William Raymond

William Raymond - succeeded 1720, died 1732

William became the principle of Belchamp Walter estate in the early 18th Century. This was on the death of his nephew John III, who inherited the estate from his father John II. St. Clere, William's father, being disinherited as a result of his marriage to Anne Warkham.

St. Clere was the first son of Frances and Oliver. Frances and Oliver had 21 chidren, none of which interited the estate. Many of the children died young and maybe memorialised on the family memorial. These could have included:

Oliver, d 1665
William d. 1638
Jane d.1647
Anne d. 1675
William d.1714
Plus others

William Raymond suceeded John Raymod III in 1720.
This was same time that the present Belchamp Hall was built. The memorial, designed and built by Robert Taylor, was commisioned by John III.

After this time funding for the clergy was made available from Queen Anne in her "Bounty" in addition from money from the Raymond family.
In 1727 William Raymond gave £100 to support the clergy and was the patron for the current vicar.

In 1727 the vicar was William Kent, who (the church information sheet says) had George the first as patron.
Vicars who had William Ayliff and William Raymond as patrons were Richard Bate (1679), Jon Thomas and George Rutherford.

The history of Belchamp Walter, the Raymond family and Church is particularly interesting here, 1720 was only 40 years after the Restoration (of the monarchy)

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This page is part of an on-going research project on the history of Belchamp Walter and the manor of Belchamp Walter. If you have found it making a web search looking for geneological or other information on the village then please bookmark this page and return often as I am likely to make regular updates. If you delve deeper into this website you will find many other pages similar to this one.

What Thomas Wright says about the church:

" The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is in good repair, and lofty, though not large; it is built partly of stone and partly of brick, has a handsome square tower, and there remains an arch on the north side of the nave, which was the entrance to a chapel called Botetourt's chapel.
There is an orchestra, with a fine-toned organ. This church, belonging originally to Alberic de Vere, was given by him to the priory of Earl's Colne, and this house appropriated to itself the great tithes, which, going to the crown on the general dissolution, left the living (which is a vicarage) very small; but it was augmented by William Raymond, Esq. and others, in 1727, who gave £100, and a house valued at £6 per annum, which insured the further augmentation of the living by a donation of £200 from Queen Anne's bounty. "

William Raymond - succeeded 1720, died 1732

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