Wrabness, Essex

Wrabness in the 19th Century

White's Directory of Essex 1848

Wrabness is a pleasant village and parish on the south side of the broad estuary of the river Stour, 5 miles East of Manningtree, and 6 miles West of Harwich.

It has now about 330 inhabitants, and 1056 acres of land, which belonged to the Abbey of Bury St. Edmund's, of which it was held by various families before and after the Conquest. E. W. Garland, Esq., is now lord of the manor, but part of the soil belongs to Miss Chaplin, Mr. Francis Richardson, and a few smaller owners. The old Hall, occupied by a farmer, commands a fine view of the vale of the Stour.

The Church (All Saints), is a small ancient structure, which had formerly a stone tower, and five bells, but has now only a wooden turret, and two bells.

The rectory, valued in K.B. at £8, and in 1831 at £340, is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and incumbency of the Rev. T. Fenn, M.A., who has 50A. of glebe and a good residence, built in 1840, at the cost of £1300. The tithes were commuted in 1841, for £360 per annum. Here is a small Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1845; and the poor parishioners have a yearly rent-charge of 6s.8d., out of a farm belonging to Mr. Simpson. left by an unknown donor.

Artwork

~ 01 ~ In Wrabness Woods, near Harwich (1909) L.Burleigh Bruhl H&D ~

Residential Wrabness

~ 02 ~ #133464 Primrose Hill, Wrabness, Essex (1930) Bells H&D ~

~ 03 ~Wrabness The Wheatsheaf" (1907) F.Newell H&D ~

~ 04 ~ Primrose Hill, Wrabness (1920) H&D ~

~ 05 ~ Wrabness, Essex (1910) H&D ~

~ 06 ~ Wrabness, Essex (1907) F.Newell H&D ~

~ 07 ~ Wrabness Hall, Essex (1910) H&D ~

~ 08 ~ The Hall, Wrabness (1920) by Wallis of Oakley H&D ~

~ 09 ~ Wrabness Rectory, Essex (1910) H&D ~

~ 10 ~Wrabness School, Essex (1907) F.Newell H&D ~

~ 11 ~ Wrabness, Farm Scene (1910) F.Wallis of Gt Bentley H&D ~

~ 12 ~ Horse & Trap, on the Wrabness Road, Ramsey, Essex (1920) H&D ~

~ 13 ~ Farming the land at Wrabness, Essex (1920) H&D ~

Ecclesiastical Wrabness

~14 ~ The Wesleyan Chapel, Wrabness, Essex (1907) by F.Newell of Manningtree ~ H&D ~

This small Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1845, could actually hold about 90 people according to the Wesleyan Methodist Church records from 1870.
The chapel was apparently marked to be demolished in 1908-1909 with plans for the construction of new chapel, however I have been informed its now a private residence.

~ 15 ~ Wrabness Church, Essex (1920) H&D ~

~ 16 ~ Wrabness Church, Essex (1907) F.Newell H&D ~

~ 17 ~ C15481 ~ All Saints Church, Wrabness, Essex (1958) H&D ~

~ 18 ~ Memorial Card, All Saints Church, Wrabness, Essex (1914) H&D ~

~ 20 ~ Bell Cage, Wrabness (1920) Wallis H&D ~

Railwayana

~ 21 ~ Station Road, Wrabness (1910) H&D ~

~ 22 ~ Wrabness Signal Box, Essex (1970) H&D ~

~ 23 ~ Wrabness Station (1904) F.Newell H&D ~

~ 24 ~ Wrabness Signal Box, Essex (1904) H&D ~

Railway workers and signalmen, beside Wrabness station signal box, Essex (1904)

Wrabness Station is situated on the branch line to Harwich. The "Mayflower Line" is the name given to the route from Manningtree and it dates to 1854, when the line was built to provide connections with steamers bound for the continent.
This lovely old signal box dates from 1875 and was used for controlling the section of line and stood at the west end of the down platform, but was no longer used after the electrification of the line in 1985.
The box was purchased by local enthusiasts and donated to the Colne Valley Railway at Castle Hedingham, where it was re-commissioned and is still operational today, controlling a running round loop.