Peldon. This parish lies west from Langenhoe, and the village is on the Maldon road to Colchester, where the ground rises a considerable height, especially where the church is situated. The name, of uncertain origin, is in records written, Peltendune, Pellingdon, Poltingdon, &c. Distant from Colchester five miles, and from London forty-seven. [ Note 1 ] Two freemen, of whom one was named Turchill, held the lands of this parish before the Conquest; and William the Deacon, and Suene, and his under-tenant Odo, had possession of them at the time of the survey. There are two manors.

Peldon The mansion of the manor of Peldon is near the north side of the church. This estate was granted by the Conqueror to William the Deacon, about the year 1086, towards rebuilding the cathedral church of St. Paul, which had been recently destroyed by fire. [ Note 2 ] This manor was, in consequence, holden of the bishops of London. It was so holden, in 1282, by Walter de Peltindone, who conveyed it to John de Nevill and Margery his wife ; and in 1332 it passed from John de Langwoode to Hugh de Nevill: and John Nevill, of Essex, who died in 1358, held, for his life, and the life of his wife Alice, "this manor of Peltyngdon, with the advowson of the church, of the bishop of London; remainder to William de Bohun, earl of Northampton, and his heirs." Michael de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, and lord chancellor, had this manor ; but was deprived of it, on his banishment, as one of the evil counsellors of king Richard the second. In 1426, Robert Tey, of the family of that name, of Marks Tey, died possessed of this manor, which was retained by his descendants, till, on the partition of the estates of sir Thomas Tey amonog his four co-heiresses, this manor fell to the share of Frances, married first to William Bonham, esq., next to Edward Bocking, and lastly to Thomas Bonham. It afterwards passed to the crown.

In 1545 king Henry the eighth granted this manor, and the advowson of the church, to sir Thomas Darcy, knt. (afterwards lord Darcy), and his heirs male. He died in 1558, and was succeeded by John lord Darcy, his son, who died in 1580: his son, Thomas lord Darcy, was created viscount Colchester in 1621, and earl Rivers in 1626. He died in 1639, leaving four daughters, Elizabeth, Mary, Penelope, and Susan, his co-heiresses. Elizabeth, the eldest, was married to sir Thomas Savage, knt., who died in 1635 ; and her father, the earl, having appointed her his executrix, she, in 1647, settled this estate in Richard viscount Lumley, Henry Nevill, of Cressing Temple, and Isaac Creme, gent., as trustees ; and they sold it to Mr. Thomas Reynolds, who kept his first court here in 1650. [ Note 3 ] His descendants retained this possession till, on the death of Charles, son of Samuel Reynolds, without surviving offspring, he left this, and other estates, to his kinsman, the rev. William Samuel Powell, D.D., archdeacon of Colchester, and master of St. John's college, in Cambridge.

The rectory is a manor, and had thirty acres of land belonging to it at the time of the survey. It keeps a court, and hath some quit-rents, out of which three pounds a year are paid to the crown by the rector.

There was a church here at the time of the survey; but, if the present be that original erection, it has undergone frequent and considerable alterations. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The nave is of one pace with the chancel, and the tower is of stone.

The population of this parish in 1821 amounted to four hundred and thirty-eight, and only to four hundred and twenty-four in 1831.

Note 1 Strong land : - Average annual produce per acre; wheat twenty-four, barley thirty-six bushels,
Note 2 According to the literal meaning of the grant - "All the land that William the Deacon, and Raulf, his brother, of me holdeth and hath." - Dugdale's Hist, of St, Paul's; and Godwin's Catalogue of Bishops.
Note 3 He was born near Ipswich, in Suffolk ; and, settling at Colchester, in the clothing business, acquired a large estate: his residence was in a good brick house, of his own erection, without Eastgate. In 1662 he was mayor of Colchester; and marrying Margery, daughter of Samuel Decoster, had by her four sons and four daughters. On his death, in 1665, he was buried in the south aisle of St. James's church. His eldest son, Samuel, was his heir, who was M.P. for Colchester in 1681 and 1688. He married Judith, daughter of Thomas Samford, esq., of Colchester, by whom he had Samuel, George, Thomas, John; Judith, and Susan. He died in 169i, and was buried near his father. Susan, the youngest daughter, was marrried, first to Mr. George Jolland ; afterwards to the rev. Francis Powell. She died in 1750, having had, by her second husband, William Samuel Powell, William, and Susan. Samuel Reynolds, esq., eldest son and heir of Samuel, who died in 1694, married Frances, daughter of Charles Pelham, esq., of the noble family of Pelham, duke of Newcastle. Arms of Reynolds: Sable, a chevron, checky argent and sable, between three crosslets, fitche, argent; on a chief, sable, three estoiles, argent. Crest : On a torse of his colours, and a closed helmet, a wolfs head, erased collared sable.

Peldon History Project
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