Layer Breton

Layer Breton lies six miles South West of Colchester on the road to Tollesbury. A feature of the Village is the Heath, which has an area of about 32 acres, the greater part of which is in the Parish of Layer Breton, while a very small portion - about 2 acres - is in the Parish of Birch.

All the title and interest of the vendors in the Heath and in such roadside verges as lie within the Parish of Layer Breton are included in the Sale. An ordinance Map of the Parish can be inspected at the office of Messrs. C.M. Stanford & Son, High Street, Colchester, on which the Heath has been coloured to correspond with a plan held by the Lexden & Winstree R.D.C., Rebow Chambers, Sir Isaac's Walk, Colchester. The Council's plan shows only the Heath coloured and it is presumed that this is the only part affected by the Council's bye-Laws. The Vendors, nevertheless, claim that the roadside verges form part of the wastes of the Manor.

The Manor is sold subject to the following:

An easement in favour of the South Essex Waterworks Company dated 26th May, 1936. A scheme under the Commons Act 1899 and the Lexden and Winstree R.D.C. Bye-Laws made under it and brought into operation on 1st September, 1948. A right of way granted to Mrs. M. A. Renwick by a deed dated 28th September, 1953. The Wayleave agreements referred to below. The rights as the Lexden and Winstree R.D.C. have in respect of water pipes laid under the Heath following a notice given to the Vendors on 22nd September, 1934.

Copies of the documents referred to above can be seen at the offices of the Solicitors.

Income in this Manor is derived from:

Two Wayleave agreements with Eastern Electricity Board, with rents totaling £1 16s. 6d. per annum. Rent for grazing on the Heath, £5 per annum having been paid for this up to a few years ago. It is not now let. The right to let the grazing is subject to the rights of commoners, so far as thy can be shown to exist, but no right to graze has , to the best of the vendors' knowledge, been claimed by any commoner since the Manor was purchased by the late Mr. G.F. Beaumont in 1906. Payments from time to time of £7 by a travelling Showman for the Vendors' consent to placing his roundabouts and sideshows on part of the Heath, such consent being given after consultation with the Police, R.D.C. and the Chairman of the Parish meeting. The sporting rights over the heath have from time to time been let, but they are not let at the present time.

According to Morant (History and Antiquities of the County of Essex Vol. 1, Page 409) the owner of the land in this Parish in Edward the Confessor's reign was Ailmar, while Ralph Piperell and his undertenant held the Manor at the time of the Domesday Survey. It later came to Isaac Rebow, who was knighted on 27th March, 1693. (His name is kept alive in Colchester by the name given to the Lexden and Winstree R.D.C. Office - Rebow Chambers). His grandson Charles Chamberlain Rebow inherited the Manor and died in 1754 leaving an only daughter (by his wife, Mary Nevill, sister of the Rt. Hon. William Lord Abergavenny) who married Thomas Adams. In 1789 the Manor was in the hands of John and Elizabeth Gripper, who were Quakers, and their Steward was William Francis. On 11th May, 1804, a Court was held for John Gripper and it is interesting to know that it was held at Layer Breton Hall, though the Manor House abuts on the Heath. A Court was also held for Edward Gripper on 19th May, 1828 at Layer Breton Hall, but his Court of 17th October, 1839 was held at the house of Jonathan Powell. This gentleman, with John Tiffen, formed the Homage, or Jury, and it is recorded that the former affirmed, being a Quaker, instead of being sworn in the usual manner. John Tiffin, a farmer of Layer Breton, purchased the Manor from Edward Gripper's Executors on 30th September, 1867 and held his first Court at the "Hare and Hounds", Charles H. T. Marshall, the Colchester Solicitor, being Steward. Charles Digby Garrod was the next Lord and on his death in 1905 the Manor was sold by his Executors to the late George Frederick Beaumont of Coggeshall. His only Court was held on the 27th June, 1907, the Steward being his eldest son, Horace Frederick Beaumont, one of the Vendors.

There are many interesting entries in the records of this Manor, such as examples of payment of quit rents in kind, viz. a capon and a race of ginger, and for students of place names there are numerous curious words, viz. Stamps and Crows, Trowers and Wrights, Farthing Garden, Downings, Washings, Mary Lay's Plot, The Bushes, Golding's Garden, Bigwoods and Littlemans, Hocklays, and Ladylands.

The little church standing on the Heath was erected in 1906 in memory of the Rt. Hon. James Round, from money raised by public subscription, upon a site given by the late Mr. G. F. Beaumont, then Lord of the Manor.

The lifting of turf from roadside waste in this Manor by one of the Lords gave rise to articles in the Essex County Standard in April and May, 1951 and the Sunday Despatch in May of the same year. This publicity resulted in applications being received from several hundred persons for particulars of the proposed auction.

The Manorial Records (insured for £200, premium 10/0 p.a.) to be handed over are:

Court Rolls: 1668-1712; 1728-97; 1803-05; 1807-12 Court Books: 1789-1818; 1818-1889; 1890-1933 Minute Book: 1789-1855 Draft of Courts: 1789-1812 Sundry: Rentals, draft admissions, surrenders, enfranchisement deeds, etc.

In connection with the above reference to Lord Abergavenny it is interesting to note in a recent Obituary in the Times that the eight Earl of Abergavenny "as Lord of the Manor of Ditchling, sold the common rights in 1950 to 20 residents for £100 to help in preserving the character of the common, and as Lord of the Manor of Rottingdean he fought against the scheme of the Brighton Corporation to build on sites surrounding the downland village."

Mr. Bert Osborne, licensee of the "Hare and Hounds" has recently been appointed Bailiff of this Manor. A former Bailiff, who will sill be remembered in the district, was the late Mr. Norman Smith.

Rights, customs and incidents

A right of way granted to Mrs.
The rights as the Lexden and Winstree R.D.C. have in respect of water pipes laid under the Heath following a notice given to the Vendors on 22nd September, 1934.
The right to let the grazing is subject to the rights of commoners, so far as thy can be shown to exist, but no right to graze has , to the best of the vendors' knowledge, been claimed by any commoner since the Manor was purchased by the late Mr.
The sporting rights over the heath have from time to time been let, but they are not let at the present time.
In connection with the above reference to Lord Abergavenny it is interesting to note in a recent Obituary in the Times that the eight Earl of Abergavenny "as Lord of the Manor of Ditchling, sold the common rights in 1950 to 20 residents for £100 to help in preserving the character of the common, and as Lord of the Manor of Rottingdean he fought against the scheme of the Brighton Corporation to build on sites surrounding the downland village."

Historical holder / succession information

1. late Mr [source claim requiring identity review]
   purchased_by · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: The right to let the grazing is subject to the rights of commoners, so far as thy can be shown to exist, but no right to graze has , to the best of the vendors' knowledge, been claimed by any commoner since the Manor was purchased by the late Mr.
2. in this Parish in Edward the Confessor's reign was Ailmar, while Ralph Piperell and his undertenant [source claim requiring identity review]
   held_manor · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: According to Morant (History and Antiquities of the County of Essex Vol. 1, Page 409) the owner of the land in this Parish in Edward the Confessor's reign was Ailmar, while Ralph Piperell and his undertenant held the Manor at the time of the Domesday Survey.
3. John Tiffin, a farmer of Layer Breton
   1867 · purchased · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: John Tiffin, a farmer of Layer Breton, purchased the Manor from Edward Gripper's Executors on 30th September, 1867 and held his first Court at the "Hare and Hounds", Charles H.