BRANTHAM, a village 9 miles S.W. of Ipswich, and 2 ½ miles N. by E. of
Manningtree Station, has in its parish 434 souls, and About 560 acres of
water, and 1922A. 2R. 20P of land, including the hamlet of Cattawade, on the
north-side of the Stour, where two bridges cross two channels of that river
to Essex; one a brick structure of three arches, and the other a wooden
fabric of seven arches. Peter Godfrey, Esq., is lord of the manor, but the
greater part of the soil belongs to Wm. Gurdon, Walter Clark, T. B. Western,
Esqs., and several smaller owners. Brantham Hall, an old farm house, was
formerly a seat of the Wingfields. BRANTHAM COURT, the beautiful seat of Wm.
Gurdon, Esq., recorder of Bury, and a Judge of the County Court, was erected
in 1850, '1, and 2, of red brick, with Caen stone dressings, in the
Elizabethan style. The grounds are tastefully laid out, and command fine
views of the Stour estuary and valley. William Rufus gave Brantham, with the
berewicks of Bercold, Scotlege, MeelfJege, and Beneletge to Battle Abbey,
and they were granted to the Earl of Oxford, in the 38th of Henry VIII.
There was anciently a chapel near the bridges at Cattawade, in which hamlet
is Braham Hall, formerly a seat of the Brahams, but now a farm house. This
farm was long occupied by Thos. Tusser, who wrote the celebrated poetic
treatise entitled" Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry;" and to whose
memory a tablet has lately been erected in the church. He is said to have
been the first farmer who cultivated barley in this parish. He died in 1580,
aged 65 years, and was a native of Rivershall, in Essex.
The parish Church (St. Michael) is an ancient structure, which was newly
seated in 1853, at the expense of Wm. Guidon, Esq. It has recently been
repaired, and a gallery erected for the Sunday scholars.
The altar-piece is a tine painting of Christ blessing little children. The
rectory is consolidated with that of East
Bergholt, where the Rectory House is situated. The National Scliool was
built in 1851. The POST-OFFICE is at Mr. Wm. Taylor's. Letters via
Manningtree.
BRANTHAM DIRECTORY.
Marked * are at Cattawade.
* Arnold Joseph, shoemaker
Baldwin Wm. shoemaker
Brundell Thomas, blacksmith
* Chambers Wm., vict., Crown
Gibling Robert, shopkeeper
Gordon, Wm., Esq., Brantham Court
Hearsum Thos., wheelgt. & parish clerk
* Humphreys Wm., beerhouse
Lunnis Charles, vict., Bull Inn
Martin Wm., horse dealer
May Wm., miller and inalister
Pannifer Japhet,wheelwright etc
Taylor Wm., shopkeeper, Post-Office
FARMERS.
Cooper Geo., HallS & Church-house Farms
Hammond Wm.
Welham Joseph
Page Henry, Barham-hall
Mason James, Samfords
Rand John
Martin Wm.