Product Code Database
Harlowbury, historically Herlaue Abbatis, was a medieval Manorialism located in modern-day Harlow, Essex, England. The area's history dates back at least to the Iron Age, and a Roman villa is located not far from the site. The manor was adjacent to a now-deserted medieval village; both the villa and village are scheduled monuments. Harlowbury was first established as an estate under the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds in 1044. In 1539, the abbey dissolved and the lands were sold to private owners: first to the Addington family, in 1680 to the North family of the Earldom of Guilford, and finally in 1879 to John Perry-Watlington.
The manorial estate and Harlowbury Chapel, a Norman England-era church and the oldest building in Harlow, are now scheduled monuments. Both the manor house and chapel are Grade I listed by Historic England.
Occupation on the site continued as a small village through the Anglo-Saxon and medieval periods, but by the late 11th century, the village nucleus had moved south along Churchgate Street. By 1287, the epicenter of Harlow had moved south to Mulberry Green. Today, the deserted medieval village immediately south of Harlowbury is also a scheduled monument.
Over its history, the area was farmed and pastoralized. Besides the farms and pastures, Harlowbury also featured an orchard, garden and fish ponds. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, Harlowbury shared grazing space on Stanegrove Hill with Latton Hall and Mark Hall. In 1287, tenants were spread across 14 and half-virgates. 138 tenants were recorded in 1360, but over time, expected labour from villeins declined. By 1430, the manor was leased to various different tenants, who were no longer expected to provide labour services; around that time, John Dobbs held the lease, followed by Giles Mallory in the early 16th century. In 1532, Thomas Cromwell attempted to gain a lease but was denied, and instead accepted a £10 annual pension. William Sumner gained a lease in 1536, and his family stayed at the manor until 1610.
By this time, Harlowbury had acquired a large amount of debt, and the Champernoun and Way families sold the manor to Francis North, 1st Baron Guilford, in 1680. Although Francis North died just five years later, the North family line of succession kept the manor, preceding thusly through the Barony and then Earldom of Guilford:
After 1827, the manor was jointly held amongst George North's three daughters: Lady Maria North, wife of John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute; Lady Susan North; and Lady Georgiana North. In 1831, their estate was divided and Harlowbury was given to the Butes. After John's death in 1848, the manor was transferred to Lady Maria Bute's nephew William North, and he took possession after coming of age in 1861.
Neither the Addingtons nor the Norths actually resided at the manor. Tenancy in 1680 carried over from the Addington period, beginning with Richard Wall. By the 1760s, the Barnard family was leasing it; in 1849, the tenants were recorded jointly as being William and John Barnard.
In 1835, the Harlow Common Church of England established a school on unused manor grounds, next to St. Mary Magdalene's Church. By 1884, the school was deemed inadequate for education and the building dated. Over the next decade, improvements were made to the organization and building itself, but in 1912 a new school opened elsewhere. The school was used for various educational purposed until it closed in 1958.
The chapel is of simple construction, consisting of a plain rectangular floor plan and constructed from flint rubble, with minimal brick buttress decorations and stone dressings. It retains the original arched doorway and some rounded windows. Around 1300, were installed in place of the original rafters. The walls were heightened and the roof reconstructed during the 15th century, and a second floor was added in the 17th, for use as a granary. It is the oldest building still standing in Harlow and today is managed by a trust. As with the manor house, the chapel is a Grade I-listed building, as well as a scheduled monument.
|
|
