[Nathaniel Salmon (1675 - 1742) was an antiquarian who wrote a number of books on local history, principally Hertfordshire, Surrey and Essex.]

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Salcot Wigborough - a hamlet of Great Wigborough contains about 140 acres. The name seems to be from a Salt-work, cote signifies a house or building. In Peldon we find one salt-work which, though at a distance from the sea, might have the water conveyed to it from Pifleet Creek. It is reported to have been a Market Town and a considerabel place, the streets having been paved. The lofty building of the Church now a Chapel to Wigborough, and the Chantry here give some countenance to the tradition. The Lord of Wigborough hath a pound near the Church. The Church is near the creek which parts it from that of Salcot Verley; they are so near one another as to have founded a tradition ever to be met with in the like case, that two sisters, not agreeing, each built one for herself. It is of one pace with the chancel tiled; the tower has one bell. It is not improbably that this and Salcot Verley were once the same vill, as the name seems to show. The difficulty of passing the creek to go to church might induce the Lord of Verley to build for his tenants. This, which is now esteemd but a chapel makes much the greater appearance.

Mr Symonds in his collections shews the Arms of Patteshull and Bourchier on the chancel roof, and preserves this epitaph:-

HIC JACET JOHES BAJON ET MARGARETA UXOR EJUS QUI QUIDEM JOHES OB. 10 SEPT 1480 QUORUM &c

Lands and tenements were put in feoffment by John Baron and John Marchant clerk for a chantry priest; who was the only priest that officiated here; the endowment was £8 12s 4d per annum. Salcot is in it called a great town having 140 houseling [communicant] people.

These lands were by Edward VI granted to John Raynforth - some lay in Langenhoe, in Bardfields, in Salcot Wigborough, in Peldon, Mersey, and Little Badow.

John Govel gave a piece of lands called Paris, 12d per annum for a light; another for an obit, 3 roods at ¾ per annum; a tenement and land called Songar for an obit 11s per annum. The founder of the chantry might be John Baron who lies buried here. The writing might not be plain to Mr Symonds.

Salcot-Verley - is upon the border of Thurstable Hundred; it lies low and contains about 2000 acres. At the Survey it was in the great Robert Gernon, held under him by Verli who gave its present name to it. Robert de Verli holds Salcot of Robert de Gernon, which a freeman held in King Edward's time for a manor and 1 ½ hides; always 1 carucate in Demesne; then 4 bordars, now 3; always one servant; now one horse, 20 hogs, 18 sheep, 2 beasts; then worth 26 shillings, now 30 shillings. The same Verli held of Gernon in this hundred Lega and Toleshunta; in the last was a manor of Verli named after him. This family of Verli though at first holding under another came at length to be proprietors. By Inquisition upon the death of Aveline, wife to Edmund, second son to Henry III it appears that Robert de Verley held 4 knight's fees of the Barony of Stansted; viz Toleshunt, Parva-Birche, Saltcote, Copford and Samantune. Robert had a son Robert whose son and heir was Sir Phiulip de Verley who had Robert that married Margaret daughter of Sir Ralph Gernon by Alianor his wife, daughre of the Earl of Oxford. His son and heir was Philip who had an elder son John that died without issue, and Roger his son and heir who is said to inherit lands at Eastwood, but not here. Philip conveyed it to Walter de Patteshull, temp Edward II as appears by a Fine between Walter de Patteshull, plaintiff, and Philip de Verli, impedient, of the Manor of Salcot Verli and the advowson of the Church; esse Jas Walterus. Walter de Patteshull died 4 Edward III and held the Manors of Toleshunt Tregoz, Berwalden, & Salcote Verley. Thomas was his son and heir who must have had a son Walter else the feodary of Stansted agrees not with that of Hedingham which finds Walter alive 25 Edward III [1352]

There was one Martin de Pateshull, Dean of St. Paul's, about King John's time and Martin de Patshull a Justice Itinerant in 8 Henry III, whom I take to be the same man. He with Henry de Braybroke had fined the furious FoulkeBrent for Depredation of the Subject; And if he had not been a good Itinerant he had been taken by Brent as Braybroke was, and brought to bedford Castle where he was barbarously used.

This estate was after Patteshull in Sir John atte Lee who died 44 Edw III seized of this of Berwalden, and Hertishoe-Bury in Farnham. His residence was at Albury in Herts. He was son of Geoffrey de la Lee, who was son of John de la Lee, Sheriff of Essex and Herts temp Edward I, and had Albury with his wife, sole dau and heir of Sir John Beard.

Sir John atte Lee left Sir Walter his son and heir who was Sheriff of the two counties and Knight for Herts in 9 Parliaments; he died 19 Richard II (1396). His three sisters were his heirs. Margery wife of Robert Newport brought him this estate. William Newport esq was his son and heir, who left George, who left Robert and died 2 Richard III (1485). Robert left John his son and heir who died 16 Henry VIII (1525) and left an only daughter Grace who carried this lordship to her husband, Sir Henry Parker, from whom it descended as Hallingbury to Henry, Lord Morley and he sold it to Anthony Abdy of London, Alderman, from whom it descended as Albyn to Sir Robert Abdy, present Knight of the Shire.

LE MORE, Manor

The Lands of this Manor lie chiefly in this parish. The House stands upon the border of Layer Marney to which it is said to belong, and is called Layer-Wick. Yet in Heylins list of Baronets we have Sir John Abdy of Moores, knight, created 1660. The Rental of the Honor of Hedingham Castle has a Manor called le Moor. Walter de Patteshull held it in 25 Edw III (1352). John and Thomas de Vere, Earls of Oxford held it in 34 & 35 Edw III (1361-2) in Salcote Verley, and John Atte Lee under them. William Newport Esq, 25 Henry VI (1447), Joan Barley and William Tryrwhyt, Kt., temp. Henry VII, George Newport & Robert 18 Henry VII (1503), Edward Lord Morley, one knight's fee, temp. Eliz, Robert Newport, who died 10 Henry VIII (1519) is in an enquiry said to hold besides the Manor of Barwalden, the Manor of More with the Appurtenances in Salcot-Vyrley and Tolleshunt Knights of the Earls of Oxford. et val per an 7 pounds. His son John held the same with a field called Mill Field at val. per an. 40 marc. This is in Sir Robert Abdy.

The CHURCH dedicated to the Blessed Virgin is small, tiled. The steeple is fallen down; a small bell in a wooden frame. William Pretty A.M. was instituted 17 February 1717 per mort Dezee, Sir Robert Abdy, Bt., patron. Robert Macno, cl., March 13, 1730, per mort Pretty - Charles Chamberlain Rebow, patron. The presentation is here alternate. This Church is not in the old Valor. It appears from the Registry that Roysia de Verley was Patroness temp Henry III (1216 -1272). No Arms or Monuments in this Church except in west window - Gules, a cross azure charged with 4 leopards faces, or [Att Lee] William Pretty was also Vicar of Tolleshunt D'Arcy.

Typed from the book by T.B. Millatt and transcribed here by Elaine Barker.

More Salcott History.