Downham, Essex Family History Guide

Updated onOctober 17, 2024

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Downham is an Ancient Parish in the county of Essex.

Alternative names:

Parish church: St. Margaret

Parish registers begin:

Parish registers: 1559
Bishop’s Transcripts: 1639; 1800

Nonconformists include:

Table of Contents

Adjacent Parishes

Parish History

The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870

DOWNHAM, a parish in Billericay district, Essex; near the river Crouch, 4 miles E of Billericay, and 5 N of Pitsea r. station. Post town, Wickford, under Chelmsford.

Acres, 2,223. Real property, £3,047. Pop., 247. Houses, 52. The property is divided among a few.

The living is a rectory in the diocese of Rochester. Value, £402. Patron, R. B. Berens, Esq. The church has a square embattled tower, and is good.

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

A Topographical Dictionary of England 1848

DOWNHAM (St. Margaret), a parish, in the union of Billericay, hundred of Barstable, S. division of Essex, 4¼ miles (E. by N.) from Billericay; containing 254 inhabitants.

It is bounded on the east by the hundred of Chelmsford, and on the west by the parish of Ramsdon-Bellhouse; and comprises 2234 acres, of which 71 are common or waste.

The living is a rectory, valued in the king’s books at £12. 2. 8½.; net income, £402; patron, R. B. Berens, Esq. The church is a small ancient edifice, with a handsome embattled tower, and contains some interesting monuments.

There are the remains of a castle, occupying a quadrangular area near the church, and supposed to be Roman.

Source: A Topographical Dictionary of England by Samuel Lewis 1848