell, in 1641, who bequeathed a sum of 666. 13s. 4d. for that purpose. John Fowke, Esq., bequeathed certain lands for the maintenance of eight boys in Christ's Hospital, two of whom are chosen from this parish. The importance formerly attached to the town of Barking was almost entirely to be attributed to the magnificent abbey that was established here in the year 670, by Erkenwald, Bishop of London, for nuns of the Benedictine order: it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This abbey was governed by a succession of Abbesses, of n.o.ble, and even royal descent After the destruction of the establishment by the Danes, in the year 870, it was again rebuilt in a style of greater splendour than before, and on the death of King Edgar, in 970, his queen became Abbess. From the earliest period to the time of its dissolution, it may be said to have been a seminary for the princ.i.p.al gentry of England. Its revenues amounted, at the suppression of the religious houses, to 1084. 6s. 2-3/4d. Destruction has done its worst to this beautiful abbey, for at present little or nothing remains but the gateway, an interesting object, and in good preservation; over which is a room, called the Chapel of the Holy Ghost. This gateway was denominated the fire-bell gate, from its having anciently contained the curfew; it is a square embattled structure, with an octagonal turret at one of the angles. The arch of the entrance is finely pointed, and enriched with deeply receding mouldings; above is a canopied niche, under a fine gothic window of three lights. Among the ruins of the abbey were discovered a fibula, and a gold ring, on which were engraved, the Salutation of the Virgin Mary, and the initials I.M. The tyranny exercised over the tenants of this manor by the fraternity, would almost create a feeling of surprise in our present liberal and enlightened age, were they not perfectly well known in a thousand other instances. The manor of Clayhall was held under the Abbess and convent of Barking, by the following services: viz. that every tenant should come in person to the Abbey Church, on the vigil of St. Ethelburg the Virgin, and there attend and guard the high altar, from the first hours of Vespers till nine the next morning; and that he should be ready at all times, with a horse and a man, to attend the Abbess and her steward, when going upon the business of the convent, any where within the four seas. And, lastly, that the Abbess should have by way of herriot, upon the death of every tenant, his best horse and accoutrements: these services, however, did not exempt them from the quit rents. Besides the above tenure, there were other vexatious contingencies; viz. one (Robert Gerard) was among other services, to gather a full measure of nuts, called a pybot, four of which should make a bushel; to go a long journey on foot once a year to Colchester, Chelmsford, Ely, or the like distances, on the business of the convent, carrying a pack; and other shorter distances, such as Brentford, &c., and maintaining himself upon the road. He was to pay a fine upon the marriage of his daughter, if she married beyond the limits of the manor. If his daughter had an illegitimate child, he was to make the best terms he could with the Abbess, for the fine called Kyldwyte.
It appears also, that he could not even sell his ox fed by himself, without the Abbess's permission. Some of the tenants, according to Blount, were obliged to watch and guard thieves in the Abbess's prison.
A few miles distant, in a glade in Hainhault Forest, formerly stood an oak, famed through many centuries, and known by the name of Fairlop Oak.
Its age is traced by the traditions of the country half way through the Christian era. Part of this n.o.ble tree has been converted into the pulpit of St. Pancras new church. Its rough fluted stem was 36 feet in circ.u.mference, and about a yard from the ground, divided into eleven immense arms; yet not in the horizontal manner of an oak, but rather that of a beech. Beneath its shade, which formerly overspread an area of three hundred feet in circuit, an annual fair was held on the 2nd of July, and no booth was suffered to be raised beyond the extent of its boughs. The fair is still continued on the same spot the first Friday in July.
_Market_ disused.--_Fair_, October 22, for toys. It lies within the three-penny post delivery.
[Sidenote: Origin of its name.]
[Sidenote: Burnt by the Danes.]
[Sidenote: Once a town of importance.]
[Sidenote: Singular services by which the manor of Clayhall was held.]
[Sidenote: Fairlop oak.]
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-------------------+---------+--------------+--------------+ 45
Barkisland to
W.R. York
Halifax 4
Huddersfield 8
23
Barkston pa
Leicester
Melton 12
Belvoir Cas. 4
24
Barkstone pa
Lincoln
Grantham 4
Sleaford 9
46
Barkstone Ash to
W.R. York
Tadcaster 6
Abberford 5
18
Barkway to & pa
Herts
Hertford 15
Puckeridge 8
24
Barkwith, East pa
Lincoln
Wragby 3
M. Raisin 8
24
Barkwith, West pa
Lincoln
3
8
35
Barlaston pa
Stafford
Stone 4
Newcastle 6
38
Barlavington pa
Suss.e.x
Petworth 5
Chichester 12
10
Barlborough pa
Derby
Chesterfield 8
Worksop 7
46
Barlby chap
E.R. York
Selby 2
York 13
23
Barleston chap
Leicester
Bosworth 3
Leicester 12
18
Barley pa
Herts
Barkway 3
Cambridge 14
22
Barley to
Lancaster
Colne 5
c.l.i.theroe 5
32
Barleythorpe chap
Rutland
Oakham 2
Melton 9
14
Barling pa
Ess.e.x
Prittlewell 5
Rochford 5
24
Barlings pa
Lincoln
Lincoln 7
Wragby 4
46
Barlow to
W.R. York
Selby 3
Snaith 6
10
Barlow, Great chap
Derby
Chesterfield 4
Dronfield 3
10
Barlow, Little to
Derby
5
3
+--+-------------------+---------+--------------+--------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-------------------+------------------------+-----+--------+ 45
Barkisland to
Rochdale 13
196
2292
23
Barkston pa
Bingham 7
115
297
24
Barkstone pa
Folkingham 11
114
430
46
Barkstone Ash to
York 15
185
265
18
Barkway to & pa
Cambridge 17
35
1108
24
Barkwith, East pa
Louth 12
147
187
24
Barkwith, West pa
11
146
113
35
Barlaston pa
Cheadle 8
145
514
38
Barlavington pa
Arundel 8
54
111
10
Barlborough pa
Sheffield 17
150
713
46
Barlby chap
Howden 12
183
348
23
Barleston chap
Ashby 9
109
582
18
Barley pa
Ware 16
37
704
22
Barley to
Burnley 5
217
707
32
Barleythorpe chap
Stamford 13
96
...
14
Barling pa
Southend 6
45
317
24
Barlings pa
Bardney 8
140
280
46
Barlow to
Howden 8
179
225
10
Barlow, Great chap
Sheffield 10
154
581
10
Barlow, Little to
10
155
58
+--+-------------------+------------------------+-----+--------+
Map
Names of Places.
County.
Number of Miles From
+--+-----------------------+---------+-------------+-------------+ 46
Barmby on the M. chap
E.R. York
Howden 5
Selby 6
46
Barnby on Don to & pa
W.R. York
Doncaster 6
Thorne 7
46
Barmby on Moor, to & p
E.R. York
Pocklington 2
York 11
53
Barmele to
Flint
Chester 7
Holywell 12
27
Barmer pa
Norfolk
Burnham 6
Fakenham 7
21
Barming[A] pa
Kent
Maidstone 3
Tonbridge 11
55
Barmouth[B] to
Merioneth
Dolgelly 10
Harleigh 11
13
Barmpton to
Durham
Darlington 3
Stockton 9
13
Barmston to
Durham
Sunderland 5
Durham 10
43
Barmston pa
E.R. York
Bridlington 7
Driffield 10
39
Barnacle ham
Warwick
Nuneaton 5
Coventry 7
30
Barnack pa
Northamp
Wansford 4
Stamford 4
22
Barnaker to
Lancaster
Garstang 3
Lancaster 12
13
Barnard Castle[C] t & p
Durham
Middleton 10
Darlington 17
+--+-----------------------+---------+-------------+-------------+
Dist.
Map
Names of Places.
Number of Miles From
Lond.
Population.
+--+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----+-------+ 46
Barmby on the M. chap
Snaith 6
180
525
46
Barnby on Don to & pa
9
168
617
46
Barmby on Moor, to & p
M. Weighton 8
210
440
53
Barmele to
Flint 8
196
115
27
Barmer pa
Lynn 18
115
43
21
Barming[A] pa
Chatham 13
33
565
55
Barmouth[B] to
Towyn 11
222
1980
13
Barmpton to
Durham 18
244
90
13
Barmston to
Newcastle 7
269
73
43
Barmston pa
Hornsea 8
200
223
39
Barnacle ham
Rugby 12
95
219
30
Barnack pa
Peterboro' 11
88
812
22
Barnaker to
Preston 15
232
519
13
Barnard Castle[C] t & p
Staindrop 6
246
4430
+--+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----+-------+
[A] BARMING. Of this village the learned antiquarian, Mark n.o.ble, was rector. His princ.i.p.al works were a history of the College of Arms, a Genealogical History of the Royal Families of Europe, Memoirs of the Protectorate House of Cromwell; and, also, of the ill.u.s.trious house of Medici. On St. Thomas's Day there is an annual solicitation for charity, and with the money raised loaves of bread are purchased, and distributed to the resident poor. Great quant.i.ties of hops, cherries, and filberts, are grown in this parish.
[Sidenote: Mark n.o.ble.]
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