The Manor of Belchamp Walter and Rectory

The Manor of Belchamp Walter alias Belchamp William and Manor of the Rectory of Belchamp Walter

This page is about The Manor of Belchamp Walter not the Hall or the dwelling that was situated there or for that matter who lived there.

The manor house, was probably not built until the 14th century. Who owned the manor of Belchamp Walter or who had had "control" (tenure) over it are two seperate issues. In early medievil times it was more about who was assigned "Knight's Fees" and who benefited from the land that was more to the point. Simon of Pattishall is an example of a knight that accumulated 6 Kings's Fees.

At first glance, in the Church of St. Mary and the presence of tha Hall, you may think that a single Family are the complete story of Belchamp Manor. In fact, due to the Civil War, this is far from the case. The sale of the Manor from John Wentworth in 1611 is the subject of much speculation. Oliver served in Oliver Cromwell's Parliaments and was likely to have carried favour at the time of the sale.

By the time that the Civil War was over and Charles II instituted the Restoration (1650-1660) it was too late for lands to be restored to their Royalist former owners. Oliver married Francis Harris 1653

The Manor and Rectory was rented in 1691, see Essex Archive. Was sold to Thomas Ruggles 1741 and rented back in 1776-1777.