ERWARTON, or Arwarton, a pleasant village, on the north bank of the Stow,
near the confluence of that broad estuary with the Orwell, is distant 9
miles S.E. by S. of Ipswich, and overlooks the harbour of Harwich, on the
opposite side of the Stour. Its parish contains 247 souls, and 1318A. In.
17P. of land, generally a sandy loam, and mostly freehold, belonging to John
Berners, Esq., the lord of the manor, which was anciently the seat and
property of the Daviller family, whose heiress carried it in marriage to Sir
Robt. Bacon, who, in 1345, obtained a grant for a market and fair here. It
afterwards passed to the Calthorpes, and was purchased by Sir Philip Parker,
Kt., of Sir D. Drury, about the year 1577. Philip Parker, of Erwarton, was
created a baronet in 1661; and the last representative of his family. Sir
Philip Parker Long, died in 1741, when the manor passed to his daughter,
Lady Chedworth; and after her death, it went to the Berners family, of
Woolverstone. The ancient Hall, which was the seat of the Parkers, is now a
farm house, commanding fine views of the estuaries of the Stour and Orwell,
and having an entrance gateway, supposed to have been built in the reign of
Elizabeth, and still in good preservation. The Church (St. Mary) stands on a
bold eminence, overlooking the Stour, and is a neat structure, which was
thoroughly repaired, and the chancel rebuilt, in 1838-'9. At the same time,
the pews were removed from the nave and aisles, and open sittings for 250
hearers substituted in their place. Here are several monuments, in good
preservation, erected to the memory of the Daviller, Calthorpe, Bacon, and
Parker families. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £10. 13s. 4d., has that of
Woolverstone annexed to it, and has now a yearly rent charge of £544 in lieu
of tithes, awarded in 1838, viz., £805 for the tithes of Erwarton, and £239
for those of Woolverstone. John Berners, Esq., is the patron, and the Rev.
Ralph Berners, M.A., is the incumbent, and has here 20A. 35P. of glebe, and
a good parsonage house, erected about 15 years ago. The poor parishioners
have three cottages, and 1A. 2K. of land, left by Philip Parker, Esq. Here
is a National School, for boys and girls, supported by subscription.
Berners Rev Ralph, M.A., Rectory
Button George, Church Farm
Gladwin Wm. shopkeeper & vict., Queen's Head
Haward John, Hill House Farm
Hempson John, Hall Farm;h St Osytb.
Rerridge John, wheelwright & smith
Smith Philip Clayton, gentleman
Wrinch Leonard, farmer
POST from Ipswich.