Fyfield Essex Family History Guide

Fyfield is an Ancient Parish in the county of Essex.

Alternative names:

Parish church: St. Nicholas

Parish registers begin:

Parish registers: 1538
Bishop’s Transcripts: 1639; 1800

Nonconformists include:

Table of Contents

Adjacent Parishes

Parish History

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

FYFIELD, a parish in Ongar district, Essex; on the river Roding, 2¾ miles NNE of Chipping-Ongar, and 7½ NW of Ingatestone r. station. It has a post-office under Ongar. Acres, 2, 450. Real property, £3, 675. Pop., 629. Houses, 121. The property is much subdivided. A number of celts, and a large quantity of metal for casting them, were found here in 1749. The parish is a meet for the Essex hounds. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £741. Patron, Countess Cowley. The church is ancient, but very good. Walker’s endowment for a school and the poor has £47; and other charities have £19.

Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].

A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848

FYFIELD (St. Nicholas), a parish, in the union and hundred of Ongar, S. division of Essex, 3 miles (N. E. by N.) from Ongar; containing 563 inhabitants, and comprising 2450a. 3r. 8p. This place is in the Domesday book styled Fifhide, a term supposed to be derived from the Saxon implying five, and hide, a certain quantity of land; soon after the Conquest, it belonged principally to Eustace, Earl of Boulogne. The circumference of the parish is nearly eight miles.

The living is a rectory, valued in the king’s books at £25. 7. 6., and in the gift of L. Pola, Esq.: the tithes have been commuted for £720, and the glebe contains 63 acres. The church is an ancient cruciform structure, with a central tower of wood, replacing the original tower of stone, which fell down; the interior displays many interesting details of early English architecture, and the east window is of very rich design. A national school is endowed with land given for instruction, by Dr. Walker, in 1692, and now producing £46. 10. per annum. Many Roman coins and other relics have been found.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848