Henham House is one of the most substantial homes in the village. Appropriately its principal rooms are the most beautifully proportioned I’ve yet seen (width equals height and length equals width plus height).The owners recently arranged for Carol Eaton and I to view and copy some of the most important papers concerning the history of the house. We are very grateful.
The earliest document, dated 12th October 1727 and in the reign of George 2nd, is a mortgage between Timothy Bush of Henham on the Mount, butcher, and Mrs Mary Clayton of Bishops Stortford. The document is witnessed by Mary Palmer and Thomas Barnard
Essex Record Office file T.622. 1701- 1849
Deeds of Henham House
1727 mortgage between Timothy Bush, butcher, and Mrs. Mary Clayton of Bishops Stortford. Witnessed by Mary Palmer and Thomas Barnard
1748 between Timothy Bush, butcher, son of Timothy Bush, butcher, and John Willey, son of Andrew Willey, gentlemen of Henham on the Mount, near a certain green there called Cock Green. Between of Samuel Feake esq. on the west, and Thomas Wallis on the east. Land in Platts Field between the land of William Canning and Samuel Feake.
1749 Timothy Bush, butcher, lease to Thomas Stubbings, butcher, of Helions Bumpstead. Witnessed by Arthur Newman and John Newman.
1759 Thomas Stubbings. Least for one year to George Gyver (George Guyver rented all farm at £161.19.6d. in 1728 from the manor, at the time of its purchase by Samuel Feake. (He was presumably the son of John Guyver, who appears occasionally as a yeoman).
Sale of Henham House 1836
9 of August 1836 – sale of freehold estates by the direction of the executor of the late W. Stallibrass.
Lot 1 – timber-built, sash-fronted dwelling house, near the Cock public house, recently occupied by the late proprietor containing keeping room, parlour, three bedrooms, pantry, scullery, together with the stable, chaise- house, wood-house, and other outbuildings. Large garden enclosed by a lofty brick and stone wall, planted with young and choice fruit trees.
Lot 2 – also three timber-built tenements adjoining (William Musgrave, Thomas Day and Mary Chapman)
Lot 3 – freehold messuage: brick-built sash-fronted messuage, containing three upper and three lower rooms. A timber-built freehold cottage adjoining in the occupation of Widow Heard, and William Woodcock.
Lot 4 – two timber-built freehold cottages, situate on the side of the road leading to Debden
Lot 5 – two other recently built, brick, stone and timber-built freehold tenements
Lot 6 – three timber – built cottages at ’new Street’ etc.
The second document dated 20th December 1748, in the 22nd year of George 2nd, is a mortgage ‘between Timothy Bush of Henham on the Mount, one of the sons and also… last will and testament of Timothy Bush, butcher, late of Henham, deceased and Thomas Stubbing of Helions Bumpstead , butcher… for the sum of £12 & ten shillings… near a certain green there called Cock Green…Willey of Henham on the Hill, gentleman and only son and heir & executor of the late Andrew Willey, late of Henham, Gentleman…late Samuel Feake Esq… on the west…tenement of Anthony Osbourne… in the occupation of Thomas Wallis on the east side…a being in a certain field in Henham aforesaid called Platts Field between the … of William Canning, Gentleman on the south side… and the lands of the said Samuel Feake on the north side… to have and to hold…’
The third document dated 19 December 1749 in the 22nd year of George2nd, is a lease between Timothy Bush of Henham, butcher, one of the sons and.. of the last will and testament of Timothy Bush late of Henham, butcher, deceased, on the one part and Thomas Stubbing of Helions Bumpstead, butcher, of the other part.. in consideration of five shillings paid by Thomas Stub
bing…messuage or tenement standing in Henham on the Mount….in or near a certain Green called Cock Green..between the messuage or
tenement now or lately of Samuel Feake, Esquire on the west side and the messuage or tenement of Anthony Osborne in the occupation of Thomas Wallis on the east side… and of his two and a half acres of freehold land being in a certain field in Henham called Platts Field between the lands of William Canning , Gentleman, on the south side, and the lands of the said Samuel Feake on the north side… Thomas Stubbing….yielding and paying the yearly rent ..of one peppercorn at the expiration of the said term
The fourth document is of a one-year lease made on 26th January 1759 by Thomas Stubbing of Hempsted, Essex to George Guyver of Little Easton, gentleman…. in consideration of the sum of five shillings to the said Thomas Stubbing in hand well and truly paid by the said George Guyver a messuage or tenement standing at or near a certain green there called Cock Green between the messuage or tenement of Samuel Feake, Esquire on the west side and the messuage or tenement of or late of Anthony Osborne sometime in the occupation of Thomas Wallis on the east side… and late in the tenure or occupation of John Salmon… Thomas Stubbing and Mary his wife….The present owners advise that George Guyver had rented Hall Farm at £161pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence in 1728 from the Manor at the time of its purchase by Samuel Feake. George was presumably the son of John Guyver who appears occasionally in records as a ‘yeoman’
